Posts

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Creative Block? Try Hypnosis

Do you ever have a creative block? You know … Those days when you feel completely uninspired… when you spent so many hours on a chair that your butt has become square shaped and all you produced is good enough to wipe off your desk the stains of those dozens of coffees or glasses of red wine you had to fuel your imagination?!

If you say no, you’re no real creative. If you say yes, then welcome to the club.

Now… I know some solve this problem with procrastination. ‘Today’s no good. I’ll just leave it till tomorrow‘. And fair enough, it’s generally a good choice. But sometimes you have deadlines and projects and expectations and clients and so on… so you gotta produce something and it better be good!

So what can you do? To some people a nice walk in the outdoors does the trick, I know of many who get liquid inspiration from a bottle while some prefer a brief one-to-one with Maryjane..

But these don’t always work and some are not very healthy either.

There’s a healthier way to get inspired. Don’t get high on substances, get high on your brain.

If you’ve never practised meditation, it is time for you to try. Yeah I know, the title of this post is hypnosis. But you see, you always need to start with a little meditation to be able to advance to hypnosis.

Meditation sounds easy and in fact it actually is at its most basic level, which is achieving relaxation. However, meditation can be used for more complex achievements such as coping with grief or trauma, overcoming phobias, suppressing addictions, and much much more, like problem solving.

Creative blocks can be huge problems, especially when you’re on a tight deadline and your boss is prepping a firing round.

You can solve such an issue with a meditation that focuses on the problem you have. The broad explanation of how it works starts with total relaxation. For a brief time you will allow yourself to relax physically and mentally, letting go of all thoughts and issues and emotional interference. After you have cleared your mind, you will see how easy it’ll be to focus on just the one problem you have, without stress.

Like most things in life, the more you practice meditation, the more effective the experience will be. It’s easier to start with short meditations ranging from 5 to 20 minutes. When you get more experienced you’ll manage to meditate for longer.

Auto-hypnosis is harder, although I noticed that the beginner’s luck is common. Many people told me that the first time they tried to auto-hypnotise themselves, it worked and they had amazing experiences. It was the same for me, the first time was astounding and seemed rather easy peasy to me. Yet, I was wrong. It took me several attempts before I managed to enter in a hypnotic state again. But this didn’t stop me from trying and it shouldn’t worry you either.

Not entering in the hypnotic state is no biggie, failure simply translates to a deep meditative experience or a simple short doze. Both are refreshing experiences and both can unleash your clogged creative juice.

You may try to meditate on your own. However, auto-hypnosis without any external help requires a lot of experience and skill. It’s for pros really.

What I use are guided meditations and hypnosis sessions with specific videos.

There’s a plethora on YouTube. You can choose the ones you like based on what you want to achieve and your experience level. An expert on YouTube is Michael Sealey whose videos are all over the hypnotic and meditative categories. However, there are many others who are equally good.

Here below I embedded two videos I really like and that work on me.

The first is a meditation and I highly recommend it to newbies and those of you who have a particularly stressful time.

The second is a hypnotic session. I chose it because I found it quite effective on me and rather easy to focus on.

However, if these don’t work out for you, have a look yourself. As I said there are thousands of good guided sessions on YouTube. And above all, please don’t give up on it if it doesn’t work perfectly at your first attempt. You can’t just go to the Olympics and expect to win a gold medal straight away. You need practice and training.

Happy meditation 🙂 and let us know how it went on the comments!

[adinserter block=”15″]

[adinserter block=”13″]

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Stock photography agency employee: Best Ways to Make Money

If you, like me, have enthusiasm for digital photography burning in you, a profession in digital photography would certainly be a fantastic suggestion!

Yet, making money with photography is easier said than done!

Stock Photography is definitely a way to make money.  There are numerous companies that require images that are substantial to their jobs yet do not have much time to take these images as a result of their busy routines. They decide to buy stock images as opposed to employing a specialist digital photographer, not just to conserve cash, however time too due to the fact that these images prepare to make use of.

