HOW TO START A PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS: THE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER’S GUIDE

Posted on May 27, 2018 by مشرف

When you first picked up a camera and began taking pictures, do you remember how you felt? As you snapped photos of your surroundings or your friends and family, you may have thought about how getting into photography would be your dream job (and may have thought about starting a photography business).

Fast forward to today, and here you are, a wedding photography business owner. You did the research necessary to learn how to how to start a photography business, and now you spend your time doing exactly what you love and working with clients who adore you. Getting into photography as a business venture is just the beginning.

START A PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS

When you make the decision to find out how to start your own photography business, one of your top priorities is growth. We’ve created a comprehensive list of things you need to know to prepare, build, and sustain your growth, which we will cover in 4 separate blog posts. In the first post of this series, we will cover 4 ways to prepare your photography business for growth.

*As a note, these tips can help you whether you are in your first year or are an established photography business.

1. GOALS AND METRICS

Some of the first questions you may have when you start a photography business are:

  1. What do I need to start a photography business?
  2. What should I do to set up a photography business that is successful?
  3. Which steps do I take toward building a photography business right now?

With everything you do in business, the key to growth is setting goals as a part of your photography business plan. When you first set out to start a photography business, sit down and write out the goals you needed to achieve to do so.

While working toward an end goal for your business, every decision you make should be aimed at growing your wedding photography business and increasing your profit. If your focus is anywhere else but on your end goal, it will be harder to establish a brand that people recognize.

Your Plan

As a business owner, it’s necessary to think of growth in terms of where you want to be in the future. The first step to this is to figure out where you are today. From where you are now, create a plan using goals and metrics to help you reach your long-term goal. Start by taking a look at the metrics of your photography business. How many weddings did you shoot last year and how much profit did you bring in? These numbers will help you to forecast your metrics for this year.

Tip: Create a photography business plan template that you can adjust each year based on what you achieved the previous year.

Previous Year:

  • # of weddings
  • # of portraits or other events
  • Booking fee
  • # of Associate photographers (if applicable)
  • Average print sale
  • Average album sale

Goals for this Year:

  • # of weddings
  • # of portraits or other events
  • Booking fee
  • # of Associate photographers (if applicable)
  • Average print sale
  • Average album sale

Resource: Blog – 4 Left and Right-Brained Tasks to Prepare for Busy Season

Tip: Make sure you also add in any Specialists you outsource to, such as ShootDotEdit for your wedding photo editing needs, into your budget.

SMART System

Once you’ve taken a look at where you currently are in your wedding photography business and where you want to be, it’s time to create a detailed plan that will help you get there. Any goal you set during this process should be reasonable and should be supported by metrics. Relying on the metrics of your business informs you of whether your goals are realistic and achievable. For example, a goal of making one million dollars in a year sounds like a great goal. But, is it obtainable? To help determine if this goal can be achieved, you could review your income from the previous year to see if it’s within reach of your goal.

By using metrics in conjunction with your goals, you will be able to identify where you want to go and what you need to do to get there. Metrics help establish the framework for making your goals obtainable, and without them, goals may sound great but not be in reach. By having a purpose with metrics to support it, you are creating good systems that will help grow your photography business.

Setting goals is the fastest way for you to improve your wedding photography business on a regular basis throughout the year. Once you create your overall goal for the year, break some of your larger tasks down into short-term goals. Short-term goals allow you to stay focused on your long-term goal but require less of your time and energy.

When setting short-term goals, decide what aspects of your photography business you need to work on to grow, and what parts you can outsource to save you time. Outsourcing to specialists frees you up so you can focus on the tasks that only YOU can do.

The SMART System for Goals:

Specific: Create specific goals that are highly detailed (ex: shoot 15 weddings per year)
Measurable: Base attainable goals on the dollar amount and percentage
Action-Oriented: List the actionable items you need to do to reach your goals
Realistic: Avoid setting goals that are out of your reach
Time Specific: Every goal you make needs to have a deadline

Resource: Blog – The Science of Setting Goals That Will Actually Motivate You

Who’s Doing It Right?

ShootDotEdit Wedding Pro, Vanessa Joy recommends to be specific in the goals you set for your wedding photography business, especially when it comes to booking weddings.

“To reach your goals, you need to know what they are. It’s no use to throw a number out there like ‘15 weddings’ when 5 of those could be $5,000 weddings and the others are $2,000. When making and attempting to reach booking goals, be as specific as possible, breaking down the numbers and doing the math to come up with a concrete target in numbers and dollars.”– Vanessa Joy Photography

Activities:

  1. Prepare yourself for growth within your photography business with metrics from the previous year. Write out the specific goals you need to reach this year for your business, photography shoots included:
    • Number of weddings and other events
    • Booking fee
    • Number of Associate Photographers
    • Total revenue
  2. Where do you want to be in the next year of your wedding photography business? Review your goals and metrics from the previous year. What are you doing differently to achieve your goals this year?
  3. Choose your top 3 goals that are achievable and create at least 2 SMART metrics for them.
    • Create a time frame for these goals to determine when you’ll check in to see how far along you are in terms of attaining the said goal.

2. BRAND AND MESSAGE

Since there are thousands of photographers in the industry who want to book weddings, your brand message has to stand out to reach your goals. When you are unique as a wedding photographer and have a strong central message, it will allow you to attract the right clients to your website and help set the stage for growth. Getting to know your clients is a way to develop your niche to deliver a brand message that captures their attention.

