Outdoor Writers Association of America
The Voice of the Outdoors
Spring 2010
pg. 7
Spring 2010, Vol. 71, No. 1
6 7 10 11 12 13
pg. 8
3 4 5 8
Creating a line of greeting cards – by Lisa Densmore Kill lazy words – by Bill Graham Tech: Is your Web site popular? – by John L. Beath Cheap photo tricks – by William H. Mullins Just start talkin’ – by Ty Stockton Write book reviews for fun and profit – by Mary J. Nickum President’s Message Conference 2010 Preview OWAA Board Candidates Portfolio
14 14 16 16
Supporting Group News Tips Bookshelf News Briefs Association Update
ON THE COVER By Michael Furtman A canoe sits on the granite shores of a crystal clear Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness lake. The BWCAW is in northern Minnesota and is the largest federal wilderness area east of the Rocky Mountains. Contact Furtman at mfurtman@michaelfurtman.com.
pg. 10
OUTDOOR WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA Our mission: improve the professional skills of our members, set the highest ethical and communications standards, encourage public enjoyment and conservation of natural resources and mentor the next generation of professional outdoor communicators. Copyright Spring 2010 by Outdoor Writers Association of America Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. The contents of Outdoors Unlimited do not necessarily represent the opinion or endorsement of OWAA, its staff, officers, directors or members. Outdoors Unlimited (ISSN 0030-7181) is published quarterly by Outdoor Writers Association of America Inc., 121 Hickory St., Suite 1, Missoula, MT 59801. Periodicals postage paid at Missoula, MT, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Outdoors Unlimited, Outdoor Writers Association of America Inc., 121 Hickory St., Suite 1, Missoula, MT 59801.
2 OUTDOORS UNLIMITED Spring 2010
NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS 121 Hickory St., Ste. 1 Missoula, MT 59801 406-728-7434, Fax: 406-728-7445 owaa@montana.com www.owaa.org STAFF Executive Director: Kevin Rhoades Director of Membership and Conference Services: Robin Giner Editor: Ashley Schroeder Intern: Margo Whitmire Contest Coordinator: Amanda Eggert
PRESIDENT John L. Beath, Washington OFFICERS Vice President: Tony Dolle, Tennessee Vice President: Mike Walker, Arizona Vice President: Mark Taylor, Virginia Secretary: John McCoy, West Virginia Treasurer: Kris Thoemke, Florida BOARD OF DIRECTORS Lisa Densmore, New Hampshire Jim Foster, Idaho Mark Freeman, Oregon Bill Hilts Jr., New York
Katie McKalip, Montana Matthew Miller, Idaho Mary Nickum, Arizona Jim Smith, Arizona Patricia G. Stockdill, North Dakota Ty Stockton, Wyoming COUNSELS Attorney: William Jay Powell, Missouri Historian: vacant Medical: William W. Forgey, Indiana Members-only password available in hard copy version of Outdoors Unlimited.
President’s Message signatures. If you agree that OWAA needs this new section, please e-mail headquarters (owaa@montana.com) supporting the new Digital Media section. Board members agreed this new I just got home from SHOT Show in Las Vegas. The winter section was needed to help provide as much information and OWAA board meeting coincided with SHOT Show and gave us education to help OWAA members profit from new digital an excellent opportunity to explore this year’s show and then media opportunities. This summer’s conference in Rochester, conduct our business meeting. Minn., will feature several craft improvement seminars to help SHOT Show this year was larger than years’ past. Many new members advance their digital skills and profits. companies displayed their products and disproved the notion During last summer’s meeting, the board agreed to revise that a bad economy kills the outdoors busiExcellence in Craft contests, making the ness. Hundreds of media also attended the contests less confusing and easier to enter. Member signatures needed show and came away with stories, videos, The revision committee, chaired by board for new Digital Media section; images, podcasts and contacts for future member Mary Nickum, is almost finished membership initiation fees eliminated. projects. While wandering the show and visrevising the rules and defining the coniting with exhibitors, I came away with a tests. The new rules will begin in 2011 and strong feeling of optimism for the industry. When discussing will enable members to enter their work digitally. Entries pubmedia, many of the exhibitors conveyed excitement for the new lished on Web sites, e-zines, videocasts, podcasts, etc. will be forms of online media including blogs, podcasts and videocasts. included as long as the entry was produced for pay. Lots of media badges also had “Blog” listed as media type. Board members unanimously voted to eliminate membership While some media outlets disappear, others appear. This initiation fees effective Jan. 1, 2010. This will no doubt make it topic became a strong point of discussion during the winter more affordable for new members to join OWAA and make it meeting. easier to market OWAA to prospective members. Question: “How can we help our members take advantage If you have any ideas about how to improve OWAA or suggestions to improve member benefits, don’t hesitate to contact a of and profit from new media?” Answer: “Education through Outdoors Unlimited and a board or staff member with your idea. And I sincerely hope to see as many members as possible in Rochester, June 10-13. strong conference program.” The board also unanimously voted to create a new section – John L. Beath, OWAA President called “Digital Media,” but requires 25 active member Editor’s note: The following is from February Outdoors Unlimited Online. Read the monthly President’s Message online at www.owaa.org/ou/category/feature/columns.
