From the category archives:

technology

Receive An iPad With Your Wedding Photos and Wedding Album!

by Peter Doyle Wedding Photographer on July 22, 2010

That’s right! Storyboard Life is helping newlyweds cherish their wedding photos and their wedding albums (even more) by offering an iPad with every wedding package that includes a wedding album. IN ADDITION: Your iPad will include a slide show of your images (with music of your choice), single images for individual viewing and your wedding album for easy access and travel. This promotion is for couples who sign a contract in 2009 for a wedding in 2010 or 2011. For more information please contact me.

Talk To you soon,

peter doyle

(770) 846- 9274

peterdoyle@storyboardlife.com

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Photoshop, Photo Integrity, And Obama

by Peter Doyle Wedding Photographer on July 9, 2010

Who doesn’t use photoshop these days? It’s a crutch as well as a way to make awesome photos even AWESOME(ER). I obviously use it for my weddings to help enhance what is already there and take away that which takes away from the emotional connection of the photo. But when it comes to the news and photojournalism I think it’s a little different. As you can see with the photo above the mostly conservative magazine The Economist decided to use photoshop to make it seem that Obama was alone and thoughtful about the spill. The fact of the matter is that Obama was listening to local representative, Charlotte Randolph who is obviously about a foot or so shorter than he. So the fact of the matter is that although Obama may be upset and discouraged about the spill he was leaning his head over listening. It’s one thing to enhance photos from a wedding to help tell a story because the wedding photographer is getting paid to help preserve their story in the best possible light no matter what. A photojournalist or news organization is there to tell the story as it is. Now, of course, there will always be an angle but to intentionally leave something out to make a point is disingenuous and deceptive.

Let me put it this way. Every photographer has clicked someone who was in mid-blink which made it look like they were drunk. Do you think that it would be okay to post a photograph of someone who looked like they were drunk at a company meeting when they weren’t? Even if they were three nights ago? No, it’s not okay. And when the general public is counting on news organizations to at least give me all the information so that I can decide for myself.

I’d be interested to know what you think.

Here’s the economist story

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I Love The New Iphone 4 Commercial

by Peter Doyle Wedding Photographer on June 30, 2010

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Unleash Your iPad in 15 Different Ways!

by Peter Doyle Wedding Photographer on June 16, 2010

No I don’t have an iPad but it has crossed my mind and the reputation that Apple has had is that it’s going to be powerful and have the ability to grow with the needs of the consumer. So with that in mind I thought I would summarize an article in the most recent issue of MACLIFE.com that has given 15 NEED TO KNOW How-TOs for the IPad which can be translated, “15 things that are so cool you might just feel silly for not buying it.” BTY…authors are Ray Aguilera, Roberto Baldwin, Cory Bohon, J.R. Bookwaler, Chris Brennan, and Steve Paris. So here are a few of them. ENJOY.

IM & Texting: if you’re a (or at least think that you’re a) social media mogul then look into IM+ which uses one interface to connect EVERYTHING: Skype, AOL, MSN, Twitter, FB Yahoo, Google Talk, Jabber, ICQ, and MySpace.
Photography: Even though the iPad doesn’t have a camera there are a number of apps that you can use that connects your Iphone to your iPad. My thought is that there is going to be an iPad with a camera soon. If apple can make one for the very thin Mac Air then I think a camera for the iPad isn’t going to be much of a problem.
EBook Reader on steroids
Watch Movies on a “flat screen”
Note taking like a legal pad with an app
WiFi

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New Iphone 4 And OS4

by Peter Doyle Wedding Photographer on June 12, 2010

Who doesn’t love their Iphone? It has made my life a whole lot easier namely with voice mail. I keep the vm that I need and delete the rest. I didn’t buy the 3Gs for the fact that Apple has a habit of releasing a new Iphone every year. Well, the new Iphone 4 with OS4 is coming out and it looks very exciting. I personally like the fact that there is a camera on the front of the camera for personal portraits and video recording. Here are the specs from apple.com. Let me know what you think.

