Note, this is Windows only, which makes me a sad Mac. Not really though, because I have a PC laptop.

EDIT: Link is up. Click on the links above, or HERE.

Most cities require businesses to have a city business license. Think of it as a license to drive your business within city boundaries. If you drive your business into other cities, you will need a separate license for each. You pick up most license applications at the city’s Planning and Zoning Department.

The main purpose is to regulate what types of businesses are represented in the city. Most cities do not want strip clubs in a residential area. One purpose of such license is to identify who is in the city extracting money from its residents, just in case some business does not follow-through with its promise. For example, if a photographer takes a large deposit from a wedding client and fails to perform or even show up, the client can file a criminal complaint with the city, who will send out police investigators to track the photographer down based on the information on the license application.

There are several other licenses businesses most obtain to be legitimate: State Employment ID numbers, State, County, and City Sales Tax numbers, Federal License numbers, State Regulatory numbers, County Health Permits, etc. A one-hour discussion with your attorney or accountant can identify which license you may need to obtain. Hiring them to obtain a Federal ID Number does not license you for everything.

Joseph M. Tames has been a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor since 1999. Joe travels throughout the United States installing, setting up, training, and troubleshooting QuickBooks software and solving accounting and tax-related issues. In his spare time, Joe attempts to solve the photographic properties of exposure and composition. You can reach Joe by phone at 866-293-5974 or by email at josephtames@gmail.com.

Most people believe they can setup their Sole Proprietorship or LLC by themselves; install, setup and implement their QuickBooks program by themselves; properly account for all monies in and out by themselves; and transfer such business information to the proper tax forms to accurately reflect, “under the penalties of perjury”, their individual tax liability.

If you can do all of these, you do not need an accountant. If you need help with any of these, you might need an accountant.

The question then becomes not if you need one; the question is how often.

Businesses that gross over $1M need an accountant full-time. Businesses that have payroll or complicated sales tax returns need an accountant at least once a month. Most small businesses need an accountant on a quarterly-basis just for checkups. Some savvy business owners just want accountants to do the annual taxes; or to setup their business, teach them a few things, be available for phone calls.

You need to determine when you need an accountant. A no-cost phone call to an accountant familiar with your business can give you options.

Joseph M. Tames has been a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor since 1999. Joe travels throughout the United States installing, setting up, training, and troubleshooting QuickBooks software and solving accounting and tax-related issues. In his spare time, Joe attempts to solve the photographic properties of exposure and composition. You can reach Joe by phone at 866-293-5974 or by email at josephtames@gmail.com.

This software was available as a giveaway on June 16, 2008, this giveaway is not available any more. You can download the trial version of this software at http://www.macrium.com.

They have a “free” edition that’s a bit more feature limited. I’ll be looking into alternatives. Thanks!

I found this on Lifehacker, an excellent resource for random tips and tricks that can make life easier. I get at least one time saver a week, if not more, by checking out the site. It’s not a site everyone here will like, but sometimes the Lifehacker world will crossover into photography related subjects. Like today, and today only, Macrium Reflect is offering their full version (not the free version) of their software, totally free, but today only. I’m sure you have to sell your soul (give them your email address, or a kitten), but it is a $40 piece of software.

Personally, on the PC side of things, I used to use Syncback SE. Since the great switch of ’08, I now use Chronosync on the Mac. But if you don’t have the money to afford either application for backups, or just haven’t considered a backup solution, maybe this is a nice entry into that world.

PSA time: Backups are really important. Whether it’s a picture of kitty, your child, Shaq, a graduating senior, a model, etc. you really should have some duplication of your work somewhere else. Every week it seeems, some poor sap is giving us the usual sob story about how their hard drive made the clicking noise of doom. No backup, and so their life’s work is gone. They could pay hundreds if not thousands of dollars to get a service like DriveSavers to extract the data by breaking the drive apart in a clean room with bunny suits (think spaceman uniform, not Easter time). And no guarantees on saving it all.

Or you could just backup your stuff. And programs like these make it easier, if not automatic, to do so. I’ve already given you links on previous articles where you can find external drives for cheap. Try 1TB for 200 or so dollars. And now we have free backup software.

The rest is up to you.

Thanks for taking time to do this, I really appreciate it.
Right now I have:

• 20D, nearing the 50k shutter count.
• 28-105 3.5-4.5
• 50 1.8
• 70-200 2.8

My budget is roughly $2200. I could come up with a few extra hundred dollars if needed. I use my 70-200 by far the most, and often it is not long enough. I was thinking that I would pick up the 300 f/4 non-IS to cover the longer focal lengths.

I use my 28-105 for more wide angle shots, but it is awkward for me in terms of focal length. It is often either not long enough of not wide enough. For this reason, I was considering selling it and picking up either the 17-40, the 24-70 or even the 17-55.

I was also considering either the Mark II, 40D or 30D as a second body, to go along with, not replace my 20D. I am attracted to the Mark II for obvious reasons, but right now I am thinking the $ might be better spent on some fast glass.

Another consideration is that my shooting consists of perhaps %85 sports, I have all the other events at my school to cover, hence my wishing for a WA of sorts. I am torn between the 17-40 and 24-70 in terms of useful focal length and aperture. And then it was thrown out there I should look at the 85 1.8 (?)

