What do David Jay, Kenny Kim, Catherine Hall, Chris Humphreys, Jen and Steve Bebb, Mike Colón, Alisha & Brook, Joe Photo, Michele Celentano, Becker, Jasmine Star, Amber Holritz, Bronson Pate, Jessica Claire, Robert Evans, Gene Higa, Ann Hamilton, Jules and Joy Bianchi, Kevin Kubota, Gustavo Fernandez, Jose Villa and me all have in common?

I have no idea.

Well, yes, there is that photo bit. But, apparently we’re going to find out a little more tomorrow. I can’t wait to get started and to tell you guys all about it. If you’re into it, want to tune in and follow along on Twitter?

Woohoo!

- Dane

To strap or not to strap… that is the question.

For the last few years, I have traded in my Canon shoulder straps in exchange for the more stealth wrist strap (Canon’s E1). Even when carrying two bodies, I found the long straps too cumbersome when actually shooting. They only seemed to help when moving between shoots but even then, the strap only served to transport well. When shooting, it ceased having a function.

I’ve been generally happy with the wrist solution but of late given the great ergonomics of Canon’s bodies and my minimalist preferences forced the question, why use anything at all?

Of course, the answer is that I still needed some sort of means to secure the camera when moving from spot to spot. This is exasperated when you have four kids and need to go hands free when shooting things like Halloween and need to grab your daughters hand in a crowd. It’s also handy if you’re in a location where you’d like to hide your camera away but still be able to get to it very quickly. Think photojournalistic, missional or street photography.

Enter BlackRapid’s FastenR Camera Strap: So when I got my hands on a BlackRapid (thanks to Photojojo’s recent post), I was blown away at its simplicity and thoughtful design.

From the minimalistic sheath (I prefer the RS-1) to the camera stop at the waist to the industrial strength bottom-of-camera fastener…

… it all added up to the strap many wish they thought of inventing themselves. It’s really that good.

I think all things being equal, I still prefer shooting sans strap but when I’m on the move and inevitably need my hands for other purposes along the way, this is by far the best solution I’ve ever found to keep my camera close by.

Highly recommended.

Keep it stealth.
- Dane

PS… Here are some cool videos to see the R Strap in action. Please note I don’t get any commission or kickback for this endorsement but if you decide to get one, please say hi to Ron and Melissa for me! Thanks!!

From the moment I met Helen and Doug, the thing I loved about them was their clarity of purpose. They seem to know exactly what they wanted or at least knew how to find out very quickly. They are both activators and achievers in real sense of those words.

The day began with Helen was getting ready at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa.

Karey Michelle and Micah Gilmore were fantastic second shooters. Of course, both are Fast Track Founders, which is no surprise!

She seemed to really her Engagement album which she received that day. Special thanks to Amy at Albumesque and everyone at KISS for making that happen on such short notice.

Doug was clearly excited too as he was getting ready. Before we knew it, the ceremony was on…

The weather was perfect, but it was the relationships that really made the day.

Helen’s 90 year old Mom (also named Helen!) was so proud of her daughter!

After the ceremony, Doug and Helen had a chance to go to the beach for a fun session.

A quick stop along the way..

As we were on our way across the bridge, Helen looked down and screamed, “Look Doug, a Flex!” Turned out she and Doug were about to buy one. Funny thing was, she was pointing at my new car so we had to get a foreshadowing picture.

Doug grew up surfing the break right in front of the hotel so the whole day felt surreal to him.

As the sun was setting, the couple seemed to be lost in the dream of life together. It was an absolute privilege to document such an amazing day.

Congratulations my friends.
-Dane

PS… Special thanks to Eric and Melissa’s family for connecting me to Helen and Doug. Referrals are the greatest compliment I could ever receive.

Ever wish you could sit down with a cup of coffee and get some tangible help on how to make your photo life work better for you? Ever feel like you’re beating your head against a wall and just need a little help to get perspective?

Recently, I’ve been stoked to notice a lot of people taking the initiative to reach out for help like this. But, until now I haven’t really had a good way to really carve out intentional time! I’m excited to announce that I think we have that worked out now.

I’ve decided to start offering 20 minute consults on a limited bases. All topics are fair game!

You can get answers on everything including…

• signature vs. freelance branding
• shooting techniques
• lighting
• pricing
• marketing
• decision making
• business strategy
• workflow
• equipment & vendor selection
• & much more!

You will also be asked to take your pDNA before the consultation so I can get a chance to review your results and give you the most out of your time together. If you haven’t taken the pDNA yet, no problem. A FREE test is included. That’s not all either - see the bonus below!

All the details on how it works can be found here!

*Bonus: Everyone who books a Consult will also receive a FREE Fast Track Photographer Audiobook as well as a FREE pDNA for yourself or to share! I’ll even throw in a FREE eBook so you can follow along as I read to you!

After purchase of the consult, I’ll be emailing you a code to redeem everything listed!

Again, because of my other commitments I will only be offering a handful of slots so if you’re at all interested, I’d really encourage you to confirm your spot today!

I hope this helps!
-Dane