Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Republican obstruction dressed up as bipartisanship. Again.

So it was an October Surprise A Day, like an Advent calendar but for crime.

You can’t love your country only when you win.

It’s time for the GOP to dust off that post-2012 autopsy, completely ignore it, and light the party on fire again.

When someone says they “love freedom”, rest assured they don’t mean yours.

Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn.

Too often we confuse noise with substance. too often we confuse setbacks with defeat.

Come on, man.

Accused of treason; bitches about the ratings. I am in awe.

Russian mouthpiece, go fuck yourself.

We still have time to mess this up!

A thin legal pretext to veneer over their personal religious and political desires

Something needs to be done about our bogus SCOTUS.

I was promised a recession.

Yeah, with this crowd one never knows.

This fight is for everything.

Republicans are radicals, not conservatives.

New McCarthy, same old McCarthyism.

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

It’s the corruption, stupid.

They traffic in fear. it is their only currency. if we are fearful, they are winning.

I’d try pessimism, but it probably wouldn’t work.

Fuck the extremist election deniers. What’s money for if not for keeping them out of office?

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

You are here: Home / Photo Blogging / On The Road / On the Road and In Your Backyard

On the Road and In Your Backyard

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On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.

From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.

Submit Your Photos

Good Morning All,

Today is bittersweet. It is ?BillinGlendaleCA’s last submission (for now – we can always hope the master returns, amirite?).

Bill, your weekly submissions are a standard by which all are measured, tbh. Your willingness to be here, in the middle of the night your time, to answer questions and offer photography tips and techniques is admirable. Truly, we all owe you so much for sharing your skills and brilliant vision of the heavens with us. If you setup a PayPal donation and publish the info below, I know I’m not alone in saying I’ll be happy to kick you a bit to thank you. Hopefully it will be enough to stave off selling your gear!

A final reminder – tonight, I’ll be shutting down the form until the new Balloon Juice site and On The Road function are live. I’ll be running through submissions until then, so please, feel free to submit today, or hold your fire for 2-3 weeks – we shall see how the timing works.

One again, to submit pictures: Use the Form

 

Have a wonderful day, and enjoy the pictures!

 

Today, pictures from valued commenter ?BillinGlendaleCA.

Another new moon and another trip to Joshua Tree. This time I stopped in Redlands along the way to take some IR pics of the University of Redlands. I got back on the freeway and headed east to Joshua Tree. I arrived before my colleague and got some good sunset shots. We decided to shoot at a place called Belle Campground which is about a mile north of Arch Rock. We didn’t realize until we got to the campground entrance that they’re closed in the summer months(it’s really hot) so we walked in from the locked gate. There were a couple of rocks with a nice gap, so while we were waiting for it to get dark enough for Milky Way shots, I shot the twilight between the rocks. Once it got dark enough, I shot star trails above the rocks with the gap and started taking Milky Way pictures with a large rock as a foreground. Unfortunately I didn’t reset my lens to a wider aperture from when I was shooting the twilight pictures so my Milky Way pictures didn’t turn out(it’s a manual lens that has no feedback to the camera indicating f-stop). I switched to my telephoto lens to get some shots of the Lagoon Nebula and M31. I was having trouble sighting Polaris until I saw a airplane passing by it and then could ID Polaris on the sighting scope for my star tracker. Even with the messed up Milky Way shot it was a productive trip.

Thanks to Alain for providing this thread to post some of my pictures and thank you for your kind comments. Farewell.

Taken on 2019-07-31 00:00:00

Redlands, CA

Back when I was in high school I was on the debate team and colleges would have programs duing the summer to train high school debaters. I attended a session at the University of Redlands and was quite impressed by their campus with the Administration building on a hill and a long green mall extending to the chapel. While I’ve not been there in 40 years, I thought it would be a good place to shoot IR pictures. I’ve been though Redlands on my trips to Joshua Tree, but I’ve never had the time to stop(due to traffic I’ve been running late). This time I was able to leave and traffic cooperated so I did have time to stop by the campus and get some pictures. Here’s the Administration Building on the hill with Redlands spelled out in a boxwood hedge.

