My first post like this for the year and while I don’t have a lot to say, I want to get back into the habit of blogging. So this won’t be a long post.
Website
I’m sure many of you have noticed that I now have a new theme on my website. There are still problems with it, but I haven’t really had the time yet to sit down and really work it all out. I am hoping that things will start to calm down soon and get back to normal.
One of the major things I don’t like is how the blog feed looks. It shows the whole post and I think it would look much better if it were just a summary. I have ticked that box, but it hasn’t made any difference. I am not really sure I like the home page either, so I will be playing around with that some more in the next week or so.
Good to hear from a few that they like the way the galleries show and even better to see that people have been commenting on the photos in them.
As with all things it is a work in progress and I will continue to work on it and improve it.
Subscriptions
If you normally get emails when I do a new post and haven’t been getting one you might need to resubscribed. It seems when I installed the new theme it changed some of them.
Dynamic Range Magazine
Work will begin on the final issue soon. We have all the articles worked out and layout will start soon I hope.
It was a disappointing outcome for the magazine. I guess I really thought women would get behind it and support it, help them as well, maybe give them a voice. I will not be trying anything like that again. I’ve tried to improve things for women, listened to what they want and then tried to put things in place to help them get more recognition in the photography industry, and I’ve always been left in the cold, so to speak.
The last issue will be published in February and that will be it.
I do want to thank the people who got behind it and purchased it. I was very happy to hear how much you enjoyed it.
Writing
This is where I am going to be concentrating most of my efforts this year. I’m hoping to get published in another magazine in a couple of months. I will also continue writing for Digital Photography School. I would like to try some more books. I feel like I have the confidence now to really write a book.
I also hope to practice more writing on the blog with some articles about photography related topics. I just need to organise myself, and that seems to be something I struggle with the most.
Photos
Today’s images were taken two years ago on a hot day in January, much like what we are getting now. The air conditioners are not being turned off much. It is also horrible weather to go and take photos in. I will have to start getting up very early to go and get images.
Anyway, many of these are quite different for me, they have people in them, something I usually try to avoid. We have a few hot days ahead and think I will be spending my birthday indoors with the air conditioner on. I hope the weather is nice where you are.
Take care.
Nice photos
Thank you.
I understand how you do not like to be out in the heat photographing. When I lived in Phoenix, the summers were almost unbearable at times.
Tamara
Dry heat can be really suffocating, don’t you think. We have the same sort of summers, they are horrible. I am not getting out as much as I would like because of it.
Yes, they were suffocating, which is one of the reasons we moved to the Midwest. I definitely enjoy the four distinct seasons, even though winter can be bitter cold in Iowa.
We don’t get the season changes that others do, we can some change, but it is more a merge from winter to summer and back again.
Every time I change templates — and I have done it often over the past 5 years — weird stuff happens. The one I’ve got now has spacing issues with text. it handles pictures nicely, but it messes up the spacing between headers and following text. There’s something wrong with everything and so far, I’ve found workarounds for this one, but I’m always looking at other peoples themes to see if they’ve found something I might like better.
I know you think you need to get very organized to write and I know everyone has a different process, but you might try not worrying about getting organized. Just write. Put your thoughts down in words and then edit, reorganize, and rewrite as needed. If you keep waiting until you are “ready” or organized, or whatever it is that you feel you need to do before you write, it’s easy to just lose the ideas before you write them.
I know you didn’t ask my advice, but hey, the price is right 🙂 And I’m sure you can do it.
I have done it a few times now Marilyn, and yes weird stuff happens and each one seems to work differently. Good you have found work arounds. My last theme looked good, but it had so many problems, It drove me nuts. The galleries was a real issue and in the end it was why I changed to this theme. I’m pretty happy with this one, still a couple of things to do.
I love your advice and I do do that at times, but I like to know what I have to say in my head, if that makes any sense.Though I do do what you said when I’m a bit stuck, just have to do it. I enjoy the writing, but I tend to let other things get in the way.
Hey I didn’t ask for it, but I don’t mind it all, thank you for it. I like the price, it is very good. Thank you Marilyn.
