About

Posts by :

Eastern Iowa native Hailey Whitters nominated for CMA Award

By in Native

Eastern Iowa native Hailey Whitters nominated for CMA Award

(KCRG) – An eastern Iowa native has a chance to take home some hardware at the upcoming CMA Awards.

Shueyville native Hailey Whitters has been nominated for New Artist of the Year.

She’s up against four other artists for the award.

Whitters is currently based in Nashville and released her debut album in 2020.

She has since toured with artists like Luke Combs, and got her first Grammy nomination for song of the year for “A Beautiful Noise.”

You can watch the CMA awards on Nov. 8 here on TV-9.

Copyright 2023 KCRG. All rights reserved.

How to Shoot Outdoor Engagement Photography

By in Photography

How to Shoot Outdoor Engagement Photography

Outdoor engagement photography is one of my favorite aspects of being a wedding photographer. I get to shoot environmental portraits in beautiful places without the constraints of a wedding day. Additionally, I get to spend time with my couple getting to know them and their interests in a low-pressure environment.

These tips for how to shoot outdoor engagement photography will help you make the most of this aspect of your job. In fact, it’s on these days that I hardly consider what I’m doing to be work. Let’s talk through ways to plan for and execute an awesome engagement shoot.

The main benefits that come from a great outdoor engagement shoot are building trust with your clients and providing them with some non-wedding pictures of themselves. Most couples don’t have great photos together beyond a selfie let alone any professional ones. But if you deliver photos they fall in love with then when you show up on their wedding day they’ll trust your expertise and directions.

Scout Before the Engagement Session

It’s rare that I feel the need to scout for an outdoor engagement shoot anymore after over a decade of shooting weddings. However, scouting has been both a fun and valuable aspect of planning for a shoot. The more inspired you are, the more creative you can be, so pushing yourself to find great locations for an engagement shoot can be the first step in making it great.

We always ask our couples if they have a vision for their session. Maybe it’s a season or particular backdrop, are they interested in wildflowers and mountain views or fall colors near a lake? Once you have some parameters you can guide them towards a selection that they’ll enjoy, and if your couples are having a great time that results in better photos too.

In order for this strategy to work, you have to have some location ideas to suggest. You might consider doing some online scouting first and then hitting the trails to explore locations that feel inspiring to you. Pay attention to how a location will look different at different times of the year and different times of the day.

Schedule It Right for Being Outdoors

Next, you’ll want to use the information you gathered to schedule your outdoor engagement photography at the optimal time of year and time of day. Sometimes we even plan two locations and move as the sun does so that we get great light with a variety of backdrops. Use apps like the photographer’s ephemeris to see what the sun will do on any given day.

We can plan or predict the weather or if we’ll get a great sunset but we can do our best to set up for success. Breathing room in your schedule is nice too, you don’t want to be rushing around racing the light. Be sure to account for any extra time needed for driving, hiking, or changing clothes.

If, like us, you love scheduling photography around sunset you might consider telling your couples to bring a snack, water, and a jacket. Give them a little guidance. In fact, that’s what the whole next section is about.

Guide Your Couples Through Their Photography

First you’ll want to give your couple some tips on what to wear, which will vary depending on your style as a photographer and your couple’s style. I usually tell my couples to dress a little nicer than they normally would, I want them to look nice but also to be comfortable. If they want to do outfit changes I suggest one more casual and one more dressy so that they have variety in their artwork and I particularly like vibrant solid colors that pop against the landscape.

I like my couples to feel like themselves, albeit a slightly nicer dressed version of themselves, regardless of who they are, therefore, simple directions work out perfectly for me. If this sounds like not enough direction to you, that’s great because you have your own style too. Guide your couples so that they’ll look great in your photos.

When thinking about guiding your couples you might need to give them more direction to help them be comfortable during the shoot. Are you going to be walking a lot? Then suggest comfortable footwear. If weather is a factor, communicate about that too.

