Merry Christmas 2011

Lee Folkard Photography wishes you a Merry Christmas 2011!

Creatives : 10 Things Worth Knowing

1. Experts aren’t the answer.


The blogs, the teachers, the mentors, the seminars aren’t the answer. They’re not there to tell you exactly what you need to know. If they’re good, then they are there to give you some ideas, some guidelines, or some rules to learn and subsequently break. This isn’t about the expert, it’s about you. In creative pursuits especially…what’s going on inside you is where the answers can be found. Hear what experts say, but don’t always listen to them.



2. Clients cannot tell you what they need.

Clients hire you because they have a problem. They need a great visual representation of something, a solution. They think they know the best way to photograph something, but they don’t really. That’s why they hire you. Take their suggestions to heart, because they definitely know their brand, product, their vision–perhaps even shoot a few versions of the images they THINK they want to see first–but then go nuts with own vision. Add value. Show them something they didn’t expect. Don’t be a monkey with a finger. Remember why you got hired…that YOU are the badass image maker. If you are good enough to get selected for the job, you should be good enough to drive the photographic vision.



3. Don’t aim for ‘better’, aim for ‘different’.

It’s funny how related “better” and “different” are. If you aim for ‘better’ that usually means you’re walking in the footsteps of someone else. There will often be someone better than you, someone making those footsteps you’re following… But if you target being different–thinking in new ways, creating new things–then you are blazing your own trail. And in blazing your own trail, making your own footprints, you are far more likely to find yourself being ‘better’ without even trying. Better becomes easy because it’s really just different. You can’t stand out from the crowd by just being better. You have to be different.



4. Big challenges create the best work.

If you get assignments that are pushing your vision, your skills, then awesome. Kudos to you, keep getting those assignments. If you’re not getting those assignments, then you need to be self-assigning that challenging work. Give yourself tough deadlines and tougher creative challenges. You do your best work where there is a challenge that is clearly present and 10 feet taller than you think you can handle.



5. Aesthetic sensibilities actually matter.

Go figure on this one… I’m constantly surprised as how much this is overlooked. Read this and believe it: You must develop a keen understanding of design, color, light, and composition. To just say “I know a picture when I like it” isn’t going to get you anywhere. You need to know –for your own sake as well as the sake of your clients who will ask you– WHY a photo is a great photo. WHY is this one better than that one. If you don’t have any visual vocabulary, opinion, or aesthetic sensibility you won’t be able to explain these things. You won’t get the job. Or if you do get the job, you won’t be able to explain why your photos are worth getting hired again by the same client for the next campaign, story, or video. Trust me on this. Develop a sense of visual taste.



6. Simple is good.

Almost every photo that is bad has too much information. Outside of technical basics, the number one reason that most photos fail is because there is no clear subject. Often this is the case with design, film, fashion, you name it. Remove clutter, remove distraction. Tell one story, and tell it well.



7. Make mistakes, learn quickly.

Simply put, you need to be able to learn from your mistakes. Avoiding failure is not the goal. The goal is recovering from mistakes quickly. That goes for ever element of your photography–creative, business, vision…you name it. If you’re not willing to make mistakes, you’ll be paralyzed with inaction. That is the devil. Get out there and do stuff. If it works, do more of it. If it doesn’t work, change it. Quickly.



8. “Value” is different from “price.”

Don’t compete on price alone. That is certain death in any creative field. Focus on delivering value and price yourself accordingly. If you deliver great value with your images — better than expected, and better than your competition– and you can illustrate that through any means, then you should be more expensive. And remember that value comes in many forms.



9. A-Gamers work with A-Gamers.

If you are good at what you do, then you work–or seek to work–with other people who kick ass too. If you suck, then you put yourself around sucky people to feel better about yourself. If you want to be the best, seek to be around awesome people–be it other artists, assistants, producers, clients, partners, whatever. Shoot high. Shoot for better than yourself.



10. Real artists create.

Do you just sit around and think of stuff you could create, photograph, build, ship, or design, but never output anything? Then you’re a poser. Take a new approach and make stuff. Maybe what comes out of your studio isn’t perfect, but there should always stuff leaving the door and hitting the web, the page, the billboard, the gallery, or the street. If you are for real, you’ll be pumping out work on the regular.
 
