Sweet Comment Box

Hey everyone out there with a blog, check out this!

If you have blogger, typepad... you need to check out http://www.intensedebate.com/
I used them to set out my new comment box. This is a comment box on performance enhancing drugs. You can comment on others comments and we can answer directly to a comment. This comment box is similar to a forum. You can subscribe to rss feeds on comments and follow one person that comments on a post across other blogs that have a comment box from intense debate.

Plus it was easy to setup and I used the advanced setup(not advanced at all, very easy)
O did I mention it was FREE and they just made a deal with twitter too :)


I believe commenting and keeping up on blogs is a great way to network and make friends interested in the same things. Also went I meet someone that has commented on my blog and I've comment on theirs' It feels as if you know them and you just met them. The Power of the Blog!

Here is something they wrote on their site:
"When you make a comment on an Intense Debate comment system you are marketing yourself like no where else. We enable you to link to several major social sites you are a part of to give fellow readers an idea of who you are. You can also link back to your website, blog and your stream of RSS feeds. From a publisher standpoint, by allowing us to aggregate your comments Intense Debate can direct more traffic to your site, a high percentage of which is likely to participate in further commenting."

If you get one let me know, comment below :)

HOT WEDDING TRENDS THIS SPRING

Okay, I'll admit it, I have spring fever. And I can not wait to shoot our first spring wedding! So in honor of my excitement, I give you the "Hottest Trends for Spring '08 Weddings"

1. Green is hot!
Like we didn't see this one coming. The Feds Studio is green friendly, but the hottest trend for '08 is to have a "green" wedding. Couples are more concerned about our earth more than ever. Everything from recycled invitations to organic cake and anything in between that helps out mother earth.

2. It's all in the waist!
Dresses that accent the waist are all the rave. Not only does it make just about any bride look thinner (little fashion tip) but also adding a splash of color makes the look complete. Belts and sashes are it!

3. Dress to impress!
Or should I say letterpress. High-end and quality invitations are a must. Letterpress is the most luxury you can get on a piece of paper. It sets the tone for your wedding and gives your guests the first taste of what is your wedding.

4. Yellow, Yellow, Kiss A Fellow!
Ha! My mom was way before her times on this one. Yellow for a wedding color is super chic and fun. Various shades of yellow can be used depending on the time of day your wedding is being held. Accents of vibrant florals finish the look!

5. Silver Wedding Bells!
Wedding Belles aka brides. Ok, if you are so daring as to wear a silver wedding dress, first calls us, I would love to cover that wedding. You go girl! Second, if you are not so adventureos, but love the idea, add silver to your dress, tables, shoes, veil, anything that you want to shimmer. Silver is the new gold!

6. BOLD, BOLDER, BOLDEST!
Charge up your wedding atmosphere with crazy bold colors. Try Fuschia and blue ;) or orange, purple and green. If you want to have a fun and party like a rockstar kind of wedding, set the stage for your guest with poppong color on your girls coming down the aisle. Hey, that white gown will really be like "WHOA" against hot pink bridesmaid!

I just want to thank Nina Callaway from About.com for keeping us all updated on the newest trends in weddings!


Kate
Ma Wedding Photographer

New Blog!!!!

Hey everyone I just put together a new blog. Yep I did it. I don't know how, but I learned css and some more html in a very short time so I can get this together. I'm still working on getting all the links setup and working so bear with us.

Let us know what you think. I'll be adding a bunch of info for our future and current client in the next few weeks so keep checking back.


Back to work.

Largo Photography Fashion Show

Hey everyone check this out. Our friends Chris and Tammie over at Largo Photography out in Arizona are putting together a Prom Expo and fashion show. This event is definitely going to rock so if you know any High Schoolers in the area , go get 'em some tickets!!! If not at least check out their site for the show.

Bye to Polaroid films

"Notification of Polaroid Instant Film Availability

Due to marketplace conditions, Polaroid has discontinued almost all of its instant analog hardware products. Polaroid has also made the difficult decision to cease manufacturing of instant film products in 2008." taken from Polaroid's site

Polaroids were so much fun growing up. I can't believe yet another company is ceasing manufacturing of their film products.

A Polaroid in the hands of a child was seen as magic, as that image slowly appeared. I know, we now have digital and I love it but my kids will never see that magic I remember.

Polaroids were great party cameras plus you can do some really cool transfer and artistic stuff with Polaroid images. You can head over to flickr and check some out here

I guess you could always use Photoshop but never again a Polaroid :(

I'm Fed and I'm a blog Slacker.

I'm Fed and I'm a blog Slacker. I guess the first step of recovery is admitting it. I'm sorry I haven't posted in over a week. At least I have an amazing wife that got a post in there so we didn't go over a week and a half. I was starting to get better then wham! no posts. We have been very busy these past few weeks and you will soon see what we have been up to. I've been busy on Album designs and coding a shiny new blog :)

If you are up for reading a good book on marketing and advertising check out Purple Cow by Seth Godin.
It is a short quick read but good.

You know the saying "The best thing since sliced bread..." while it should have been "The best thing since a good marketing campaign..." The company that created the bread slicer didn't market well and sliced bread didn't catch on until Wonder Bead marketed sliced bread 20 years later. If sliced bread was so good it should have caught on sooner.



Fed
MA Wedding Photographer

STATE OF EMERGENCY IN MA!

