• Use Collegeboard.org’s SAT daily question email to get one sample test question in your inbox every day. It’s a simple, less overwhelming way to get your brain warmed up for the real thing. It’s also available as an iphone app! http://sat.collegeboard.org/practice…ion-of-the-day
• Take a test prep class. Kaplan offers courses that are tailored to the SAT or the ACT. Check out their website: http://www.kaptest.com/College/SAT/index.html
• Use a tutor to help you target your weakest subject.

TESTING

• Make sure you bring a watch, and don’t linger on one question longer than two or three minutes.
• Answer the easier questions first and go back to answer the hard ones last.
• Use the process of elimination to give yourself better odds on each question. If you know two answers aren’t right, that gives you a 50% chance of getting the right answer instead of only 25%.
• If you have to guess, the answer with the most information is usually correct.
• Never leave an answer blank. You should at least guess one of the options, because leaving it blank guarantees that you get it wrong.
• If you read the question and come up with the answer before reading the multiple choice options, this will help you avoid getting confused by “all of the above” or “none of the above” type of situations.
• Trust your first instinct—it’s usually correct!

Happy Testing!

Tracy came in this weekend to view her family pictures. It’s hard to narrow down which pictures you love the most.  I think she did a great job. Tracey asked us to design a portrait wall for her living room to display some of her own cherished pictures along with the new ones. It will be fabulous!

Tracy is a hair stylist and owns her own salon in Lewisville. Everyone loves her work, give a call at 214-766-7412.

And, thanks for letting me part of your memories.

Thumbprint Dragons
All you need is a few colorful inkpads and blank paper. Embellish with a pen to add eyes, ears, legs and a pointy tail!

http://funhandprintart.blogspot.com/…nt-dragon.html

Egg Carton Dragon
Use egg cartons, paint, colored paper, tissue paper and shimmery foil to create a sensational Chinese New Year Dragon.

http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/egg…ese_dragon.htm

Colorful Fortune Cookies!
Yummy and fun to make your own fortunes too.

http://diyweddingplanning.blogspot.c…l#.TsbN4j3NmN4

Paper Lanterns
These look great with sequin, sticker and glitter embellishments. Use lots of colors and string them across a porch or window!

http://crafts.kaboose.com/lantern1.html

Happy Chinese New Year! Don’t forget to wear something RED for good luck!

New year – new looks!

We are incorporating several new vendors this year to make our Baby and Children lines fresh and exciting.

From the great state of Alabama comes the Wild Sorbet Frame Company with fun, whimsical frames that are perfect for children’s bedrooms or playrooms. Over 178 colors to mix and match to create a one of kind frame to display your child’s photo.

Clients can select their favorite images in our comfortable viewing room. Not just seeing full scale images of their wall art, but they select custom frames sizes and colors from one of our custom frame manufacturers. Bring your color samples of wall colors and fabrics and custom match frames to create a truly beautiful look.

Send us a photo of baby’s room or any room, and we’ll import the room into our system. I will create several custom design wall groupings and frames just for you to see at your viewing session. We guarantee you’ll love these images and collections, or your money back!

For more information:

972-510-5381 or info@galliherphotography.com

As families we take photos to mark our memories, to have a visual reminder of even the most common events. Do these personal images have to be technically correct? Does it even matter if anyone else likes your work?

What should only be important is that these pictures stimulate an emotional response when you see them. Maybe you can become technically better with a little work and education. Anyone could, and that’s why professional photographers are constantly training, learning to incorporate new ideas into there work. We have to work at our craft all the time.

Moms with Cameras are going to be out photographing their kids and family. That fact is never going to go away, and I personally think it’s great. Digital technology has given them the opportunity capture moments that professional photographers will never see. Family photo albums will never be like they were in the film days.

What we should be doing as professional photographers is helping them to understand the craft and art of this industry. Knowing the difference between a snapshot and wall art. Very few of these moms are going to attempt to take their photography to a professional level. And, if they really want to go Pro, Professional Photographers should be willing to give advice on ALL aspects of this business.

Decades ago, learning to shoot film was not convenient. Not hard, but you had to work harder to find good resources. Today learning digital photography has become its own industry and there is a lot of good FREE information to help Moms with Cameras shoot better.

This month I’ll be building a link list of what I think are the best FREE educational sources (check the links on right). In the past I have given FREE photography seminars to nonprofit organizations. This spring I plan on expanding this training and making it available to all the moms with cameras, or anyone else who cares to learn.

More next week.

UVRUAPDJMSFD

http://imagingusa.org/

We’ve got some down time! Yahoo! Not that we don’t LOVE what we do – everyday. Finally, the holiday hustle and bustle is over. The New Year is here and we’re making our long list of resolutions for 2012.

One of those goals on my list is to take some time during the slow season to further perfect my technique. From lighting and posing to camera angles, editing techniques, new sets and props, there is always something new to learn and incorporate into my work. We’ll be attending Imaging USA in New Orleans Jan. 15-17 learning, socializing and recharging for 2012.

I find that this is a great time of year to do a few complimentary sessions and play around with new ideas. Join us for a Down Time portrait session throughout the month of February. There is no session fee, no minimum order or obligation, just a fun portrait session.

For more information:

972-510-5381 or info@galliherphotography.com

Digital painting is an emerging art form in which traditional painting techniques such as watercolor, oils, impasto, etc. are applied using digital tools by means of a computer, a digitizing tablet and stylus, and software. These are hand painted works often based on photographs, not computer generated art.

Trained by internationally renowned portrait artist, Fay Sirkis, we will transform your portrait, landscape, or architectural image into a lasting piece of art. We would love to create a portrait session for you designed to establish a foundation for your painting.

We offer paintings from 8″x10″ up to 40″x50″, all work is by consignment. Please email us at info@galliherphotography.com for more information and pricing.

The boys really did a good job for their first time. The only real challenge was getting this shot their mother wanted. They were quick, and without toys in hand, they improvised with what was available. The weekend is their one year birthday – hope to see them soon for another session. Happy Birthday boys!

Disney - Port Orleans Riverside

All this recent wet cold Texas weather has me thinking a lot summer and past vacations. Disney World is a playground for kids and photographers. The image at left was obviously a night image, pre-HDR (for me) in 2007. Taken with a Canon 40D, ISO 320 F/8.0, 20 sec very late at night. If you don’t want a people in the shot, you have to wait until the kids go to sleep.

These images are of the Colonel’s Cotton Mill. Night photography is challenging and fun. Most point-and-shoot cameras can be set in manual mode and used with a tripod, can get really nice shots. Try it.

Colonel's Cotton Mill - Disney

It’s not that hard to make a fearful client relax. And, I give credit to photographer/author Joe McNally for the importance of spending time talking with the subject(s). I like to have fun, make jokes, act professional, but be relaxed. Making fun of myself seems to work the best. I want people to come away great images and a feeling that “that wasn’t so bad, kind of fun actually”.