Book Review - Force of Nature: A Celebration of Girls and Women Raising Their Voices

About the Book

From the bestselling author-photographer of Strong Is the New Pretty, Force of Nature A Celebration of Girls and Women Raising Their Voices is a collection of Kate Parker’s photographs that celebrates girls and women finding, using, amplifying, and sustaining their voices to empower themselves and the people around them.

Mothers lifting up their daughters. Sisters standing their ground. Classmates lending a helping hand. Here are more than 150 full-color and black-and-white images of girls and women in the process of speaking up and speaking out. Force of Nature, the third installment in the Strong Is the New Pretty series by bestselling author-photographer Kate Parker, is split into four chapters—Find Your Voice, Use Your Voice, Amplify Your Voice, and Sustain Your Voice. The book and its subjects tackle issues big and small with the power and wisdom of their voices and their confidence in themselves. Individually and collectively, these girls and women—and their voices—are a force of nature. Some arrive in the form of urgent whispers while others positively roar off the page. Each photo is accompanied by a quotation from the subject talking about how she has found or used her voice to uplift herself and others. Throughout the four chapters are ten “spotlights” that feature additional photos and extended essays that tell the stories of exceptional girls and women who are navigating the complexities of making change every day. 

My Take on the Book
I know that the description of this book talks about mothers lifting up their daughters, but as a father to daughters I would say that this is an amazing books for dads to read with their daughters too. The book is powerful, not only through the images (which are powerful) but also through the descriptions and being pulled into the stories behind the images themselves. Kate Parker has done a remarkable job capturing the essence of so many girls and it encourages you to empower your own daughters to live their best lives and to achieve the dreams they set before themselves!

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Book Review - National Geographic Kids Guide to Photography

About the Book
In the age of smartphones and selfies, why not learn from the pros how to take great photos to share with friends and family! Here's a fun, fact-filled, kid-friendly guide that is jam-packed with all the essentials for budding photographers. From how to set up a shot and stage the lighting and from the best software to short assignments, you'll learn all the important photographic concepts and basics of equipment, lighting aperture, lenses, depth of field, and more. This wide-ranging book also has sections devoted to composition and photographing different subjects (animals, people, sports, landscapes). Before and after shots offer visual explanations while tips and photographs from National Geographic photographers are featured throughout, making this the best photography guide out there today for children (and adult beginners too!).



My Take on the Book
I loved how this book really walked young photographers step-by-step through the process of taking better pictures and provided tricks and tons of tips for becoming a stronger photographer in the end. My daughter has been taking more pictures lately and I gave this to her. She loved it. She read it very quickly and found that she was practicing what the book was preaching along the way. I have noticed a marked increase in the quality of her pictures and I have to say that I believe that it is because of this new instruction. Well written and great instruction. Filled with amazing images, the reader will come back again and again to reflect on the resources presented and will continue to learn from it far into the future!


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Selfie Sticks Let You Capture The Hard To Capture Shots #SelfieStick

About the Selfie Stick

In today's society you hear about people taking selfies all of the time! I have a Samsung NX-Mini that I use due to it's easy to use flip up display to take easy selfies, but I still miss a lot due t my short arms as well as the lack of height myself. That being said this blutooth enabled Selfie Stick - Professional 2-in-1 was amazingly easy to use and really did a great job at providing you with easy access to connecting doing selfies with either your cellular phone or small camera.

Product Features

• Works Great with all versions of Gopro (Hero 4, 3, 2 and 1), Digital Cameras, iPhones, Samsung Galaxy and many other Smartphones.
• Backed by 1 Year Warranty
• Light weight but sturdy design. Allows for product rotation and tilting.
• Product extends up to 39"
• Built in Bluetooth Shutter Button, no need for any other devices beside the selfie stick

My Take on the Selfie Stick
At the touch of a button (once the Sepfie Stick is charged up) you can remotely connect to your phone and take a picture even when your arms are short. This was such a great device and it worked very well too. While my camera does not have the ability for me to connect to it in this way I wish that it did so that I could use this a bit more too. I can however use the selfie stick with the timer function of the camera to get an even better image!

The device is lightweight and can extend to 39" which is not too shabby in my perspective. It also came with two holders for cell phones as well as a mount for a camera too!

