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Google Buzz…What’s All The Buzz About?

February 14, 2010 by vard · 2 Comments 

It was an easy decision to decide to start incorporating new ’stuff’ in to this blog.  So here we go.  This wont be extensive or deep…I just have a question.  What is Google Buzz about and how are you using it?  OK, so that’s closer to 2 questions…whatever.  I’ve been doing a little homework on social media marketing for a class I’m doing for the United Way here in Berwick in a couple of weeks.  I use Twitter and Facebook and blogs for the most part, but I’m always interested in what’s happening in this field.  Last week Google Buzz hit the scene and now it’s all you run across when reading up on this topic.

I’m asking here because, while I don’t use Gmail, I realize LOTS of people do.  I have one, but only just opened it…and it was really only for research purposes…I haven’t done ANYTHING with it yet.  So, to those of you that do spend some time in front of Gmail, are you seeing and/or using Buzz…

That’s about it…can someone shed some light on it for me…?  Thanks!

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Chocolate Heaven

February 13, 2010 by vard · Leave a Comment 

Wanted to take a quick second and post a few more of the shots from Lindsey’s Chocolate Cookbook shoot.  The original plan was to hold off until Kat had worked up the actual cover layout, but after finding out she was working on a few (in the 3-5 range) I figured I’d get these up now and do something a bit different with the covers.  I shouldn’t be the only person enjoying Kat’s mad layout & design skills.  I thought it would be more fun to post all of them, run a little poll and see what everyone else thought.  As soon as the covers are done (about 2 weeks) we’ll be doing just that.  Until then…enjoy these!

I have to say thank you again to Lindsey for rockin this out like a pro.  Her shoot submission sold itself; from her concept, to the way she presented it, the choice was pretty easy.  Kat getting on board for hair and makeup was basically key to wrapping up this look, and Mollie and Jonathan offering up their retro kitchen was the cherry on the top of this chocolate sundae.  From start to almost finished, this has been an amazing shoot to be part of.  Looking forward to closing it out when we see Kat’s final designs.  You all rock!

Quick Note – We’re planting the seeds of a new project that takes ‘FUN’ (personally one of my favorite past times!) and glues it together with ‘SOCIAL AWARENESS’ in the hopes of getting people involved in projects in an engaging and interesting way.  Being responsible doesn’t have to be boring!  If you get a second, jump over to www.300AlmostNakedPeople.com and give it a read.   I’d love to hear anyone’s thoughts on this project…and if anyone is interested in helping out or adding to the experience, please do drop me a line.  That said, cake is already covered, so pick something else…thank you Leah and Tara!  :D

GOOD BEITZ! (what ROCK ON sounds like when your ears are filled with chocolate syrup!)  ;P

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Phoenix, We Have a Problem

January 21, 2010 by vard · Leave a Comment 

Hey, look what I broke!  Got inspired to move the blog over to another service last night.  Things were going well until I started messing around with this end of it…you might have noticed some subtle changes ;P.  I still think I’d be better served moving the blog, but what I realized over the last 24 hours, among other things, is that I can’t do everything.

Ultimately, yes, I want to be able to, but it’ll all come in time.  There’s sooooo much I want to try and DO with the blog, the website and social media in general, that I try to dabble in quite of bit of it, but end up excelling in none of it.  This blog is a perfect example.  It’s lame as hell.  I know what I want…at least I think I do…but I’ve really been sucking at making it all work.  Teaching myself ’stuff’ is one of my favorite things…I love it.  But I realized today that some things are going to take longer than I’m used to having patience for.  Staying focused on the shooting and editing is pretty much primary for most of the season, but I still REALLY want to take some of this stuff up a notch.

On my run this morning I started thinking about video blogging – actually, I’ve been thinking about it for quite some time, but what I wasn’t doing was actually doing anything about it.  I think it would be rad to start putting short vids together of shoots or some of the cool stuff we try to fill our lives with.  Not because I NEED someone to watch it, but because ‘I’ want to watch it…and I think it’ll be SUPER fun to do.  I have friends that can help with this, but I still want to know how to do it myself.  Annie B and Jimmy C are both either in or getting in to video.  I’ll be bugging the hell out of them to come have some fun with us, but until we can work that out, Connie and I can give it a shot.  I haven’t shot any video because I was waiting around for some magical moment where one of two things would happen; either someone would come in and just start doing it for me, or I’d have some epiphany and feel like I knew what I was doing.  Neither is happening…but duh..seriously, why would they?  It hit me today that the only way for me to feel comfortable shooting video was to start, accept that I’ll be screwing it up a lot from the get go, and learning from that.  Along the way, perhaps I’ll be lucky enough to have someone want to show me what I’m doing wrong, but if not, I should be learning some interesting and fun stuff, right.