Taken on 2019-07-31 00:00:00

Joshua Tree National Park, CA

I arrived early at our agreed upon meeting place in the park, Belle Campground. The road into the campground was closed so we parked on the side of the road leading up the locked gate. I had some time to capture the setting sun as it settled behind the mountains in the western portion of the park.

Taken on 2019-07-31 00:00:00

Joshua Tree National Park, CA

People love star trails and here’s a little secret, they’re really easy to shoot. All you need is a camera, a wide angle lens, a timer(called an intervolteter which may be built into the camera) and time). This is about a 90 minute star trail shot with a 10mm lens. The foreground was shot after I finished shooting the star trails and I light painted the rocks. Polaris is at the top right and it doesn’t move, you can also see a satellite flare at the upper left. This was processed using Sequator(a free program on the Windows), I also removed airplane trails from the individual images(Joshua Tree has quite a bit of air traffic to the south and north).

Taken on 2019-07-31 00:00:00

Joshua Tree National Park, CA

I began by shooting the fading rays of the sun though a space between two large rocks(I later used that as a foreground for star trails) setting my lens at f/8 for a long depth of field. Then I moved on to shot the Milky Way with large rock to the east as a foreground element. All of my shots were coming out underexposed, even at ISO 6400 where I could get a good exposure at ISO 400 or 800. So I shot 50 exposures and then went on to shot the foreground shot with light painting. The lens I was using is a third party lens, so the f-stop doesn’t appear on the camera’s screen, I was still shooting at f/8. I set up the sky tracker and began polar sighting it. The problem with polar sighting is that Polaris isn’t all that bright and is a bit difficult to distinguish from it’s neighboring stars. Fortunately, I could see a plane passing by Polaris and then could see it on the sky tracker’s scope and sighted the sky tracker. I put on the 50-200mm lens and focused, my first target was the Lagoon Nebula that’s right in the center of the Milky Way. Here we see the Lagoon Nebula with the Trifed Nebula to above and to the right.

Taken on 2019-07-31 00:00:00

Joshua Tree National Park, CA

After shooting Lagoon(I was shooting the star trails with my Galaxy NX camera while I was shooting the Milky Way fail and Lagoon with my NX1), I turned my attention to shooting the Andromeda Galaxy(M31). I shot M31 on my last trip to Joshua Tree and wanted to make another attempt using more exposures(I shot 30, 30 second exposures last month; this time I was going to shoot 60, 30 second exposure for a total of 30 minutes). The problem I rean into was finding the galaxy with my camera. What I ended up doing was putting a 16-50mm lens on the camera and locating the galaxy that way and centering it. Then zoomed to 50mm and centering it. Finally I put on the 50-200mm lens and centered it(I think I done good). When I returned home I stacked the multiple exposures using Sequator and did the final processing on Photoshop. I’m pretty happy with this image, you can see the spiral arms and dust lanes pretty clearly.

 

Thank you so much ?BillinGlendaleCA, do send us more when you can.

 

Travel safely everybody, and do share some stories in the comments, even if you’re joining the conversation late. Many folks confide that they go back and read old threads, one reason these are available on the Quick Links menu.

 

One again, to submit pictures: Use the Form

Reader Interactions

75Comments

  1. 1.

    p.a.

    Thanks again BinG, and hope your next project will be as successful and enjoyable for you as your photos here have been for the rest of us.

  4. 4.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    @p.a.: I’m not look for enjoyable right now, just something to keep my head above water. I’m glad you’ve enjoyed my photos.

    @JPL: You’re welcome.

    @Baud: Well, I went pro a year and a half ago. Last week I mentioned that I’d had a total of 3 sales; that’s almost doubled in the past week(and helps alot). But as Another Scott mentioned last week, folk only have so much space on the wall…

    I mentioned the twilight shot that messed up my milky way shot, but with only 5 pics it got cut. Here’s the twilight shot. I worked on the Milky Way shot quite a bit and couldn’t make it work(too much noise in the sky).

  5. 5.

    Baud

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:

    I knew you had set up shop. I just meant whether you had hired an MBA and decided to no longer give it away on this blog.

    Sorry your sales are so low. Your pictures are really good.

