PDN - May 2012

TECH

NEW TECHNOLOGIES, PHOTOGRAPHY TECHNIQUES AND CREATIVE APPLICATIONS OBJECTS OF DESIRE

Altec Lansing inMotion Air IMW725

One problem with iPhone/iPod speaker docks is that your iPhone/iPod needs to be rooted into the dock, which limits portability and accessibility. If you want to air your music out a bit, we suggest Altec Lansing’s inMotion Air IMW725 speaker system, which lets you wirelessly stream your tunes to it in stereo.

The inMotion Air is a great solution for playing music in the studio or on a location shoot because, not only can you connect your iPhone to it wirelessly via Bluetooth, but a USB transmitter (included) lets you beam songs from your computer right to the speaker. And, if you use one of the myriad online music services such as Pandora or Spotify, song options are endless, which can be great for getting a model in the right mood for a shoot.

We got a solid connection when we synced our iPhone to the inMotion Air using the phone’s Bluetooth, and sound quality was excellent, with deep bass and crisp vocals. (You can also use an iPad or any other stereo, Bluetooth-enabled smartphone or music device.) We got even better results using the USB connector on our iMac in our office—three rooms and two walls away—with sound quality as good as our home stereo.

We also liked the svelte, asymmetrical design of the inMotion Air and the unobtrusive little built-in
handle on back that lets you pick up this light (less than three
pounds) stereo speaker and move it any where you’d like. And
since the rechargeable battery will give you up to seven hours
of playing time, you don’t even have to plug it in.

PRICE: $199

SEO for Photographers

If you’ve spent two seconds worrying about increasing traffic to your Web site or blog, you’ve heard about SEO (search engine optimization). And you’ve probably wanted to run quickly for the exits.

Have no fear, wary photographer: PhotoShelter is offering a free (yes, free)

SEO guide and “bootcamp” aimed at teaching you how to get more people to look at your photos online. Called simply the “2012 SEO for Photographers Workbook,” the 39-page guide gives you the lowdown on improving your Web site’s search ranking so you can attract more clients.

The cleanly designed workbook is filled with direct tips (“do this/don’t do this”) about how to choose the right search terms you want your site to be found for; how to optimize key words throughout your site; and the basics of how Google works, so you can tailor your online portfolio to fit it.

After you sign up for the workbook, you’ll get a four-week
e-mail course (i.e. the bootcamp) on SEO from PhotoShelter in
four parts: Week 1: Interpreting SEO Metrics for Success; Week
2: The Simple Explanation of How Google Ranks Web Sites;
Week 3: Proven Tactics to Beat the Competition; and Week 4:
Tracking Your Progress to Get More Business
No, this doesn’t make SEO any more “fun,” but it does make
it more manageable and all you will be investing is your time.
Of course, PhotoShelter is probably hoping the SEO workbook
and course will convince you to become one of its customers
but that’s not required.