Same for the blog…this thing stinks.  But I can’t seem to take the time to make it like I want, and when I tried last night, I made it smell worse!  I’m sure I know at least a person or two that rocks blogs blindfolded…but I’ve never asked.  So now I am.  Anyone out there really good at this stuff?  Can I bend your ear for a few minutes?  I need help with it.  I want to get some video going here, links to the important stuff and basically take it up a notch, while at the same time having fun with people that geek out on some of the same things I do.

I know and work with some really cool and artistic people.  It’s great!  I know musicians (anyone bored and want to work on some soundtrack stuff for the videos?).  We’ll probably both learn a lot and walk away with some cool collaborations on top of it.  I know writers (anyone want to have some fun with that skill helping me get my point across online?).  I know other photographers (anyone want to get together and shoot some time?).  All the stuff I think about and never seem to be doing…that’s what I want to start doing…right now.

I’m starting to ramble a bit here…sorry about that.  My brain has been in overdrive this week.  I started helping Barry & Cathy Beck get their online presence stepped up and it just inspired me to start doing the things I’m thinking about all the time…I’ll end this here.  This all sounded more clear in my head anyway.

Sunday night – if anyone is interested in dropping by, we’ll be on Oak St. (the one way thing).  I’ve been running by those passenger cars for a couple of months thinking it would make a cool image.  So I’m going to take it.  Sunset, some studio lighting and an idea.  If I hose it, oh well, it’ll still be fun.  If anyone is interested in geekin’ out with us, cool!  If not, cool too.  I’m thinking we’re going to shoot some video of it all, just to see what we can put together and start the process of making better, more interesting videos in the not too distant future.  Monday, we’re headed out of town for a shoot @ Daniel Oz studios in Philly…thinking we should vid that too…why not…

Basically I want to start having more fun…does anyone want to come out and play?

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New Ad Series

January 3, 2010 by vard · Leave a Comment 

Had to post these.  Some times, you just gotta!

Thank you Andrea and Julie for helping me with this project.  I look forward to working with you both in the coming months on this series of images.  Hi-5’s to these great women…they took a decent comfort beating to help make this a reality.  And thank you to Marc down at Fuel Fitness for the inspiration on this set.  These will be hanging somewhere inside Fuel Fitness, along with the rest of the set, throughout the coming year.  If you’re in the area, stop in and check ‘em out!

Rock On!

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You Pick It Results

December 31, 2009 by vard · 2 Comments 

Finally got a chance to sit down and post the winning images from the ‘You Pick It’ shoot giveaway.  Olivia (Makeup Artist for Image 1) and Beth (Everything – Image 2) have both been in front of the camera more than once and are fantastic people to work with.  I look forward to creating some awesome images with both of them.

Thank you again to everyone that submitted images.  I really enjoy getting to know creative and motivated people! :D

Rock on!

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Santas In Speedos

December 28, 2009 by vard · 3 Comments 

First up – thank you again to everyone that submitted for the ‘You Pick It’ free shoot contest. Voting ends tonight at 9pm, and I’ll be posting the winning looks some time tonight or tomorrow. If you have an image up for voting, start beating down doors/phones/emails to get people to support you! Get social with it – posting a link to the voting on your Facebook/MySpace/whatever is a pretty simple way to make sure your supporters can help you out with little effort on their part. Good luck everyone!

Here’s a few shots from the ‘Santa’s in Speedos’ run this past Saturday morning.  The Nespoli brothers (pictured last here along with CIA operative and general business mogul Kevin/You’ll-never-know-my-real-name/Anthony) put this on to raise money for breast cancer research – over $11,000 was raised!  :D  And this was only the first year!  The day kicked off at Crickets Bar on Front St in the middle of downtown (uptown if you’re a mailman) Berwick @ 10am.  Gathering @ a bar @ 10am – GENIUS!  The run was supposed to start at 1pm, but things got a little overzealous around 12:40 and everyone just took off, paying no attention to what time it really was.

Fun, Exciting, Important!  Congrats to The Brothers Nespoli for such a successful first go of this.  Start looking for your own speedo for next years event!  :D

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