  6. 6.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    @Baud:

    I just meant whether you had hired an MBA and decided to no longer give it away on this blog.

    Ah, there was my mistake, I thought having an MA in Economics on staff would be the same.

  7. 7.

    HinTN

    That twilight shot is great but the M31 is just WOW. Good luck and please don’t sell the cameras. You’re too good not to have that hobby no matter what else you’re doing.

  9. 9.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    @HinTN: Yeah, guess there’s no substitute for a MBA in this economy.

    @HinTN: Thanks, next time I get the chance I’ll try for a hour on M31(it’s visible most of the year). Thanks to the two sales(thanks so much to the folk that bought them), I’ve got a bit of breathing room.

    I mentioned the chapel at Redlands, Here’s an IR pic of the chapel(the dorm I stayed 42 years ago in is in the far left of this pic.)

  10. 10.

    J R in WV

    Bill, have always enjoyed your photos, loved seeing you experiment and learn new techniques and watch your pictures get better over time. I wish I had real suggestions for sales ideas, if I did I would share them with you post haste.

    But I don’t have any really cute ideas for selling… which is why I always worked for a salary rather than going into business for myself, until I retired.

    I really hate the thought of you having to sell your gear, as it’s obvious that you have loved doing photography. Best of luck going forward.

    Alain, is there an easy way to search for these photo shoots by submitter’s nym? Or to build a link for such a search tool into the On The Road set up? Great time to suggest this, days before the new release is going into testing…

  14. 14.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    @J R in WV: Well, for my pics, I’ve collected all my submissions to ‘On the Road’ on my site in a gallery called “On the Road”.

    I was pretty much a salary drone from 20 years so I’m not much of a sales person as well(plus being an introvert doesn’t help all that much). I’ve been toying around with some of the idea folk had last week, maybe some instructional videos and stuff like that. I’ve thought about doing one on YouTube and even started writing a script(kind of an overview of Milky Way photography from planning to shooting to post work). One other thing I’ve seen others do is the Patreon model. I kind of shied away from that initially since I felt that I wasn’t really delivering a tangible object, maybe I’m looking at this wrong.

  16. 16.

    Another Scott

    @Spanky: +1

    Also, it’s a shame that there doesn’t seem to be a good way to sell computer/phone desktop wallpaper that doesn’t risk the electronic versions cannibalizing print sales. But maybe graphics files limited to 1080 or 1440 would help minimize that issue?

    Thanks again for your photos, Bill. I’m looking forward to the desk print I ordered.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  18. 18.

    rikyrah

    I have loved your pictures, Bill
    I feel that I have seen far more of California than I would have ever seen if not for you. You showed all of us about the diversity of architecture in California.
    And, don’t get me started on your nature pictures ???

    Thank you so much for all your submissions, and the links to other pictures not posted.??

  19. 19.

    Emma

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: please, please please consider the instructional videos. I would subscribe. I am an on-and-off photographer and even have taken photo tours. I would love to see a series directed at people like me, that have no fancy equipment but that would love some guidance. Your photos would make such a teaching tool!

    (added) travelogues! flesh out some of your stuff here into travelogues for people visiting your area!

  20. 20.

    JeanneT

    Bill, I do think your artwork can sell: marketing it online is probably a whole extra set of skills for you to learn. Have you looked into an online art sales class or coach to help you reconfigure your marketing? I for one would be glad to chip in on a little nest egg to help you explore and try out new options.

  21. 21.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    @Another Scott: I actually do limit the size on the computer/phone wallpaper size to 4k(figuring that’s probably the highest resolution monitor, of course then Apple comes out with a 5k), then again at that size you could print out a decent sized photo. But that really hasn’t been a problem. I’ve had one download sale, and 4 print sales. Ah that was you, thanks much.

    @Dorothy A. Winsor: I really enjoy the planning(and that takes the majority of the time, especially with Milky Way photos), shooting and even processing. I mentioned what’s really driven this change in a late comment last week. The primary driver is my rent is increasing for the 3 time in the past 2 years(for a total of 28.3% in that time span) and the previous landlord didn’t increase the security deposit when he increase the rent in the past. The new landlord(they bought the place earlier this year), decided that needed to be rectified right now in one payment. I’m on a fixed income and had budgeted for one rent increase, but there have been 4 since then, so in addition to an increase that I’d not budgeted for, they want a 1/3 of the rent in addition to my regular rent. There are other places to rent and some cheaper, but having pets eliminate about 95% of them. While this place has gobs of deficiencies, it does have a yard out front and I have a small doggie run in back with a doggie door.

