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I'm getting ready to head to WPPI Las Vegas at the end of this week. As always, I look forward to WPPI as a great place to connect with my industry friends and be inspired.

I'll be at the DigiLabs table # 737 with photographers Ben Chrisman and Erin Reed, Jacklyn Greenberg, and Kevin and Jessica Bergthold. This year the DigiLabs team is all about innovation and change. I'm pretty excited to hear these talented photographers speak on up and coming topics for keeping your business cutting edge. 

I'm looking forward to speaking about Growing Your Business with Online Marketing. I'll be speaking on Monday at 2:45 and Wednesday at 1:45 and hanging out at the DigiLabs table in addition to my Masters Class.  So if you are attending WPPI, I hope to see you there!

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[March 5, 2010] biancak said: Hey Catherine, Have a great time in Vegas. Wish I could attend your class. I'm now trying to help my company get with the online marketing deal. It's a tough sell for the engineering/architecture industry, but I'll keep working on it! I always go back to your blog/site as reference/inspiration. All the best, chichi
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We have all heard the phrase "you can't afford to miss it." In these hard economic times, this phrase is often replaced with the fear "I can't afford it." We all make choices about what we can and cannot afford but we should not let our fear dictate every decision. Ironically, now more than ever, small business owners should invest in their business and distinguish themselves from competitors. For this reason, I make a point of being involved in cutting edge conventions that will improve my business. 

This year a world-renonwned event is taking place in my very own San Francisco. Jubilee Lau  and Jean Marks founded Wedding 360 with the goal of giving back and improving the wedding industry. These extraordinary women originally created the "Wedding University" with the purpose of educating brides. Now they have expanded and created a must attend event for all wedding professionals (including photographers!). You are probably asking if The Academy for Wedding Planners and Designers is worth the money. Yes it is, and here's why: 

-Learn how designers and planners think, how every detail of design is pulled together, and how all professionals working on the a wedding can compliment each others work. 

-Meet and mingle with wedding planners and designers from all over the country. There will be a large number of representatives from the West Coast who are a great resource even for those from out of state looking to expand their business. 

-Meet and learn from outstanding wedding leaders such as Grace Ormonde, Abby Tait Larson, and Sean Low as well as photographers such as Gene Higa and myself. 

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I'm  thrilled to be a guest speaker at MacWorld 2010 for the talented Mikkel Aaland's  workshop on the new Adobe Photoshop Lightroom! The workshop is part of a two day Power Tools Workshop with great information and an impressive range of professionals and speakers at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Photoshop Lightroom is an awesome tool for photography and I'm so excited to share my insights with other photographers. Plus, working with the  award wining photographer, workshop guru, and outstanding author, Mikkel Aaland is such a treat.

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I was notified today by someone attempting to register for my WPPI MasterClass, that it has been sold out!  I look forward to seeing everyone in Vegas!

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WPPI REGISTRATION OPENS AT NOON PST.  REGISTER NOW BEFORE IT SELLS OUT!
I am honored, proud, and excited to announce my upcoming MasterClass at WPPI 2010. 

Tuesday, March 9th
3:30 p.m .- 5:30 p.m.

Catherine Hall - No-Name to Household-Name 

Facebook, Twitter, podcasts, blogs, editorial features, awards, gallery exhibitions, scholarships, etc. The list goes on! How do you take advantage of the myriad of promotional and marketing opportunities thriving in the 21st century? Join internationally renowned 2008 Young Gun Catherine Hall on an innovative exploration of creating a PR campaign that utilizes both traditional marketing and new age social media networks. Self-promote the *bleep* out of yourself and get where you want to go fast! First enrolled student to tweat @catherine_hall WPPI 2010 Rocks! wins an amazing prize (compliments of Lowepro)!
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[October 28, 2009] carol cobb said: Hi Catherine! I am so excited for your MasterClass!! I signed up as soon as I could this afternoon and tweeted, but don't know if I got it first. Either way I am so glad you are doing it. Your class was one of the highlights from last year:)
[November 30, 2009] Stephanie Anderson said: Congrats! This is incredible. Since the class is sold out, will they be recording your class?
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Photo Day with Catherine Hall, hosted by Chris Marquardt


People photographer Catherine Hall is in Leo Laporte's TWiT cottage and talks about what it takes to take pictures of total strangers.  Video 1 of 3.  For more information on Photo Day visit: http://www.chrismarquardt.com/photoday

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[September 9, 2009] Allyn Edmonds said: I missed this when it was done live..I kicked myself for a couple of days, so glad you posted it. Always a pleasure to hear you talk photography. Thanks.
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I have mentioned Lawrence's amazing workshop on my blog before.  Well, his next workshop is filling up fast.  An incredible investment in your business and career, reserve your spot now before it is too late!