I’ve been contributing for years and I learnt a couple of things about stock photography.

Moreover, I worked as a Marketer for one of the largest agencies too. So let me transfer to you some of my knowledge. Learn more about me here

Exactly what is stock photography?

Stock pictures are not photographed for a certain customer or usage yet portray a much more basic idea. Purchasers obtain wanted image, stock digital photography agents obtain a portion of every image offered on their site, and also professional photographer obtains continuing to be percent.

How to sell stock digital photography?

young-man-doing-acrobatics-in-water-in-tropical-location

You require your pictures to be of its finest. You should ensure that there are no noticeable sounds or grains in your stock pictures. They have to be free from spots, as well as unneeded background products. There are stringent standards you require to comply with. In order for your images to be thought about stock picture top quality, they have to be small, effectively taken, skilfully revealed as well as with high resolution.

Stock photography is the highest quality requiring photography. 

As such, see it as a gym to learn and practice photography at its toughest level. When in the future you decide to move towards more artistic creations or perhaps photojournalism, your standards will be amongst the highest. Learn more about this on this other article I wrote here

You will certainly additionally require software to edit your stock pictures.

You needn’t purchase the extremely expensive Adobe license to use Photoshop. You can download an older version of Photoshop for free, which is great if you want to start out without investment.

There are a whole lot of electronic cameras in market with fantastic attributes. Personally I like my Nikon D3200. It’s the best in terms of price/quality ratio and the easiest for beginners in the range of pro cameras. Nikon produced later versions like the D3400 which is a great DSLR and amongst the cheapest. DSLRs can be expensive to start out and the cheapest with a lens included goes between 250 to 380 Dollars. However you can also go for a second hand one. I always advise to buy used electronics either via Ebay because they protect you from scams or via Facebook if you can meet the seller, thus try the camera. However, it is always safer and better to purchase a new one. Amazon has interesting prices and options. Remember that you should always invest more on lenses rather than cameras.

[adinserter block=”8″]

I recommend this little book to practice all kinds of photography. I love it cause it tells you in bullet points exactly what settings to use in each situation and it’s small enough to be carried around and on the field. 

[adinserter block=”4″]

What are the top selling portfolios?

view-from-the-sea-of-posillipo-hill-naples-and-the-blue-waters-2

Difficulty in offering your stock images is its originality as well as adaptability. In order to increase your possibilities of selling you can either try to build a portfolio with a large variety of categories (i.e. travel, business, food, nature…etc.) or select a certain particular niche market. if you choose this approach, you generally need less photos in your portfolio but these pictures have to be exactly what your consumers are trying to find. You have to have the ability to have an extensive understanding of the niche market and also make sure there is enough demand for that niche. 

Quantity in your portfolio is also relevant. Most bloggers only give you tips about how YOU can improve your pictures. Reality is that the IT algorithms used by stock photo agencies determine heavily who and what is going to sell. If your portfolio is large, it’ll be shown more, thus you’ll have better chances of selling. The more you sell, the more the algorithm will show you. 

There are a bunch of stock digital photography recruitment agencies where your images can be offered. These websites have standards on what you ought to get in order to make an effective image entry. Generally, Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, Dreamstime and Istock require at least 4mp but 123RF will ask for 6mp.

I advise you to put your keywords directly in your files metadata rather than pasting them as you upload your pics on every site. It’ll save you a lot of time!

Last but not least

Remember, there are people who manage to live out of stock photography. They are only a few but you can be one of them. It just takes time and patience. You’ll likely need years to create a 10 000 photo portfolio but if you stay put, you’ll achieve it.

Start with small objectives. Reaching 100 pictures is a milestone. When you get to 500, you’ll start seeing a real progress in your earnings. 1000 photos truly changes your earnings report so work on that for now. 

I’m out for now, drop a comment or email if you want more info. Please do not use this article in your blog unless you ask me first.

Learn more about the World Stock Photography Market 2019 by viewing the new report on the industry here.