  22. 22.

    Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho

    Amazingly beautiful, as always. Will shop in the fall.

  24. 24.

    Another Scott

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: Hmm. I can’t seem to find a way to buy electronic versions of prints on your site. It’s a very nice storefront, but kinda inscrutable (at least early in the morning).

    Pointer?

    Thanks.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  25. 25.

    Amir Khalid

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:
    There are 8K monitors available now, and they’re claimed to give better-than-human-eye resolution, but I think they are for hard-core gamers rather than normal people.

  26. 26.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    @rikyrah: @rikyrah: Thanks, here’s a recent photo of the Doheny mansion just north of U$C, my photog friend knows I went to UCLA(the UCLA t-shirts I always wear might have been a tip off) and thought he’d drag me down to U$C to torture me. Unbeknownst to him, I’d already been down there and showed him around, hehe.

    @Emma: I’m actively working on a script right now for an overview of Milky Way shooting for YouTube. So there will be a video on that. Hmmm, travelogues…obscure LA, maybe.

    I would love to see a series directed at people like me, that have no fancy equipment but that would love some guidance.

    I’m kind of wondering what you mean by “no fancy equipment”, the less pricey cameras usually don’t have as many settings to worry about, then it’s just more about framing the shot. I’m not trying to be obtuse here, I’m just not quite sure what you’re looking for.

    @JeanneT: The primary tool for marketing these days are the photo sharing sites, I’ve gotten some notice there, they don’t link well to a site for selling though(Flickr should be able to link to Smugmug since Smugmug owns Flickr now). I do think that folk don’t often add or change their artwork so that limit’s things a lot.

  27. 27.

    Aleta

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: “One other thing I’ve seen others do is the Patreon model. I kind of shied away from that initially since I felt that I wasn’t really delivering a tangible object,”

    I’m sure you’ve thought of most everything already, but fwiw … a Patreon that 2 times a month emails subscribers one of your photos (one that’s already on your site would be fine, and doesn’t need to be downloadable). Simply receiving an email w/ a beautiful photo to look at for a moment would provide relief. Provided it could be done w/o transferring any rights or copy-ability (don’t know if the latter is possible). And if you could do it w/o much effort, as the effort part is ialready n the completed work.

    Doesn’t have to be a new photo, b/c like other good art your photos are deeper with each new look. Also a celestial photo subscription wd be a good gift to send someone, for ex who’s going through a health crisis with little energy for reading words/writing replies.

  30. 30.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    @Amir Khalid: I’m talking monitors that mere mortals would have, thought the Apple 5k monitor is about $5k.

    @Aleta: Great ideas, I’ve been looking at Patreon, I’m not sure it does the photo email thing, but I could certainly do that if I have the email addys.

    @Baud: Heh, I’ll take unsound advice at this point.

  31. 31.

    Aleta

    Old story: Artists driven out of downtowns and trendifying neighborhoods.
    Newer story: Artists squeezed out by investors and nation-wide investment companies who’re buying cheaper real estate all over the place. (Thanks search engines!) For faster returns by programmed rent increases and divided-up (aka “shared”) living space.

  34. 34.

    Emma

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: Let me see if I can explain it better.When I began taking photos I carried two camera bodies, three lenses, plus all the usual accessories. Then arthritis kicked in. The sheer weight made it impossible. I transitioned down to a couple of Nikon mega-zooms. Currently, I have a P900, a good distance from a point and shoot but not a full blown SLR. The advice I would like is how to best use what I got. In any case, don’t dismiss framing and other non-technical matters. It’s essential to beginners and non-technically minded people.

    Also, have you considered submitting articles and photos to the online journals? Or a photo stock agency? I think you’ve have all the talent down, now it’s a matter of figuring out how to market yourself and your work.

  35. 35.

