I know you all love seeing my latest photos, so I am going to share  a few virus, spyware, malware , and PC maintenance software programs that will  make it just that much easier for you to do just that. My computer is a very big part of my life, personal and business. I use the computer for doing everything from processing photos to planning trips and nothing is worse than a slow or unresponsive computer. Your computer is just like a car or any other machine, it needs to have maintenance done to keep it at its peak performance and health. This is especially critical for your own personal safety against cyber theft of your personal data. It is also important if you run heavy programs like Adobe Photoshop and/or do extensive gaming. Below I will go over many of the great software and freeware programs that I use along with other things that you can do to keep your computer running at 100%. Below are some of the tools I use to do just that. There may be better alternatives to what I have wrote about or for your particular situation. I talk about a lot of freeware also because I feel free is better then none. The paid versions of these products will almost always be a better, safer choice.
 

Where to Start

Major Geeks is a great place to start looking for software and freeware but we need to use a web browser to get there. The most popular used web browser is IE (Internet Explorer). After months of dealing with IE freezing up, crashing, and running slowly, I decided to try Google Chrome. The first versions of Chrome were not that stellar. It is an excellent choice now. Other choices also include Netscape and Firefox but I personally did not see a night and day difference like I did when I started using Google Chrome. Google Chrome has a cleaner look and runs like a dream. It is much faster and much less problematic. I can count the crashes Chrome has had on my fingers for the last couple of years. A few small issues I have found with Chrome has been some slight compatibility issues were a popup that you want to open doesn’t or secured areas of some sites. These sites have always been smaller company sites in my experiences. Two other small issue, that have been improving, is the print functionality and PDF usability. So about once a month I have to use IE or Firefox for a few seconds to get what I need when Chrome falls short. Some of these problems are on the website’s end and not the fault of Chrome. The pluses of Chrome heavily outweigh the negatives.

Google Chrome +’s

Cleaner
Faster
Stable

Google Chrome -’s

Minimal Site Compatibility Issues
Minimal PDF and Print Function

You can download or learn more about Google Chrome’s web browser here www.google.com/chrome

Once you have Google Chrome, don’t forget to clear out your browsing history once in awhile to speed things up and free up some space.

This is how you can do this.

Click the tool icon in the upper right of the Chrome browser window. Click on “Under the Hood” on the left. Click on “Clear Browsing Data” in the privacy section and you are all done.
 

Software Surplus Store

So back to Major Geeks. Major Geeks is a website dedicated to hosting tons of computer software and freeware for your computer. They offer tons of great programs including virus protection, spam-ware, computer diagnostics, data recovery, firewall, and driver utilities just to name a few headings from their massive list. Major Geeks is also a great resource for information on all the programs that they offer. This is a must have stop on your way to smooth PC operation.

You can find your way to them here. www.majorgeeks.com
New to Major Geeks? Start Here
Their Must Have List

Major Virus Defense

The most important thing you need on your computer is an anti-virus program. A lot of computers come preloaded with Norton Anti-Virus or McAfee Anti-Virus. Both of these anti-virus programs are very good at what they do. They consistently rank in the top spots in independent tests and reviews. Their major flaw is that they quit updating when your subscription runs out and they are very heavy programs that can severely slow down your computer. I use AVG’s anti-virus program. AVG also always ranks in the top spots of those same independent tests and reviews but AVG’s key difference is how their program does not bog down your PC. AVG is a very PC speed friendly. AVG also offers a free version. The free version is also very, very good at what it does but does not offer all the bells and whistles and security packages of the paid version. At the very least I would recommend AVG Anti-Virus Free.

Learn more about AVG here. www.avg.com
Download AVG Anti-Virus Free
 

All In ONE Super Tools

One rule of thumb is that you should only have 1 anti-virus program but multiple malware programs. So when talking about other software besides an anti-virus program there are many choices. Major Geeks is a great place to learn which ones are right for you. Below I will list the program I like and use to do my dirty work. The all in one tools usually many tasks bundled into one program. Some of the tasks include malware detection, registry fixes, short-cut cleaner, junk file deletion, defrag, etc. I use Advanced SystemCare Free. This is one of many highly rated programs and it does a nice job of detecting and fixing issues that my other programs have missed or don’t do. The main drawback to freeware is that you need to manual update them which can be easy to forget. These programs can be upgraded (for a fee) and will automatically receive updates. Advanced SystemCare Free is one of few that with let you know when a new update is available which is nice. The downside is that this freeware tries to make money by trying to add itself to your search bar or recommends sister programs. All of these add-ons can be easily avoided but I figured you should be made aware.

You can learn more and download Advanced SystemCare Free here. www.iobit.com/advancedsystemcareper.html

Fight For Your Right

Everything else that I run cleans and protects against malware and spyware. These programs are also all freeware, so make sure to remember to keep them updated. Not a whole lot I can say about these programs besides that they work well and are top rated for what they do. I use Spybot Search and Destroy and Malewarebytes.