Authenticity

Every photographer’s path differs when it comes to setting up a photography business, so it is important to stay true to who you are as a person and a photographer. It’s important to understand the difference between being unique and being different. Being unique and being authentic to who you are will set you apart from other photography businesses. Knowing who you are and what your passions are will help you to define what it is that makes you unique.

Know why clients choose you. The more you can build a business around YOU, the less you can be copied, and the more your clients will want you. They will book you because they love YOU, and if they love you, they will love your work.

Specialism

Specialism is the way for you to develop a unique brand message that attracts ideal clients to your photography business. Author and specialism guru Jeff Jochum says it best in his book, Uniqueing Your Brand:

“Anyone can copy what you do; no one can copy who you are. The essence to making Specialism work for your business is that you must stand for something other than ‘making money’ to make this happen. Your WHO becomes your primary differentiator, and the real value of your business. We call this ‘YOUniqueness.” – Jeff Jochum

How do you decide if you are a Generalist or a Specialist? Take a look at the events you have booked on your calendar. Are you shooting a variety of events from weddings, portraits, newborns, and landscapes? If so, you fit more into the category of a Generalist – clients can look to you for a variety of photography services.

A Specialist focuses on one aspect of photography, such as wedding photography. Creating a specialized brand will send the message to clients that you only photograph weddings.

Resource: Blog – What is a Specialist?

In his book, Jeff highlights the 4 steps to becoming a Specialist:

  1. Discover who you are and what makes you unique.
  2. Be authentic to yourself. Use words that resonate with who you are and your passion.
  3. Declare who you are and what makes you unique to the rest of the market.
  4. Deliver a message (through your website, social media, etc.) that reinforces your declaration of who you are.

Resource: Book – Uniqueing Your Brand by Jeff Jochum

Who’s Doing It Right?

Sarah Roshan, ShootDotEdit Customer, specializes in outdoor wedding photography and markets to ideal clients that share that quality. When you view her website, she shares images from her past weddings that focus on the outdoors, which helps her attract the right kind of client to her wedding photography business.

Activities:

  1. Write down 5 things about you that make you stand out from other photographers. What do you offer in your services that other photographers do not?
  2. Determine whether you are a Generalist or a Specialist by writing down the types of events you shoot throughout the year. Do you notice that you book a variety of photography events, or do you consistently shoot the same events?
  3. Create a “want list” for events. What types of events do you want to shoot, and what are you going to do to achieve this goal?

3. ORGANIZATION

When you first started your photography business, you may have been thrilled to start a photo studio, to work your own hours, and to be your own boss. The truth is, opening a photography business may show you that you might enjoy not having a boss, but not necessarily enjoy being the boss. When you’re in charge, you have the responsibility of growing and maintaining your wedding photography business – that’s a lot of work and pressure.

The E-Myth Revisited, by Michael Gerber, states that most new businesses are not started by entrepreneurs who set out to build a strong business, but rather, by technicians who enjoy the hands-on work themselves. As a photographer, you are a technician who is passionate about the work and your clients. Because of this, you may tend to focus on working IN your business rather than working ON your business.

Resource: Book – The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber

As the CEO of your business, you take on 3 very different jobs:

  1. The Entrepreneur: You have the vision and the passion to implement ideas  that will help to grow your business.
  2. The Artist: You have the vision and passion to create beautiful art with your images.
  3. The Manager: You are in charge of creating a vision to ensure success for your business.

Within all three of your roles, it is necessary to implement systems that will keep you and your business organized at all times. Organization is key to running a smooth and productive business.

“Creating a system helps you stay in control of your business as it continues to grow.” – Mike Adrian

Manuals

As you narrow down the necessary steps it will take to start and grow your wedding photography business, create a manual that outlines every process involved in your business. Taking part in this exercise will help you to dial into your photography business and every aspect of running it. This will help you review everything you currently do, refine it to eliminate any unnecessary steps, expand on those that need clarification, and delegate tasks that do not need to be completed by you. By refining each system within your business, you are setting yourself up for success and can spend time focusing on other areas of your photography business.

Here are the steps to take:

  1. Write the Process: Write down everything you currently do in your wedding photography business. This list should be as detailed as possible so you know exactly what needs to be worked on by someone other than you.
  2. Simplify the Process: The next step is to take a look at your current tasks and figure out what steps can be removed. Also, take note of what steps only you can do.
  3. Assign the Process: As your business grows, start delegating or outsourcing your tasks to in-house employees or other businesses.

Resource – Blog: Creating a Manual for Your Wedding Photography Business

Quick Checklist:
Do you have systems in place for everything?

  • Email management
  • Lead management and processes
  • Booking process (wedding photography contract, as well as the information that goes along with it)
  • Client management
  • Post-shoot workflow (cull, color correction, blogging, social media, etc.)
  • Vendor Relationships

Emails

In many cases, the clients you encounter in your photography business want their information as soon as possible. They expect a quick reply from you wherever you may be during the day. Since you probably receive hundreds of emails throughout the work week, setting up systems to manage your emails will help you stay on top of your communication.

FREE TEMPLATES

Streamline Your Email Workflow

According to the McKinsey Global Institute, the average person dedicates 13 hours per week to reading, deleting, sorting, and sending emails. That’s nearly 30 percent of your work week.

Use a system to speed up your email process:

  1. Schedule Time: As you create a calendar for the month, be sure to schedule time each morning to check your inbox. By beginning with this, you can respond to any urgent emails right away and then work on other projects right after.
  2. Prioritize Emails: Sort your emails as you receive them into urgent and ones that can be answered at a later time. This allows you to communicate with your clients and vendors in a timely manner without overwhelming yourself with emails that are not high priority.
  3. Automate Messages: Much of the time, your emails can have the same copy for several clients. Automate your emails so you can save time writing out every individual email.