[adinserter block=”14″] [adinserter block=”15″]

 

 

, , ,

Announcing My Latest Book: "IT’S (NOT) THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS: Reflections of a Marketer on Selfish Altruism"

I am thrilled to announce the release of my latest book, IT’S (NOT) THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS Reflections of a Marketer on Selfish Altruism This business essay, written in the form of a personal reflection, delves deep into the intriguing…
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Named 2024's Most Trailblazing Business Leader by CIO TODAY MAGAZINE

At just 28 years old, the distinction of being named the "Most Trailblazing Business Leader of the Year 2024" by CIO TODAY MAGAZINE is both humbling and exhilarating. Featured prominently on the magazine's cover and with my story shared within…
, , ,

Celebrating a Milestone: My "Ghanaian Night" Featured in Artist Closeup Magazine

I am thrilled and deeply honored to share that my photography has been showcased in the prestigious pages of Artist Closeup Magazine. Among the stunning array of artistic talent, my selected piece, "Ghanaian Night," has found its place, and…
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PHOTOMAIL FROM GHANA WITH LOVE: POSTCROSSING

For over a year, I've been living in Accra, Ghana. Although I manage the revenue & marketing departments of a luxury hotel, living in this part of Africa is a continuous source of great photographic shots. Apart from being a serial expat…
, , ,

My "Beauty is Simplicity" Featured by BBC on the Theme of Water

Exciting news! Last week, BBC chose to highlight my photo, "Beauty is Simplicity," as part of their themed showcase on water. It's an honor to be recognized by such a renowned platform. "Beauty is Simplicity" captures a serene moment on the…
Victoria Schaal Awards
, , ,

Honored to be Featured in Photographize's "100 Best Photographers 2021" Book!

I'm excited to share some incredible news - I've been listed in Photographize's annual book honoring the top 100 photographers of 2021! Titled "Photographize Best Selected 2021," this book celebrates the work of visionary artists who have truly…
, , ,

Creative Block? Try Hypnosis

Do you ever have a creative block? You know … Those days when you feel completely uninspired… when you spent so many hours on a chair that your butt has become square shaped and all you produced is good enough to wipe off your desk the stains of those dozens of coffees or glasses of red wine you had to fuel your imagination?!

If you say no, you’re no real creative. If you say yes, then welcome to the club.

Now… I know some solve this problem with procrastination. ‘Today’s no good. I’ll just leave it till tomorrow‘. And fair enough, it’s generally a good choice. But sometimes you have deadlines and projects and expectations and clients and so on… so you gotta produce something and it better be good!

So what can you do? To some people a nice walk in the outdoors does the trick, I know of many who get liquid inspiration from a bottle while some prefer a brief one-to-one with Maryjane..

But these don’t always work and some are not very healthy either.

There’s a healthier way to get inspired. Don’t get high on substances, get high on your brain.

If you’ve never practised meditation, it is time for you to try. Yeah I know, the title of this post is hypnosis. But you see, you always need to start with a little meditation to be able to advance to hypnosis.

Meditation sounds easy and in fact it actually is at its most basic level, which is achieving relaxation. However, meditation can be used for more complex achievements such as coping with grief or trauma, overcoming phobias, suppressing addictions, and much much more, like problem solving.

Creative blocks can be huge problems, especially when you’re on a tight deadline and your boss is prepping a firing round.

You can solve such an issue with a meditation that focuses on the problem you have. The broad explanation of how it works starts with total relaxation. For a brief time you will allow yourself to relax physically and mentally, letting go of all thoughts and issues and emotional interference. After you have cleared your mind, you will see how easy it’ll be to focus on just the one problem you have, without stress.

Like most things in life, the more you practice meditation, the more effective the experience will be. It’s easier to start with short meditations ranging from 5 to 20 minutes. When you get more experienced you’ll manage to meditate for longer.