I like the new theme Leanne ! I’m sure you are full of ideas for the year ahead .. keep them coming . More reviews and writing is an added bonus to your photography . I can tell from your comments you enjoy it and having read some of the links you’ve given so do others me included . Not enough hours in the day and being pulled in various directions is a constant battle in some ways lol .Wishing you all the very best in 2017 and Happy Birthday fellow Capricorn for the 7th I think … tsk! just missed it , I’m away at the moment days all awry enjoying that heat you are despairing of lol …
Hope you had a blast Leanne 😀
That’s great to hear Poppy, it seems the new theme has been popular. Yes, more writing, that seems to be the direction for me and a positive one for me.
No not enough hours in the day, that’s for sure. Thank you so much and happy new year to you too, I hope it is a brilliant one. Yes, the 7th, yesterday, I had a lovely day, it was very hot here, but it was okay. Take care Louise, and enjoy yourself.
Hey Leanne .. happy birthday! Hope it’s a very special one 😃
Thank you Julie, I had a lovely day.
Hello Leanne – Happy New Year! John’s advice on clearing your browser cache is a good idea. When sites don’t load properly or things get a bit wonky, generally clearing the cookies and history does wonders. I do like your new theme, and hope you’re able to have it format to your liking. (I like your “teething” reference. That’s the parent in you speaking, lol.)
Sorry you’ll have to shutter Dynamic Range. I thought it would have an appeal to women learning the field and some thinking about taking the next step. The digital era has really changed the landscape of photography, and is continuing to shift in different directions.
Stay cool and have a good birthday, while we’ll stay warm. 🙂
David
Part of the problem is the new theme and how it does things, I’m slowly figuring it all out. The only thing I don’t like about it is the side bar on the front page, but I may have to live with that. I quite like everything else.
It is a bit of a disappointment about the magazine, but it was a great experience. I thought it would have as well, I was wrong. It has, it has made it possible to do some things and ruined others.
Thank you, I had a great birthday and I managed to stay out of the heat. Thanks again David.
I just wanted to add that I am sorry there is a disappointment with the magazine too. Like others I imagine, I never got out of my own way to really explore the offering. You started something and put it in action…this I admire no end. I have to say I struggle with organization too. I think I am organized (remotely anyway) until I want to find something.
I look forward to your articles, experiences, tutorials, product recommendations…. just seeing the world through your viewfinder…and a fine portal it is!!
2017 will be stellar!!! Don’t doubt it!!
It is what it is Judy, not enough interest, so time to stop. Yes, I would love to be organised, lol.
Well I am hoping there will be lots of them in the future, and in lots of different places.
Thank you, I will remember that.
You new theme looks great, Leanne! Good luck and all the best wishes for the New Year!
Thanks Peter, glad you like it. All the best to you as well.
Wishing you a successful 2017. Good to see your post.
Thank you Sherry and all the best to you in 2017.
Leanne, have you tried dumping your cookies and web history from your browser(s)? Just a thought. I like the new look, white is for me, the Minimalist and modern web design look. Well done. 😬
I haven’t John, but maybe it is something I need to do. Thank you, I quite like it too, if I could get rid of the sidebar on the home page I would be very happy.
Best consult someone who is familiar with your OS on these matters. I can talk all day about Mac/IOS but Windows is not my area. Hope your staying warm there haha, been in the 40’s here. hugs!
I’ve been trying to get information from the author of the theme, it worked with the old theme, so now just a matter of getting things to work with this one. We are too warm John, 99°F here today, I hate summer, so staying indoors and keeping the air con on.
Oh hell no Leanne, too warm not!! Sometimes the theme builder doesn’t give a crap, other times, the builder is very much in touch. It’s a crap shoot apparently.
It is for me, I hate the heat, give me winter any day. Yeah, I guess I will find out. So far been okay. It is.
Don’t let the magazine slow you down. My opinion is the magazine was produced for women. Because I’m involved with so much software, and the necessary reading I just didn’t put the magazine high enough to get involved. You have such a talent, maybe tutorials are a direction. Narrow down on your workflow. Believe me it would be successful. Again you are a great artist.
I won’t Bob, I have lots of other ideas, so I won’t be slowing down. I am looking for other places for writing. Thanks Bob.
Hello and happy birthday !
Hello and thank you Jiro.