    Aleta

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: Re subscription to emailed photos
    I know nothing about the internal working, but it looks like some writers might be using substack to email subscribers one or two short sample pieces for free. After that they offer a paid subscription to get regular short essays sent by email. (Still by substack? I don’t know.) Some artists are avoiding Patreon. Some independent musicians (somehow) email subscribers links to videos/new recording if you subscribe.

  36. 36.

    Aleta

    @Aleta: Re subscription to emailed photos
    I know nothing about the internal working, but it looks like some writers might be using substack to email subscribers one or two short sample pieces for free. After that they offer a paid subscription to get regular short essays sent by email. (Still by substack? I don’t know.) Some artists are avoiding Patreon. Some independent musicians (somehow) email links to videos/new recording in exchange for subscribing.

  37. 37.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    @Aleta: My landlord isn’t an investment co., just a couple buying their first rental property, I know what they paid for it(it’s a public record) and they probably paid too much and the numbers aren’t working as well as they thought. I think they’re using a property management company for some stuff and have retained legal advice. They’re hearing that they can charge more in this market, so they’re raising the rent on existing tenants(me) closer to market levels. That’s happening here in Glendale(and in much of SoCal) is that new units are being built and renting at the high end of the market, raising the average and landlords all think their property is at least ‘average’. Rinse and repeat. There are quite a few reason this unit should be significantly below average(location, lack of amenities, lack of parking…), but the number people don’t see it in the numbers.

    @Betty: Thanks, I’ll still be commenting at this here blog.

    @Emma: Ok, that helps a bit. I should note, I don’t shoot with a SLR, but interchangeable lens mirrorless cameras.

  38. 38.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    @Aleta: I guess the reason that I was looking at Patreon is that I’ve seen others in the business using it as a business model, one guy who does Photoshop tip videos uses it and does a b-roll of his contributors. His stuff is really good and I’ve subscribed to his Youtube channel for tips. I’ve never heard of substack before, I’ll look at it. Thanks.

    @Baud: I think Powerball would be a better bet.

    @Another Scott: I’ve been looking into it, I think I had this problem earlier; I’m still looking at the setting I’m missing.

  39. 39.

    Searcher

    How much runway do you have left? (Or if you’re not familiar with startup lingo, how much time do you have before you run out of cash and crash into the equipment shed at the end of the runway?)

    Patreon is kind of meant for people with non-tangible products. It’s how I support the web comics and vloggers and podcasters I like, and “cool photos” are fully as tangible as any of that. Start with a picture periodically (daily if you have a big pile of unshared pictures, or at whatever pace you feel comfortable with). You can add higher subscription tiers later based on community feedback. (Patreon has all sorts of features like the ability to poll current patrons on whether they’d rather the $10/mo subscription tier be kitten pictures, astronomical, or tasteful nudes.)

  40. 40.

    susanna

    Thank you for these gorgeous shots of our surroundings. It’s always a good mental relief and imaginative exercise to view your photographs. Best of fortune for you.

  41. 41.

    sherparick1

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: You are looking at this wrong. If it was good enough for Leonardo and Michelangelo and Raphael to have patrons, it is good enough for you. Also, do you have a web site where one can go to purchase a picture as I do have some blank walls.

    Instructional videos on YouTube sound like a possibility to explore.

  42. 42.

    Steve in the ATL

    @Amir Khalid:

    hard-core

    Bill doesn’t post the photos he takes in the Valley, and for a very good reason. They might sell better, though….

  43. 43.

    Mel

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: Patreon is a good idea. Art is art, and art is necessary and important, whatever form it takes. Beautiful images, beautiful voices, beautiful objects, beautiful music – it’s all worth supporting.
    Doesn’t matter if we can hold the art physically in our hands, or if it lingers in our visual or auditory memories, or in our hearts.

  45. 45.

    Yarrow

    Sorry to hear that, Bill. Some good ideas in this thread, like instructional videos, subscription models, Patreon, etc. You photos always brighten the day. Any way to find maybe a part time job and still be able to do photography?

  46. 46.