Auto-hypnosis is harder, although I noticed that the beginner’s luck is common. Many people told me that the first time they tried to auto-hypnotise themselves, it worked and they had amazing experiences. It was the same for me, the first time was astounding and seemed rather easy peasy to me. Yet, I was wrong. It took me several attempts before I managed to enter in a hypnotic state again. But this didn’t stop me from trying and it shouldn’t worry you either.

Not entering in the hypnotic state is no biggie, failure simply translates to a deep meditative experience or a simple short doze. Both are refreshing experiences and both can unleash your clogged creative juice.

You may try to meditate on your own. However, auto-hypnosis without any external help requires a lot of experience and skill. It’s for pros really.

What I use are guided meditations and hypnosis sessions with specific videos.

There’s a plethora on YouTube. You can choose the ones you like based on what you want to achieve and your experience level. An expert on YouTube is Michael Sealey whose videos are all over the hypnotic and meditative categories. However, there are many others who are equally good.

Here below I embedded two videos I really like and that work on me.

The first is a meditation and I highly recommend it to newbies and those of you who have a particularly stressful time.

The second is a hypnotic session. I chose it because I found it quite effective on me and rather easy to focus on.

However, if these don’t work out for you, have a look yourself. As I said there are thousands of good guided sessions on YouTube. And above all, please don’t give up on it if it doesn’t work perfectly at your first attempt. You can’t just go to the Olympics and expect to win a gold medal straight away. You need practice and training.

Happy meditation 🙂 and let us know how it went on the comments!

[adinserter block=”15″]

[adinserter block=”13″]

, , ,

Stock photography agency employee: Best Ways to Make Money

If you, like me, have enthusiasm for digital photography burning in you, a profession in digital photography would certainly be a fantastic suggestion!

Yet, making money with photography is easier said than done!

Stock Photography is definitely a way to make money.  There are numerous companies that require images that are substantial to their jobs yet do not have much time to take these images as a result of their busy routines. They decide to buy stock images as opposed to employing a specialist digital photographer, not just to conserve cash, however time too due to the fact that these images prepare to make use of.

I’ve been contributing for years and I learnt a couple of things about stock photography.

Moreover, I worked as a Marketer for one of the largest agencies too. So let me transfer to you some of my knowledge. Learn more about me here

Exactly what is stock photography?

Stock pictures are not photographed for a certain customer or usage yet portray a much more basic idea. Purchasers obtain wanted image, stock digital photography agents obtain a portion of every image offered on their site, and also professional photographer obtains continuing to be percent.

How to sell stock digital photography?

young-man-doing-acrobatics-in-water-in-tropical-location

You require your pictures to be of its finest. You should ensure that there are no noticeable sounds or grains in your stock pictures. They have to be free from spots, as well as unneeded background products. There are stringent standards you require to comply with. In order for your images to be thought about stock picture top quality, they have to be small, effectively taken, skilfully revealed as well as with high resolution.

Stock photography is the highest quality requiring photography. 

As such, see it as a gym to learn and practice photography at its toughest level. When in the future you decide to move towards more artistic creations or perhaps photojournalism, your standards will be amongst the highest. Learn more about this on this other article I wrote here

You will certainly additionally require software to edit your stock pictures.

You needn’t purchase the extremely expensive Adobe license to use Photoshop. You can download an older version of Photoshop for free, which is great if you want to start out without investment.

There are a whole lot of electronic cameras in market with fantastic attributes. Personally I like my Nikon D3200. It’s the best in terms of price/quality ratio and the easiest for beginners in the range of pro cameras. Nikon produced later versions like the D3400 which is a great DSLR and amongst the cheapest. DSLRs can be expensive to start out and the cheapest with a lens included goes between 250 to 380 Dollars. However you can also go for a second hand one. I always advise to buy used electronics either via Ebay because they protect you from scams or via Facebook if you can meet the seller, thus try the camera. However, it is always safer and better to purchase a new one. Amazon has interesting prices and options. Remember that you should always invest more on lenses rather than cameras.