Resource– Templates: 49 FREE Email Templates for Wedding Photographers

Who’s Doing It Right?

Leeann Marie, Wedding Photographers is known as the “Photographer Systems Queen” for her ability to implement effective systems into her business.

In addition to outsourcing her wedding photo editing needs to ShootDotEdit, Leeann uses IFTTT. IFTTT creates “recipes” to connect your various social media platforms.

Quick Workflow Hacks

Táve – Virtual studio manager
1Password – Creates and remembers passwords
Boomerang – Schedules your email messages
Wunderlist – Manage and share your to-do lists
ShootDotEdit – Photo editing services for photographers
Dropbox – A way for you to keep all your images together on your computers and devices
Evernote – Keep track of your ideas and to-do lists in an organized manner
Fotoskribe – Outsourced blogging that captures Google’s attention
Hootsuite – Schedule and keep track of your social media activity
Asana – Project Management Software to share projects and set deadlines
Extra – A team of marketers sell prints for you from your wedding photography gallery to your gallery guests, commission free. You get checks every month

Activities:

  1. Understand the 3 roles you play in your company. Divide your workload into those 3 sections to become a better business owner.
    • What do you need to do to become The Entrepreneur?
    • What do you need to change to focus on your artistry?
    • How do you transform into The Manager while maintaining your other 2 responsibilities?
  2. Create systems that will allow you to speed up your workflow. Use workflow hacks that keep your systems organized and help you to stay on track. Outsource time-consuming things, like wedding photo edits.
  3. Write down everything you do in your daily workflow. What needs your attention and what can be done by someone else? Have 2 tasks in mind you can give to someone else.

Related: The Keys to Building a Successful Photography Business

4. WORKFLOW

For you to effectively grow your photography business, your workflow needs to be efficient, both in time and productivity. Once you shoot the wedding, your clients are anxiously awaiting their images. When photographers edit, it takes a lot of time away from other important tasks, especially because wedding photography editing is one of the most time-consuming parts. Thankfully, there are plenty of workflow tools to help speed up the time you spend working on your images.

Cull

If not focused on the task at hand, culling can become a tedious and disorganized part of your workflow. You need a system in place that allows you to review, sort, and prepare your images for editing as quickly and painlessly as possible so you can continue with your post-shoot workflow. Creating a workflow for how you cull is extremely important and can save you hours of unnecessary work.

Programs such as Lightroom have the functionality of tagging and rating images during a cull; however, there is one program that stands out as the most efficient to many photographers: Photo Mechanic. Touted as a standalone image browser and workflow accelerator, Photo Mechanic allows you to cull, sort, tag, and prep your images in a timely manner. It also has a great export feature, so when you are finished culling, you can pull the chosen images back into your editing program and start your post-production work or outsource to a photo editing company like ShootDotEdit.

Photo Mechanic Details:

  1. It uses the embedded JPGs found in your RAW files to view the images – this means there are no previews that need to render, which eliminates the lag time.
  2. All tagging and color labels are customizable to your needs.
  3. Any tags or starred metadata will be saved and can be viewed in your Lightroom Catalog.

Color Correction

While most photography is an art, color correction is more of a science. Color correction is about bringing all your images to a consistent, normalized point. The most common program for color correction is Lightroom. While this program is designed to help you create an efficient workflow, editing is still a time-consuming process. Balancing for exposure, color, and contrast is an arduous task, and this is what takes up the majority of your time in post production.

Rather than editing wedding photos yourself, consider the choice to outsource photography editing to a Specialist. ShootDotEdit, a photo editing service, teamed up with Jared Platt, the industry leader in Lightroom, to create a robust Lightroom workflow with advanced tips, as well as shortcuts that will speed up the process. This workflow provides a fast way to send and receive images that will give you countless hours back that you can use to grow your wedding photography business. Plus, when you send your images to a professional photo editing service, you can trust that your images are in good hands while you work on other parts of your photography business.

Resource: Online Training – Advanced Lightroom Skillsets with Jared Platt

Resource: Blog – Top 5 Advanced Lightroom Tips

Lightroom CC/6

With Lightroom CC part of the Creative Cloud, it makes editing your images faster than ever before! The ability for you to utilize the most advanced version of Lightroom allows you to increase your workflow speed and spend more time on other parts of your business.

  1. Invest in Lightroom Mobile: Now that Lightroom is part of the Creative Cloud, you can take your images anywhere you go, on any device you want.
  2. Use Facial Recognition: With the newest version, you can categorize and organize images based on one person – think of the time you can save with this brand new feature.
  3. Notice the Speed: The time it takes to import and export images is significantly reduced, allowing you to work on your images faster.

Resource: Blog – Top 5 Tips for Lightroom CC

Tip: Use Extra to host your images and present to your clients. Not only will ShootDotEdit take care of your wedding photography post production needs, but your images will be loaded to Extra for you and you’ll receive checks for your print sales, commission free!

Who’s Doing It Right?

Workflow expert, Jared Platt, is known for utilizing post-processing tools to increase his productivity. He is an advocate for Lightroom’s many time-saving benefits.

Print Sales

After you shoot a wedding, do you have a plan in place to sell prints to your clients and their loved ones? If not, you are missing out on more money from print sales. By selling prints and giving clients the opportunity to purchase them, you could be increasing your profit drastically! Our newest service, Extra, is complimentary with our Annual Plans and is a simple way for you to share your images with clients after the wedding day. Not only can you outsource your color correction to wedding photography editing service, ShootDotEdit, but now Extra can also increase your profit without any more work on your part.

