December  2015

OUTSHINE YOUR COMPETITION

Watch this two minute video to see what Virtual Backgrounds' Scene Machine can do for you.
IT IS NOT JUST WHAT WE MAKE!

 IT IS WHAT
WE MAKE POSSIBLE!

By itself Virtual Backgrounds is just a tool that we manufacture for professional photographers but in the hands of the professional Virtual Backgrounds has the potential to change their entire career.  It can enhance their creativity and their profits and their overall success in the community. 

BRING MOST ANY OLD
SCENE MACHINE BACK TO LIFE WITH A NEW POWER SUPPLY
AND FLASH

Sale extended on back-up power supply and flash for slide based systems.  
 
​Call your VB consultant for additional information. 

7 PIECE POSER FOR SINGLE, COUPLES AND GROUP PHOTOGRAPHY

ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO MAKE MONEY
in professional photography is to photograph families.  But how do you efficiently and professionally arrange a family with some standing and some sitting at different levels.  If you are like most photographers doing a family, they run around grabbing different things to seat people on.  Its time consuming, very unprofessional, and hinders your results.  But with the 7 Piece Poser, you have a simple way to arrange groups even with 10 or more people…and you look so much more professional.  The VB 7 piece poser is a furniture quality system that gives you a wide variety of ways to pose your group as you can see in the video link below.  And right now, it is on sale for 20% off the normal price.  It's a perfect Christmas gift for the professional photographer.

 Take a few minutes to watch the video. 

Jim Wilson
7 piece . Poser video

SLIDE STORAGE AND VIEWING CABINETS

​only a few left at 50% off

IF YOU HAVE A SLIDE BASED SYSTEM, AS THOUSANDS OF PHOTOGRAPHERS DO, YOU CAN NOW BUY A SLIDE STORAGE AND VIEWING CABINET FOR ONLY HALF PRICE.  THE CABINET HOLDS 630 SLIDES AND INCLUDES A CONVENIENT VIEWING DRAWER.  SLIDES ARE NOT GOING AWAY.  YOU CAN USE YOUR SLIDE BASED SYSTEM FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.  TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS GREAT PRICE ON THE SLIDE STORAGE AND VIEWING CABINET.

CLICK TO SEE THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE OF THE BACKGROUNDER

CLICK TO SEE THE OCTOBER ISSUE OF THE BACKGROUNDER 

CLICK TO SEE THE NOVEMBER ISSUE OF THE BACKGROUNDER

LAST CALL FOR
SPECIAL PRICE ON DIGITAL UPGRADE
FOR SCENE MACHINE
SAVE $805

​Do you have an slide based Scene Machine virtual background projector?  Did you know that many older models can be upgraded to digital?  Did you know that there is now a $805 savings on an upgrade?  Did you know that after you upgrade you can still go back to using slides if you wish?
 
The slide based Scene Machine works great and always will but if you want the latest technology you should consider getting a digital upgrade and now there is a special sale price.  Digital offers the advantage of immediacy.  You can photograph something and instantly project it.  You can also produce videos with still and moving backgrounds…just like the big TV people.  And, you can see the background more brightly in your camera viewfinder when you are composing your image. And with digital you can have a live view of both the subject and the background on a monitor for live viewing.
 
If you own a slide based Scene Machine, you already have a tool that has more power to differentiate you from all others.  But now, you can upgrade it to digital at a big savings.  Call for more information.

COMING IN JANUARY 2016

FEATURED ARTICLE

"WHO IS KILLING PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY"

OHIO PHOTOGRAPHER LARRY BYERLY
THANKS VB AND SHARES HIS THOUGHTS ABOUT VIRTUAL BACKGROUNDS 


December's featured photographer
Larry Byerly

http://larrybyerlyphotography.photoreflect.com/

"I want to thank you for encouraging me to invest in a VB Express projector.  It performed flawlessly for me during my recent Santa experience weekend.   My old system has seen its better days.  I used it for 15 awesome years.  It paid for itself the first few months I used it!"
 
"Without my Virtual Backgrounds I am just another photographer with a very expensive camera in the pool of photographers trying to stay away from the swirling drain."

"The only advertising I did back then was my huge storefront window.  I filled it with samples I shot with my VB system.  NO ONE could produce backgrounds like I could.  I shot many images for backgrounds myself."

"Here are a couple of samples to share."
Larry tells our story better than we can because he uses our products every day in his studio.  At Virtual Backgrounds we have many customers like Larry who invest in a virtual background system and make it a key component of their studio to make themselves clearly different and more attractive to customers.  They are the reason we exist.  It is our pleasure to design, manufacture and distribute a product that can be such an excellent investment for our customers.  The projected virtual background process can clearly help to make a professional photographer far more successful as measured by their creativity and bottom line profits.

