Since opening Piper and Dune I’ve had to learn so many things that I never, ever, thought I’d need to know (or if I’m honest, wanted to know). I spent my career working in a corporate setting where departments were broken out by specialty. For example, I wrote pieces of my Marketing budget, but I didn’t actually generate the budget - that was Finance. When I launched a new product, it was the responsibility of Operations to help me design the products with the manufacturers and get them produced and delivered. The IT department had to make sure the items were included in all the various systems, etc. Now as a small business owner, I’m doing all of these roles and more-combined! I’m a bookkeeper, a merchandise buyer, an IT person, a website designer, a media buyer, trademark expert, public relations manager, e-commerce specialist and so much more. While I have become well versed in many facets of the business, I will admit that I still lean on many people to keep the ship afloat. Without my sister-in-law Robin, I would not have been able to manage the bookkeeping, without my brother Darrell I would not have been able to set up my network of contractors, without Sarah to edit my work, model and strategize, I’d be lost and I would most definitely never get a blog out, or have a sticker designed.
While the skills above came as challenging, I underestimated what it takes to be a good photographer the most. We all take literally thousands of photos on our phones, so I had no choice but to become familiar with a few features of my iPhone camera!
At Piper and Dune we try to carry a variety of products from local artisans. Many of these small vendors do not provide imagery for their products. I’m becoming more comfortable with taking pictures because of my sincere desire to share all of the cool stuff we have with our customers!
Since it’s summertime, I’m certain you will be taking a lot more pictures too. There is something so rewarding when a photo you take captures the magnificence of the world through your lens. Whether it's the incredible places you visit, the great times you share with family, or captured moments that can be more readily reminisced. You get to look back at those moments years later and re-experience them again. It’s time for all of us to harness the great camera you already have at your fingertips. Resources are plentiful, here are some I found helpful:
- Apple iPhone tutorial - I’m sure Samsung and other manufacturers offer the same sort of training; regardless, the lessons are the same.
- If you are really interested, take an on-line course (there are literally thousands). Check out some of the courses Skillshare has to offer for mobile photography.
- If you aren’t interested in watching Apple’s videos or taking a course, here’s a blog that can help you get started.
- If all else fails, ask a teenager for help! My niece Mandy was so helpful…she taught me how to adjust the brightness of the picture by clicking on a part of the image until a yellow square appears then dragging my finger up and down the screen - this simple tip was the very thing that helped me to get over my serious frustration with lighting problems.
So, whether you are an entrepreneur, a traveler, a parent or someone who enjoys taking pictures, there’s no better time than now to get familiar with your cell phone camera and start taking better pictures! Enjoy your summer and I hope you have lots of fun recalling those special moments through your pictures.
If you are looking for some new places to explore in New England this summer, pick up a Map, yes, a map, and get a visual of where you might want to go. It may be old-school, but there’s nothing better than mapping your route the old fashioned way - your GPS just doesn’t satisfy your quest quite as much. And even if you are from New England, get some ideas for a new destination, we have a couple of great books to get you on your way.
Explore What Excites You!
Chris and The Piper and Dune Family
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P.S. The sale to get 25% all Health and Beauty Care products ends 6/19/20! Use code “SELFCARE”