This device is definitely a great addition to my photography arsenal and I cannot believe that I never had one of these before now. I can say that I am SO glad to have it and have been taking it everywhere with me and you will too!



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Book Review - Capture the Moment

About the Book
This modern guide to photography pairs big, bold images with short, focused tips for translating everyday life into stunning works of art. Featuring contributions by the members of Clickin Moms, the photography industry’s largest social network of female photographers, this guide captures the beauty of family life—whether it’s a child’s unfinished bowl of cereal or a sunlit trip to the lake. With tips progressing from elementary to advanced, this book is perfect for amateurs and professionals alike, covering equipment, composition, posing, low light, natural light, black and white, still life, and lifestyle photography. Assignments for experimenting with lighting and shooting locations round out the chapters, providing photographers with both the inspiration and skills they need to document those unforgettable, frame-worthy moments in time.


My Take on the Book
This is an amazing book that brings together beautiful images to share tips that are easily incorporated into your everyday photos that you may choose to take. As someone that was not trained as a professional photographer I still take photos on a daily basis, but can still use help in honing my craft and getting better with each image that I take. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and learning more with each page that I read. This book truly allows you to find new ways to capture daily life, and I for one am glad to have such a resource at my fingertips!

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The #Cube Gives You Instant Access To Instagram #DadChat

About the Cube
#Cube™ speaks to the enormous popularity of photo-sharing sites such as Instagram by enabling the socially connected to enlarge their viewing experience of photos and videos, from the smaller confines of a smart device. It is an extremely innovative, attractive, & easy-to-use wireless living photo canvas which showcases your favorite social photo & video streams.

Among the immensely appealing features of #Cube™ are:

• A large 8” square LCD touch screen display, giving the retro-inspired #Cube™ a modern touch.
• Real-time and instant continuous delivery of a stream of photos and video clips, enabling users to enjoy and display real-time social network images from friends, family, and favorite celebrities.
• Rechargeability and built-in Wi-Fi as well as free wireless software updates that enable new features and application support.

Trying out the New #cube device that gives me direct access to my instagram. So cool!

A photo posted by Christopher Lewis (@dadofdivas) on Dec 12, 2014 at 3:17pm PST

My Take on the #Cube
I have never seen a device just like this. As someone who uses Instagram to share my pictures, sometimes I find it not that easy to be able to see my stream and be able to quickly like photos that come up too. The #Cube does all of this for you. The setup of the device was easy and at home I was quickly searching through the photos that were in my stream on Instagram. I loved that you had the flexibility to also search through hashtags and other ways so that you did not have to focus on only the home Instagram feed.

I had no problems on my own home network. When I tried to take this to work, because of a firewall I could not actually get it to connect. So I took it back home and now have it where I can see and use it on a daily basis.

I see this as a great gift for a parent or Grandparent that wants easy access to Instagram photos. The device also makes it very easy to like a photo, with only a touch of a button.

I found the battery to be long-lasting and while it does come with a cord, you do not have to use this if you do not want.

All-in-all I am impressed. The #Cube was easy to use and set up and really streams Instagram well and allows others to enjoy in the feed too.


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Book Review - The Design Aglow Posing Guide for Family Portrait Photography

About the Book
Get inspired to take family portraits your clients will love

Whether you’re facing your first family portrait shoot or are a seasoned professional looking for fresh inspiration, Design Aglow’s 100 ideas for posing newborns, babies, children, siblings, and families will help you approach each session brimming with confidence and creative ideas.

Design Aglow’s style-savvy approach has resonated with photographers (and their clients) everywhere. This curated collection reflects their modern sensibility, with poses from industry superstars such as Elizabeth Messina, Rachel Devine, Jose Villa, Tara Whitney, and Anna Kuperberg. You’ll also get tips on directing your subjects, follow-up shots for each setup, and behind-the-scenes lighting information.

Both eye candy and practical reference tool, The Design Aglow Posing Guide for Family Portrait Photography will inspire any family photographer, novice or expert, to “wake up” their style and take beautiful portraits for modern families.



My Take on the Book
The author wrote in the introduction to "use this beautiful book in two ways: first as an easy to transport visual guide for photography inspiration at sessions ; second in the small studio or home as a study guide of the techniques we employ for innovative photography. The chapters and information were written to assist the reader in discovering ways to add emotion, texture, and color to their photographs.