Article credit: http://blog.chasejarvis.com

Steve Jobs - Legend

“Here’s to the crazy ones.

The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers.

The round pegs in the square holes.

The ones who see things differently.

They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo.

You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them.

About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them.

Because they change things. They invent. They imagine. They heal. They explore. They create. They inspire. They push the human race forward.

Maybe they have to be crazy.

How else can you stare at an empty canvas and see a work of art?

Or sit in silence and hear a song that’s never been written?

Or gaze at a red planet and see a laboratory on wheels? …

While some see them as the crazy ones, we see genius.

Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

-Ad campaign by Apple Inc.

Rest in Peace Steve Jobs. Your innovation will live on.

"Quote of the Day"

"For what it's worth;

It's never too late to be whoever you want to be.

There's no time limit, stop whenever you want.

You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing.

We can make the best or the worst of it.

I hope you make the best of it.

And I hope you see things that startle you.

I hope you feel things you never felt before.

I hope you meet people with a different point of view.

I hope you live a life you're proud of.

If you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again."

The "Lee Folkard Photography" Experience

We want to know about your experience with Lee Folkard Photography.

Have you had a portfolio shoot done by us?
Been a part of a family Shoot?
Been at a wedding we covered?
Done a couple shoot with Lee Folkard Photography?
Have we shot your birthday party?
Were you at a birthday that Lee Folkard Photography shot at?
Been a part of a "project" or "concept shoot" ?

How have you experienced Lee Folkard Photography?

What did you think?

We want to know your experience; good or bad!

All you have to do is email us at; info@leefolkard.com

Your experience; your full name and your contact number.

One randomly selected person will win a free mini shoot with Lee Folkard Photography!

Thank you,
for your support and your participation.

Website Revamped

So, I embarked on a website revamp this weekend.
The website - [ www.leefolkard.com ] had needed an update as I had last updated it in April this year. Since then - as one can imagine - a lot of pictures have been taken.

I figured with the new update and change to the overall interface was on the cards as well. So I sat down and had to once again work my trial and error web design method. The actual colour scheme remains the same - minor tweaks here and there with an aim of making the site visually appealing and easy to work through.
Of course with pictures to match this!
The final choices of which pictures go up and which don't is a very very tiresome process.

Overall, I'm happy with the final outcome. A simple site with clean lines and a user-friendly interface.

Well - what are you waiting for - go check it out!!! www.leefolkard.com

[ Aspirations ]

"My mother said to me, 'If you are a soldier, you will become a general. If you are a monk, you will become the Pope.' Instead, I was a painter, and became Picasso."
- Pablo Picasso

Safety Tips for 'Models'

Safety is a major concern for female models, particularly if you are a freelance model working online. The Internet allows anyone to portray themselves in any manner they choose with virtual anonymity. Many profit from the dreams and aspirations of naive young women. Sometimes their motives are not as presented.

 

 

An amateur photographer can pose as a prominent professional or a guy working out of his basement with an elaborate website can claim to be an agency or model management company. Many of these individuals will offer models high pay, free photos with unrestricted use, free websites, paid travel etc...Due to the intimate nature of this business, some of these individuals may also have other motives than creating beautiful images or helping models succeed. Legitimate photographers or companies rarely offer amateur models anything for free, except perhaps a test photo shoot if they believe they have real potential.

 

  

Regarding both on and offline ads seeking female models. Anybody can publish those ads and pretend to be a photographer or agency. Often, these ads offer high pay with "no experience necessary" to lure unsuspecting young women into posing for explicit hardcore pictures. Some of these ads are legitimate and posted by companies in the adult film industry.

 

  

Below are some safety tips that may, if strictly followed and accompanied by common sense, help you as a freelance model avoid a dangerous situation.

 

Don't let anybody intimidate you into making a compromise. Follow these model safety tips every time.

 

• When looking for a photographer, if the individual or company has an online presence, check to see what kind of modeling they represent and how professional their work looks.