Imagine this: you shoot a wedding on Saturday and send it to ShootDotEdit on Sunday. Your images are color corrected and placed on Extra by Wednesday, which is when you send the gallery link to your clients, as well as their family and friends. By Thursday, Extra is already selling your prints and making you more money! Click here to learn more about Extra and how we can make you more money from every wedding.

Turnaround Time

With tools such as Photo Mechanic for culling, ShootDotEdit for color correcting, and Extra for sharing and selling prints, photographers can get their turnaround time from shoot to client delivery reduced to 1-2 weeks, saving an average of 6 weeks.

Resource: Blog – How Fast Turnaround Times Create Client Evangelists

“If you spend a little extra effort now, it will save hours upon hours in the future.” – Jared Platt

Fast turnaround time in your wedding photography business matters. Here’s why:

  1. Delivering beautiful images to clients FAST increases their happiness.
  2. Happy clients spend more money and will share their great experience with others.
  3. FAST delivery keeps your business efficient.

Activities:

  1. What program do you use to cull your images?
    • How long does the culling process take you?
    • Do you have a clearly defined workflow to review your images? Write 3 ways you can speed up your cull. (Hint: We highly recommend Photo Mechanic!).
  2. Take a look at your color correction workflow.
    • How long does it take you to apply basic color correction to an entire event?
    • How long do you spend on artistic edits?
    • Write 3 ways you can reduce this time and spend it on areas that generate a profit in your photography business:
      • A photo editing company like ShootDotEdit can do your post production work and have your images back to you as fast as 48 hours!
  3. How can you create a faster turnaround time and make clients happier?
    • Write out each step of your entire post-shoot workflow.
      • Where are you spending the most time?
      • Write 3 ways that you can speed up your workflow and have a faster turnaround time for your clients.

Once your plans are in place and you know what goals you want to reach (both short-term and long-term), you can begin building for growth in your business. There are many aspects of your business to work on – from your website, to marketing, to social media, as well as connecting with clients and vendors, you’ll have plenty of ways to build for growth. The more you focus on the important parts of your business, the easier it will be to maintain your growth and create an established brand.

When you first thought about how to get started in photography, did you imagine it would have so many details? With proper planning, you can create and achieve goals that help you grow each year.

Find out how you can prepare for additional growth in your photography business through marketing to your ideal clients. Our free Guide to Marketing for Wedding Photographers shares how to market your photography business to book more clients and secure the longevity of your business. Download it today!

http://shootdotedit.com/2017/08/how-to-start-photography-business/

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DHL Express Announces Egyptian Football Superstar Mohamed Salah as Brand Ambassador for the MENA Region The partnership is a testament to the synergy of core values DHL Express and Mohamed Salah share; leadership, commitment, teamwork, precision, agility, determination and service

Posted on May 27, 2018 by مشرف

DHL Express, the world’s leading express logistics provider, has signed a strategic partnership for the Egyptian football superstar Mohamed Salah to become its  brand ambassador for Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region for the next two years.

The new collaboration will see the parties working together on a series of marketing activities and CSR initiatives that reinforce the synergies between the core values of DHL Express as a business and Mohamed Salah.

It was announced on 23 May at a press conference held in England in the presence of senior DHL Express officials, distinguished guests and international media and comes just a few weeks before Mohamed Salah will lead the Egyptian football team at the FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Under the terms of the new agreement, DHL Express will work closely with Mohamed Salah’s company to support CSR and charitable projects while joining forces to support broader initiatives that can impact communities across the wider MENA region.

Following the signing of the partnership agreement, CEO of DHL in the Middle East and North Africa, Nour Suliman, expressed his pride in collaborating with Mohammed Salah, and lauded his cooperative spirit and great personality that inspires many people around the globe.

“Our partnership with Mohammed Salah is unique and different from any other partnership, because it is the first time we contract for an individual player. Before the signing, we considered his attributes as a human being who works on himself to develop and improve his performance to prove to all that hard work leads to success, which led to his most successful seasons in the Premier League yet. ” Suliman elaborated.

Suliman added that Mohamed Salah puts dedication and sincerity in any work he does and is constantly working to develop himself, because he knows well what it means to work positively within a team. DHL also perceives Salah as a figure that resembles the brand in many ways as Suliman stressed.

Sharing his excitement about becoming DHL Express brand ambassador for the MENA region, Mohamed Salah said, “I’m very proud to be the first individual player to partner with DHL and I’m very happy to collaborate with an international brand.”

This association will help DHL Express strengthen its brand presence in the region as a company that deeply involves itself in regional development through connecting people and improving lives.  

Furthermore, the inclusive culture of DHL Express has already significantly contributed to the development of the countries they operate in within the MENA region. This includes supporting many charitable causes, such as recycling and providing care to the elderly and orphans in underprivileged areas.

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Discover the World-Class Destinations of Costa Mesa Orange County California Orange County Visitors Association entices Middle Eastern families and travelers to experience OC’s arts and shopping hub

Posted on May 26, 2018 by مشرف

Orange County, California is an exciting west-coast destination that offers visitors a wide range of cultural experiences, from high-tech amusement to historical sites to world-class performing arts, shopping haven and more.

Centrally located between Los Angeles and San Diego and just minutes from beaches and the Disneyland® Resort, the picturesque Costa Mesa sets the stage as the City of the Arts™ – brimming with the Art of Fashion at South Coast Plaza, one of the world’s premiere shopping destinations. Costa Mesa boasts the Art of the Stage at internationally acclaimed performing art venues and a resident symphony and opera company at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. And the City of the Arts™ lives up to its reputation for the Art of Dining with a stunning array of critically acclaimed restaurants. We’ve assembled a two-day itinerary that will surely make you say, “encore!”