[adinserter block=”8″]

I recommend this little book to practice all kinds of photography. I love it cause it tells you in bullet points exactly what settings to use in each situation and it’s small enough to be carried around and on the field. 

[adinserter block=”4″]

What are the top selling portfolios?

view-from-the-sea-of-posillipo-hill-naples-and-the-blue-waters-2

Difficulty in offering your stock images is its originality as well as adaptability. In order to increase your possibilities of selling you can either try to build a portfolio with a large variety of categories (i.e. travel, business, food, nature…etc.) or select a certain particular niche market. if you choose this approach, you generally need less photos in your portfolio but these pictures have to be exactly what your consumers are trying to find. You have to have the ability to have an extensive understanding of the niche market and also make sure there is enough demand for that niche. 

Quantity in your portfolio is also relevant. Most bloggers only give you tips about how YOU can improve your pictures. Reality is that the IT algorithms used by stock photo agencies determine heavily who and what is going to sell. If your portfolio is large, it’ll be shown more, thus you’ll have better chances of selling. The more you sell, the more the algorithm will show you. 

There are a bunch of stock digital photography recruitment agencies where your images can be offered. These websites have standards on what you ought to get in order to make an effective image entry. Generally, Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, Dreamstime and Istock require at least 4mp but 123RF will ask for 6mp.

I advise you to put your keywords directly in your files metadata rather than pasting them as you upload your pics on every site. It’ll save you a lot of time!

Last but not least

Remember, there are people who manage to live out of stock photography. They are only a few but you can be one of them. It just takes time and patience. You’ll likely need years to create a 10 000 photo portfolio but if you stay put, you’ll achieve it.

Start with small objectives. Reaching 100 pictures is a milestone. When you get to 500, you’ll start seeing a real progress in your earnings. 1000 photos truly changes your earnings report so work on that for now. 

I’m out for now, drop a comment or email if you want more info. Please do not use this article in your blog unless you ask me first.

Learn more about the World Stock Photography Market 2019 by viewing the new report on the industry here.

[adinserter block=”14″] [adinserter block=”15″]

 

 

, , ,

Announcing My Latest Book: "IT’S (NOT) THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS: Reflections of a Marketer on Selfish Altruism"

I am thrilled to announce the release of my latest book, IT’S (NOT) THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS Reflections of a Marketer on Selfish Altruism This business essay, written in the form of a personal reflection, delves deep into the intriguing…
, , ,

Named 2024's Most Trailblazing Business Leader by CIO TODAY MAGAZINE

At just 28 years old, the distinction of being named the "Most Trailblazing Business Leader of the Year 2024" by CIO TODAY MAGAZINE is both humbling and exhilarating. Featured prominently on the magazine's cover and with my story shared within…
, , ,

Celebrating a Milestone: My "Ghanaian Night" Featured in Artist Closeup Magazine

I am thrilled and deeply honored to share that my photography has been showcased in the prestigious pages of Artist Closeup Magazine. Among the stunning array of artistic talent, my selected piece, "Ghanaian Night," has found its place, and…
, ,

PHOTOMAIL FROM GHANA WITH LOVE: POSTCROSSING

For over a year, I've been living in Accra, Ghana. Although I manage the revenue & marketing departments of a luxury hotel, living in this part of Africa is a continuous source of great photographic shots. Apart from being a serial expat…
, , ,

My "Beauty is Simplicity" Featured by BBC on the Theme of Water

Exciting news! Last week, BBC chose to highlight my photo, "Beauty is Simplicity," as part of their themed showcase on water. It's an honor to be recognized by such a renowned platform. "Beauty is Simplicity" captures a serene moment on the…
Victoria Schaal Awards
, , ,

Honored to be Featured in Photographize's "100 Best Photographers 2021" Book!

I'm excited to share some incredible news - I've been listed in Photographize's annual book honoring the top 100 photographers of 2021! Titled "Photographize Best Selected 2021," this book celebrates the work of visionary artists who have truly…