• Always ask for and check professional references.

 

• Be suspicious of extravagant claims that promise great pay with no experience necessary.

 

• If meeting for the first time, make sure it's in a neutral public location and notify a friend or family member of where you are going.

 

• ALWAYS bring a chaperone with you to all non-public meetings.

 

• Do not give out personal information or accept a friend request on your social networking profile until you have determined the legitimacy of the individual or company.

 

• Do not be persuaded into posing in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable no matter how great the money is.

 

• Prior to the photo shoot you may be asked to sign a model release. This is common and required for most photo shoots. Make sure that you understand what you are signing and don't be afraid to negotiate and ask questions. If you're uncomfortable, ask that it be amended or don't do the photo shoot. You should review the model release during the initial meeting with the photographer.

  

 

Don't be discouraged from pursuing your modeling aspirations. Many photographers, whether advertising online or in the local newspaper, are legitimate and conduct themselves professionally. The above model safety tips will help you determine which photographers or companies to consider.





How to Smile in Photographs

1. Take a deep breath and let yourself relax. Taking pictures can be stressful, but stress and negativity leave you tense and anxious. Listen to music, sip a bottle of water or give yourself a few quiet minutes to meditate or daydream before a shoot.

2. Don't force yourself to hold your smile for too long -- you'll end up looking mechanical and unnatural. If the photographer counts down, smile on 1. If there's a pause between pics, let your face relax and then smile again just before the next photograph.



3. Think of something funny or happy before you smile -- it'll help you smile more naturally. Laughing a little helps your smile look natural, too.

4. Don't forget to smize -- smile with your eyes! If your smile doesn't reach your eyes, it doesn't look genuine. Smile in the mirror and watch how your eyes change. Your smile should brighten up your whole face, not just your mouth.

Post Process Procedure

"Post Process Procedure"

I have decided to make an effort to decide on one basic look for my shoots and create a monotone feel throughout the shots.

This can be seen specifically in my last 3 "concept shoots" this year.

Wild Thing with Roxi Richards, Project One winner!
VIVID
The Midas Touch

I have also done this with a normal shoot; see Mzamo Shozi.

This sort of uniformed look and feel can be achieved by using the same post processing techniques on each picture.

Below you will see ONE image. Modified NINE different ways.

Image number 1 is the original - straight from camera image, slightly cropped.
What one has to factor in is the overall "concept" and all other outfits and shooting locations within the shoot.
The one that would work best for all will be chosen. Quite the process and quite a challenge.
So far, so good though. Can you tell which was used for the Midas Touch shoot?

Project 365 v 2.0

On the 1st of February 2010 I started Project 365. A picture a day for 365 days.
The Group can be found on facebook; Lee Folkard: Project 365.
Ending on the 31st January this year - I had decided that I would not be doing another one for quite some time! It becomes quite challenging to take and display a worthy picture on a day to day basis.

We all have our busy days, our bad days, our time away and our lazy days.

7 months down the line - I find myself here. Day 2 of Project 365 v2.0.
What can I say - I am a sucker for photography.

My photography page: Lee Folkard Photography will be the host this time round. I have started an album titled; Project 365 v2.0.
I am pretty sure facebook has a cap on the number of images allowed per album - but I will cross that restriction when I get there.

The main change this time round is - I will not always be uploading a picture a day -BUT I will be taking a picture a day. The whole transfer to pc and resize and label takes some time sometimes and this will also stand for days when I am busy, or lazy, or away from a pc.

What you can rest assured is that by; 01/08/2012 - there will be 365 pictures.

Along the way expect some themed sets of pictures, and some interesting interactions.
Hopefully participation from members of the Lee Folkard Photography page will be consistant throughout.


PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS PROJECT 365 HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED. A NEW PROJECT WILL BE STARTED SOON. STAY TUNED FOR MORE DETAILS.

The 32nd Durban International Film Festival (DIFF)



When: 21st - 31st July 2011

Where: Durban, South Africa

Website: DIFF

South Africa’s longest-running film festival, the Durban International Film Festival runs across 12 days at the end of July, presenting over 250 screenings of current films from around the world, with strong focus on South African and African cinema. Screenings take place throughout Durban including township areas where cinemas are non-existent.

