Atlanta Baby Photographer | Newborns, Children, Families | Portraits by Amanda Shoemaker

I’ve had my iPhone since Jan ‘08… and i LOVE it.  Since a lot of my clients and colleagues have the iPhone as well, I thought I would take a minute to share with you some favorite apps that I’ve found either fun or useful.  Oh, and all of the apps listed below are free in the iTunes Store.

Here’s a still of one of my iPhone’s screens:

These are in no particular order… and if you click the links, it will launch the App Store and take you directly to the app.

1. Wordpress - I use WP for this blog, and with this app, I can log in and post from my iPhone. You can even attach pics from your library and camera roll.  Pretty neat.
2. AOL Radio -  All kinds of great internet radio stations to choose from. This one works best when you are near a strong WiFi connection, but it’s a very cool app. Some of my fav stations:  KCRW Music, Top Blues, Brit Pop, Super ’70s, Awesome ’80s, Fresh 100, Acoustic Rock, Classic Hip-Hop, 92.9 daveFM, KCRW All-News, All Dave Matthews, All Radiohead, and All Michael Jackson (yeah, that’s right. Don’t judge me).
3. Remote - This one allows me to control my iTunes music library (and volume!) from any room in my house.  I know it’s a pretty simple concept, but seriously, it feels like I’m performing magic.
4. reMovem free - Very simple game. I think this one was called “Gumdrop” or “Jawbreaker” or something before they changed it to reMovem.  Tap groups of balls of alike color, and they disappear.  The larger the group, the more points.  Very addictive.  I have no idea why.
5. Sol Free Solitaire - I have always loved playing solitaire.  This one has three games.  Klondike Deal 3, Demon, and Baker’s Game.  Klondike is the one I know best.  Really nice app for a free version.
6. Tris - Just like Tetris, but without the Te.
7. Facebook - A trimmed down version of the site.  I love catching up on what everyone is doing during the day and reading everyone’s hilarious status messages.  Did you know I have a Page for Capturinglight?  You should become a fan. :-)
   
8. Bible - Self-explanatory.  The entire Bible in your pocket, in any version you prefer.  I like NIV and The Message.  Also has daily readings and a great search function.
9. WeatherBug - I’m a total weather nerd and love having the ability to look at the local radar on my phone.  It also shows the current temp, rain amounts, humidity, dew point, heat index, wind speeds, and severe weather alerts.
10. Yelp - I love referencing Yelp for reviews on restaurants around Atlanta.  Convenient app for when the hubby and I are out and about, looking for a new place to check out for dinner.  It will show you nearby restaurants, bars, coffee shops, gas stations, banks, and drugstores based on your current location.

So, there’s my top 10.  What are your faves? Let me know in the comments.

If you’ve ever wondered what goes into creating your portraits… this is another great article by Marianne Drenthe on the costs associated with custom photography.

A few comments I have about the article…

Time
Marianne uses the example of a photographer spending on average about 13-19 hours per client.  I’d estimate that I spend approximately 30 hours per client, start to finish… from the first phone call… to the personal delivery of their portraits.  Many people assume the bulk of a custom photographer’s job is performed at the session, however, that is only the beginning of the process!  So much more goes on behind the scenes after your session.  I don’t mind spending 30+ hours on each client… this is just the level of service I prefer to give, and it’s one of the biggest reasons I take on a limited number of sessions per month.

Costs
I don’t even want to think about how much I have invested in my business (though I have it all written down somewhere).  It adds up mighty quickly!  Cameras, lenses, computers, printers, digital storage, software, hosting, printed materials, packaging, lab costs, product samples, taxes, insurance, travel expenses, advertising, marketing, education and training, professional membership fees… the list goes on and on.

Read more at the Professional Child Photographer Consumer Guide »

I realize that a good number of my dear clients budget in order to afford their session and portraits, and I’m very appreciative of that.  It’s wonderful when you can work with people who truly see the value in what you do and the service you work hard to provide.

Thanks for your continued patronage!

An excerpt from a great article on custom photography:

“What custom photography ultimately is all about is choice and experience (as in THE experience). Custom photography is about finding someone who will photograph your family, give you devoted 1:1 attention without worry of the next ‘in line’ or the feeling of a crowded portrait studio. A custom photographer will typically show you a fairly extensive gallery culled to only the good images that meet the photographers’ creative sensibilities. Often the images are fully edited and color-corrected with blemishes and undereye circles removed.

Custom photographers are also known as boutique studios, offering a range of products and unparalleled service. Think Lexus vs. Hyundai… Nordstrom vs. Wal-Mart.

Custom photography should have you, the client, and your experience in mind.”

Read more at the Professional Child Photographer Consumer Guide - created by Marianne Drenthe.