Engineered Glass

All the breakthrough technology in iPhone 4 is situated between two glossy panels of aluminosilicate glass — the same type of glass used in the windshields of helicopters and high-speed trains. Chemically

Click to continue reading “New Iphone 4 And OS4″

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Bank Of America Phishing Scam

by Peter Doyle Wedding Photographer on May 27, 2010

I’ve been getting as I am sure everyone else phishing emails warning me of coming doom, financial opportunity, or verify for your own protection emails. So always remember that if you question the validity of it….DELETE IT!!! Here’s one:

For Further Details

Investor Relations page

Press Releases

An Important Message To Bank of America Customers

Dear Bank of America customer

We want to assure you that your accounts and your assets are
safe with us, and that we put the utmost value on our
relationship with you.

As part of our efforts to meet the
requirements of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination
Council (FFIEC), we now ask all Bank of America users to verify
their account information. It’s a smart and simple way to add an
additional level of protection to your account.

Here’s How it works :

Click here to securely log on.

Complete our quick and simple form.

Continue with your account session.

We may periodically ask you to provide information in Bank of
America online as a quick identity check. That way, when you
drop in to do business, we’ll know it’s you.

Thank you for your continued patronage.

Jarrett Lilien, President, COO and Director,

© 2010 Bank of America Corporation.

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Awesome, Sony NEX5 Mirrorless Camera

by Peter Doyle Wedding Photographer on May 11, 2010

Now this is just plain cool and another reason SONY is one cool company. The SONY NEX-5 & NEX-3 are mirror less digital cameras that have interchangeable lenses. In short, it’s a very portable DSLR/video cameras for the everyday consumer. With normal point and shoot cameras you got good resolution and video but you didn’t have the option to change lenses based on your environment. In one location you lens wasn’t wide enough and when you needed a good zoom for close ups it became a little blurry because of optical zoom. These cameras will run you about 650.00. Here are just a few specs from sonystyle.com:

Model Features: 14.2-megapixel, up to 7 fps shooting, ISO 12800 sensitivity, HD movies at 720/30, APS-C size HD image sensor, Sweep Panorama, Auto HDR, Live View, Tiltable LCD, E-mount 16mm lens

The NEX5 and NEX3 is going to be a really good buy for those who don’t want to make photography their job but who want to have a nice portable rig for all occasions. What Do You Think About It?

Here is a fun come and buy video and the more technical one is the bottom one.

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Reunited And It Feels So Good (Sony)

by Peter Doyle Wedding Photographer on April 27, 2010

sony make.believe wedding photography wedding photographer

Many of you know that last year I tauted the virtues of the Sony a900 and carl zeiss lenses because, thanks to Sony’s support, I was able to use them for my “To Have & To Hold” breast cancer photo shoot project. The camera and lenses are outstanding and I would certainly recommend their products. I like Sony’s marketing plan and how they are bringing a lot of quality equipment to an affordable level for the common consumer. Most consumers aren’t interested in being a pro photographer. They just want cameras that will do a great job in a variety of situations. Nobody wants to carry around a “professional” camera in their purse or pocket. In fact, it would be impossible to do and impractical to try. What’s actually happening is that SONY is going what Apple has done. They are taking cool things to the consumer. In short, they are creating a community and an experience that once you enter is hard to get out of. And honestly, once you’re in there won’t be any complaining about it.

Well, this morning I got the email saying that the a900 and carl zeiss lenses are on their way! In fact they will be here on thursday. So the count down has begun for mission “reunition” (yeah I made that word up). To read more about the breast cancer photo shoot project click here

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Thirst Relief For All, An Intro

Thirst Relief International Jim Davis Hicks wedding photographer

by Peter Doyle Wedding Photographer on April 8, 2010

One of the people I got to met in Vegas was Jim Davis Hicks, the founder and president of Thirst Relief International. This guy has a heart and a passion to make the world better than wen he found it and one of the best ways to do so is with clean water. Most of the world doesn’t have clean water to drink and as a result men, women, and children are needlessly getting sick or dieing from bacteria and parasites living in contaminated water. We certainly take for granted that our water will be clean in the US. In fact, the only concern we have is with taste. If we don’t like the taste of the water coming from our own home we simply go and buy a filter or bottled water. There are those in other countries who do not have this luxury. What is also awesome about Jim is that he saw a need and did something about it. Oh, BTY, he just started with this idea to help provide clean water to the world while he was a wedding photographer. So don’t think that just because you don’t hold a “high and influential” position that you can’t make a difference in this world. For more information please visit their website: www.thirstrelief.org

Thirst Relief International is responding to the worldwide water crisis by helping thousands of families each year gain access to safe water through simple, low-cost means. A locally manufactured biosand filter or a well repaired by nationals has the power to radically improve the health and well-being of an individual, a family, a community.