I love this time of the year because I get to a diverse range of movies and also support local arts.

I type up this blog minutes before I leave to go and see my first movie of the film festival; The Tree of Life.

Some places showing movies for the festival include; main cinema's such as Gateway, Musgrave and Suncoast. As well as the likes of The Royal Hotel and the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre.

Some movies that I am realy looking forward to are: Three, Brownian and a Woody Allen movie to close the festival - Midnight in Paris.

The DIFF can be followed on twitter at: DIFF

Also you can follow my updates via LEE FOLKARD.

Instagram; the phenomenon.

I call it a phenomenon because Instagram is much more than one app the way Facebook is much more than one site.

My First Instagram - and now I am hooked

So what is Instagram and why is it such a huge success? Instagram is an iPhone app that enables the user to snap a photo (or take an existing photo from the phone’s gallery), enhance it with eleven different possible effects, share it on the various social networks, as well as on Instagram itself, which has quickly turned into a social network of its own.
 
Instead of discussing each one of the features in Instagram, I thought I would take a different approach and point out four things that Kevin Systrom, the developer of Instagram did right, while software giants before him got all wrong.

Bullseye

1. True Social Integration: Instagram has managed to add seamless social integration to sites like Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, FourSquare, and Tumblr. The main difference between this integration and others is that in Instagram’s case, it works perfectly on both a practical and conceptual level. Others before it could not pull it off the way Instagram has.

2. Utter Simplicity: I cannot stress this point enough. If you are a developer, you might want to run a short analysis on all the apps that have gone viral recently. Angry Birds, Flipboard, Cut the Rope, Real Racing, and many more. The common thread that jumps out at me is simplicity. These apps are not overloaded with fancy features and they do not do extraordinary things, they just work. A user can open Flipboard and begin using it without a tutorial. The same is true with Instagram, and that, in my humble opinion, is why the app is so appealing.

http://www.leefolkard.com/

 
3. Simple Photo Sharing: The thing with Instagram and the reason I did not download it the first time someone talked about it on my Facebook or Twitter stream is because I thought it was just another silly photography app for iPhone. There are so many apps out there like Hipstamatic that allow you to enhance your iPhone photos with cute effects. The thing is with Instagram that separates it from the rest is its sharing abilities. Not only can you easily share your Instagram photos on Facebook or Twitter in one simple step, but you can actually build an entire network of friends around your Instagram photos. What Instagram figured out that others before it did not is that people like to create things but even more than that, they like to show them off.

4. Scalability: Now I am no developer and I do not know how to properly handle the issue of scalability when it comes to the viral nature of iPhone apps. Having said that, if you are a developer and you create an iPhone app, you need to be prepared for it to explode. In fact, if you do not think it is going to take off, then why bother creating it? Take the case of Flipboard for example. Mike McCue, the CEO and brains behind the wildly popular Flipboard app explains in an interview that he doubled the amount of servers his developer told him he needed before launching Flipboard. However, with the help of some major Flipboard evangelists, the servers crashed within seconds and they had to implement a registration program to roll out the app gradually to new signups. Instagram has exploded and continues to grow in numbers, yet the app is responsive, robust, and fun to use. No scalability issues to be found.

vivid

 
All in all, Instagram seems to be taking the crown of the next big thing in photo sharing. I am sure we will see the app on other platforms including Android and maybe even Windows Phone 7, but for now, developers should be taking this app as a case study and learning a few very crucial lessons about getting their app to take off the way Instagram has.

Capture Life

Have you tried Instagram yet? What did you think? Please let us know in the comments or reach out to me on Twitter.

[ VIVID ]

It's been a while since I have blogged. Been quite busy with shoots. I have been debating doing another Project 365 - most likely starting in August of this year! But we shall see about that one.

I have been having an awesome time using Instagram! An app for my iPad. A blog will follow within the next week about this amazing FREE app for all those who have an iphone, ipad touch or ipad.

Last weekend I did my 2nd "concept" themed shoot for 2011. One more to come!