Feedback
Tear sheets are much appreciated I am a returning member of OWAA and just read your article on electronic tear sheets. Thanks. After 35 years in radio and television news in the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, I became the outdoor media specialist with the state office of tourism (Explore Minnesota Tourism) charged with working with outdoor media interested in enterprising stories in our state. In this position I frequently call on resort operators, convention and visitor bureaus (CVBs) and guides to help the visiting writer or photographer complete their project. And, I ask that they provide this service gratis. In most cases they are willing to help. In far too many cases their effort and expense goes unrecognized in the resulting article or photo layout. Your article pointing out the simple but rewarding act of courtesy of supplying a tear sheet to those who provided the
writer/photographer with in-kind services, “hit the nail on the head.” Curt Johnson St. Paul, Minn. Editor’s note: Read the rest of Curt’s letter at www.owaa. org/ou/2010/01/letter-to-the-editor-tear-sheets.
Social media as tactical tools Nearly everyone is obsessed with social media these days, whether it’s from the Csuite or down to a freelancer trying to figure out how he/she can use social media to increase revenues. This is to say that most of us will fall into the obsession trip of tools that are new without first determining what the will do once they get there. The moral of this little story is don’t fall for the “shiny object syndrome,” i.e. Twitter is the shiny object, without first planning a strategy of what to do once
Post comments on articles. Write a letter to the editor. It’s easy. Go to www.owaa.org/ou.
you are there. Getting on Twitter is a tactic. What to do once you are there, i.e., send 140 character messages, sell something, explain something, which would be the strategy. These tools change. Remember CompuServe? AOL as a one stop shop? These things are all just tools and they have been surpassed by something bigger, better, easier to use, etc. Be guided by your strategy, not by wanting the next shiny things. Social media are the tactical tools for many freelancers. The strategy is what to do with them to reach your goals. If you are planning on attending the June OWAA annual conference, you will learn about these new shiny objects from experts and how to profit from them by even more experts. Stay tuned for more. Mike Walker Phoenix, Ariz. Editor’s note: Read all of Mike’s letter at www.owaa.org/ou/2009/12/letter-to-the-editorsocial-media.
Feedback guidelines Members are encouraged to write about issues and topics. The executive director and editor will decide whether opinions are appropriate for debate or if the comments promote a personal cause; if the “cause” is unrelated to OWAA’s mission and potentially damaging to the membership, the letter might not be printed. Word limit: 400. Longer letters will be returned for revision.
www.owaa.org/ou OUTDOORS UNLIMITED 3
2010 conference preview: Rochester, Minn.
A Honking Good Time in Rochester Geese, trout, glorious scenery wait in America’s Driftless Area “People are always surprised by Rochester,” says Brad Jones, executive director of the Rochester (Minn.) Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Many don’t know what to expect, and after they see all we have to offer, they leave singing our praises.” Where the blufflands of the Mississippi River meet the plains of southeastern Minnesota lies Rochester, located in America’s Driftless Area where breathtaking scenery and wildlife flourish. From hunting and fishing to birding and outdoor recreation, Rochester offers plenty of ways to enjoy the outdoors. Rochester is home to a mix of hunting and fishing options not found anywhere else in the country. The city’s large number of giant Canada geese—30,000 at the peak of the season—are prime targets. This species, once thought to be extinct, now thrives in Rochester after being re-discovered in 1961 as part of the Mayo family’s flock. A power plant keeps the lake unfrozen, allowing geese to congregate year-round. White-tailed deer, upland bird and wild turkey hunting opportunities are plentiful in the fall. And in the hot summer, Rochester is an angler’s paradise. Southeastern Minnesota’s streams are famous for their native brook and wild brown trout. Fly fishing is a favorite pastime of Minnesotans and the area guide services can help you get equipped, licensed and on the water in no time. Rochester has some unique attractions for hunting and fishing enthusiasts. With museum-quality animal displays, huge aquariums and trophy animals, Cabela’s is a destination store just west of Rochester. The city’s Gander Mountain has a rare fly-fishing shop. Just south of Rochester, the Pope and Young Club/St. Charles Museum of Bowhunting features the most complete collection of wooden bows and one of the largest collections of broadhead arrows ever amassed. Northeast of Rochester, the Arrowhead Bluffs Museum boasts a complete 4 OUTDOORS UNLIMITED Spring 2010
Silver Lake Park. Photo courtesy Rochester CVB. Winchester gun collection, American Indian artifacts and mounted wildlife. Rochester’s Silver Lake Park is a prime location for watching geese. The city also has a number of other birdwatching hotspots. Whitewater State Park’s steep limestone bluffs, ravine walls, groves of eastern red cedar trees and winding gravel roads provide ample opportunities to find rare birds any time of year. To the west, millions of migrating songbirds, including warblers, vireos, thrushes and sparrows, use the Mississippi River as their migration route. Great blue herons nest in rookeries in the flooded timbered areas on the Mississippi and some areas contain more than 1,000 nests. American white pelicans feed in formation and soar over the area in the summer. No one should miss the opportunity to see one of the nation’s premier gathering spots for bald eagles. The National Eagle Center, located just outside of Rochester, in Wabasha, allows viewers to see countless wild eagles as they feed over the Mississippi River and nest in the
backwaters. Nearly 100 pairs nest along the river each year. For those looking for other types of outdoor recreation, visitors will find 60 miles of trails connected to downtown Rochester with gorgeous skyline and nature views for hiking, running and walking. The Quarry Hill Nature Center is a great site for recreational fun, with more than 100 mounted animals, a huge fish tank and its own set of paved trails. Enjoy guided wild cave tours in the 13mile Mystery Cave, the longest cave in Minnesota. Dining, shopping and fun might also be in the cards for the Outdoor Writers Association of America annual conference in Rochester, but don’t forget to take in “nature’s entertainment” with the plentiful area fishing, bird watching and outdoor recreation options. —Courtesy Rochester CVB
Conference registration info: www.owaa.org/ 2010conference/register
OWAA Board Candidates Six OWAA members are running for three seats on OWAA’s board of directors. Ballots will be mailed to all Active, Senior Active and Life members in April and must be returned before the May 7 election. Results will be posted on Outdoors Unlimited Online and in the “News” section of the Web site. Three elected candidates will begin serving three-year board terms on June 13, 2010. Candidates are listed by lottery drawing. They were asked to submit a short biography and answers to the same four questions, which were drafted by OWAA’s Board Nominating Committee. Read their full bios and answers at www.owaa.org/ou. Below is a brief introduction to each member.
