Tim Sanders and OSP!

The father of Lovecatness :) just talked about all the quality photographers on OSP!

CLICK HERE and check it out!!! ....and give him some love!

My buddy Nathan from Photographers Edit spotted it first!

If you've never failed...

My buddy Dane Sanders just put this on his blog and it's great so watch it!

Young Guns Inside Digital Photo

Well I just got done shooting a great wedding and I'll talk more about it and post some pics tomorrow but I just saw that Inside Digital Photo posted a video from the Young Guns event in Vegas so check it out!

Smiley Orkin

Thanks to Carrie Vines for the link to this bat website where I found Orkin! Orkin is my new bat that I just adopted and they say that Orkin is a very happy and smiley bat.

Orkin sounds a lot like me because Orkin is a snuggler...although from the description he also sounds a bit promiscuous! It was nice to read up and learn more about these creatures.


There is a good Myth section too!

So to clarify...

Bats are not flying mice
Bats are not blind
Bats do not try to become tangled in hair
Bats are not ugly or dirty
NOT ALL BATS ARE VAMPIRES (good to know)
Bats do not carry rabies
Bats are shy, gentile and intelligent

So again thanks everyone!
DJ

My apologies for killing the Bat

To be honest the only thing I have ever heard was that bats carried diseases and were bad things to have around. I put them in the same category as rats as mentioned in the video. I was obviously misinformed...as were all four of us here at the house that night... and for those of you who let me know that in a nice way I appreciate it and I am changing my actions towards them and making a donation to a bat foundation as a result.

Cheers,
DJ

I've been running

I went running the last three days in a row. I'm working on getting in shape before the tour because I think better and work better when I'm exercising.

I used to be more trim and fit but a lot of what I do is reading and at the computer so I've lost my physique but I will get it back.


I've been playing soccer up at Westmont a couple times a week and that's an easy way for me to exercise and I've been playing pretty well. Other than the first 5 minutes yesterday when I was worthless but after that I held the ball nicely and layed off some nice balls.

Also, last night Allie left for three weeks in Cambodia and Thailand. She's taking a group of Westmont students out there to show them what is happening and how Not For Sale is helping bring people out of trafficking. It's gonna be a great trip for everyone but I'm gonna miss her.

I've been trying not to kill anything lately because I know it offends some of you but I had to kill a bunch of spiders the other day. There was a momma spider and she had just had babies and so I had to get out this "Spider Spray" stuff and go to town. I was thinking that they should make that spray scented like Potpourri b/c then you could freshen up your house while exterminating.

Worth reading!

I think I've read less than 10 forwarded emails in my life but for some reason God had me read this one from my buddy Joe Dunn and I'm so thankful I did. I'm guilty of nearly every thing mentioned here and this was written by Dr Moorehead - the former pastor of Overlake Christian Church in Redmond, Washington. (thanks Garrett for the correction on the author)


The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

Comic Relief and Inspiration!

*** Bat video removed and now that I know they don't carry diseases I am friendly to those squeekly little creatures ***

Then go checkout my buddy JT Pals who just shot a wedding in Greece b/c he got some sick images!

Rock on!
DJ

Did Your Website Get Deleted?

First off I'm sorry for everyone who's going through this. I've had a host split on me and lost everything and it was one of the worst experiences of my life. *and for clarification I don't use Blu Domain and never have*

As a way to help out and offer relief for those who's sites are gone we are considering opening up our service early for ONE DOLLAR a month for three months until you can get through the wedding season and make a decision on what you'd like to do for your website.

Showit Sites is still in beta but sites can be made very quickly and we use Amazon S3 for our hosting so we have everything stored and backed up in two places on separate sides of the country so you know that even if a natural disaster happened your data and your business will be safe with us.

Post up here or email me directly if you're needing to get your site up asap.

All the best,
DJ

*There is more conversation on this inside the forum*
*

F-stop Beyond and Kenny Kim!

Sweet! The "single and available" Kenny Kim just got featured on Ron Dawson's F-Stop Beyond and made some great comments on a bunch of different topics including Faith and Business! ...and what sort of lady he's looking for! :)

Something Kenny said reminded me of something I heard during Allie's graduation this year. The speaker said it's not enough just to be a good Christian you have to be good at what you do AND bring your Christianity into that.

This interview was awesome and I've always been super impressed with everything Ron has done!

Click here or click on the F-stop beyond link above and listen to the whole thing!

Rock on,
DJ

Long but good day!

It's 2am and I'm just crashing out. Today seemed like it went on forever!

This was my first day back in my house since April 19th! ....almost a month! I was traveling around for the Showit Sites Previews and then had renters in here so had to stay in the apt for a few days but it's so nice to be back.