For your stay, Costa Mesa offers a wide variety of exceptional hotels fitting every budget, everything from a four-diamond experience to boutique offerings to well-branded names. Visit travelcostamesa.com for a listing of recommended hotels, or check out the Costa Mesa Marriott, 2.5 miles from John Wayne Airport.

Here is a two-day itinerary to get you some ideas to explore The OC’s family-friendly arts and shopping center this summer:

Day One Itinerary

Morning

Your flight lands at John Wayne Airport, Orange County (SNA), just minutes south of Costa Mesa, with many hotels offering free round-trip shuttle service to the airport. John Wayne Airport makes traveling to Orange County (OC) a breeze, with a reach to more than 20 nonstop destinations throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The airport showcases rotating art exhibits throughout the Thomas F. Riley Terminal, including a grand exhibit, “ORANGE COUNTY: Destination Art & Culture.” In Terminal C baggage claim, a sculpture by Beth Nybeck, Flight of Ideas, hovers overhead.

For the ultimate retail experience, head to South Coast Plaza and explore one of the world’s premier luxury shopping destinations rivaling Fifth Avenue in New York and Bond Street in London, as well as Ginza in Tokyo and Avenue Montaigne in Paris. With more than 250 boutiques, restaurants and department stores, South Coast Plaza boasts an internationally acclaimed roster of elite retailers including Tiffany, Jimmy Choo, Bottega Veneta, Ermenegildo Zegna, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Versace, Valentino, Fendi, Lanvin, Gucci, Cartier, Yves Saint Laurent, to name a few. You’ll also find plenty of favorites like Quicksilver, Nike Running, UNIQLO and Zara. There’s a lot to explore at this 2.8-million-square-foot retail center, which attracts more visitors annually than the Disneyland® Park, so wear comfortable shoes.

Noon

Treat yourself to lunch at one of South Coast Plaza’s award-winning restaurants. Din Tai Fung, a Michelin-rated dumpling restaurant, brings a touch of Shanghainese-style dining to South Coast Plaza with its famous mouthwatering xiaolongbao. And Capital Grill restaurant unveils mouthwatering entrées including seared tenderloin with butter poached lobster tails and all-natural herb roasted chicken.

Early Afternoon

Take a break from your day of shopping and stop by one of South Coast Plaza’s four concierge centers where you can check your packages for the afternoon, free of charge. Foreign-language assistance is offered in more than 40 languages, everything from Arabic, Mandarin to Spanish.

Now that you’ve lightened your load, it’s an easy walk across Unity Bridge to the “arts campus” of Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Take a self-guided walking tour of public art on display that ranks among the finest collections of outdoor art and sculpture in the United States. See works by such masters as Joan Miro, Henry Moore and Richard Serra. Or take a visit to the 1.6-acre California Scenario designed by world-renowned sculptor and designer Isamu Noguchi.

Late Afternoon

You probably already have your tickets to a concert, symphony, ballet or Broadway show at one of Costa Mesa’s many world-class theater venues. But first, enjoy an early dinner at a first-rate dining destination located within walking distance to Segerstrom Center for the Arts, including: The Silver Trumpet, Mastro’s Steakhouse, Pizzeria Ortica or Scott’s Restaurant & Bar.

Evening

Catch a show at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, the performing arts leader in OC. Showcasing national and international productions of music, dance and theatre, this cultural campus has deep community roots and is home to Pacific Symphony, the Pacific Chorale and the Tony® Award-winning South Coast Repertory. Its capacity for national and world productions is unmatched anywhere in OC with the magnificent Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, designed by César Pelli, who’s rated by the American Institute of Architects as one of the 10 most influential living architects in the U.S. An architectural masterpiece, the splendid 2,000-seat concert hall features an acre-long glass façade in the shape of a serpentine wave, plus a stunning, multi-tiered foyer and silver-leafed lobby ceiling.

Day Two Itinerary

Morning

Enjoy an early morning breakfast at The CAMP retail center in Costa Mesa, featuring such acclaimed eateries such as the Old Vine Café, which offers fresh, locally sourced organic cuisine in the style of southern Italy. In the first-known environmentally sensitive retail campus in the United States, The CAMP offers customers a non-traditional retail community in a casual and lively atmosphere. All of the stores here are health conscious or fitness related, with a strong emphasis on an active lifestyle. “Green” is everywhere, from the native vegetation to the progressive retailers offering their organic wares.

Check out The LAB across the street that has distinguished itself from other shopping centers by staying true to its “anti-mall” atmosphere. If you take a moment to admire the structure of The LAB, you will notice that it is made up of remnants of what was once a goggle-making factory. The site has been creatively transformed and now includes a relaxed indoor-outdoor courtyard that invites customers to lounge and relax.

Noon

Try a sumptuous lunch just minutes away at South Coast Collection (SOCO), where The OC MIX is located. SOCO is home to designers, locally owned boutiques and award-winning culinary spots. Taco Maria is a perfect place to dine. Taco Maria’s chef, winner of Michelin stars, prepares a distinctly modern take on Californian-Mexican cuisine such as the pepian mole, which is macadamia-crusted cod bathed in a green pumpkinseed sauce splashed with coconut milk, sprinkled with Serrano chili and graced with green apple. Afterward, have dessert at St. Patisserie Chocolat, a high-end Parasian confectionery retailer whose pastry chef is Stephane Treand, named one of the 10 best pastry chefs in the U.S. by Pastry Art and Design Magazine.