Some combos I was considering…

30D + 300 f/4 + 24-70 or 16-35 (for journalistic type shots)
40D + 300 f/4 + 17-40
Mark II + 300 f/4 (keep 28-105)

Thanks again for working on this.
______________________________________________

Ok Zander. One approach would be to keep the 20D until it died. The 28-105 would go, because it’s not fast enough for night sports. Keep the 50 and 70-200. With your 2200, plus 150 or so from the 28-105, you’d have 2350 to spend. with maybe 200 more if you sell your cat/soul/friend or something.

First things first: the 17-40 or 24-70. Ignore both, and head for the Sigma 18-50 2.8. You’d have a gap between 50 and 70, but you’d have 18 covered at 2.8 instead of f/4. Forget new, and go for it used, where it might cost you around $350 or so. 2,000 left, maybe 2200.

Get an 85 1.8. I’ve seen under 300 used, figure 280. That leaves you 1720, maybe 1920.

Sell your pet/organ/friend and get about 150 or so dollars, then get a Sigma 120-300 2.8. Yes, there’s overlap, but you can’t really get 300 2.8 for under 2k without the Sigma. And a Sigma or similar 300 prime would be in the same price range as the zoom, so you may as well get the zoom, since it’s an easier lens to find on the buy and sells. Your final kit would be:

• 20D
• Sigma 18-50 2.8
• 50 1.8
• 85 1.8
• 70-200 2.8
• 120-300 2.8

You have a range from 18 to 300 covered at 2.8, with the 50 1.8 or 85 1.8 primes serving for anything from portraits to low light indoor gym shots. Your next purchase would be a cheap 20D, not a 30D. Forget the bigger screen and not so big difference in ISO noise (remember, same sensor between the 20 and 30D), save that for more lenses. With 2 20D’s, you could be very versatile. If you can live without the 85 1.8, you can get the 20D instead, and then go 18-50 and 70-200 on the bodies, or 18-50 and 120-300. Either way, you can cover low light events decently.
______________________________________________

Next approach: If you had to get a newish camera, get the 40D. New sensor, more versatility with live view. Get the grip. So you’re down from 2200 to about 1200. Get the Sigma 18-50 2.8. Down to about 850. Sell the 28-105, back to 1k. You can then either get the 300 4 IS for that, or the 300 4 NON IS for about 325 less, which you then parlay into an 85 1.8. The difference would be that the old 300 is no longer serviced by Canon. Good range, two cameras, but not especially good for night field sports, since you’re at f/4. Final kit:

• 20D
• 40D
• 18-50 2.8
• 50 1.8
• 70-200 2.8
• 300 4 IS OR
• 300 4 non IS plus 85 1.8

Oh, and no need to sell kitty to get some extra cheddar for your purchases.
______________________________________________

Final approach. Sell the 70-200. Sell the 28-105. Figure you got about 3250. Get the Sigma 120-300 for 1850 or so. 1400 left. get another 20D perhaps with grip for 525 or so, leaving you with 875. Get a Sigma 18-50 for 350, 525 left. Tamron 28-75 2.8 for 300 or so, 225 left. Sell the family pet and get 125 bucks, then go get a 100 2 for 350. Two cameras, all 2.8 or faster lenses, two wider type lenses, but a gap between 75-120 with a 100 2.0 to fill that gap. Final kit:

• 20D
• 20D
• 18-50 2.8
• 28-75 2.8
• 50 1.8
• 100 2 (or an 85 1.8, but the 100 fills the gap better).
• 120-300 2.8

Bottom line, you have some choices to make. Each kit sorta aims for a need, first one getting you range at 2.8, but you only have one camera, and a gap. Second one gets you 2 cameras, a 40D even, but f/4 at 300 really limits you. Last kit gets you 2 cameras, 300 at 2.8, but you sell that very versatile 70-200 2.8. It’s up to you to decide which kit best serves your purposes. Be flexible in your choices so long as every lens serves a necessary purpose.

Rules: Buy used, you can’t the cost of going new. Don’t get the latest generation camera unless you feel it’s absolutely necessary. And sell the dead weight lenses. That 28-105 won’t net you much, but it can go towards a lens you would use, and could actually produce images with in a low light environment. I’d say drop the 50 1.8 but that’s so cheap that you may as well keep it.

Internal Revenue Service guidelines strictly prohibit deducting the value of services rendered. Why is this? Because while everyone’s time is valuable, there is no standard in determining what that time is worth.

The workaround would be to invoice the non-profit for your services. The non-profit pays your invoice and you immediately countersign the check and return to the non-profit as a donation. Further proof of the donation is a letter from the non-profit thanking you for your donation.

For example, Non-Profit wants Joe Accountant to prepare its annual taxes, but has no money to pay for such services. Joe Accountant agrees to prepare such taxes, but will invoice for the service. Non-Profit agrees to pay the invoice, but expects Joe Accountant to countersign the check as a donation (remember the scene from Ghost). Joe Accountant receives a letter of donation from Non-Profit. Non-Profit deposits countersigned check into its bank account. The effect: The bank will credit the deposit first and clear the same check as a debit.