Start the Engagement Shoot Strong

At the start of the shoot, you’ll want to set some expectations so that your couples know what to do with their hands! If you’re going to be posing them a lot, explain what to expect. If you want them to act natural, then tell them what that means exactly.

Your style will indicate what you say, but generally I tell people that I want them together and touching. Whether that’s holding hands or arms around each other, I want to see a physical connection between them and I tell them that even if they feel like they’re close they should get closer because that will look great in the pictures. I also tell them that they’re free to look at each other and enjoy the view, if I need them to do anything I will tell them but if I’m not speaking then they’re doing perfectly.

I tend to not overdirect so I want to make sure my couple isn’t worried. My goal is to get them to gradually feel more comfortable, so I tell them that too. It might feel awkward at first but we’re just getting warmed up so let’s have some fun.

Connecting With Your Couple

All that startup was about getting my couples to feel comfortable both with having their photos taken and with me as their photographer. I spend some time getting to know them and connecting. This is what’s great about an engagement shoot, there’s no wedding planner tapping their foot rushing you through the shots so take some time and connect with your subjects.

Real smiles are better than fake smiles any day. Therefore, not only do I want to connect with my couples but I want to lean on their connection to each other. Shooting couples is the best because you don’t have to force emotion; often these are two people giddy in love — use that.

An added bonus of forming a connection with your couple is that when you show up on the wedding day they trust you. Sometimes that means they trust you enough to give you a longer portrait session on the wedding day and at sunset. But sometimes it just means that you’re comfortable working together and are able to shoot portraits significantly more efficiently on the wedding day when they have more demands on their time.

Use the Landscape in Your Photography

Even though I feel like most engagement sessions are outside, it still bears mentioning that you can use the landscape in your composition. I love combining landscape photography skills with portraiture to tell a love story complete with a rad setting. Yes, you want to focus on the couple but you also want to use what you have available for foreground, background, texture, patterns, leading lines, or other composition techniques.

If you find yourself struggling to focus both on posing the couple and composing the overall shot, you can spend some time practicing your landscape photography and then thinking about where you can place your couple in the scene. At the minimum try to avoid trees coming out of awkward places.

You can utilize a variety of focal lengths to use the landscape in different ways and to get a variety of images. Shoot through the tree, use a trail to create movement, use compression on that mountain, or have your couple doing something that looks natural in the landscape. The more you think about the whole picture, the more you’re able to tell a story and create impact with your photograph.

Use the Light

Again, it seems obvious but it bears mentioning and repeating and reminding everyone that photography is all about light. For some this means only wanting to shoot golden hour, for others it means mastering off-camera flash. Or, even better, maybe it means both?

Maybe you love backlit photos with cool lens flare or maybe you love using the sun as a spotlight to create golden light on your couple’s skin. Or, even better, maybe you learn to do both? Understand light and how to see it, create it, and use it to make your photography more impactful.

Be able to answer the question of where to find soft light or how to use angles to make harsh light flattering. Natural light is powerful — if you plan and use it correctly you may never need flash. This doesn’t mean you won’t want to use it to add drama or create some cool effects, but I want you to use flash intentionally rather than out of desperation.

How to Shoot Outdoor Engagement Photography

Let’s summarize these steps for how to shoot outdoor engagement photography. I hope this process will give you the confidence to get out there and create! Maybe engagement photography will even become one of your favorite parts of being a wedding photographer.

  1. Scout it out
  2. Schedule it right
  3. Guide your couples
  4. Start strong
  5. Connect
  6. Use the landscape
  7. Use the light

Engagement photography is one of the fun things that couples get to do as part of the wedding planning amidst a stressful to-do list. I like to make it fun, stress-free, and a memorable experience. I know I’ve done it right when even the people who say they’re not photogenic and don’t like having their photos taken end up having a blast and loving their photos!

About the author: Brenda Bergreen is a Colorado wedding photographer, videographer, yoga teacher, and writer who works alongside her husband at Bergreen Photography. With their mission and mantra “love. adventurously.” they are dedicated to telling adventurous stories in beautiful places.