I enjoyed reading each section from newborn and babies, to children and siblings, and finally families. Each section gave specific suggestions about setting up the photo. You will gain not only valuable information from the text but also there is a beautiful photograph to illustrate the principles written about on the page.

If you are serious about improving your skills as a photographer, I believe you will find this book very helpful on that journey.



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Book Review - Your Child in Pictures

About the Book
Photography tips for moms and dads on how to take everyday portraits of children

Celebrated photographer and best-selling author Me Ra Koh provides step-by-step instruction on photographing your family and taking pictures of your child. As a companion book to Your Baby in Pictures, Your Child in Pictures helps you learn to capture your child's special moments with 40 beautiful “photo recipes” that anyone can do, with any camera.

From first haircuts to first days of school, from snuggly teddy bears to favorite dress-up clothes, the toddler and childhood years are full of precious days that disappear all too soon. What parent doesn’t yearn to freeze the memory of their 2-year-old’s chubby cheeks, or their 6-year-old’s toothless grin?



My Take on the Book
As a father, mother, grandparents, or aunt and uncle, we want to take photographs of the adorable children in our lives. Me Ra Koh has written a book with excellent tips for any person who wants to photograph children.

The author has an entire chapter devoted to choosing a camera or using a camera you currently have in your possession. You will find great advice in this section.

I focused on the chapters which included information about photographing the ages of my girls. The author gave specific examples of topics for photos. One of the suggestions was photographing your child creating: a young artist at work. She wrote specific suggestions about the composition of the picture and how to capture the shot.

With older children , she suggested you ask permission to photograph them as often they are shy. You may want to compose a photo with them showing a hobby they enjoy, a pet they love, or their best friends.

I think one of the best suggestions was to take your time when photographing children. Don't necessarily go for quantity of photos but the quality in the ones you take. Try not to pose the children all the time and don't ask the children to say "cheese".

I felt the author had great suggestions for anyone wanting to improve their photographs and their photography skills.



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Product Review - Playskool Showcam 2-in-1 Digital Camera and Projector #GotItFree

About the Product
Playskool Showcam Digital Camera and Projector

Snap a pic and show it off instantly with the ShowCam kids' camera from Playskool. One flip of the switch instantly turns this easy-to-use digital camera into a real working projector. With over 50 ways to customize their pics and 3 ways to display them through the projector, kids will love to create their own show over and over again.

The Showcam 2-in-1 camera and projector was designed with real kids in mind. The chunky size, soft grips and added hand strap make it so easy for little hands to hold and play. Big, colorful buttons let kids navigate the simple controls with little or no help. Plus, our built-in photo editing feature is literally child's play - no computer or extra software needed. They just press the Silly Button to choose from lots of fun stamps, frames, animations and sound effects, then snap a funny picture.

Now it's super easy for kids to star in their own show to share with friends and family. Take some pics in a well-lit area, then turn down the lights to get started. Stand about 2 feet from a wall or any other flat surface and your little photographer can choose from 3 different ways to make a show. One option is to set an automatic slideshow with fun sound effects. They can also choose from 5 slideshow themes, or scroll through each photo on their own. With so many ways to customize your show, smile, say "cheese", and get snappin'!

Great kids' electronic hardware helps make great fun. The ShowCam kids' camera can store approximately 1000 photos without a memory stick. Just like the built-in stamps and animations, you won't need any extra software to download and print your pics with your home computer - just your own USB cable (not included).


My Take on the Book
My five year old was the person that I had use this, as I knew that it was geared toward younger kids. She loved the idea of using this because she sees me using my cameras all of the time so she actually has been bugging me to have her own.

The design of this camera is quite rugged and large which is good for young children as it is easy to hold, but not too heavy either.

The camera was easy to use and it really did not take much time for me to show her how to use it, and she actually took it out of my own hands and wanted to just figure it out for herself.

I will say that for me I would have liked to have had a bit better quality in the pictures. With more and more cameras coming out with better quality, I think kids cameras should too. I say this because I noticed that quite a few of the pictures that she took were a bit blurry and/or dark especially when she was shooting inside. If the camera had a built in flash, this may have helped, but alas it did not.