Below find a few pictures from, [ VIVID ]

Wild Thing with Roxi Richards

"There is a pleasure in the pathless woods;
There is a rapture on the lonely shore;
There is society, where none intrudes,
I love not man the less, but Nature more..."
 
Winner of Project One, Roxi Richards' much anticipated shoot happened yesterday.
A team consisiting of; make-up artist, Jessica Frew ; stylist, Brett Robson ; and myself ; met with Roxi at 08:00. Braving the cold we made the trek of about 30+ minutes carrying all our gear to our starting point.
We had decided to really go wild for our; "Wild Thing" shoot concept.
Sunlight was evident even though the early morning conditions still resulted in an icy chill in the air.
 
 

 
On reaching our desired point of commencement we got going. Make-Up begun and Outfits and Accessories were paired and the shooting started.
 
What followed shows evidence that when a team of people get together with a common purpose - great results follow. I believe this goes for all things in life. Big or small, teamwork and working with nature, not against it - yields positive results.
 
Some pictures from the, "Wild Thing" shoot can be found on my facebook page. Comments are most welcome. Keep checking as within the next few days, more pictures will go up.
 
Once again I would like to thank all involved in the shoot!

Loss = Life

"Loss is a part of life.

You can't really care for something or someone until you realize that one day, they may be gone.

And when they do go, we feel as if everything goes with them and we feel like we'll never really care about anything again.

But we do.

And we discover that that loss was a gift, that helps us appreciate all of the things we still have."

Find Lee Folkard Photography

Where else can you find Lee Folkard Photography?


[ facebook ] -> Click here -> Lee Folkard Photography Page [ LIKE THE PAGE ]

[ twitter ] -> Click here -> Lee Folkard Twitter Account -> [ FOLLOW ]

The importance of proper undergarments

I read a lot of blogs; photography, fashion, models, art; all things of interest basically.
I came across an interesting article on undergarments worn when doing a shoot or fashion show.
As I have encountered situations whereby the person I was photographing had worn very unflattering underwear - I figured let me share this with you all.

Article by: Rachel Jay | Chicago Modeling Examiner

One of the most common new model mistakes is not having proper undergarments, but proper undergarments are important for all models.



It is rare that a designer wants their garments modeled with visible panty lines, or bra straps showing, and it is rare that a photographer working on a project for a client (or for personal reasons) wants to see the same. Models need to make sure they are fully prepared when it comes to undergarments when they pack for a shoot, even if wardrobe is being provided.

To start, every model should have at the very least a nude thong, a nude bra, and a nude strapless bra, all seamless and properly fitting. Nude undergarments are essentials for modeling and ensure that the wardrobe looks best without a distracting bright color or crazy pattern peeking though. Sometimes, a look calls for that, but more often than not, it's a distraction and majorly takes away from the shot, because it's an amateur mistake (often made on both sides of the camera). Patterned bras and brightly colored panties should be left for lingerie shoots and personal use only.
 
A nude thong is also essential for wardrobe to ensure there are no visible panty lines. In most cases, it is preferable for a garment to hang as seamless as possible, and wearing a properly fitting thong (not one that digs in and causes additional lines at the hip) is essential to keeping undergarment lines to a minimum. And, of course, you want the thong to be nude to make certain no crazy colors or patterns show through.


In addition to a nude thong and the 2 nude bras, a black strapless bra might come in handy. Also, in some cases, the bra-less look might be called for, but a photographer or designer might wish to hide erect nipples. If this is the case, having a pair of reusable silicone pasties is helpful. They are easy to carry and can be tossed in a bag easily, which means they should also be a staple.


Having the proper undergarments, which fit perfect, ensure a model looks her best while modeling. Making sure she has these things is important, especially for new models, because being properly prepared will go a long way to help a new model build a reputation as a professional.
 

Project One Winner - Roxi Richards [ The Q & A Session ]

25 Days | 3381 New Lee Folkard Photography Page Members | 5186 Votes | One Winner!

Introducing, Roxi Richards.

Congratulations and well done on securing the number one spot after a 25 day Project, with two phases!