Photographer taking photos for football game dies after collision

By in Photography

Photographer taking photos for football game dies after collision

A football photographer has died after high school football players accidentally collided with her on the sidelines.

Linda Gregory was taking professional photographs of Wichita Northwest High School’s team on the sidelines of a junior varsity football game, when two players who were engaged in a block made their way out of bounds and knocked her over.

The incident, which occurred on Monday night, saw Ms Gregory fall and hit her head on the concrete that surrounds the track at Bishop Carrol High School in Kansas.

Ms Gregory was rushed to the hospital by emergency services after the collision where she was put on life support.

Steve Martin, the high school’s football coach confirmed on Wednesday that Ms Gregory had died. “Linda was an amazing person who breathed life into our students here at Northwest,” Mr Martin said to the Eagle.

“The loss is a painful one for our team and my family, but we can only hope to learn from this tragic event,” he said. “She would go out of her way to make each kid feel important in her own unique way. Her passion for kids was amazing, but it went deeper than taking pictures for Linda and Mel [her husband]. They were a part of our football team and always will be. They are family. She was a mentor and friend to some of our boys, past and present, and they are hurting right now.”

The school also released a statement at the news of Ms Gregory’s passing, which said: “Linda’s sideline presence and constant support of our students will be sorely missed at Northwest High School.”

Ms Gregory and her husband Mel were long time sports and photography fans. A friend of theirs used to coach boys basketball at Northwest back in 2014, which sparked their afffinity with all Northwest sports events, showing up to take pictures of the games. The couple since then have never missed a game, reports KWCH.

“She would go out of her way to make each kid feel important in her own unique way,” told Grizzly coach Steve Martin

(Wichita Northwest Grizzly Football/Facebook)

Ms Gregory also has her own professional photography business and would also give advice to student photographers she would meet at various games, reports Varsity Kansas.

New York Jets running back Breece Hall, who used to play football at Northwest back in high school took to Facebook after hearing back on Tuesday when he heard Ms Gregory was on life support. He said: “We need prayers!!! These are the most genuine, polite, kind, giving, whole-hearted people. Prayers out to you and your wonderful wife, Mel Gregory.”

Mr Martin shared that the team would be remembering Ms Gregory throughout the rest of their games. “She left this world doing what she loved to do and that was being around people and expressing herself with pictures,” he said. “We will be keeping her spirit alive in our program and will be wearing LG stickers on our helmets to always remind us of our number one fan.”

The LG stickers that Mr Martin describes will be worn on the helmets of each Wichita Northwest Grizzly team member for the remainder of the season.

Rocky Mountain National Park to Host a Weekend of Native Songs and Dances

By in Native

Rocky Mountain National Park to Host a Weekend of Native Songs and Dances

NEWS RELEASE
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK
*************************
Rocky Mountain National Park’s 2023 Indigenous Connections programming continues this Friday, September 8 through Sunday, September 10, 2023 with Native songs and dances performed by the award-winning singer-songwriter, Shelley Morningsong, and professional Native dancer and storyteller, Fabian Fantenelle.

Morningsong and Fantenelle will perform a set of traditional and modern Native song, dance, and storytelling in hand-crafted regalia. Join us in front of the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Beginning at 1 p.m., Morningsong will also read from her children’s book, “She Talks to the Animals.” During breaks, Morningsong and Fontenelle will be available to answer questions about their artwork and traditional cultures. 

Shelley Morningsong (N. Cheyenne) is an acclaimed Native singer and songwriter of 17 years who has been the recipient of many Native American Music Awards including 2019’s “Artist of the Year.” Fabian Fontenelle (Zuni/Omaha) is an original member of the American Indian Dance Theatre and has worked as a consultant and performer for Steven Spielberg’s miniseries, Into the West, PBS’ “Great Performances”, and the History Channel. For more information about these artists, please visit https://shelleymorningsongonline.com.