You can read more about Spybot Search and Destroy here. www.safer-networking.org

You can read more about Malwarebytes here. www.malwarebytes.org

I hope this helps you to get your PC on a better more enjoyable path. I would love for you to subscribe to my newsletter.

YOUR LIFE. YOUR STORY. YOUR PORTRAIT. CLEARLY UNIQUE.

Photography is my passion but making money doing it is a lot of work. I spend a lot of time and effort getting my photography out there for future clients to see while trying to stay at the forefront of my existing clients mind. I do this by running ads, handing out business cards, leveraging Facebook, having contests, and spending a lot of time making sure my website and web ranking is as good as I can make it. It is a never-ending process but it is part of running a successful photography business.

The website takes a lot of this time between updates, blog posts, new photos, and behind the scenes coding. I find myself constantly looking for my Facebook numeric id for plugins I use on my WordPress website. Many social sharing plugins require your original Facebook id but many people have at one time or another changed their original numeric Facebook id to something else, like their name. This can only be done once and once done, finding the original can be a pain. The problem is that whatever you changed it too does not work for these plugins. I have found myself searching Google more than once trying to find out how to find my original id. There are a few different ways, one is by clicking on one of your own photos and looking at the last number in the address bar. This number will be on all of your photos.

Here is the easiest way. Go to http://graph.facebook.com/”your account” . So for example, my Facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/travis.dewitz . If I enter travis.dewitz here like this –  http://graph.facebook.com/travis.dewitz and go there, it will tell me my original Facebook id along with some other information which looks like this below. My original id was 547734972.

{ "id": "547734972", "name": "Travis Dewitz", "first_name": "Travis", "last_name": "Dewitz", "link":

"http://www.facebook.com/travis.dewitz", "username": "travis.dewitz", "gender": "male", "locale": "en_US" }

If you go to http://www.facebook.com/547734972  you will end up at the same place as http://www.facebook.com/travis.dewitz  .

Hopefully this will help some of you out down the road on your own website when you need to find your Facebook id.

The latest photography project to come to life is my Contrast of Life Project. This project is about the beauty and innocence of children against their environments. No matter the environment that you put a child into they will most likely contrast against it in some form or another but I do try to choose environments that have the greatest contrast. The project started after looking at other photographer’s works like, Sally Mann, that highlights the innocence of children in a way that is rarely seen. These photos have a  more natural unstaged feel to them compared to your normal family portrait. Environment, poses, and lighting are just a few things that play a role in creating the images that stand apart enough from what you normally see and to make you stop and look closer.

Do you have a child that would be interested in this project? Let me know by contacting me.

All of my other on going photography projects can be found here.

Also don’t forget that you can enter daily for a chance to win my $309 Photo Contest!

Dewitz Photography is giving away a $309 prize package good for new or existing customers. The $309 prize giveaway contest is incredibly easy to sign up for.

Step 1 – Go to http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dewitz-Photography-Travis-Dewitz/129756063707677?sk=app_197602066931325

Step 2 – Like the Dewitz Photography Facebook page

Step 3 – Fill out the form with your email and name, click submit

Step 4 – Click on the share button and let others know by sharing on your wall

The $309 Giveaway Contest winner can use this package towards any new photo session or print package. Existing customers can use also use this towards their portrait or wedding photo orders. The $309 prize can not be split. The $309 prize can be transferred from the winner to another person. This means that you should get all of your friends and family members to help you win. Once the winning name is drawn, I will verify that the contest was shared on their wall and that they have “Liked” my business page.

A few examples that you could use this for

Family Portraits

Senior Pictures

Boudoir Shoot

A $309 Gift

WorkHard Portrait of a loved one

PureLife Portrait of your child

Wedding or Engagement Photos

Good Luck!!

Boudoir Photography is an art form. It is about showing a woman what she’s got, and telling her to “Show ‘em what you’re workin’ with.” This is a celebration of a woman’s beautiful body, but also what’s on the inside of that beautiful body. The heart and soul that makes that woman unique and beautiful. A truly great photo isn’t just capturing a moment, it’s also about capturing what is really there, what is on the inside.

This is what The Boudoir of Eau Claire, WI is all about. Boudoir photography is a specialized art form in its own right which we decided needed to have it’s own face and identity.  The website is still being worked on with a few changes here and there.

This Sunday is our Grand Opening Valentine’s Day Special!! These prices just can’t be beat. $150 gets you 40 minutes of session time in a swanky hotel, 1 fully edited image, and 2 mini accordion albums. 1 to keep, 1 to give away to your significant other. Now only 4 sessions are available so book them while you can.

You can visit The Boudoir on Facebook also.