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[August 29, 2009] Britt Productions said: Love the info. I've totally been working on this!
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Every once in awhile you attend a workshop that revolutionizes your business.  This was the case when I attended Lawrence's workshop at Gene Higa's studio in SF.  See how by watching the below and visiting the Tofurious website.

   

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Above photograph:  Vern McClish (Director of Marketing, Hallmark) and Me 

Epson recently sent me to speak at the internationally acclaimed Hallmark Institute of Photography which was an amazing experience!  I actually had three different students come up to me throughout the day in tears - saying that I had inspired them or had a great impact on their life.  How rewarding!!!!  Funny thing is, their kind comments probably made a greater impact on my life.  Thank you Epson and Hallmark class of 2009 for being such an inspiration to me.

Below are some emails I got after my presentations that made me feel warm and fuzzy inside...

Catherine, I loved your presentation today here at Hallmark. It was a good reminder to get out of my own way and follow my heart. Thank you for sharing your inspirational story and images, and don't think for a second that you are just another "good" photographer.  I've  had the opportunity to see many  great photographers this year at Hallmark and you truly are among the most gifted. I hope you have another amazing year and I look forward to seeing what you are doing in the future. Thanks again for the inspiration and for the helpful hints on making  my dream become a reality.
Cheers,
Darryl

Hi Catherine! Thank you so much for coming to speak with us a couple of weeks ago (sorry I didn't write sooner!) and for sharing your stories, insight, and experiences with us. We've had a lot of guest lecturers this year, and you were by far the most influential to me. I admire your work and I really dig your attitude and the way that you seem to think and relate to people. You're obviously doing what you love and doing it incredibly well. It seems like a lot of photographers lose passion for the craft the more successful they become, but the opposite seems to be true for you, which is encouraging to witness... I feel like you have so much to teach! Thank you again for the insight and inspiration! 


Hi Catherine!  
I just wanted to say that you have inspired me and I really enjoyed your lecture. Most of the speakers we have, they talk about their work and that's pretty much it. I loved that you went a lot deeper into the subject of photography and the life as a photographer (not just as a photographer, but a female photographer). It was a coincidence too because I have recently felt at an all time low...I'm usually a positive person but I had a recent breakdown, mentally, physically, and creativity. I think you came at a perfect time and I am so glad that you opened my eyes. Sometimes you always feel like you are the only one feeling a certain way and I'm glad you shared your experiences. I hope we can keep in touch and I wish you the best. 

Catherine, 
Just wanted to thank you again for coming and speaking with the students here at Hallmark. I think your positive message and the fact that you talk about real-life practical approaches to making it as a photographer give inspiration to the students. They see that if they work at it and don't give up they can make this into a career. 
Sincerely, Peter Chilton Instructor - www.peterchilton.com
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[April 20, 2009] Joy Bianchi Brown said: I LOVE your blog! You are rockin it this year! woo hooo!
[April 20, 2009] tat said: Your the sickest!!! love you lots, when we hanging
[April 25, 2009] Mike said: Cheap Security Equipment, Spy Gadgets http://AtxElectronics.com...
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I was recently selected as an "Adobe Influencer" and have been playing with CS4.  There are a lot of amazing changes in the updated version and below is one of my favorites:

Check out the "Content Aware Scale" Tool.  Here is an image of my cousin with its original aspect ratio:


simpso.jpgI am usually a full frame shooter and have significant content from edge to edge.  I always hate having to crop a photo to fit standard frames (ex - 8 x 10 crop when a full frame image is 8 x 12 - bye, bye 2 inches of my image!). The brilliant technicians at Adobe came up with a tool  that will intelligently crop your images analyzing which data can afford to be lost without effecting or stretching the important aspects of the image.

It took me about 1 minute to scale the image below to a frame proportioned 8 x 10.  I just duplicated layer, went file - content aware square and made the crop.  Powerful stuff!

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[April 25, 2009] Mike said: She is really beautiful I just love her eyes. Discount Electronics Store http://Atxelectronics.com.......
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