Today I pretty much just caught up on things and sent 64 emails but it's been great because today we started doing soft launches with Showit Sites. We are still in beta but people have begged us to let them start publishing so we opened up a 50 lifetime spots and nearly half filled up already!



Also, next week I'll be launching the tour dates and announcing the special guest who will be coming along to a bunch of the cities! Can any of you guess who it is!

Two cool things!

I found a new map for my WhereisDJ.com site and talked a bit more about my time in Nashville so go check it out!

I was also stoked to see this on the Pictage forum! Someone started a poll and out of the people who voted over 79% used Showit Web! 47 out of 59 people! That's really cool and we are about to make Showit Web an even better tool so keep your eyes peeled in the weeks to come!

I think the reasons for this are:

1. Speed - Showit Web can create a slideshow timed to the beat of music in 2 minutes!
2. Awesome Music - It includes awesome music so you don't have to pay extra for the music.
3. Cross Platform! You can use it and view it on Mac and PC.
4. Professional - These slideshows don't look like the everday ken burns slideshows that consumer programs create.

...and you can make money with it through Showit-DVD (and pretty soon you're gonna be able to offer mini albums for sale as well)

Rock on!
DJ

OSP and Server Transfer

Hey Everyone :)

Just letting you know that we moved our OSP server and the e-store so things are gonna be on the latest and greatest stuff! We did it on Friday night b/c I imagined that I'd be the only one alone and working tonight so I'm sure that none of you have even noticed but just in case don't be alarmed. It will be back soon.

Rock on,
DJ

I like buses

So buses are really cool and if you're gonna live on one for 10 weeks this is the way to go! Crystal and I are here in TN meeting with a friend of hers who manages some big name bands and he hooked us up with a legit bus company and we are keeping our fingers crossed that we can get this bus!

Click here to watch the bus video - these things are like transformers! ...seriously...watch the bus grow!

What do you think?

Hey Everyone!

I've just been playing around with Showit Sites and I put up this little video and adjusted the blending modes, just like you can with an image in photoshop - but with a video! I put a map of the world behind it and it came out cool but I'm wondering what you think!

If you want to see it go to my wedding photographer website and check it out!

Rock on!
DJ

Taking the green pill

Taking the green pill, originally uploaded by davidjay13.

Its 6am and Crystal and I are on our way to Nashville! Yea! We are
meeting with "the bus people" I'll post pictures! I wanted to do the
tour on a bus because so many people will be coming along and I'm sick
of the airports and airlines and waking up and packing each day.

I think being on a bus will be way nicer because then you just walk
out of the ballroom and you're home.

My good friend Regis scolded me because he saw in one of my videos
that I was taking sleeping pills with wine and that is super dangerous
and I didn't know it so don't do that.

Also...we got publishing working on Showit Sites! :) so a small crew
will now be able to start publishing.

:)

More grad pics by Josh Newton!

My buddy and STELLAR photographer Josh Newton just sent me some sweet pics from graduation so I added them into the post. He reminds me a lot of myself just a couple of years ago. He's totally hungry to shoot and grow his business and he's got the ambition it takes to be really successful in this industry. I'll post up more of his shots tomorrow! :)

Happy Graduation Sweetheart!

My wonderful and beautiful girlfriend "officially" graduated from college this weekend! She finished all her classes last year but went through the formal ceremony on Saturday. It was a pretty incredible week because she won award after award and was asked to speak at nearly every event! She went all the way through Westmont without ever getting a B! Doesn't that make you a little sick to your stomach. :) I guess the "opposites attract" thing comes into play here! ;P

Allie and I also just celebrated 6 months of being together! ...and she knows the way to my heart b/c she made me a Showit Web slideshow of pictures of us!!! It's amazing! Check it out!


Here's a shot of Allie's family and god parents. We had such a blast together this weekend and they live up in Santa Cruz which is kinda like Santa Barbara and they are the sweetest people ever.

And here is a pick of Allie and her gorgeous mom. Her brother is sadly going to some other school down in LA called Azusa Pacific. It's actually a really good school and what I like about them is that they embrace their 2nd place position to Westmont. ;)


Tomorrow I head to Tennessee for a few days to pick out the bus for the tour. Fun! I'm still kinda under the weather and I got fried at graduation so if you see me and my face is peeling off please don't stare.

:)
DJ

Michael Anderson Interview

CLICK HERE to hear some great tips on "Modeling" and Word-of-Mouth marketing that stellar photographer Michael Anderson shared on the Pro Photo Show!

Gavin Seim runs it and I've been trying to connect with him b/c he does a really nice job with these interviews so be sure to podcast them.


Rock on!
DJ

Best purchases of the year!

Best purchases of the year!, originally uploaded by davidjay13.

For a frequent traveler these are two MUST HAVES!