    Emma

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: You’re overthinking this a bit. What I am saying is that you have three paths: one is to concentrate on your wonderful work as part of a series of travel photography stories; the second would be the technical aspects of the work for people at your level of expertise; and the third is to give people like me who photograph for fun but want to do it well a kind of step up with a few suggestions about both technique and art.

    Also, have you considered talking to the camera companies directly after you establish your blog, Patreon site or whatever? They do lend equipment for testing and/or use photos for publicity. Also, can you offer your work to brick-and-mortar galleries?

  47. 47.

    Ohio Mom

    Ack. I have nothing to add except like that everyone else, sorry to hear all this, Bill, and that soaring rent rates are a problem just about everywhere.

    Why this issue is not getting more attention, I don’t know. But something has got to give. It’s screwing up a lot of lives, as Bill’s story reminds us.

  48. 48.

    Mnemosyne

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:

    Ugh. Glendale. The lack of any rent control is a problem. We got hosed on our rent, too, which is another reason we ended up in Burbank (where we’re getting hosed slightly less badly. Slightly.)

    Time to look in Eagle Rock or Highland Park since LA has rent control?

  49. 49.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    @Searcher: I’m off the runway, though the airblast walls, across the street and into the gas station parking lot. An aside, my wife’s cousin was visiting(she was a flight attendant) with her friend that was a pilot when that crash happened. He saw that on the news and was shaking his head. Also the gas station is no longer at the end of the runway. I’m feeling a bit more optimistic than I was feeling last week, a couple of additional sales and my wife(technically ex) found some cash we’d been saving in a more prosperous time for our twice yearly Vegas trips(our last one was 2002).

    @susanna: Thanks.

  50. 50.

    Miss Bianca

    Sorry, BinG, have always loved your photos and thank you for sharing them with us. I am living at poverty level right now, wish I had some spare income for spending on art, you would be one of the beneficiaries, for sure. My best to you, hope there are others out there with more disposable income!

  51. 51.

    Mnemosyne

    @Emma:

    I’m going to amplify one of Emma’s suggestions: maybe look into selling some photos to a stock agency.

  54. 54.

    Ruckus

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:
    Having owned 2 businesses, one mfg and one retail, I’ve seen up close what it takes to sell.
    1. Put yourself in the place of the buyer, what do you want, what do you want to pay for it.
    2. Put yourself in the place of the buyer, what do you want, what do you want to pay for it.
    3. Know your costs, sell within them.
    4. Don’t be too ambitious but do realize there is a market out there for most things, especially things that people like to use or look at.
    5. In todays market there are over 300 million people to sell to for a lot of products. Someone wants whatever it is that you are selling. In your case probably a lot more than a few someones.
    6. Price for the volume you’d like to see, as long as it doesn’t kill you to get there.
    7. The less competition you have the more you can charge. Up to a point. And that’s the key, what is that point.
    And yes I no longer own those businesses. The first was wiped out by an earthquake, the second by recession. The first was profitable, just not enough to make up for the catastrophic loss and the second grew 400% in it’s second year and was within 10% of profitability at the end of that, not bad for a cold start up.
    That’s all I’ve got for now.

  56. 56.

    Ruckus

    Bill
    Also there are senior apts all over socal. Over 55 and under an income limit are the main limits. I moved to Covina, a mile from work and it’s nicer than where I was paying more in Pasadena, for me anyway. The price is subsidized and much more stable. I could live here on my SS. Something to think about. The problem is finding an empty unit. I was lucky but they do come up empty and I don’t think have waiting lists for most, it’s catch one when you can. If you need to discuss give me an email shout, just ask ask for a poster to hook us up.

  57. 57.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    @Mel: I’m looking into Patreon and some of the other suggestions(I’ve started the script for a Milky Way overview video).

    @Yarrow: Yeah, a part time job is what I’m looking for(I’ve put in an application at Costco, Home Depot’s close by).

    @Emma: Yeah, that’s pretty much what I was thinking, you’ve just written it better. As far as camera companies go, they usually look for people with a “presence” or “influencers” that use their products. The company that made the cameras that I use, no longer makes cameras(it’s Samsung and dropped their camera division like a hot potato about 3 years ago). I should note, I love, love my cameras.