JASON JENKINS
BRETT PRETTYMAN
JASON JENKINS In January 2010, Jason Jenkins was named managing editor of Rural Missouri, a 540,000-circulation monthly tabloid published by the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives. He serves as a writer, photographer and editor, handling most of the publication’s outdoor-related content. Prior to joining the publication in 2007, he served as a news writer and photographer for University of Missouri Extension for five years. He lives with his wife, Nicole, and son, Aiden, in central Missouri’s Callaway County. BRETT PRETTYMAN Brett Prettyman has been an outdoor writer with the Salt Lake Tribune since 1990 and an OWAA member since 1991. The second edition of his book "Fishing Utah"
MARK FREEMAN
came out in 2009. He is busy planning the 2011 OWAA Conference at Snowbird Resort, Utah. Brett lives in Salt Lake City with his wife, Brooke, and three children, William, Lucie and Owen. MARK FREEMAN Mark Freeman anchors a weekly four-page outdoors section in the Mail Tribune newspaper, which is centered in Medford, Ore., and covers southern Oregon and northern California. He’s been the outdoor columnist and a member of the paper’s environmental reporting team for the past 21 years. His beat covers a collage of issues ranging from traditional hook-and-bullet columns to in-depth reporting on endangered species issues and even hosting a series of online videos and blogs.
PAUL QUENEAU
JEFF WILLIAMS
PAUL QUENEAU Paul Queneau is conservation editor of Bugle magazine at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, where he also works on video, television and Web productions. Though he didn’t have the good sense to intern at OWAA during college in Missoula, Mont., he did become a proud member four years ago and helped launch Outdoors Unlimited Online, refresh the OWAA Web site and lead conference seminars. He is also an avid wildlife photographer and videographer, Toastmaster, husband, father of two young boys, and most recently, a Cub Scout den leader. JEFF WILLIAMS Jeff Williams has a background in newspapers and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in journalism from the University of Arkansas and UA-Little Rock. Williams worked in newspapers for almost 20 years before beginning work at the Arkansas
GARY GRAHAM
Game and Fish Commission (AGFL) seven years ago. He is editor of Arkansas Wildlife magazine and handles other duties in the AGFC communications division. Williams enjoys photography, canoeing, kayaking, fishing and camping. GARY GRAHAM Gary Graham parlayed his love of outdoors and fishing into a role of outdoor writer, photographer, conservationist, advocate and speaker. He was inducted into the California Outdoors Hall of Fame in 2007. Graham served three terms as president of the Outdoor Writers Association of California. He helped increase OWAC's Web presence and implemented an online newsletter. During his tenure, the involvement and number of supporting member groups increased. In addition to authoring two books, Gary's travels, sportfishing experiences and published credits are numerous.
www.owaa.org/ou OUTDOORS UNLIMITED 5
Craft Improvement - General
BY LISA DENSMORE
I
n the modern age, when few put pen to paper, receiving a greeting card, whatever the occasion, is a powerful way to say “I’m thinking of you.” Though the greeting card market has shrunk with the advent of e-mail, ecards and text messaging, there are still racks of them in grocery stores, museum gift shops, even gas stations. If you are a photographer looking for new outlets for your images, chances are you’ve thought about cards. If you’re considering launching a greeting card line, here are some of the basics to help you make money at it: PICKING THE RIGHT IMAGES If you’ve been shooting for awhile, the most difficult part of creating a greeting card line is picking the photographs. Greeting card retailers rarely take an entire line. They may only buy a dozen designs, but you still have to offer a broad enough selection. The card industry considers a line to have minimum of 48 different cards. If you want to recruit a distributor or card reps, aim for 48 photos as a starting point. Why such a weird number? Because 48 is easily divisible by six, eight and 12, which is the size of display racks or a section of a rack. It’s also the perfect size for a sub-line. For example, my greeting cards are divided into 10 sub-lines, with names like “Colorado Country,” “Colorful New England” and “Bold Floral.” This is also how I group my cards into boxed sets, with eight cards in a box. Next, decide on the overall look of your line. Will photos bleed to the edge of the card or have a border (usually white) around them? A border is cheaper, but a full-bleed makes a nice photo really pop. Will they be matte or glossy? The trend changes from year to year. Pick what 6 OUTDOORS UNLIMITED Spring 2010
makes your photos look the best. Then your cards will be timeless. For the actual images, select what you do best. If you shoot spectacular scenics, consider a portion of your line to have scenic photographs that look great in a 5by 7-inch size. Are you an exceptional wildlife photographer? Animals sell. Be wary of putting people on cards unless the image transcends the person. Have a sense of humor? It’s tough to appeal to a broad audience but if you have a halfdozen funny pictures, you could dedicate part of your line to humor, an excellent niche because few card manufacturers are successful at humor. And to be blunt, macro shots of flowers, animals and scenics are a dime a dozen. Be sure to offer at least one sub-line of regional images. Most likely you will sell the bulk of your cards in your surrounding area because that’s the market you already know (and that knows you). Also, people buy cards that relate to where they live or where they have visited. BLANK VERSUS GREETED The next decision is whether to offer blank cards (nothing inside) or “greeted cards.” Most photographers start with blank cards, believing they are more versatile. Some people buy blank cards because they can use them for many occasions, and some gift shops only sell blank cards, though just as many others will only sell greeted cards. While blank cards are cheaper because the printing is only on one side, make both. I started with blank cards, which still work best for nature centers, museum gift shops, galleries and boxed sets. However, I quickly learned that card stores and many bookstores want greetings inside. “Happy Birthday” is more than half the market. The
