Rad A. Drew Photography: February 2018

Continental Divide at Dawn

Continental Divide at Dawn
Continental Divide at Dawn

Friday, February 23, 2018

Using PhotoLogo to Brand Your Images

Are any of you old enough to remember the 1960's TV commercial for Red Ball Jets, the sneaker for kids that promised to make us run faster and jump higher?!  I so wanted a pair of those magic shoes! What kid wouldn't want to run faster and jump higher!



Well, we all know now that Red Ball Jets weren't magic shoes that would help us do these super-human feats, but that didn't make me want them any less! They were fun and they looked cool

Red Ball Jets are no more, but, today, there's PhotoLogo! With a professional logo by PhotoLogo, your images will look sharper, and have more impact!

Ha! Wouldn't that be great if it were true?!

Of course, having a professional-looking logo made by PhotoLogo won't make my images better, but that doesn't make me want one any less! Just like those Red Ball Jets of yesteryear, a PhotoLogo is fun and it looks cool! (Oh, and professional, too.)

Here's the part where I fully disclose my relationship with PhotoLogo. I am an affiliate rep, which means when someone purchases a PhotoLogo using the link I provide, I earn a commission. Being an affiliate rep for photo-related products I love and use frequently is one of the ways I generate revenue for my photography business. I represent only products that I find are high quality, reasonably priced, and have excellent customer service. Oh, and they're fun! PhotoLogo fulfills all of these criteria!

Here’s how it works. Log onto the PhotoLogo site. You'll be prompted to answer a few questions like the thickness of the line, the flow of the text, and what you want your logo to say. 


PhotoLogo will take your information and design an attractive logo for you. They'll email you png files in black and white, and in high and low resolution for use in different media. The pngs are transparency files that can be laid over any of your images. Source files (.ai files) are available for an additional fee. Source files may be necessary if you plan to use your logo with magazines, printers, or other third parties. You can purchase source files later if you find you need them.

All PhotoLogo products are currently 60% off. You have these options, paying more if you need your logo within 24 hours and saving a little if you can wait 7 days.



I add my PhotoLogo on images created and processed on my iPhone, and on images shot with my Fuji or other “big boy” cameras and processed in Topaz Studio. (Lightroom or Photoshop works, too.)

Here is my YouTube video showing how I add my PhotoLogo to images using my iPhone and the Image Blender app. 


And here's my Topaz Webinar that includes a segment on how to add your PhotoLogo using the new free Topaz Studio Photo Editor. (Fast-forward to the 27 minute mark to see the segment on how to add your logo file to your images.)


Whether you’re using your iPhone or software on your computer to add your logo, the process is quick and easy and the results are great!

Tip: When you apply your PhotoLogo, use the opacity slider in the software you're using to tone down your logo so that it doesn’t overpower your image. (It is after all about your photograph!)

Oh, and one other thing. PhotoLogo does not protect your images from thieves. I don’t use it for that purpose, or have that expectation of my PhotoLogo. I use it strictly to label my images with an attractive brand.


Want to try it for yourself? 



Here are a few images showing how I've used my PhotoLogo.







Have fun with PhotoLogo!

Questions? Comments?  Email me here.

Until next time, keep on shooting!

(Oh, and sign up for RadDrewPhotography Newsletter here.)

Monday, February 5, 2018

7th Annual Mobile Photography Awards

Winners and Honorable Mentions

2017 MPA WINNERS AND HONORABLE MENTIONS NAMED

To be inspired by the work of others is one of the joys of photography, and there is no better source of inspiration than the Mobile Photography Award’s collection of work across 19 categories chosen from the submissions of thousands of artists from around the world. It’s thrilling and fascinating to explore this exceptional body of work, and to experience so many diverse perspectives of the world in which we live.
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"With the MPA ... phone photos 
reach fine art proportions" 
– San Francisco Guardian
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Special thanks to MPA founder, Daniel Berman, for his vision, and thanks to the diverse world-class panel of jurors he assembles each year to judge the MPA! 

Here's the link to next year’s 8th Annual Mobile Photography Awards! It's not too early to start creating your images for next year!


I encourage everyone to view all the winners and honorable mentions, but there are some photographers I’d like to call out, either because they are personal friends, or because their work has been featured in the MPA for many years, or both. Here’s a short list with links to their Facebook pages; it is by no means all-inclusive! I hope you’ll take time to enjoy the wide-ranging work of this talented group.



In addition to these artists associated with the MPA, there are also many others; some are household names in Mobile Photography, while others are emerging, talented artists whose stunning work is gracing the MPA for the first time this year! I encourage you to view their work and discover them on your own. I’m confident you’ll find your own favorites, and I dare you to not be inspired!


In the 7 years that the Mobile Photography Awards competition has run, I’ve participated every year — except 2016 when I missed the deadline. That’s how much I love this competition! I’ve done better in the judging during some years than others, but I’ve always enjoyed participating and seeing the exhibition of truly amazing photography from around the world.

This year, six of my images across five categories were recognized as Honorable Mentions. (You can see them all here, on FB.) It’s truly an honor and quite humbling to be recognized in the company of such talented artists.




A hearty congratulations to all who participated in this year's MPA!