Non-Profit paid for services rendered; Joe Accountant received payment for services rendered. Joe Accountant has a verifiable donation letter; Non-Profit has a cash donation. This creates an audit-proof paper trail.

Joseph M. Tames has been a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor since 1999. Joe travels throughout the United States installing, setting up, training, and troubleshooting QuickBooks software and solving accounting and tax-related issues. In his spare time, Joe attempts to solve the photographic properties of exposure and composition. You can reach Joe by phone at 866-293-5974 or by email at josephtames@gmail.com.

Joe will be posting an article very soon, so stay tuned!

In this article, we’re going to look at some questions you can ask of yourself to really get the appropriate equipment for your needs. key word: Needs. Sure anyone can rationalize a purchase, but those rationalizations are just lies we tell ourselves so we can feel better about the buy. The sad truth is that we often have more money than we think we do. We just spend it wrong. Ever seen someone with a nice car and expensive rims, but is broke and lives with their parents? We all do it, to different degrees.

So, read on to find out more about what you can do to really assess your needs

First, you need to know what you shoot, and how much of it. If you’re a portrait shooter who does natural light and outdoor work, you will have very different needs from that of a youth sports photographer. I won’t go into fine detail with this article, because everyone has specific needs. But if you like, email me, and I’ll gladly consult with you on the best bang for your buck equipment. I will make some “general” reccomendation, but only to serve as an example.

Rather than go by equipment categories, I’ll touch on a few photographer categories. This is because they each share the same type of equipment, but the emphasis on needs will differ by each photographers primary work. Onto the categories:

Sports photographers: if you shoot youth sports, or even professional sports, most times you don’t really get to control the lighting by using strobes. So why invest heavily in lights? If you shoot a lot of night games, and it’s permissible, get a flash, and consider a battery pack for it.

You might think you need the best camera, but the difference between the pro series camera and a semi-pro is easily 3,000 dollars. That’s more than the combined cost of two very popular lenses, the 70-200 2.8 and 24-70 2.8 (in Canon or Nikon mounts). Remember, camera prices go down FAST. get the best lenses now, and buy that big camera in a year, when it’s gone down in price. Always think lens first.

Lenses are where you want to spend. Indoors, you need the fastest lenses (lowest apertures) to get more light. Outdoors, you may want the bigger lenses to get more focal length (think 300/400 etc mm) because you’re limited in movement and access. If you shoot both, you need it all. Again, look at the lenses in common for the sports you shoot. Those are the most versatile, and the ones you should aim for. I can shoot most any sports with a 24-70, 70-200 and a 300, all 2.8 lenses. But that’s for what I shoot. If you need more light, consider primes, such as the 85 1.8 and the 135 2.0. If you were outdoors, you may opt for a 300 4, 400 5.6, or if you got the money, 300 2.8 or 400 2.8

Portrait photographers: If you’re an outdoor photographer, you may want to look at those nicer lenses I mentioned for sports photography, but not the longer ones. Anything from the 24-70, the 85, the 135. You don’t need a lot of range, because you can move around freely. The nicer lenses are needed because you may not always control your lighting. If you use natural light, you will want the better lenses to have more leeway with your exposure.

Indoors, you don’t need the best lenses, because you control the lighting. I know portrait photographers that shoot with a 28-135 midgrade lens. You can certainly get the best lenses, but if you’re budget is tight, spend that money on lights. Don’t get the cheapest grade lenses, but midrange lenses, like a 70-200 4, or a 28-135, can really go a long way. Even the 85 1.8 is considered midrange in cost, but it’s an excellent lens.

Cameras: You can get away with an XSi, or a D80 or similar hobbyist level camera. Why? Well, the sensors in those cameras are nearly as good as the semi pro or even the pro cameras. It’s the feature set that’s usually lacking. Do you care if you can only shoot to ISO 1600? Not if you have good lights. If you’re outdoors, step it up a notch to a 40D or D300, for better performance in low/natural lighting.

Lights, that’s where the money goes. You want a healthy set of lights, to allow for various 2,3,4 or even more light setups, even a ringlight. You also want some nice modifiers. Umbrellas, softboxes, octabox, beauty dish, etc. This will give you versatility in your setups, from standard lighting, high key, low key, rim etc. If you shoot outdoors, you may have spend that budget on lenses, but you can always try to work with a few less lights, and get some reflectors, to use both outdoors and indoors. In fact, a lot of simple indoor lighting setups are one or two lights with a reflector on a stand. You could also consider a battery pack, to make your lights portable for interesting outdoor setups.

As you can see, the emphasis on the equipment depends on what you shoot. It’s important to look at what you do for your specific needs, because noone fits perfectly into these categories.

For example, I shoot sports, but I also shoot weddings. For me, I need the best low light camera, lenses with image stabilzation or very fast apertures, and perhaps one on camera flash with an off camera cord. I would not need studio lights, but a small reflector and perhaps a scrim may come in handy.

Hopefully, this article will give you insight on how you can allocate your budget to what’s most important. Email me if you like, and we can talk in depth.