trick is to make the words compliment the picture. A little wit goes a long way, but keep it brief. People send greeted cards because they don’t want to write original words, but like to jot a few things down. Stick to the big categories, certainly birthday, but themes like belated birthday, sympathy, romance, and congratulations have a year-round market. What about seasonal cards like Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, graduation, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah? There are so many seasonal cards, and the window for selling them is so brief, that unless you are Hallmark, you’re better off avoiding the hassle and the returns. If you have a great Christmas image, sell it to your local bank as a custom order. FIND THE RIGHT PRINTER You have two choices when it comes to printing your cards: using a commercial printer and an offset printing process or making them yourself. For the latter, you buy “blanks” into which you slide a photograph or onto which you glue it. Many photographers use this option, then package the card with an envelope in a clear bag. Though some like this handcrafted look, it’s a labor-intensive approach that raises your price and limits your quantity. Hundreds of Web sites offer card printing. You upload your images, create the layout on the Web site’s template and then pay for it. These cards are typically at retail prices to you and have the Web site’s logo on the back of the card. If you really want to be in the card business and have your cards look professional, get bids from a few commercial printers. Be sure to get samples of their cards to make sure they can reproduce photographs to your standards. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
Craft Improvement - Magazine/Newspaper
Kill lazy words BY BILL GRAHAM
L
azy words are the writer’s quiet enemy. Just because a word fits in a sentence doesn’t guarantee a writer’s full emotional or factual intent enters the reader’s mind like a flaming arrow striking kerosene-soaked straw. Dull words are difficult to root out because they’re not obvious. Lazy words hide among the facts and turn of phrase without causing harm but also without adding enlightenment or entertainment. They quietly tiptoe into a sentence and keep mum as our eyes scan the lines. Where there’s no harm there’s no problem, we like to believe. We feel relief when a story has a beginning, middle and end that basically says what we intended to say. Ah, but then being professionals we give it the polish. Cliché words or phrases are zapped. (Or is replaced a better word?) Running spell check again doesn’t hurt. Quicker transition sentences and some paragraph tightening seem to help the story flow. So we’re all done now, right? Well, I often prove myself wrong. There’s a difference between copy that will make it to print but not make a splash and stories with the extra zing to make editors and readers smile. Good pace, active tense, interesting facts and solid reporting all make the basic pie edible. But looking hard at each
GREETING CARDS, CONT. PRICING YOUR CARDS Making money in the greeting card business is a quantity game. Greeting cards have high margins but high margins don’t mean much if you sell only 100 cards per year at $1.25 per card. (At this price, your cards will retail for $2.50 each.) That means you need to manufacture your cards at less than $1.25 each, ideally half that. If your cards are going
word in a sentence and asking if there’s a better one sweetens the taste. A lazy word is one that works, but one that doesn’t work the best. For example, I attended a workshop once where an Associated Press writer remarked that he never, ever uses the word “facility” in a story. It’s a bathroom, a factory, a gym or whatever it actually is, he said, but facility tells us little.
“ ” Complacency is the writer’s enemy. –BILL GRAHAM
I’ve never been able to use the word facility again, either, because I decided he was right. But I also discovered myself applying the rule to other words that are nondescript, such as nondescript. What facility avoidance taught me is that general words are easy but boring, while accurate and precise words are more difficult for the writer’s mind to find but far more interesting to read. A single word change may trigger me rewriting a whole paragraph. But the result is more clarity. Words that describe action are especially important. Turn “he landed the fish” into “he grabbed the bass by its
into a boxed set, count the cost of the box and the label in your calculations. In general, your cards should retail for between $2.50 and $4 per card. Higher, and you probably won’t sell many. Creating a greeting card line is a commitment both financially and time-wise. Talk to the stores where you would like to sell your cards. Get lots of feedback. Bottom line, you should make what they want to sell, at price that works for both of you. And like self-publishing a book,
lower lip and lifted it into the boat.” Being a veteran writer or broadcaster can lull you into lapses of word choice. When I judge OWAA contests, I spot generalized words in print, radio and video. Lazy words bog down Internet copy despite brevity in word counts. I read through my copy numerous times to polish it while the story is in its original file. (Note to readers: I started to use “file of creation,” [so Biblical] but then I decided “original file” is cleaner and more accurate.) Most of my freelance work gets sent to editors via e-mail. It’s very, very rare that some words don’t get changed right before I hit the send button. How could I miss them, I wonder? Complacency is the writer’s enemy. Editors can help. But many editors today are harried by deadlines and staff cutbacks. They don’t always have copy-polish time. Some may not have the copyreading experience that the writer possesses. This is a do-it-yourself business when it comes to greatness. Studying the power of individual words is your sharpest tool. Bill Graham, of Platte City, Mo., recently served on OWAA’s board of directors. A freelance writer and photographer, he covers natural science issues, fishing, hunting and conservation. Contact him at plattefalls@centurylink.net.
be aware that you are the warehouse and your best salesperson. Lisa Densmore is an award-winning writer, photographer and television producer/host from Hanover, N.H. In 2005, she introduced her greeting card line, Densmore Designs. All greeting card images courtesy of densmoredesigns.com.
www.owaa.org/ou OUTDOORS UNLIMITED 7
Portfolio PHOTO BY KRIS MILLGATE: Pollen spills from the center of a wild flower blooming in Island Park, Idaho.