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Cracked Mac Screen Review

by Peter Doyle Wedding Photographer on April 2, 2010

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Disclaimer: I have not been paid or given anything to write this review.

A few weeks ago I closed my macbook pro for the night after editing a recent wedding. Unbeknownst to me I left my Sandisk CF Cardon the keyboard and pretty much cut the screen. It left a rather large black dot on the screen and pixels coming out all over the place . As you can image my heart sunk. Here I had a 17in screen that has now become a 15.5in screen! UG! Well, I took it over to Apple and their charge to fix it was $800.00! Now I’m not going to get into branding but Apple can charge high $$$$$ for an intact Macbook Pro experience but when it comes to parts….THERE IS NO EXPERIENCE TO UP THE COST! So I searched the net and found CRACKEDMACSCREEN.COM!

It has a great website and it’s extremely easy to navigate to find exactly what you are looking for. I first clicked on pricing. For my 17in Macbook Pro it was 499.00 and if I was not in their local area I would be sent an overnight box to pack the mac and then ship it. This was certainly reasonable considering that Apple was going to charge me 800.00 to have it fixed within 5 or so days. I don’t think that I’m codependent but I didn’t think I could spend that long without it, I do have a business to run you know. Cracked Mac Screen’s home base is in PA so obviously I wasn’t local. So I called the number on the screen and to my surprise someone answered. Not just any someone but the guy who runs the business. You might think, “Some business if the owner is the one who is answering the phone.” My answer, “When you call my business and want ME to photograph your wedding then I’d rather be the one answering the phone.” Trevor is his name and he is very thorough in his communication with me and very very prompt. Here’s the time line:

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Sunday: spoke on the phone about the process and his business. He sent me an email requesting my address so that a FREE FED EX box could be sent to pick up my Mac.

Monday: called Trevor and gave my contact info and address so that he could send the FED EX box over night to me

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Snug As A Bug In A Rug"]

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Tuesday: The box arrived about 9:30am. Inside the box was two repair forms (one for me and on to be left in the box), a static fee bag for the MAC, and the free shipping slip for the overnight trip. Did everything I was required to which took all of 2 mins to complete and I was out the door.

Wednesday: Trevor called to let me know that the MAC was repaired and that all I had to do was pay via PayPal. NEXT TIME I WILL JUST SEND A CHECK IN THE BOX SINCE PAYPAL SEEMS A LITTLE SHADY TO ME. The payment was made and I was told that the MAC was on it’s way back. Trevor called later on in the day to let me know that the Mac was dropped off at FED EX and it should be in my hands around 10:30am on Thursday.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="160" caption="IT"S BACK!!!"]

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Thursday: Got up early, showered and headed out the door. By 10:31 the MAC was back in my hands and the display looked like it did the first time I opened it up after it’s purchase.

I’m extremely happy with the service and couldn’t really ask for anymore than that which was given. In fact, take a read of the warranty:

The warranty is the same for ship-ins and local repairs. A standard 120-day manufacturer’s warranty, plus if you break your computer again within 6 months, we’ll fix it for $100. Three-way overnight shipping is free if you break it again.

As I write there are two things that I can list on the CONs side:

My mail is sent to the UPS store. Although they receive FED EX they do not ship with FED EX. Luckily there was a Kinkos FED EX near by so I headed over there and dropped it off. It seems like it would be extra trouble if there wasn’t a FED EX shipper around or the FED EX hub was a little far to drive to. It might be good to look into using UPS as well. That way all bases are covered.

It would be awesome if there was a place to just pay with a credit card online or if I could just give my credit card info over the phone. That way I don’t have to go through Sir PayPal the shady.

With that said, anything that is added to the cost of doing business is defrayed by the customer via higher prices So although I had to jump a small hoop I was more than happy to do so for the low cost of getting it fixed. In short, crackedmacscreen.com is certainly the best place I know of to get your mac laptop screen fixed.

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