Afternoon

Stay at SOCO for the ultimate design experience of Southern California. SOCO is home to more than 70 showrooms, curated restaurants and stores. For any decorator, designer, chef or creative mind in Orange County, SOCO is a shopping destination that is sure to inspire.

From heralded retailers like Surfas Culinary District, Pirch and Design Within Reach to creative outlets like the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity, there is always something to discover at SOCO.

Evening

There’s an impressive collection of unique retailers to see at The OC MIX. The Mixing Glass, Orange County’s first specialty cocktail store, has everything you need to create exceptional drinks at home. You can also peruse through hundreds of vinyl records at Analog.

End your day by dining at Social Costa Mesa on 19th Street. Save room for dessert, as they have released a new dessert menu with the help of award winning Pastry Chef Ashley Guzman. Traveling with your family or children? Don’t forget to check out the OC Fair and Event Center for a list of shows, special events, and daily schedules.

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SLOVENIAN TOURIST BOARD LAUNCHES ‘MOUSTACHE TOUR’ IN LJUBLJANA

Posted on May 26, 2018 by مشرف

 Ljubljana Tourism organises a number of cultural interactive tours, which enable you to get a first-hand experience of rich history and tradition of the green capital of Slovenia. The newest among them is the Moustache tour, which introduces the lives of three cultural giants who, apart from playing a major role in the Slovenian history, had something else in common.

Can you guess what?

Who says moustache should only be associated with Movember? In Ljubljana, moustache is a big thing also in May. Or actually from April until late October. By launching the entertaining Moustache Tour of Ljubljana, which explores the lives of the three Slovenian cultural giants, Visit Ljubljana has proved that getting to know history and tradition can be much fun. Cultural tour of Ljubljana, combined with cycling from one spot to another, represents an excellent chance to experience Ljubljana from a completely different perspective. It gives you a chance to cycle along Europe’s Green Capital of 2016 and get an insight into the everyday lives of the three cultural giants: architect Jože Plečnik, poet and writer Ivan Cankar and painter Rihard Jakopič of Slovenia. Not only that they all had moustache, their soul was daring and brave. They left an important mark on Ljubljana and Slovenia in general, each of them in their own way. The tour will reveal their creative power and open up the secrets of the town. But that’s not all: you will get a chance to visit an authentic retro barbershop and experience a number of travel-back-in-time moments.

If you want to experience the tour, which represents an ultimate fusion of culture and fun, Moustache tour is the right choice for you. Available in English, the 3.5-hour Moustache tour takes place every Friday at 3 p.m. until 31 October. It can be booked online for 45€.

https://www.visitljubljana.com/en/visitors/tours-and-trips/moustache-tour/

The Slovenian Tourism Board has dedicated 2018 and 2019 to promoting cultural tourism. Check out other posibilites of spending cultural holidays in Slovenia.

Additional information

For further information regarding the Slovenian Tourist Board and Slovenia promotions contact:

I FEEL SLOVENIA Middle East Office

Tel:                   +971 (0)4 3753578

Email:                Ifeelslovenia.me@aviareps.com

Website:            www.slovenia.info

Facebook:         feelslovenia

Twitter:              @sloveniainfo

Instagram:         @feelslovenia

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PHILIPPINES DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM (PDOT) ANNOUNCED 96% INCREASE ON TOURIST ARRIVAL FROM JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2018

Posted on May 26, 2018 by مشرف

Philippine Department of Tourism (PDOT) announced an increase of 96.66 percent on visitor receipts for January and February 2018 compared to the same period last year.

Based on the data released by the Department of Tourism (DOT), combined receipts for the first two months of the year grew to PHP78.82 billion (1.5 Billion USD) from PHP40.08 billion (7.6 Million USD) in 2017.

DOT attributed the growth to the influx of South Korean and Chinese tourists to the Philippines, with the Koreans snagging the title of top spenders within two consecutive months.

Last January, total tourist receipts surged 73.65 percent to PHP37.65 billion from PHP21.68 billion in the same month last year. There was also a 123.74 percent hike from February 2017’s PHP18.40 billion worth of visitor receipts to PHP41.17 billion last February.

South Korea was the top spending market, generating PHP21.98 billion for January and February 2018 combined.

On the other hand, visitors from China registered PHP16.35 billion for the same period, followed by the United States with PHP10.46 billion.

Rounding out the 15 top-spending markets were Japan, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, United Kingdom, India, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Germany, France and Saudi Arabia, the biggest tourism market of the Philippines from the Middle East region.

Seoul was also Manila’s top visitor market for the same period, recording 354,700 arrivals. Lagging a few figures behind was Beijing with 256,880 visitors in the two months.

According to DOT, Average Daily Expenditure (ADE) for January 2018 was PHP6,426.77 while the Average Length of Stay (ALoS) was 9.10 nights. In the following month, ADE increased to PHP6,575.79, with ALoS at 9.39 nights.

The average per capita expenditure of visitors, meanwhile, were pegged at PHP58,547 (1,100 USD) and PHP61,746 (1,200 USD) for January and February, respectively.

Earlier, the department said it is focused on attracting top spending markets to the country, including the Chinese.

United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Barometer has named Chinese tourists as the world’s top tourism spenders for 2017.

The report cited that China spent the most at USD258 billion, followed by America at USD135 billion, Germany at USD84 billion, the United Kingdom at USD63 billion, and France at USD41 billion.

Of the Philippines’ 7.5 million tourist arrival target for 2018, DOT is looking at China’s share at 1.5 million.