PHOTO BY TOM WHETTEN: An early season storm settles into the San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado. 8 OUTDOORS UNLIMITED Spring 2010
PHOTO BY JAMES SMEDLEY: Mike Cotterill snowshows into a speckled trout lake in northern Ontario.
PHOTO BY DREW RUSH: Pete Alexander listens for the distinct "beeps" of a cougar while using radio telemetry equipment. Last winter, Rush spent time photographing Teton Cougar Project, a part of Craighead Beringia South. His work was featured in OU Online as the December Portfolio.
PHOTO BY DREW RUSH: An elk killed by a mountain lion offers clues as to predator prey relationships.
PHOTO BY KRIS MILLGATE: Camas blooms across the protected acres of Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Idaho. The OU Online February Portfolio featured Millgate’s photography.
www.owaa.org/ou OUTDOORS UNLIMITED 9
Technology
BY JOHN L. BEATH
D
o you know how popular your Web site is or how many other Web sites link to your site? Knowing this information can help you direct future marketing efforts and help you monetize your site. Alexa.com is one of the most useful and informative places to learn about your site. Alexa.com offers a simple toolbar on its homepage for looking up info about any Web site. Type in the URL, hit the “Lookup Sites” button and Alexa.com will give you worldwide traffic ranking, U.S ranking and rankings for other countries. It also provides demographics, time on site, reach, page views, bounce percentage, search percentage and more. Linking information from Alexa.com does not show all of a Web site’s links. To find out, as accurately as possible, how many external Web sites link to your site, go to www.altavista.com.Type “link:www.yoursite.com” and click the “find” button. Altavista will list almost every link to the requested Web site. I use this information to find out who links to my site and why. This information can benefit the current and future direction of the site’s marketing efforts and let you know what content attracts the most links. Links to your site will increase your traffic and your site’s search ranking, so pay close attention to linking and develop as many relevant links to your site as possible. Relevant links are links that match or have relevance to your site’s topic. For instance, my main site, halibut.net has hundreds of links from other fishing sites. Links from sites not relevant to my site will not help with rankings as much as “like sites.” Web site owners should also consider signing up for a Google
account and then use Google Analytics (www.google.com/analytics) to learn more about their site’s traffic. This super powerful analytics system gives a very complete insight into your Web site’s traffic patterns. The information is so complete, you can design your marketing efforts around your site’s success or re-design your site to match your goals. WEB SITE DESIGNER TIP Keywords died a very quiet death last year. During a search engine convention several months ago, Yahoo! announced they joined Google, Bing and most other major search engines by eliminating meta keywords from their search algorithms. Having meta keywords on your Web site won’t hurt, but they won’t help in any way. When building new pages, don’t insert keywords into the meta data. Instead, use tightly written targeted titles and descriptive, relevant meta descriptions. You should also use a descriptive message at the top of the page. Here’s an example for an automotive site my team just built for a customer targeting Honda car repair customers in his town. Also note that his URL, www.MonroeHondaRepair.com, helps his search results because the URL is relevant to the search. <TITLE> Monroe Honda Repair (360) 794-5211 </TITLE> <META NAME="DESCRIPTION" CONTENT="Honda Repair in Snohomish County's Monroe Washington. We specialize in Honda auto repair." /> The first line of text on this Web page gives the search engine relevant search information and tells the potential customer the company’s specialty: Honda Repair at Monroe Foreign Auto Repair. We specialize in Honda Repairs. For more information on search engine optimization, check out these articles from the OU archive: www.owaa.org/ou/2009/11/increasing-website-visits and www.owaa.org/ou/2009/11/search-engine-optimization. John L. Beath is OWAA president and owner of Pacific Lure Communications. He is a writer/photographer and owner/editor of 14 Web sites and 10 online stores. He is also an Internet marketing consultant for several businesses. Contact him at jbeath@gmail.com.
Read more of John’s I-Tech columns at www.owaa.org/ou/category/feature/columns 10 OUTDOORS UNLIMITED Spring 2010
Craft Improvement - Photography
Cheap
Photo tricks BY WILLIAM H. MULLINS
I
n these days of decreasing income amid increasing expenses, any way to save a few dollars is welcome. The following tips and tricks are certainly not earth-shaking; just simple advice to help with day-to-day problems encountered by outdoor photographers. DUCT TAPE Duct tape is perhaps one of the handiest repair items for anything from gunstocks, fishing rods and camera gear to even temporary patching for rafts or float tubes. However, a full roll of this handy fix-it stuff is bulky and heavy. Instead of packing a full roll in my already-overloaded camera pack, I wrap several layers around a tripod leg. It is quickly accessible, takes up little room, adds minimal weight, is easy to find and costs very little. TRIPOD LEG PROTECTORS Fancy polyethylene tripod leg covers are available from a variety of manufacturers. These covers function as insulation for aluminum legs in cold weather and provide padding when carrying a heavy telephoto/camera combo on your shoulder. These foam protectors, designed especially for tripods, cost $40-50 from mail-order camera outlets. You can buy 6foot polyethylene pipe insulation tubes from home improvement stores like Home Depot for less than $2. You need two to do the job. Simply slit the tube down its long side and slip it around the tripod leg. To keep it on, wrap the leg with camouflage camo duct tape, which costs about $8.