My latest edition to my Femme Forte female empowerment photography project. Tara grew up on a crop farm in Menomonie, WI where she learned the trade from her father. The title of my female empowerment project, Femme Forte, translates to strong woman. This project encompasses careers, hobbies, and lifestyles that traditionally men have held and reflects the title of this project. The goal of my project is to tell a story in photos that show the beauty of strength. Click the link below to see more photos from this project.

Why am I receiving this?

This is my first official Photo Newsletter and there are a couple of reasons why you are receiving this.

1. Many of you were subscribed to my email RSS feed. That email RSS feed would send you my latest blog posts via email whenever there was a new one. I switched you over from that feed to my new Photo Newsletter email service. If you prefer the old RSS feed email I will switch you back, just let me know at travis@dewitzphotography.com.

2. Those of you that were not part of my RSS feed email list were personally added by me. I added some of my friends, family, and business connections that I personal thought would enjoy the Photo Newsletter and latest info in it.

Security Issues and Spam

You are receiving this Photo Newsletter because you subscribed at Dewitz Photography or I added your email personally. I know that many of you trust me and I wanted to let you know I only added those who I felt would enjoy this. Your email will not be shared, sold, or used by anyone else. Trust has always been my #1 priority. If you do not want this newsletter emailed to you, you can easily unsubscribe from it. Just click unsubscribe at the very bottom.

What is this Photo Newsletter?

It is really just my latest Dewitz Photography blog posts sent directly to your email. My blog posts usually contain my latest photography, informative photography videos, and photography training, tips, and tricks.

How Often Will This Come To My Email?

You will never receive this newsletter more than once a day. Most of the time you will only get this newsletter weekly or bi-weekly.

Why Not Just Go To My Blog?

We are all busy people and sometimes we just don’t have the time to visit every site that we want to. Sometimes my blog updates can be weeks apart and can be easily forgotten. So this makes it easy for you to follow me without leaving your email account. Bonus – The Newsletter will occasionally include specials or exclusive information that will not be found anywhere else including my blog.

Why I Want You To Get This Newsletter!

There are three honest reasons why I want you to get my Photo Newsletter.

1. I know many of you enjoy photography and also enjoy my photography in particular. My friends and family like to keep up with my latest news and projects as well, along with many of my clients.

2. I want to sell you my photography services. Is that honest enough?

3. Many of you may never need or want to purchase my services. I would still love to see you getting this newsletter because it keeps my photography services in the forefront of your mind which someday may come to use when someone you know may need a photographer and hopefully you tell them Dewitz Photography.

What Exactly Does This Photo Newsletter Look Like?

I Didn’t Get This, How Can I Subscribe?

As easy as 1.2.3.

1. Type your email in the Subscribe to Photo Newsletter box on the right and click Subscribe.

2. Pop up stating confirmation email sent.

3. Open confirmation email and click Confirm.

That’s it. Your are now a proud Dewitz Photography Photo Newsletter subscriber.

Four Key Points

1. Subscribing to this newsletter is easy, safe, and spam free; while still containing cool stuff.

2. The newsletter occasionally contains deals and exclusive info which will not be available anywhere else.

3. It comes to you, instead of you going to it. You save time.

4. The more you see my work, the easier you may remember me, the better the chance I get to do what I love.

Thank you for subscribing!

More RSS Feed information here.

One thing I won’t have to worry about is my never ending supply of Rob Zombie photos.  I like to go back into my archives and pick a few out here and there from their 2011 Rock Fest concert in Cadott, WI. I threw in a video just to get you into the mood. A couple links to more of my Rob Zombie photo are at the bottom.

Other Rob Zombie Post

My new WorkHard Portraits are a way to capture your loved ones for how you actually remember them. WorkHard Portraits are based off the LifeForward Portrait platform. The key difference is that they revolve 100% around your career. These career portraits are focused on professionally capturing you in a way not commonly captured. My passion is to dramatically capture you and your career. Your life can revolve around your career from blue-collar to white-collar and your family will always remember what you did and who you were. Why not capture that? These dramatic light sculpted WorkHard Portraits are great at capturing you and your livelihood.

What makes WorkHard Portraits as unique as they are? My personal vision is the base to the difference of my photography. I work hard to capture you in a unique way that separates my work from others. You are the focus of my images. I use advanced lighting approaches to create the look, mood, and feel of your portrait. My use of angles and compositions along with props and location is why my images excel. The post processing techniques I use is like a professional polish that will make your images the best that they can be. As always, my large format printable image quality is top-notch.

More information can be found here.

WorkHard Portrait Gallery can be viewed here.

Here are a few more photos from my day at Feed My Addiction Tattoo in Eau Claire. FYI – I am looking for males and females with extensive tattoos to participate in my Art of Ink photography project.  Details – You meet me for an hour or two for some photos and you get a CD of your images. Here is a link to my Art of Ink Project. I love doing themed photo shoots since they have more meaning and are just cool and fun. If you have a theme idea let me know  :)

Contact me about this cool project that I get a free cd for helping!