These programs are made possible by a generous grant from the National Park Foundation under the Inclusive Storytelling grant project. In addition, support is provided by the park’s philanthropic partner, the Rocky Mountain Conservancy. 

The Indigenous Connections program amplifies and celebrates the presence of Indigenous peoples who have ancestral ties to what is now called Rocky Mountain National Park, including those from ten sovereign Tribal Nations including those of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, Comanche, Lakota, Kiowa, Shoshone, and Ute.

*************************

Public Sculpture Dedicated In Lyndon

By in Sculpture

Public Sculpture Dedicated In Lyndon
Artist Martin McGowan stands in front of his public sculpture at the future site of Sanborn Covered Bridge Park in Lyndon during a dedication ceremony on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023.

The Art of Branding: Lessons to Borrow from Google’s Success

By in Art World News

The Art of Branding: Lessons to Borrow from Google’s Success

The Art of Branding: Lessons to Borrow from Google’s Success – Spiceworks

Discover some valuable insights that brands can glean from Google’s success.



Ameya Dusane


Ameya Dusane


Assistant Manager Content Operations, Spiceworks Ziff Davis

September 7, 2023

lessons brand can learn from Google

Did you know that Google was almost called “Googol”? That’s right, but a spelling mistake changed everything! Today, Google is a household name and has created its own legacy over the years. But have you ever wondered what core values have helped Google become one of the most popular brands worldwide? Well, you’re in luck because this article will provide you with valuable insights into the lessons you can learn from the Google brand. Get ready to be inspired!

If you seek to shop, dine, book a cab, secure the best deal for flight tickets, rent a house, find the end of a movie, or learn how to generate more leads, the answer to all your inquiries is Google. Google has emerged as the world’s largest search engine, thanks to the internet and smartphones. Google’s journey of 25 years commenced in September 1998, when it took its first step towards indexing and searching online web pages. Today, Google stands as one of the most iconic brands globally. Therefore, it is imperative to understand what Google has accomplished in the last 25 years that has made them the great brand they are today and what marketers can learn from Google’s success story.

Building a Strong Customer Base

As the adage goes, the customer is king, and personalized experiences are expected to provide nothing but the best services. According to a recent survey by New GenesysOpens a new window , 77% of consumers are willing to switch brands if they encounter five or fewer negative interactions with a brand’s customer service. Google recognized this early on and understood that to gain customers’ trust, they must respect them. Google realized that customer trust could only be won if customers could trust the information they received. As a result, Google developed algorithms that placed customer experience at the heart of their strategy. Brands must remember that product and service trends may come and go, but credibility never does. Listening to customers is another way to gain their trust. Google has always encouraged customers to share their feedback through Google reviews. 

Additionally, Google invests a significant amount of time in understanding customer-generated feedback. Rather than taking it negatively, Google works to address customers’ pain points. Therefore, brands must proactively monitor the feedback that customers share.

Data privacy is a keyword that is frequently used these days. However, data has always been critical to gaining customers’ trust as they are often skeptical about the data they share. Throughout their journey, Google has been transparent about how they use data, which has helped them gain customers’ credibility.

Innovation Is the Key

Innovation is the lifeblood of success, and no one knows this better than Google. Back in the day, before ChatGPT was even a twinkle in our screens, Google launched a similar service called Google Answer. But that was just one of the 200 products and services that Google has launched over the years. If you stroll through the ‘Google GraveyardOpens a new window ,’ you’ll find a whole host of services and products that Google has discontinued. At Google, innovation is more than just a buzzword – it’s a way of life. Since its inception, Google has always encouraged its employees to develop new, innovative ideas. Google’s culture of innovation is evident throughout the company; in fact, Google’s employees are requested to spend 20% of their time to come up with new ideas or work on something that is of more interest to them. 