TRIPOD FOOT PROTECTION Tripod legs tend to sink in marsh muck, loose sand and other soft surfaces. An easy way to prevent this and keep the bottoms of your tripod legs clean is to take a tennis ball, cut an “x” into it and pop it on the tripod leg. Easy to install, easy to remove. A tube of three new tennis balls is less than $3. RAIN PROTECTION Look in any outdoor photography magazine and you will likely find ads for fancy camera rain coats. Cheaper ones go for about $7 per pair. Heavy-duty garbage bags can be altered to fit any cameralens-tripod combination. A package of 10 bags costs less than $3. They are also useful for making short jaunts in boats (i.e. shuttles from a boat to land) where bow spray can be problematic. Simply cram a half dozen or so with your gear; they are lightweight, take up little room and are cheap. LENS CAPS I am always losing lens caps. You can buy lens cap keepers, but a piece of the aforementioned duct tape works great when placed on the cap and the lens barrel as sort of a hinge. The cost is next to nothing. IMAGE CAPTIONS This has more to do with saving time rather than money. I sometimes photograph animals in zoos, especially in foreign countries. Sometimes, there isn’t time to write down all the caption data. Instead, I take a picture of the nearby interpretive sign so I can quickly move on to the next subject. Unless you are shooting film, there is no cost.
BEANBAGS For keeping your lens steady, beanbags are the next best thing to tripods. They are also quite heavy, especially when flying with today’s strict weight restrictions on airplanes. I take several large Ziploc bags and fill them with sand, rice or whatever is available when I arrive on site. Don’t overfill – just enough to make a shallow cradle for your lens. A heavy jacket or similar piece of clothing can also serve the same purpose. REFLECTORS Reflectors are great for bouncing light onto a subject to add drama. Several collapsible reflector discs are available commercially, but cost anywhere from $20 to $60. A cheap alternative is to carry a few sheets of aluminum foil and a piece of cardboard. When you need the reflector, crinkle the foil to reduce hot spots, wrap it around the piece of cardboard and use it to reflect sunlight onto your subject. Adjust the intensity of the reflection by adjusting the distance between the reflector and your subject. The total cost is a few cents – just remember to recycle. These are just a few tips to help you save a few bucks and solve a few problems you may encounter in the field. Happy shooting! William H. Mullins, of Boise, Idaho, is a freelance photographer, retired wildlife biologist and a 20year member of OWAA. Contact Mullins at wmullins1@mindspring.com.
Goldenrod Writing Workshop
Online registration available for annual OWAA conference
Whether you’re a seasoned professional or novice writer, improve your skills in outdoor, nature and environmental writing. Don’t delay, registration is first come, first served! Deadline is May 1.
Conference sessions will cover travel photography, tips for making money from blogs, how to get into outdoors radio, advice for looking your best in front of the camera and a new TV critique session.
www.owaa.org/goldenrod-writing-workshop
www.owaa.org/2010conference www.owaa.org/ou OUTDOORS UNLIMITED 11
Craft Improvement - Radio OU needs you! Members, get your questions answered by the experts. The Meet the Editors monthly feature will be returning to Outdoors Unlimited Online. Submit questions to OU Editor Ashley Schroeder at aschroeder@owaa.org.
FTC rule for bloggers Do you receive free merchandise or payment for writing about a product? www.owaa.org/ou/2010/01/ ftc-blogging-regulations/
Maximize your tax return A simple way to save taxes and increase charitable giving. www.owaa.org/ou/2010/01/ save-taxes-on-donations/
NEW: OU Editor’s Blog Searching the Web so you don’t have to! www.owaa.org/ou/category/ editor-blog/
Password change Every year, OWAA headquarters changes the general password for members-only portions of its Web site. The new password will be effective April 1. It is printed on this issue’s masthead (page 2). Members-only features include OWAA financial reports, member discount information, Outdoor Market listings and the OU Quarterly archive. Please note, your unique, individual login/password created for commenting on OU Online will not be changed. 12 OUTDOORS UNLIMITED Spring 2010
Just start talkin’ back to it very often. Imagine you’re just talking to a friend instead of speaking into a microphone. Another thing to keep in mind when writing here’s not much to putting together a the script is to write like you talk, instead of radio show. Just start talking. I’m not like you write. Changing my writing style was here to talk about selling the show to the hardest thing for me to do when I started sponsors or radio stations, although that’s by far doing radio. It has actually improved my writthe most important part. If you’re looking for ten work. In many situations, when you write advice on that, check back issues of Outdoors like you speak, you connect more with readers. Unlimited for anything written by the late Tony If you have a good interview to work into Dean. His advice is far better than any I could the program, it makes it easier. You’ll spend a give. bit more time editing the interview down into The man was a marvel when it came to marusable sound bites, but you’ll have another keting himself, and if I’d absorbed even a tenth voice in the show to make it more interesting to of the advice he tried to give me, I’d be set for the listener. Doing an life. Unfortunately, I’m still interview seems to going back to Tony’s writings make it a little easier to and notes from sessions he sound more natural, too. hosted at OWAA conferences You actually have somein an effort to pick up a little one to talk to, even if more I can use. I find somethat person’s not in your thing new every time. studio when you’re proBut even with Tony’s ducing the show. advice, selling your show is No matter how you the hard part. This article go about it, it’s really deals with something that is just a matter of talking. much easier. –TY STOCKTON Pick a specific topic you Interviews can be great for can talk about for two radio shows and they’re minutes, not a subject essential for longer-format so broad you’ll have programs. But if you’re asked trouble saying what you want to say in the to put together a two- or three-minute show, allotted time. Script it out in a way that sounds they’re not as crucial. In fact, if you don’t have natural when you read it out loud and then a great interviewee, they can actually drag your record it as though you’re having a conversashow down. tion with a buddy. What do you do if your interview flops and That’s all there is to it. If you’re blessed with you don’t have time to do it over? I’ve said it the gift of gab, you owe it to yourself to move before, and I’ll say it again: just start talking. into radio. Whether I have interviews, I generally script my shows. I don’t trust myself to stay on topic otherwise. During a shorter show, I don’t have Ty Stockton, of Cheyenne, Wyo., that luxury. So, if I’ve recorded an interview, I currently serves on the OWAA board of directors. A member since listen to it, find the best pieces, and work them 2001, Stockton is a freelance into my script. If I don’t have an interview that writer, photographer and radio day, I just write what I want to say. host. Contact Stockton at stockyThe trouble with reading from a script is that ty@gmail.com. you have a tendency to sound like you’re reading. One way to get around that is to read the script aloud several times to get a good feel for it, then try to recite it without having to refer
BY TY STOCKTON
T
“
If you’re blessed with the gift of gab, you owe it to yourself to move into radio.