Haha! So yesterday the whole South Shore (South of Boston) was in a state of emergency due to a winter storm. Funny thing is it barely snowed all day. Then BAM! Around 4 PM it hit us. It was light fluffy snow flakes, and I really didn't believe it would add up to much. Us New Englanders are use to this kind of weather, so why the fuss? But we were delighted to wake up to a sunny mildly warm (35-40 Degrees) day with about 11 inches of snow. So I bundled the kids up and hit the yard for some snow fun. Here's a little clip of our puppy Azalea burning off some energy. I think I had more fun them the kids throwing snowballs at the dog. ;)

Complementary Engagement Shoot

I hope everyone had a great Valentines Day Yesterday! Since love is in the area and chocolates are in our stomachs :) I'm going to show some love and offer a Complementary(yes free) "LOVE Shoot" our version of an engagement session to a couple in love, in the Boston area. At first I was going to make this only available to couples engaged yesterday but I felt like sharing the love with everyone :)

So if you know someone who recently got engaged past the love on to them.

The catch is you need to send in the story of the proposal and I will posted it along with your slide show here on the blog. Just email it to me before March 1, 2008. And we'll pick a winner.

james[at]thefedsstudio.com


Fed
MA Wedding Photographer

Happy V-Day

Happy V-day everyone I hope you all showing the love :)

Here is a sneak peak of the shoot we had last night. Doug sent this over all marked up, that says it all. It shows craziness in our lives but we love it and I love my girls Happy Valentines Day!

That's Belle trying to impress us doing a split and if you look close in the mirror Layla is taking the kiddie car for a spin.

Puggin in Boston

Yet another Boston pug last night, one of the largest I've been to. Let hope we have a bigger one next month, cause there is some cool stuff planned if the is big.
Last night Kate and I headed in to Boston to join our hosts Matt and Enna for a night of Chocolate and wine in honor of V-day.

Our special guests Justin and Mary Marantz came up from CT(even though they were in TN just a day before) to hang out, talk business and spread the love. Paul and Krystal from Studio Foto( out of CT)were also there. It was cool finally meeting them as we have share links on blog posts from each other(One reason why blogs are so cool, you get to know people then meet them.) It's a little backwards but cool :)

Kate and I also got to meet Shyla, a photographer who just recently moved out to MA from the west coast(I think you will love it here, Kate says winter sucks and she wants to live where the sun is)

We had a few shots but I think the ps is out in the car and it's raining so here is a photo I took from Justin and Marys Blog of Krystral, Mary, Justin Kate and I, just before we walked out the door around midnight(Ya I look a little tired, up at 7 tomorrow :)) I know Matt took a few shots he'll probably have up on his blog so your can check over there.
More to come later. Tonight Doug came by and we had some fun shooting out in the garage since it was pouring out. I'll post some photo later and I know he will be posting outtakes lol.

Shoot Q Shoot Q Shoot Q

Shoot Q. shoot q! Shoot Q. SHOOT Q. shoot Q

It's ok if you don't get it, if you do you've seen the videos they did at the trade shows :)


We got 1 yaaa! I'm pretty psyched about this. Shoot Q is a studio management software that is going to help us, help all of you with your experience with The Fed's. We are working on getting everything setup and this program rocks! It is a web base software that enables us to track clients, accept online payment, sign agreements electronically, track product management, workflows and so much more. If you didn't get in on this deal I'm sure they we be offering more in the future, so go get on their list to receive their newsletter to find out when it's available again.

We can't wait till it is all setup and we are serving you better.

Just got back from our Boston Pug, Sweet!! I'll post tomorrow.

Night
Fed

Crazy week and new stuff

Where does time go? I haven't posted in a week even though so much has gone on this past week, sorry.

The last weeks happenings this is not even the half of it.
One week ago today: I got our new wedding site up and have gotten some great feed back. Thanks everyone. I'm still going to add a lot more photos, most likely tomorrow. So check back and tell everyone you know.

Wednesday: I shot team photos for Archies swim team. I even got to take a few action shots while they swam. I played around with some strobes putting them around the pool and prayed they didn't get soaked.

Thursday: Something must have happened just a blur.

Friday Night: Family night at Nana's(my mother) house. The girls look forward to this all week long. We even did a little video chat with my two little nephews. Annabelle was so excited to see her cousins.

Saturday: I download a free trail of InDesign and I love it. I think this year I'll be doing our album designs with InDesign. special thanks to Kevin Swan for putting together a quick start video for album design in InDesign, and it was sweet. Within a few hours I feel pretty comfortable with the program and looks like this is how we will design albums for now on since online builders aren't that great if additional retouching is requested. With online builders you need to upload design, re-upload, re-design... just turns out to be a crazy process unless every photo gets re-touched before uploading proofs (that would take like one hundred hours:))

Sunday: We went out and did a little location scouting and picked up a background so we can do some shooting inside during these cold days we are having. So you can expect some photos of the kids :)

Monday: See the next post later today, some more new stuff.

Pug Meeting tonight with Justin and Mary Montage a husband and wife photography team from CT speaking. I can't wait to hear what they have in store, I know it's going to be good.

O I had this picture I wanted to post and quote Mike Colon "Get in over your head and swim to the top" A little help is always good, so be someone's lifeguard and lend a hand when needed.

New Wedding Photography Site

Hey everyone our new wedding photography website is up. Head on over to www.thefedsstudio.com to check it out. I'm adding new photos this week and should have everything ironed out by the weekend.


A BIG thanks to Big Folio for the hookup on the site. Big Folio sponsored The Revolution this past fall and gave away the site and hosting, Sweet!


Fed
Boston, MA Wedding Photographer

Go Vote

Ya I don't have much to say 'bout the Pats :( but I guess I'll send out a Congrats to Manning and the Giants.

Since the Super Bowl is now behind us and there is no parting around Boston I would just like to remind everyone in MA and all the other states that vote on Super Tuesday get out and vote.


Here is a Music Video from one of my favorite bands while in High School Big D and The Kids Table from Boston.