While we talk about innovation and new ideas, one inevitable thing is failure, but Google has always embraced failure. In Google’s blogOpens a new window , Susan Wojcicki, Google’s Senior Vice president, shares Google’s eight pillars of innovation. She further mentions, “Google is known for YouTube, not Google Video Player. The thing is, people, remember your hits more than your misses. It’s okay to fail if you learn from your mistakes and correct them quickly. Trust me, we’ve failed plenty of times. Knowing it’s okay to forget can free you up to take risks. And the tech industry is so dynamic that the moment you stop taking risks is the moment you get left behind.”

See More: Why Brands Should Invest in Cross-Cultural Marketing

Data-Driven Decision Making

Google is a company that knows how to use the power of data. Yes, innovation might be at the helm of Google’s strategy. But even those decisions taken by Google are data-based. Google collects and analyzes massive amounts of data to gain insights into user behavior, market trends, and other important metrics that drive business success. This approach has helped Google make informed decisions backed by data-driven insights, giving it a competitive edge in the market. Therefore, data is the answer for marketers who want to achieve success like Google. Marketers can use and analyze data to get valuable insights into customer preferences. This will later lead to improved products and services that meet customer expectations. 

Keeping UX (User Experience) Simple 

Minimalism is the trending word today. However, Google has mastered this art way before. And this shows in all the products/ solutions they have designed. Google realized that UX plays a vital role in customer retention and building customer loyalty. A bad UX or UI (user interface) can confuse the customer and will lead to drop-offs in page visits per session. Therefore, Google has always maintained a similar color theme over the years, leading to increased customer brand recall. Google’s clear fonts, simple, clean lines, and even more straightforward, self-explanatory names and icon designs help customers navigate better. Also, Google’s simple design aims to make their products easy to use, so they are easy to understand and adopt by non-experts. Therefore, as marketers, you must realize that UX/UI helps create a brand’s identity. 

Marketers must realize that regardless of the services or applications that Google offers in any country, they have the same look and feel. However, Google focuses on localization by customizing the languages to ensure local understanding. Therefore, marketers need to realize that improving customer loyalty, creating a brand loyalty UX, and localization play an important role. 

Employee Advocacy

Ask anyone what Google’s most significant assets are, and they will say it’s their employees. Over the years, Google has encouraged its employees to share their stories. How often have we encountered Google employees sharing their stories on what makes Google such a wonderful workplace? The employee might not necessarily speak about any of the Google products but will talk about the work culture at Google. Since employees are the unsung heroes of any company, companies must encourage them to share their stories, which is exactly what Google has been doing for years. Google also has a special page dedicated to its employees where the employees are welcome to share their stories. So, if you want to emulate Google’s success, start listening to what your employees are saying and what your employees want.

Building Your Brand

The process of brand building is a crucial undertaking that commences with identifying and emphasizing your unique selling propositions. Google, for instance, has effectively recognized its distinctive selling points, which include prioritizing customer experience, fostering innovation, and leveraging data-driven insights. These factors have enabled Google to distinguish itself from its rivals and cultivate a devoted customer following.

What measures have you implemented to enhance your marketing strategy and establish a distinctive brand identity? Share with us on FacebookOpens a new window , XOpens a new window , and LinkedInOpens a new window . We’d love to hear from you! 

Image Source: Shutterstock

MORE ON BRAND MARKETING

Ameya Dusane

An accomplished media professional able to produce high-quality content in multiple formats, including blogs, podcasts, and videos. In addition, I have worked closely with external PR teams in order to establish a strong media presence for media houses.

Noteworthy in North County: Norfolk presents the Sculpture Walk

By in Sculpture

Noteworthy in North County: Norfolk presents the Sculpture Walk
NORFOLK – Norfolk Community Association, a nonprofit group dedicated to beautifying the town’s common areas, unveiled the first sculpture in its proposed Sculpture Walk last Saturday at Robertson Plaza. “Owl of Good Fortune” was created by local sculptor Jon Riedeman, who specializes in wildlife scu
«< 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 >»