New Year's wish - we wish every photographer...every person in any
business, could visit Buc-ees

Picture
But, it isn't enough to just visit and see…one has to process the phenomenon of Buc-ees…their basic formula for success that can apply to help any business.  Yes, their bathrooms are still really special and remarkably clean but Buc-ees is more than pretty and clean bathrooms.  Much of what Buc-ees sells is unique to their store and not available most anywhere else.  Walking in to Buc-ees this evening one of the first things noticed is a whole new display of elaborate large and small decorative bird houses…so elaborate that one would never want a bird to move in.  But that is just the beginning.  A visit to Buc-ees should be a field trip for every marketing class within driving distance with the assignment being listing all the unique unusual products on display for sale.   Visiting Buc-ees is an experience. Could the Buc-ees approach help your professional photography?  There is no question about that.  Instead of being just like everyone else including amateurs, a professional photographer must concentrate on how they can be desirably different providing clients with a true unique experience along with unique special products.  It works wonders for Buc-ees.  It can work for any business.  It can work for you.   You just have to accept the fact that it works. And then make it happen.  It doesn't happen by itself. 

Every day we hear tales of woe from photographers saying they aren't making any money and the professional photography is dying.  Make 2016 the year you come alive with new ideas and profits.

   TREVON BAKER PHOTOGRAPHY

​2015 SANTA PORTRAITS 

Montana Master Photographer, Trevon Baker, has been successfully doing Santa pictures for 22 years in his Montana studio.  His schedule fills up in 48 hours even without any promotion.  He simply sends out an e mail to his customer base that he is taking reservations for the big special event which happens the Friday, Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving.

It's a special event and many customers come back year after year after year.  There are some new backgrounds each year.  The studio is fully decorated for Christmas.  It's a festive time.  Each child is given 15 minutes, plus or minus, with Santa.  Trevon takes several shots with different virtual projected backgrounds and different poses.  The parents get to see the images immediately and place their order.

It's a matter of the quality of the "timeless" image that is clearly different and far above anything anyone else does. 

Trevon Baker Photography 
Email    info@trevonbaker.com
www.trevonbaker.com

HAND HOLD
OR TRIPOD MOUNT
YOUR CAMERA

Which is better for the professional  photographer?

Today, many photographers have moved to hand holding their camera rather than mounting it on a tripod or monostand.  The primary reason for hand holding is to be able to catch spontaneity but they never realize how many disadvantages there are to hand holding the camera.  One of the main disadvantages of hand holding is that every amateur hand holds their camera.  Today the biggest problem a professional has is to clearly distinguish themselves from the amateurs but when they hand hold, they are acting for the most part like an amateur.  But, it doesn't stop there.  When hand holding, the photographer is continually putting their camera down so they can direct their subject and make alterations.  If they hand hold, they only have one hand available to direct the subject or subjects.   Another issue is sharpness when the photographer switches to LED lighting.  Any motion can blur an image.  Sooner or later, most photographers will go to LED lighting so the hand hold technique will become an even greater problem.  Finally, and very important, you can't hand hold a camera which is equipped with a virtual background system.  No other tool distinguishes a photographer more from amateurs than a projected background system and hand holders give that important advantage up when they insist on hand holding.
 
Yes hand holding is necessary for live action sports photography.  Yes hand holding might be good for model photography working with a professional model.  But tripod or monostand mounted cameras are the preferred method for studio photography.
 
The most ideal way to mount your camera is with a monostand on wheels with a gear head.  A monostand gives you just as much maneuverability and oh so much more freedom to create plus the ability to use virtual backgrounds.

HOLLYWOOD TYPE PHOTOGRAPHY

FUNDAMENTAL FACT 1...
The public will respond to quality photography that is creative and which makes them look their best.

FUNDAMENTAL FACT 2...
The public can take darn good images these days and have fun doing it.

FUNDAMENTAL FACT 3...
To get the business, the professional must produce work beyond anything others can do.

FUNDAMENTAL FACT  4...
The professional must produce highly creative products with Photo Shop effects or projected virtual backgrounds. 
Visit Virtual Backgrounds in Booth # 633
at Imaging USA
January 10-12, 2016
Atlanta, GA.
Register at https://imagingusa.org/register/
For more information visit the Imaging USA website
https://imagingusa.org/

The 2016 SPI Creative Summit is just around the corner!

Orlando, Florida
January 25-28, 2016

Visit Virtual Backgrounds in Booth # 42
Register at
http://myspionline.com/register/
For more information visit the SPI website
http://myspionline.com/orlando/
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