”
Craft Improvement - Newspaper/Magazine
Write book reviews for fun and profit
BY MARY J. NICKUM
I
’ve written and used book reviews in my profession as a public services librarian for more than 25 years. Many of us use book reviews when deciding to purchase a book for ourselves or someone else. There are various publications that include book reviews, including local newspapers, magazines, and dedicated publications, such as Library Journal and the Kirkus Review. We must recognize the difference between reviews and flyers or catalogs. Flyers and catalogs sent by publishers and distribution houses, such as Book-of-the-Month Club, are not reviews. They are informational snippets designed to sell the book. They won’t tell you if the plot doesn’t move or the characters are flat. Many newspapers and other review media buy book reviews. Have you ever thought of writing book reviews for fun and profit? Fun is probable, profit is relative. Those who buy reviews often pay per word, just like the pay for most columns. In fact, you could be the sole contributor to a column for book reviews. The publication will decide the broad subject area of the books to be reviewed. You may get to choose the books or the editor may choose which books will be covered. If you are proposing a book review column, you may wish to begin by proposing a column regarding books about the outdoors. Then, if the outlet says their readers are most interested in hunting and fishing, you can suggest several titles of new books that would fit this column. Be prepared to provide details of your background in education and experience or provide writing samples, showing you are knowledgeable about this field. When you’ve secured a column in the local Sunday newspaper to review the newest books on hunting and fishing, you need to be able to find the books to review. You might begin your search in
bookstores to find publishers’ names. However, don’t wait for books to arrive in the bookstore before deciding which books to review. Most commonly, you’ll review the book based on the advanced reader’s copy (ARC). ARCs are proof copies or pre-publication copies produced by the publisher as a last check before final printing. These can only be obtained from the publisher and may not be sold or distributed by the recipient. To obtain these copies, write directly to the publisher. Choose publishers based on books that you know or have seen in the bookstore. Write to them describing your column, how often your column will be published, the circulation of the paper or magazine and a little about your background. Most publishers will be more than willing to supply you with ARCs free of charge. Most likely, they will add your name to their mailing list for future books in the same field. You’ll have the column and free books to add to your collection as well! Now, what exactly is a book review and how is it constructed? Book reviews are just that; they tell the reader a little about the author, what the book is about, how useful it will be and who will find it interesting. Book reviews are often short, sometimes 200-300 words. A column devoted to book reviews could be as long as 500-600 words. A book review should focus on the book's purpose, content and authority. A critical book review is not a book report or a summary. It is a reaction paper in which strengths and weaknesses of the material are analyzed. It should include a statement of what the author has tried to do, an evaluation of whether you think the author succeeded and evidence to support this evaluation. There is no right way to write a book review, as book reviews reflect the opinions of the reviewer. My formula for a book review: 1. List specifics of the publication, including title, author, publisher, place of
publication, price and other details required by your publication. 2. Identify the author of the book and his/her accomplishments in two or three sentences. 3. Discuss the contents of the book while analyzing its strengths and weaknesses. 4. Provide an overall evaluation and recommendation as to its use and users. Read some good book reviews if you haven’t been paying attention to them before now. The New York Times book review section (www.nytimes.com/pages/ books/index.html) is considered the “gold standard.” Many magazines contain a book review or two when the editors become aware of a title that fits the focus of the magazine. Newspapers are harder to pinpoint. Some, especially smaller local papers, carry only reviews of books by local authors. Some carry none at all. Larger city papers usually have a book review section in the Sunday paper. Many of those reviews are syndicated, but the paper may take some local reviews as well. Book reviewing sounds easy. However, to do a good job you must read the entire book, which can be time consuming. You may need to check some of the facts with a specialist, much like you’d verify facts in any other piece of writing. The more reading you have done in the field for which you plan to review, the better equipped you’ll be to provide meaningful reviews. Good luck and most of all, have fun! Mary Nickum, of Fountain Hills, Ariz., has been an OWAA member since 2000. Her recent children’s chapter book, “Mom’s Story, A Child Learns About MS,” is available from amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com as well as her Web site, www.marynickum.com. Contact her at mjnickum@hotmail.com.
www.owaa.org/ou OUTDOORS UNLIMITED 13
Supporting Group News Tips SportDOG Brand announced it will award $1,000 to the Young Guns, a youth group that is part of the Illinois Pioneer chapter of Pheasants Forever, for use in restoring 44 acres of upland game habitat. Conservation leaders interested in learning about future grants are encouraged to contact Gary Williams at gwilliams@ sportdog.net. Howard Communications, Inc. has added a Photo Library and Story Ideas section to its online pressroom. The company has also added a Pro Staff section for OWAA supporting group Hunter's Specialties, with biographies, images and an opportunity to set up interviews. Howard Communications' OWAA clients also include Browning and Bushnell Outdoor Products. For details, visit www.howardcommunications.com. Ducks Unlimited and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, partnered with other conservation organizations, were awarded a $1 million North American Wetlands Conservation Act grant toward restoration and protection of the Iowa Prairie Pothole Region. Once an expanse of native tall grass prairie wetlands, the biodiversity of the region dwindled with agricultural development during the past 150 years.
