Challenge - day 6... and QR* codes!

Aaaaannnd... Sunrise again!

I love mornings because you almost never wake up anxious, but almost always go to bed a little bit distraught. Meditation helps, but I would be living someone else's life if I said that I do it EVERY night.

Today, after reading an article on how QR codes can potentially cause a security threat (only potentially yet, or so I understood...) I learned how to make my own QR code, it was much easier than I anticipated, and also - absolutely FREE.

So I went to Kaywa, typed in the URL I want to point to with this code and voila!

Click here to 'like' our business page!

Or you can scan it with your smartphone, like I do (QRReader for iPhone for example), but there's nowhere to scan it from ;), unless you have one of my new business cards that may or may not include that on the back...

So, basically, for "Sigen Photography", so far - it is pretty useless. But how cool, eh?

The link you're pointing to better be mobile optimized, otherwise another pointless situation arises.

All in all, I don't yet see the use of it. So I scan something with my phone - then what? I still go to a computer to do any real reading, or research, or shopping.

Yawn.
Is it time to go sleep yet? Hah... back to work chica!

* QR or Quick Response code is a two-dimensional bar code that is scanned and understood by a cellphone camera. Of course you need an app for that as well. Once the QR code is scanned, the app directs you to the webpage it's attached to, for example.

Challenge - day 5

My Facebook friends have already seen this one. And if you haven't - here you go. The boy was helping me photograph the beautiful sunset and picked some wildflowers. In those two days of driving around I have been finding these in all sorts of places...

Tomorrow is Friday, I think I missed a day this week - where did it go?
That's what happens when the fall comes. Some people tighten up, toughen up - a lot to do before end of the year. And I will go get ready in a second as well. There's things to do, challenges to face and the best of all - being a mommy to a wonderful boy who is trying so hard to grow up faster. Stop stop - not so fast little one! First - I need to make you proud, then there will be your turn.

Have a magical day my friends!

Don't forget to look me up on Facebook.com/irina.smirnova and to like our page under Sigen Photography.

Challenge - day 4

Today was a good day.
Things are coming together and I seem to finally come to what I've been telling all new start ups that ask me for tips. GET A GOOD TEAM. Alone you can only do so much. When there's two of you doing work - it doesn't multiply by just two, it becomes more like a four. And when you assemble the perfect team, well, then things just get cracking.

It doesn't mean, of course, that I'm a big expert on running business, god - no!! But at some point I got tired of expressing that to everyone who looked up to me, and I said to myself - "you got something to tell them - so tell them!". After all, sharing in the experience is what we're all here for.

My team is finally coming together and I am very happy to conclude... that everything is only beginning!

Not much more to share at this point, stay tuned and check back, or better yet - add this blog to your feed burner or subscribe to receive e-mails when I post.

A little simpler photo for today...

Have a wonderful week!

Challenge - day 3

This one will be rather quick, because they are waiting for me at the kid's birthday party :)
And yes, I'm taking my camera for some cool candid shots...

This one should be a lot of fun, they are taking us to some farm with pumpkins and monster trucks... can't wait!

And here the photo - enjoy...

Since today is Sunday, I don't expect that you are at home in this gorgeous weather, so I will leave this post without any usual meaningful remarks, even though it is very hard for me not to say anything smart right now.

In case you didn't get it - that meant to be a joke. A very smart joke. Apparently.

I guess I better go.

Have a wonderful rest of the weekend!

Challenge - day 2

Today was an unusual day. In a way that... I did everything that I would expect myself to usually do on a Saturday. Only, I never do any of these things.

I guess it's a good start to something new.

Here's today's "challenge" photo. Lucked out with this one...

You know, you drive around all day in Pennsylvania, you think - there's nothing to take a GORGEOUS picture of, except for people around you, but for some reason they refuse to participate in all the fun, they call you "paparazzi" and what not...

And then you pull out of your own driveway, and see this...

And you put the car on the reverse and back it up, grab the tripod and the camera, swap the lenses...

And forget that you were supposed to be going out for dinner, and you wear this gorgeous long skirt with heels and what not. And your earrings get stuck in camera gear...

But you are one with it all...

Challenge... and beautiful landscapes...

I don't know if you know this about me - but I can never be challenged. Even if I agree to that - I can never follow through. Don't ask..

And this time, I'm putting up my own - to entertain you for a week with a new beautiful landscape photo that I took within a month. That's hard! Believe me. Once you turn "professional", there's never time to do what you actually wanted to do as a professional.

That's why my first tip to everyone starting out is - write a business plan. It seems like an overhead, but that's something I should have done 3 years ago. I have it now - and love it. It keeps changing at least once a month... and it's hard to follow, but I know it'll work, because my heart is in it, and, most importantly, my vision.

All the words aside...

Here's the Day 1 photograph. Taken in a cute little PA town, the name of which I refuse to post here for convenience purposes: