Yes, you’ve read it right – I’m planning to give away my time to build your photography blog. If you are just starting in photography (perhaps starting your own photography business) and do not have an existing blog to showcase your pictures, you would be a perfect candidate for this giveaway. Why am I doing this? First, I want to help one of our readers to get a web presence and start publishing their work. Second, I want to help ALL of our readers to get a web presence and publish their work. Wait a second, how am I going to do that? Well, here is the plan and how it will work:
- I need the lucky winner to be an example or a showcase, so to speak.
- I will build a blog for the winner using a hosted service through a hosting company like GoDaddy or 1and1 (or whoever the winner chooses).
- The blog will be built using WordPress – the engine that runs most of the blogs on the Internet today.
- I will install a theme selected by the winner and will do all of the necessary configuration for the blog to work properly.
- I will build a very basic structure of the website to get started.
- I will also install most of the plugins I personally use and recommend.
- I will configure the blog to be SEO-friendly and will submit the blog URL to the three major search engines (Google, Yahoo and Bing).
- While setting it up, I will take screenshots and write down each step of what I did (obviously, all private information will be hidden).
- I will then create a very long do-it-yourself, step-by-step article and publish it on this blog, along with a link to the created blog.
- I will provide a 1-2 hour training session to the winner for him/her to be able to independently post text and images.
So, by doing this and creating a step-by-step article, I will also help everyone else who want to have their own blog to post their work.
Some of you might be wondering why one might need a self-hosted blog like this, when you can use ready websites such as WordPress.com or Blogger.com to host your blog without having to pay monthly hosting fees and deal with other headaches. First of all, there is a big difference between a free hosted blog and your own self-hosted blog. The big part is customization – you can choose your own look/theme or pay someone to create one for you. Hosted blogs will typically force you to use their own themes and won’t let you customize your installation. On the subject of themes, none of the free hosting services I know of offer good blog themes for photographers (please correct me if I’m wrong). Next, is ability to use your own plugins – there are literally thousands of great free plugins that are currently available for WordPress that you can use on your own website. Free hosted blogs do not allow you to install your own plugins. I could go on and on about the benefits of a hosted solution…if you want to find out more, just search for some info on Google.
Anyway, before you read the rules, here are some disclaimers:
- The winner must agree to pay for the domain and hosting. I will obviously help to choose a very reasonable hosting package (as low as $5/month).
- If the winner already has a domain and a hosting account, he/she will need to provide the required logins/passwords (passwords can be temporarily changed for me).
- The winner must be able to provide basic information (such as name of the blog, initial usernames/passwords, etc) that is required to build the blog.
- The winner will either have to find a free WordPress theme or pay for a commercial one. I will NOT work on any theme customizations. I will make recommendations for photography-ready themes.
- I will NOT work on code changes and other customization that requires any kind of programming. Not that I can’t, but it just takes a lot of time that I simply don’t have.
- I will NOT work on or create any logos, artwork or any other type of images.
- The rules and disclaimers of the giveaway are subject to change any time.
Now giveaway rules:
- Leave a comment below with some short info about you and your photography business/hobby (you can hide your name). If you can, write why you need a blog.
- If you have any questions, post them in the comments section along with the above info without creating a new comment (only one comment per participant).
- Make sure to leave your valid email address in the “Email” field for me to be able to get back to you (not required if you are authenticating through Facebook).
- The giveaway deadline is November 30, 2010. Winner will be selected randomly.
I know this giveaway is unusual, but I think it will be very beneficial for those who are getting started in the photography world!
Good luck!
About Nasim Mansurov
фантастишь!!!
That’s a very kind and helpful offer Nasim – I hope many readers try and make use of it!
Best, P:)
Mans,
I’m from Indonesia, very new in photography world. Really interested to translate your works to my language in a blog. Your newbie guide is very helpful! Can i have permission on this please? Ofcourse you also will be the author and may help me supply the fresh contents in the future.
I am very curious who will be the lucky one.
Your idea about this giveaway is awesome.
I always dream about my photography blog, but as you know, I am only a beginner in the world of photography.
A very generous offer, good luck to all.
I’ve been wanting to create a photography blog for awhile but just not sure where to get started. So far I’ve used Flickr, facebook, and webpage exports from lightroom to show my 365 project which is ending this year. In the new year I want to show more of my photos and talk about them in a blogI already have a domain and hosting company. I just need some help getting started. I hope you choose me.
Also, How do I know if my hosting company supports word press?
Perfect candidate here. I’ve always loves taken pictures but just did not have the time or money. Finally wanted to do this so I went ahead and bought a Nikon D700 with 14-24mm f/2.8 lens and lots of accessories. Planning on someday to move from my present work as an oil & gas engineer to photography. It’s going to be a 5-10 year transition but I REALLY want to do it.
Nasim
This is a very generous offer, thank you.
I have been interested in starting a blog specializing in the Adirondack Mountain Region for sometime but lack the web skills and knowledge. I am very appreciative of having this opportunity of winning such a generous offer.
oh, wow… wonderful giveaway and would be lovely to be a winner! I am excited about it. Regardless, of who the winner is, I will keep touch with the process of getting a photography blog up.For beginners in photography like me and not having the required skills to set up a photography blog, i think your initiative is picture perfect !
Nasim,
I love this idea and your generous donation of your time and talent. I will enjoy reading your “How To” when published.
Please consider my photography work as a candidate for your offer. I donate my time and talent to charities for publication of their events and funding events. For example to help folks in job transition, I make free head shots for their social media such as LinkedIn. A photography blog would help me publish work for these not for profit groups and help and encourage others to do the same.
I am using pbase.com and facebook now. But a real website would be great.
Thank you. Cheers Bill
I have always wanted to create a photography blog. I am an amateur photographer. I have great interest in taking photos to preserve memories and still learning to be a better photographer. I feel that having a photography blog will allows me to share my love in photography and find encouragement in readers. I will be very grateful if I were to be chosen.
Hello Nasim, what a great idea!
We all know your ‘tech-fu’ is tops and anyone would love to have the opportunity to learn from your sharing of this content. For me this would provide the necessary ‘kick-in-the-pants’ to launch the travel and editorial photo biz left simmering on the side burner while my teaching career takes all my time;)
As you’ll see from my ‘placeholder site’ the medium I’ve been working with since highschool has brought me along thru fine art personal creative work to return to the true love of capturing experiences, places, people and ideas directly with the camera. Thru all this I have kept busy (and paid the bills) by teaching in the Visual Arts and yes, Photography!
A bona-fide blog for my startup would provide the much-needed platform for visibility, marketing and connection to creative projects and clients that this project so desperately needs. Most importantly the venue for sharing my own creative images and the ideas that go along with them in a progressing dynamic way is the outlet I am looking for.
Thanks for your offer to post this info for us!
Lincoln
Observing the feeling and capturing that for ever is an art out of ordinary. Things done and captured the way I see from my eyes and what gets captured in my heart reflects the reflections in my photos.
If you love your photography, then thank the nature!! – By shwetha
Love the life in colors :)
I am just starting my Photography business. I am a child/family photographer. I have a Blogger, but it isn’t what I want it to be. I want it to be professional looking and well, it’s not.
Thanks for the chance at this giveaway.
Hi Nasim,
I’m a great admirer of your blog – its been very helpful as I take my first forays into the photography world.
I was made redundant this year, and rather than see it as a set back, I am looking upon it as a new challenge, and I have resolved to grab opportunities and do things I enjoy more and more – such as photography. I would love to have a proper photography blog to help me to this, but I, like many of your readers it seems, are lacking the skills and experience. I greatly admire the ethos of pioneering photographers who focussed on the ‘taking’ of the picture, and this is something I would like to try and do more of.
Hi Nasim,
I am currently based in Dubai and a regular reader of your Blog. I have been into photography for 3 years now, and in that time have accumulated a reasonable portfolio of landscape and event images. I am new the world of bogging and would love the to win this giveaway. I have a lot of info to share but I lack the technical skills to develop the forum to share the same.
Here’s hoping for lady luck :)
Very nice Idea! I was going to launch my personal blog. I will be waiting “How to” series on the blog. Good luck!
I am really interested in your offer. I wish I had a professional looking interface to communicate my passion with the rest of the world. I had a quick look on the many existing solutions, but they more or less look the same. Sure would need support to stand above the crowd ;-)
Hi,
I am photographer for “Forum” weekly magazine in Germany. I am at very early stage of my career and willing to invest my time into building my online portfolio and blog. I have already domain name, hosting and wordpress install.
Nasim, please feel free to contact me for work samples. I would highly appreciate some help!
I already have domain name, hosting and wordpress install.
Delf recommended your site to increase my ability to work with camera.
Hi there!
I just purchased a big girl camera today, a Nikon D90, and I`d love to be able to master it. I need guidance, and assignments in order to do so. if you feel that would be a good tool, I`d loe to be a part of this!
I have wanted a real camera for a long as i can recall. i remember getting the photography bug when I got a 110mm for Christmas when I was 9. Life has gotten in the way and this is OK (I like my life), and now I have the opportunity to spend some more time on a hobby I have never really had a chance to get to know. i`d love to know it better.
Laurie
Dear Nasim
Thank you again for your kindness. I just started my photography work with some kind of a good camera (Nikkon D3000) on last June.
If I won this oppertunity, It will be a great chance for me to develop my feture in Photograpy.
Wish you all the best.
Really a great idea. Of course, fully interested in getting your help to show my work and helping me to create a professional looking web. Your offer is so unusual that you already got me.
Hi Nasim,
This is a great giveaway!! I do have a free hosted photo blog and as you mentioned in your post, there’s no freedom of what I can do with my blog except for some things. I’ve always wanted to have a neat photoblog where I can showcase my pictures.
My only desire for me in having a self-hosted blog is the freedom and the opportunity to do what I want to do with my pictures. It’s basically the organization part. I want it to be very organized so I will be able to highlight all what is needed to be highlighted.
Thanks again for this great giveaway! :)
Hi –
I’ve been a long time reader and greatly enjoy your photographic and writing work. I would very much like the chance to get your help on a photography blog.
I’m currently living in and traveling around Europe with my wife. We saved up as much money we could around our wedding, got plane tickets, and made the jump. We bought a car, and now we’ve taken to a nomadic lifestyle of sorts, staying with friends here and there, trying to pursue our goals and see what happens. I’m a cycling journalist, I write a lot for different magazines and websites, but my main goal is to push my photography forward, not just in cycling, but hopefully in other genres as well.
I’ve posted thousands of pictures to my Flickr page, and I do have my own website, but I’m not sure how to make the juncture between the two. I would greatly love to combine the two, as I’m beginning to see that it would be a much better solution.
Anyhow, thanks for your generous offer. I think we’re all very grateful for your help.
JERED
Jered, you have won the giveaway!
Please see this and get back to me as soon as possible for us to get started!
Thank you for your participation.
Hello Nasim,
This is a phenomenal idea. I have a very basic Tumblr theme going for my photography business that I’m trying to upstart. I’ve been looking for something more sophisticated though for some time, but I don’t have a ton of time to also dedicate to web development.
Well, good luck to all. Big fan of your blog — one of the few that I like to check out routinely.
Kyle
Great idea Nasim. I’ve always wanted to learn WordPress. It’s nice that you will write a tutorial for all of us. Great job and good luck to whoever wins.
Hi Nasim aka, great idea and great job. Keep it up! People like you always inspire me brother.)))
Hi Nasim,
This is a most generous offer and I hope I win! I am a 58 year old CPA who has been an avid amateur photographer for about 35 years. Recently, I have been getting more serious and some local galleries have seen my work and commented that some of it may have sales potential. Since I am looking for something to do after I leave my professional practice, I my get even more serious about photography and take it from a hobby to a real occupation. Obviously a website or blog would help to get this process going. Any assistance would be really appreciated. If I don’t “win”, I will contact you to see if you can provide the help I need on a fee-for-service basis. Cheers.
I’m a full time special ed teacher and full time student who does some portrait photography on the side. I have thought much about it, but haven’t bothered to build a blog simply because of the time commitment. After teaching, school, and a steady stream of word-of-mouth photography business, I hardly have time to sleep. This giveaway would give be just what I need.
Andra
SLC, UT
Hi Nasim,
This is a great giveaway and something that’s really going to help someone. I am planning over the next 4 years to move my photography from much loved hobby to a paying concern and this would be a great first step to give people visibility of my passion for the art.
My main theme is the natural world, from tiny insects and birds to huge open landscapes and I would love this opportunity to share my work with a wider audience.
Thanks for your thoughtful giveaway.
Mark.
Hi Nasim.
It was my father-in-law who ignited the fire of my photography hobby 10 years ago.
He had a collection of my wife’s entire history in 4 albums. My parents were not into the photography and I have only handful of pictures growing up and the charm and legacy of it grabbed me immediately.
My first serious camera was a Canon EOS 300 which was an entry level film SLR. I switched to Minolta and then Nikon 4 years ago when Minolta was sold to Sony. For the last 10 years, I ‘invested’ fixed amount of monies every month and I have now quite a good Nikon gears.
I have been thinking about doing wedding/portrait photography for business since a while ago. It is a bless you can make living, doing what you love. I spend 90% time free experimenting with my gears and reading about photography.
While I can still improve my picture taking skills, my business end of skills / how to present work etc needs serious learning.
I think the opportunity you are giving away would make a world of difference for me.
I am based in England by the way.
Thanks very much.
Duncan
I’m just starting my photography business… I currently have a website that I created through wix.com. I love art and design, but I’m not currently up on the web design. I really think that having a new blog would help jumpstart my photography business.