just hired an office assistant and now finally I think I’ll get my life back!

In the mayhem of life itself, motherhood, wifehood & all that it contains along with trying to establish a business, I was beginning to pull my hair out trying to keep everything together. I realised the need for some assistance so I went searching.

And what I found was such a delight I was hooked …

Táve (pronounced Tar-vay) is your virtual studio manager, assisting you from the moment a prospective client contacts you until the final product is delivered. Táve keeps your job leads and workflow organized, always reminding you what needs to be done next.

Your Customer Service Manager and Bill Collector

The versatility and automation of Táve has been developed with studios like yours in mind, allowing you to condense the responsibilities of your studio/business into one robust platform.

Táve acts as your customer service manager by giving real time updates on production status through a client login area, keeping trivial interruptions to a minimum. Everyone stays informed with Táve’s notes features, allowing employees to track conversations with clients so everyone is on the same page.

Your business will run so smoothly that your clients will think you’ve really got it together – and with Táve, you will!

“We are booking more and feel like we always know what is going on with everyone.”
Jacinta Norbel

Connect the Dots

Do you feel like you work in data entry instead of photography? Transferring customer information between your address book, calendar, invoicing software, proofing solution and album software? By using a web-based platform, Táve connects people and software together, so data is shared between your solutions and eliminates a whole lot of headaches.

Now I can be sure my clients are happy to refer me for my customer service & efficiency as well as my photos.

Now I can finally get back to doing what I love … photography!

Microsoft has brought to users a new free add-in, Pro Photo Shoot, for its Microsoft Outlook (Version 2003 and 2007). Pro Photo Shoot is a unique management tool to allow shutterbugs to add a list of photographic equipment to any outlook appointment and organize their events more efficiently. Users especially photographers can keep their digital records for all their photographic equipment complete with serial numbers via this new add-in.

The developer Lead at Microsoft, Todd Newman highlighted that “Pro Photo Shoot is a Microsoft Office Outlook add-in that is designed to help photographers keep track of the little stuff. When you’re first planning a photo shoot—perhaps while you’re on the phone with your customer—you can bring up a dialog with a list of the equipment you own and then check off what you want to bring with you. The list is stored in the body of the appointment so when you print the appointment record the list is right there with all the other details.”

Photographers can download the free add-in ProPhotoShoot from Microsoft via the link here. There are two versions of this free add in designed for Outlook 2003 and Outlook 2007 respectively. Both are compatible with Windows XP and Windows Vista. Once you have downloaded and installed this free management tool, you need to customize it by adding in your photo equipments, e.g. lens, camera, battery, backdrop, etc. The program is pretty user friendly and useful for photographers.

Microsoft Pro Photo Shoot supports Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 and
2007 running on Windows XP and Windows Vista.

Here’s some good advice I read recently over at PIF in answer to a question about staying invisable.

Tracy asks, “I am interested in some tips and tricks of shooting a wedding without ‘getting in the way.’ How do you get great shots without standing up and being noticed?”

This is a great question. One of the greatest compliments one can get from a couple is, “How did you get all those shots? We never knew you were there.” Here are some tips to help you become invisible at a wedding:

1. A large percentage of what we do revolves around trust. The more you get to know your clients before the wedding the more comfortable they will become with you. Keep communication open with your clients well before the wedding day. An engagement session is a great icebreaker and helps couples become comfortable with you and your shooting style.

2. There are a number of technical things we can do to help stay out of the way too. Whenever possible, don’t use flash. Flash easily draws attention to you. There are times when flash is absolutely necessary. In those cases, try to work with as big of aperture as you are comfortable with and bounce your flash to help minimize drawing attention to you.

3. Long, fast lenses are always helpful. But, don’t forget your wide lenses. You will notice many of the best photojournalists capture very intimate moments working up close yet never are noticed. The key is allowing your couples to get used to you shooting. Think of it like reality TV. Why are the people on reality shows never aware of the camera? It is because they are used to it. It is common for the bride or groom to feel awkward when you first start shooting. Keep shooting. Soon, they will forget you are there.

4. Be calm, cool, and collected. If you are talking lots or acting nervous, you will draw attention to yourself. If you are confident and deliberate, most people will not be disturbed by your photography. Be patient and let moments unfold in front of you.

5. Anticipate the moment. This takes time to learn, but it is definitely possible to cue in on what is going to happen well before it does. Always be on your toes looking for what is coming next.