How have the last few weeks been for you?

Exciting, sleep deprivation at its maximum, enjoyed the entire process though!

You were leading after phase 1 - did you expect to stay in the lead and win the project in phase 2?

I did not win by very many votes in phase one so it was a close competition throughout.

What has been the best part about being in Project One?

I made so many new friends, meeting the top 10 girls at the photo shoot, they all great

Did you enjoy the Top 10 shoot, what was memorable from that day?
Yes I did enjoy it – lots of fun and not forgetting the cold. The location was great and having Lee who is a professional taking my pictures was awesome.


So you've won - what now?
I plan to take this a little further and try and get my foot into the door to the world of modeling, update my portfolio etc


Did you get a lot of random friend request and messages during the project? Anything or anyone come to mind?
Yes, made lots of friends and thank you to all those who voted for me. Not forgetting “Keenan James” haha, won’t forget that guy


You received a lot of help from friends and family - name 3 of the people you'd like to give a special thanks to?
My mum - she got every1 at work to vote 4 me, which I truly appreciate, even those that became new facebook users.

All my friends helped in a big way but I’d like to thank CHEVAUN LINDERBOOM, she played a big part in the comp, got me loads of votes..Even got strangers to vote. Few girls from the top 10 also showed their support by voting for me as well, thanks ladies.

Complete the sentences:

Tevin Jina came second because… she is a beautiful young lady and worked hard throughout the project. I think she gave off her best to all tasks that were given to her and this is evident in her poll position.


Your best physical feature is your… nose


You're single because… mmm, who said I’m single haha ? I want to concentrate on my studies and career


Project One… -has given me a platform from which good things can begin


Your favorite movie is… - disturbia


What surprised you most about the Project?
That so many people supported me and that I got more than 400 votes..wow!
 
First 3 words that come to mind when I say:

Roxi Richards – shy ,active ,considerate
Lee Folkard - BEST PHOTOGRAPHER EVER
Global Warming - carbon ,drought ,famine
Africa - naturalistic, poverty, aids
Eminem - successful, ambitious, vulgar

Why doesn't glue stick to the bottle?
Lol not again haha, but this time i'll answer with confidence ;), the glue will probably stick to the bottle if it has a chance to dry. Since the bottle is always kept closed when the glue isn't being dispensed, the glue doesn't dry out. But if you open the bottle and leave it open long enough for the glue to dry out, it will probably stick to the bottle pretty well!


Any last words?
Yes, it was a privilege to be a part of project one, I am truly thankful! All the ladies that were apart of top 10 are really gorgeous and we are all winners because we all went the extra mile to get votes, we were all determined to win. So well done to all.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Roxi Richards - Lee Folkard Photography's Project One Winner!

Project One [ Group Shots with the Top 10 ]

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

So yesterday I had the Top 10 Shoot with the Project One girls.
At 07:00 girls started arriving. I got to watch the sun rise - which is something I never tire of seeing.

A few shots of each girl were taken - with intent of using them to upload onto the Photography Page for Phase 2 of voting. Prior to this people were voting on pictures submitted by the entrants.

Each girl will get one image uploaded this evening at 17:00 and they will remain up for 7 days. At the end the girl with the most votes will take the prize!

I wanted to take a group picture of the top 10 girls to add to the original logo that i had made for the Project.
My inspiration came from one of my favourite tv shows - Lost. See below - I was pleased with result.

The shoot went well and it was great to meet ten beautiful people.

After the mandatory pictures - a few group shots were taken. See below:

What do you think? Awesome bunch aren't they? Anyways - They need your VOTE :)
See: Lee Folkard Photography Page for more details!

Some of the girls stayed after the shoot wrapped up and we took a few more fun shots. I will upload some at a later stage.

Project One - Tips to get more Votes

1. Awareness

Get ALL your friends to know that you are in a competition.

This can be done via status updates. Links to the Lee Folkard Photography Page. Links to the Project One Album. Create an Event on Facebook. It's free and can be used to create a domino-type effect, which is essentially what you want to amass the required votes. Tag the Lee Folkard Photography page in status updates using the @ key. So people can easily click through to like the page.