One of the things that sets this camera apart from other kids cameras I have seen is the projector capability, as I have not seen this on other kids cameras. My daughter loved sharing her pictures on the wall in our living room!

Overall, I am pleased for the most part on how this runs, though would have liked to have had better quality images in general. My daughter loves this and your child will too!


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Book Review - Idiot's Guides: Digital Photography

About the Book
Idiot's Guides: Digital Photography is the simplest guide to becoming a better photographer and taking better pictures with any basic digital camera or DSLR. Instead of focusing on complicated and quickly outdated topics like gear or retouching software, you'll learn the timeless principles of good photography, the essentials of every camera and lens, and how to use all that knowledge to take the pictures you previously thought were only achievable by professional photographers. You'll learn how to set up every shot, avoid common mistakes, and do more with your pictures through unique and creative digital photography projects. Focused on making people better photographers, this easy-to-understand, full-color guide finally simplifies the process of taking great pictures by focusing on what people really need to know.



My Take on the Book
I have always been the person behind the camera, though I have never really had any formal training. I loved to try new things but could not tell you the difference between an aperture setting and lighting differences among many other things. I have done some reading over the years, but still knew that I needed to learn more. What I loved about this book was that it went step-by-step through basic information and worked its way into more advanced information. What was nice about the book too was that it did not talk down to the reader, but made the information easy to understand and easy to implement. The book also was set up in such a way that it provides you some great information on specific photo settings. I for one learned a ton in this book and I know that anyone interested in photography will too!


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Shutterfly Long Live Summer Photo Contest Video

  All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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Shutterfly's Long Live Summer Photo Contest

Long Live Summer – Facebook Photo Contest details - 7/9 – 8/12 Multi-week summer themed photo sweepstakes with instant win prizes.

Win a trip for four to The Bahamas and a professional photo shoot so you’ll remember your vacation forever.  All you need to do is upload your favorite photo and caption based on the theme of the week.  Get a gift from Shutterfly just for entering! You can enter at any point during the 5-week sweepstakes period.

PHOTO THEMES

• Week 1(7/9): Americana
• Week 2 (7/16): Great Outdoors
• Week 3 (7/23): Water Fun
• Week 4 (7/30): Sports & Activities
• Week 5 (8/6): Parties & Celebrations

PRIZES

• Instant win prizes just for submitting a photo!
• Weekly prizes (contestants can enter one time/week)
• Weekly featured photos: up to 5 weekly entries will be selected from the gallery and featured on the Facebook fan page and awarded a $500 gift card on Shutterfly and a copy of the new Lonely Planet travel photography book.
• Grand prize: trip for 4 to Bahamas, 4 nights, family photo shoot

• Shutterfly Sweepstakes - Official Rules

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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@Photodex Proshow Web Provides a Unique Mothers Day Gift

About the Product
Online video creation that's simple, fast and professionally polished.

ProShow Web automatically transforms your photos, video clips and music into a polished video slideshow, ready for you to stream online or download. Create shows online anywhere, on Mac or PC, with the option to customize and share in full HD 1080p.

Fast and easy slideshows from anywhere, Mac or PC.
Instantly create gorgeous video slideshows from anywhere. Automatic show creation with a custom twist lets gets a perfect show every time.

Professional polish with themes and effects.
From simple and serene to high-energy, there's dozens of themes and thousands of effects that let you create a show perfect for any occasion.

Tons of royalty-free music at your fingertips.
ProShow Web includes hundreds of hand-picked royalty-free music tracks from every style and genre. Adding music tracks to your show is a snap.

Share your creations in HD, online or on your TV.
Share your masterpiece on Facebook or YouTube. Download videos or embed them on your blog. You can even burn to DVD or Blu-ray up to 1080p.

My Take on the Product
This was an amazing product that was so easy to use. I was amazed to find the high quality productions that I could put together with using this product. I put together a great video for my mother and mother-in-law that I think they both will love and am looking forward to seeing what they think come mothers day and I believe that you too will be impressed with the quality and capability of the program itself.

What I found in the program is that is it quite intuitive. Unlike many other programs where you are tying images together you do not need to be an expert at the production aspect of the show as the program does all of the hard work for you. I also loved the fact that you could put music to the show and that the program itself had so many royalty free tracks that you could use!

Overall, I was impressed and I think you will be too!

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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