The Philippines has seen the consistent growth in tourist arrivals from the Middle East. In 2016, the Philippines received a total of 83,546 tourists from the region, growing by 9.69% over 2015. Tourist arrivals from Saudi Arabia and UAE, the two largest markets out of the region for the Philippines, reached 50,884 and 16,881 respectively.

The PDOT aims to achieve 100,000 tourists from the Middle East by the end of 2018 and proactively developing strategic partnerships with key stakeholders in the Middle East to capture a sizeable percentage of its high-yield tourist market.

For further information about the Philippines visit the Philippines Department of Tourism English and Arabic social media sites at:

Facebook: @funinphili

Twitter: @PhilTourismME

Instagram: @PhilTourimME

Or the Philippine Department of Tourism Middle East Marketing Representative Office at:

Tel: +971 (0)4 433 5952

E-mail: dotmiddleeast@aviareps.com

Website: http://itsmorefuninthephilippines.com

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PRESENTATION OF THE FIRST SAUDI NATIONAL PAVILION AT LA BIENNALE DI VENEZIA

Posted on May 22, 2018 by مشرف

The Ambassador of Italy to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, H.E. Mr Luca Ferrari, and the Director of the Misk Art Institute, dr. Ahmed Mater, hosted a presentation of the Saudi national pavilion at the 16th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia on Monday 14 May at the Residence of the Italian Ambassador in Riyadh. The event was attended by representatives of the diplomatic corps, artists and members of the Saudi and Italian community in Riyadh.

The Saudi national pavilion, titled “Spaces in Between”, has been organized under the leadership of the Misk Art Institute and will showcase works by Saudi architects Abdulrahman and Turki Gazzaz, supervised by curators Dr. Sumaya Al-Solaiman and Ms. Jawaher Al-Sudairy. This is the first time that Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will be represented at this prestigious international art exhibition with a national pavilion.

The event aimed to celebrate this landmark moment in the history of Saudi Arabia and for the cultural relations between Italy and the Kingdom. “The economic and social changes that we are witnessing in the Kingdom today are extraordinary. As we continue to develop the strategic partnership between our two countries, arts and culture have a special role” – said Ambassador Luca Ferrari. “Four decades ago, there was a strong artistic dialogue between Italy and Saudi Arabia. For many years, young Saudi artists travelled to and lived in Italian cities as part of their artistic journey. Italian architects have worked in Saudi Arabia and contributed to its development. There is now need to develop a more strategic framework to enhance our mutual cultural dialogue. There is no better time for the Kingdom to join La Biennale di Venezia” – he added.

In response to the overarching theme of the exhibition, the Saudi pavilion at the 16th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia will explore new possibilities for the utilisation of liminal spaces to increase socialization and community building within Saudi’s rapidly expanding cities. Over the past four decades, Saudi metropolitan centres have undergone rapid urbanization, with rural migration propelling built territories outwards. “The exhibition will explore the social implications of architecture. Architects Abdulrahman and Turki Gazzaz are using this opportunity to examine the relationship between space and architecture – hoping to engage visitors in the potential of creating interaction through redesign” – stated curator Jawaher Al-Sudairy.

La Biennale di Venezia was founded in 1895 to promote and showcase the very best of contemporary art from around the world. Over the years it has grown to encompass all forms of artistic expressions, including cinema, music, theatre, architecture and dance. The 16th International Architecture Exhibition, titled “Freespace”, has been curated by Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara. It will be open to the public from 26 May to 25 November 2018 in Venice and will include work by 71 individual participants from all around the world. 63 countries will host national pavilions.

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Al-Otaishan Schmidt Logistics

Posted on May 22, 2018 by مشرف

Al-Otaishan Schmidt Logistics, the partnership between German-based family-owned Schmidt Group and Saudi-based family-owned Abdul Rahman Al-Otaishan and Sons Group, has been launched in a celebration held at Holiday Inn Al Dahran and attended by Chairman of the Board of Directors of Asharqia Chamber, Mr.  Abdulhakeem bin Hamad Al-Ammar Al-Khalidi and Deputy Delegate of German Industry & Commerce for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Yemen, Mr. Al-Ameen Al-Dalali, in addition to the Oil and Gas, Petrochemical and Industrial leaders in the Kingdom. The new partnership company is a valuable addition to the sector that will serve the Oil and Gas, Chemicals and Petrochemical, Food and Feed Industries in the Kingdom.

Al-Otaishan Schmidt Logistics LLC provides complete Supply Chain Solutions to its Clients in the Kingdom, starting with product handling, transportation, storage and Specialist Logistic Solutions and ending with door-to-door transportation of bulk products.  

Al-Otaishan Schmidt Logistics LLC  as a newborn company with combined experience of its two holding companies has more than 105 years of experience. The company is highly committed to developing and meeting its clients’ specific requirements as well as providing a gateway for the international import and export of a wide range of petrochemical and chemical products.

Schmidt Group, a leading European dry bulk logistics services provider, established in 1948, and currently handling more than 10 million tons of polymers around the globe with sites across Europe, Russia and the Middle East is keen on bring its International Experience, Know How and Values to the Kingdom together with well-known Al-Otaishan Group.

AOSCO has been actively providing transportation services to the major industries in the kingdom for over 35 years. The company is willing to take this current opportunity expand its business model and go the Extra Mile to meet the local demand.

In his speech, Abdul Rahman Al-Otaishan, Chairman, highlighted the importance of logistics services to boost the Kingdom’s economy and to support the Kingdom’s 2030 Vision and that the collaboration with Schmidt Group is a significant advantage for the industry.