2. Share

Facebooks platform enables you to share just about anything. All the links that you used to create awareness should be shared. You can share links via, wall posts, status updates, profile pages, event walls, even in individual messages to target friends one at a time. I would go as far as to share links via Facebook Chat if you do use it.



3. Step Process

Once you have their attention - people need to be aware that they need to LIKE the Lee Folkard Photography Page first. Then locate your picture. For those who have difficulty in locating the album on the page - this will not be a problem with the many Direct Links you have posted all over the place.

Once they find you picture they need only type the word - VOTE as a comment under the picture.



4. Networking

The most important factor of the whole voting process is that of networking. You may have 300 facebook friends and another entrant may have 1000 facebook friends - The important thing is that you get the friends of your friends to vote and then their friends. The Domino Effect. What you want is the people that do take the time to vote for you to let their friends know about this competition. So once people vote for you - ASK them to share the link with their friends. ASK them to make status updates etc. And so the process should fall - and YOU will start accumulating VOTES.



Direct your friends to this blog post so that they can have a better understanding of how this whole thing works.



Good Luck to all involved and thank you for participating in a Lee Folkard Photography Project.

See website at -> http://www.leefolkard.com/

Project One - Dates and Info

Phase One kicks off on Friday 6th May 2011 - Once the pictures are uploaded - voting will commence.
To vote - All you will need to do is get your friends and others to type the word - VOTE as a comment on your uploaded picture. The pictures will all be uploaded into an album in the Lee Folkard Photography Page.
You can vote on as many pictures as you wish -BUT only one vote per picture! Duplicate votes will result in all your votes being deleted.

Phase One will end on Monday 16th May 2011 @ 17:00.
Votes will be counted and the Top 10 Candidates will move on to the next phase.

Shoot with Top 10 Candidates on Sunday 22nd May 2011 @ 07:00.
This is a very important date - should you make the Top 10 you will be required to be available on this date at this time for a quick shoot. If you are unable to make it - your place will be forfeited.
Shoot will take place on Umhlanga Beach. You will be required to do your own hair and make-up.
Dress Code: Jeans and a white tank top. You should be done by 09:00 at latest.

Phase Two begins on Monday 23rd May 2011 - Once pictures uploaded voting will again commence.
Your newly taken shots will be uploaded and voting again will commence.
All votes will be stripped from Phase One however, the person who was leading will start off with 10 free votes and the person who was second with 9 - and so forth.

Phase Two ends on Monday 30th May 2011 @ 18:00. Winner announced!
Woohoo! The End - One Winner takes the Prize!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Fine Print Below:
Lee Folkard Photography reserves the right to change any details at anytime.
If rules are broken - Lee Folkard Photography can delete your entry.
Rules: Play fair. Any suspicious activity will cause deletion.
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[ Project One ] - The Prize

And the winner gets *drum roll*

A themed photoshoot with Lee Folkard Photography valued in excess of R5000.00!
How awesome is that?!

 Consisting of:

- 3 hours plus shooting time
- 40 plus edits
- DVD Slideshow
- Post-Shoot Consultation Session
- Pictures from shoot displayed on net
- Blog post done with post-shoot interview
- Professional Make-Up artist on day of shoot
- Stylist on day of shoot
- 10 x A3 Prints

Because this is a themed shoot prize - the winner should be getting a unique concept shoot idea with all necessary props and extra's supplied by Lee Folkard Photography.

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Terms and Conditions apply
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Lee Folkard Photography reserves the right to change any prize specifics.



[ More details will follow. Entries still welcome* ]

[ feelings ]

I believe that one should always follow their feelings, regardless if they are logical or not.
Embrace your feelings I always say.

It does not matter if these feelings are good or bad, just embrace them and let your heart lead the dance.
This is why it’s OK to be sad. It’s OK to cry. It’s OK to dwell on your pain. You don’t always have to cheer up for the sake of another.




Today I decide to go against this belief.



Today I endure pain for love.



Today I walk past the warning sign.



Tonight I let fear feast.



Tonight I depend on faith.