  58. 58.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    @Ohio Mom: And people wonder why there are so many homeless, housing should be no more than a 1/3 of a person’s income, that used to be a pretty hard and fast rule.

    @Mnemosyne: Remember, I have two dogs. I’ve looked, when you add dogs to the mix, about 95% of the listings disappear and I think it’s gotten worse than it was when I moved here 9 years ago.

    @Miss Bianca: I know how you feel. Thanks.

  59. 59.

    Yarrow

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: Reading Emma’s comment made me think you might want to approach people who work in the physical area or subject area of things you photograph. Astronomers, national parks, state parks, landmarks, architects, building preservationists, etc. I’m probably missing a lot. You could sell them a photo. Offer to do a photo shoot for them or work with them on something they need.

    How big is your social media following? It’s how people promote themselves these days it seems.

  62. 62.

    Miss Bianca

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: The thing about pets and rentals infuriates me. As I’ve said before…back when I owned a house I rented out…I *always* said that pets were negotiable, I always had tenants with pets, and they were always *so damn grateful*. And were terrific tenants.

  64. 64.

    Mnemosyne

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:

    There was an interesting speaker at my writer’s group this week who was talking about podcasts, but she had an interesting thing to say about influencers. It’s actually better to have a smaller group of really fanatical fans than to have a large group of followers who don’t buy your stuff. You’re better off with 1,000 fans who eagerly await everything you do and then buy/download it than you are with 100,000 followers who never buy anything.

    The internet makes this the age of micro marketing and micro targeting. Think small and narrow because you can grow from there.

    ETA: Niche! That’s the word my brain wasn’t providing. Find a niche.

  66. 66.

    Another Scott

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: On other SmugMug sites that sell stuff, when I click:

    Buy Photos button
    This Photo

    The next screen can show:
    Downloads
    Paper Prints
    Wall Art
    Keepsakes

    I hope it helps you track down the appropriate setting for your site.

    Good luck! And hang in there!!

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  68. 68.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    @Another Scott: Thanks, I’m still tracking it down, I may have to ask one of their “hero’s” (that’s what smugmug calls their support folk).

    @namekarB: I’ve heard about discussions for that for a number of years, it’s good to see they’re getting close to the build phase. Having grown up a few miles west of the site, I know the area pretty well.

  69. 69.

    lurker dean

    i’ve always enjoyed your photos, bill, best wishes to you. hopefully you can find your market, i think your astro photos in particular are nice. perhaps they would sell at shops or businesses in the areas you took them.

  70. 70.

    Ruckus

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:
    Actually pets are allowed here. I mean if you have twenty then no. A lot of the renters here have pets. I don’t know about all the places but here yes. And it’s only the person renting who has to be over 55, there is no age limit for others in the household. I think that works the same for most senior apts. Worth looking into.

  72. 72.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    @lurker dean: Thanks, it’d be a long trip to try and sell them to local shops, the closest place is an hour way and Joshua Tree is 2 1/2(4 with traffic). But, thinking about it, I’ll look for groups on Flickr for those areas.

    @Ruckus: Thanks.

    @Another Scott: I ended up doing a live chat with Josie, one of Smugmug’s heros(that’s what they call their support staff) and basically if you have a printmark(the BillinGlendaleCA logo) on the downloads, you have to put them on all pics and then set a proofing period that I can remove them from print orders. I wanted to price things cheap, maybe that was a mistake(from what I’ve been reading…they say so). They’re not full resolution(that’s 28MP).

  73. 73.

    Another Scott

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: I’m glad it’s resolved. I don’t know what these things go for, but $4 seems like a good teaser price. And encourages us to get a whole gallery download instead of just one image. :-)

    I’m looking forward to seeing more of your work. Hang in there.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  74. 74.

    Aleta

    Idea this morning: My dentist has her own independent practice, and she puts bland art on the walls, mostly boring photos. God knows what she pays for it, probably paid to some corporation too.

    Today I thought, when I’m back in town in Sept. I’ll show her ?BillinGlendaleCA’s site. Much much better as her wall art. Actual art. Path to enlightenment, etc.

  75. 75.

    Barb 2

    Thank you for sharing your photographs. I love them all.

    You are a treasure. What is it? You and Jay Inslee on the same day?

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