The CEO of the new company Dr Wolfgang Hoppmann  pointed out the extensive capabilities and strengths of the partnership, and he  also expressed his confidence in the company to achieve its strategic goals and take its place in the market.  

The Headquarters of the new company is based in Al-Otaishan Tower, Abu Hadriyah Rd., Dammam, and to establish a branch office in the whole region of Saudi Arabia.

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Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts appoints accomplished Human Resources leader as Director of Saudisation Saudi National Abdul Rahman Al Harbi will drive forward Swiss hospitality firm’s Saudisation strategy in line with kingdom’s Vision 2030 targets

Posted on May 22, 2018 by مشرف

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has appointed experienced Human Resources professional, Abdul Rahman Al Harbi, as its new Director of Saudisation, effective immediately.

An accomplished HR expert with more than 14 years of experience, including roles with Mövenpick in Saudi Arabia, Al Harbi is now responsible for leading the Swiss hospitality firm’s Saudisation Strategy, which is aligned to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.

This includes leading Mövenpick’s Saudisation programmes and practices across its 11 current and five upcoming properties in Saudi Arabia, ensuring a consistent, strategic and coordinated country-level approach is delivered and that Saudi talent is nurtured with long-term career prospects in mind.

Abdul Rahman, the former HR Manager at Mövenpick Hotel City Star Jeddah, is a prime example of this successful strategy in action. Having participated in the company’s recently-introduced Saudi Development Centre (SDC) – an intensive training programme that provides career development coaching for Nationals with strong leadership potential – he was promoted to his new role.

“Mövenpick has made strong headway with is Saudisation strategy to date and appointing a Director of Saudisation will further enhance and streamline our activities in this area, ensuring we continue to employ more Saudi talent in a variety of roles and provide them with accelerated career progression opportunities,” said Alex Rawson, VP Human Resources Middle East & Africa, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts.

“Abdul Rahman is an experienced and passionate Human Resources expert who we have identified as a high-potential leader and I wish him every success in his new role. Not only will he spearhead the continued success of our wide-ranging Saudisation initiatives, but his promotion encourages other Saudi Nationals to pursue their ambitions, providing current and future colleagues with an inspirational role model.”

Educated in both Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom, with a focus on HR and communication skills, and fluent in both Arabic and English, Abdul Rahman started his career as a Human Resources Specialist with Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts in Saudi Arabia.

He then honed his craft working in senior HR roles for major hospitality firms and private sector business groups in the kingdom before returning to the Swiss hospitality firm in 2015 as HR Manager Mövenpick Hotel City Star Jeddah.

As Director of Saudisation, he will liaise with all hotel HR departments in Saudi Arabia and ensure training programmes are developed and delivered according to Mövenpick’s Saudisation Strategy. Abdul Rahman will also spearhead the company’s ongoing Saudi National recruitment drive.

Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector, which has been earmarked as a key growth driver in the government’s Vision 2030 economic diversification strategy, is expected to generate around 1.2 million jobs for Saudis from now until 2030.

Creating employment opportunities in the kingdom’s thriving hospitality industry is a crucial component of this blueprint for long-term economic prosperity and Mövenpick is playing its part by committing significant resources to Saudisation, with an emphasis on education and training.

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AbbVie employees support the Children’s Cancer Center’s blood donation campaign ahead of Ramadan – Volunteers from AbbVie in Saudi Arabia visited the King Fahad National Centre for Children’s Cancer in Riyadh to donate blood as part of the center’s three-day blood donation drive

Posted on May 22, 2018 by مشرف

AbbVie, a research-based global biopharmaceutical company, today organized for members of its staff to visit the King Fahad National Centre for Children’s Cancer to donate blood.

The King Fahad National Center for Children’s Cancer has organized a three-day blood donation initiative to encourage more blood donations. The drive is before Ramadan to avoid the usual drop in blood donations which happens during the fasting month.

Speaking on the initiative, Emad Kurdi, AbbVie’s scientific office and governmental affairs director said, “At AbbVie, we strive to make a remarkable impact on patients’ lives in any and every way we can. When we heard about the blood drive, we wanted to provide all the support we could and responded immediately to the Center’s needs. By organizing our employees to give blood, we hope we can help save lives. I would urge anyone who is fit and able to give blood ahead of Ramadan to go along to their nearest blood donation center. It really can help save a life.”

Corporate Responsibility (CR) is an integral part of AbbVie’s culture.  The team in Saudi Arabia has contributed over 1,300 hours of volunteering during the past four years.

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Science-focused forum was open for Cambridge Primary learners from Grade 5 through to Grade 6

Posted on May 19, 2018 by مشرف

Cambridge Assessment International Education organised a forum with a focus on the importance of Science outside the classroom and its impact on the future of education.

Highlighting the role of Science in everyday life, the forum conducted workshops on various Science-related subjects, including practical team activities. Under the theme ‘Growing mind-sets for future success’, the forum provided learners with skills and ideas that relate science to everyday life outside the classroom and aimed to support them in their overall education and learning journey.

Held at Waad Academy in Jeddah, the forum included workshops by expert teachers and showcased success stories using their ability to motivate and communicate effectively with the audience. The students also took part in different engaging workshops throughout the day.

Waseem Al Hanbali, Regional Director of Middle East & North Africa, at Cambridge Assessment International Education, said: “Cambridge programmes and qualifications are carefully designed to engage learners and give them a solid foundation to achieve high levels of academic and personal attainment. This forum provided an emphasis on the importance of Science not only in the classroom but in everyday life, through personal workshops and team activities for attending students.”

The forum was attended by over 80 Cambridge Primary learners form different international schools in the Western region.

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