The Sportsman Channel and Safari Club International Foundation’s Sportsmen against Hunger announced the launch of the second annual, multi-city Hunt.Fish.Feed. The 2010 tour will stop in ten cities in ten months. More info available at www.huntfishfeed.org. Developed with comfortable viewing for eyeglass-wearers in mind, the EL Swarovision 42 binoculars from Swarovski Optik feature HD lenses to minimize color fringing and guarantee images with the highest possible resolution. With the retirement of Buck Stop Lure Company, Inc. founder Don Garbow, the hunting scent company is now owned by Bonnie and Brian Johansen. Garbow's youngest daughter Bonnie has been with the family-operated business for more than 40 years. Check out the updated company at www.buckstopscents.com. Those who sign up 30 days in advance for any Optimum Shotgun Performance Shooting School two-day clinic in 2010 will receive a free set of Predator Gold Electronic Ear Muffs from Pro Ears/Altus Brands LLC Company. For more info, visit www.altusbrands.com. To register, visit https://ospschool.com/schedule.html.
The Open Field Collection, a joint apparel venture between Realtree and Reebok, is designed for hunters and fishermen who also happen to be football fans. Sporting the logos of NFL teams, the collection includes Realtree camo fleece hoodies, heavy weight cotton canvas jackets and cotton T-shirts. The apparel will be available in the fall in sporting good stores. For more info, visit www.realtree.com. Outdoor sports network Versus had its most-watched year ever for outdoor programming and field sports programming in 2009. Forty-two million viewers tuned in to the network's outdoor programming shows for an increase of 24 percent from 2008. To check out the network's programming schedule, visit www.versus.com. This year's Hunt for the Hungry Hog Hunting Tournament is sponsored by electronic dog training product company TriTronics and the Texas Dog Hunter's Association. Hog hunters are invited to compete with their dogs for cash and prizes. Register at www.thenewtdha.com/ tdha/pages/contests.htm.
www.owaa.org/ou/category/ departments/supporter-newstips
Bookshelf Poachers, Crooks and Other Turkeys
Edited by Craig Nyhus, Lone Star Outdoor News, 9304 Forest Lane, Ste. 114 South, Dallas, TX 75243, www.LSONews.com, paperback, 272 pp, $15.95, plus shipping and handling. Be Expert with Map & Compass: The Complete Orienteering Handbook By Bjorn Kjellstrom and Carina Kjellstrom Elgin, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River St., Hoboken, NJ 07030, 201-748-6000, www.wiley.com/ WileyCDA, paperback, 256 pp., $18.95.
14 OUTDOORS UNLIMITED Spring 2010
Where’s the rest of the Bookshelf? It’s online! www.owaa.org/ou/category/ departments/bookshelf Submit information for department features to aschroeder@owaa.org. Don’t Sleep, There are Snakes: Life and Languate in the Amazonian Jungle By Daniel L. Everett, Random House, 1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019, www.randomhouse.com, softcover, 320 pp., $16.
Fly Fishing in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park: An Insider’s Guide to a Pursuit of Passion By Jim Casada, High Country Press, 1250 Yorkdale Dr., Rock Hill, S.C. 29730-7638, www.jimcasadaoutdoors.com, 448 pp., $24.95 (softcover) and $37.50 (hardcover) plus $5 for shipping and handling. Audiobook: Sporting Clays Consistency: You Gotta Be Out of Your Mind! By Gil and Vicki Ash with Ty Adams, Optimum Shotgun Performance Shooting School, 29354 McKinnon Rd., Suite A, Fulshear, TX 77441, 281346-0888, www.ospschool.com, audio, five CDs, $39.95.
Full-page ad for Image Printing
Copyright notice: Contributors grant rights for OWAA to publish once in Outdoors Unlimited, both the print and online versions, including archives, and on the OWAA Web site.
Outdoor Writers Association of America Inc. 121 Hickory St., Suite 1 Missoula, MT 59801 406-728-7434
Spring 2010
OUTDOOR MARKET
Jobs and editorial-needs lisitings are updated throughout the month! Be sure to use the members-only password (refer to page 2). Check out www.owaa.org/ou/category/market.
Association Update New members Carmen Abrego Matt Cunningham Al Hague Christopher Huseman Kenneth Margolis Hank Pennington Steve “Boomer” Sutton
Reinstated members Mark Melotik Danny Snyder Noel Vick
Deceased members William Maund Charlie Meyers Paul Newsom Al Rostello
New Supporting Groups, Agencies and Businesses Horton Manufacturing Pro Tool Industries Tioga County Visitors Bureau
Contact updates Sylvia Bashline, sgbashline@verizon.net. Adele Dovey, adele@lldovey.com. Bill Graham, plattefalls@centurylink.net. Sam Hossler, 1161 SW Colorado Ave., Port St. Lucie, FL 34953-1806. (H) 772-2375512; samh@samhossler.com. Ron Kerr, ron.kerr@telus.net.
Mark LaBarbera, 520-730-9252, malabarb@peoplepc.com. He is no longer with Safari Club International. Jim McCann, jimmccann@live.com. Dick Mermon, 6307 Sweetwater Blvd., Murrelles Inlet, SC 29576, dmerm4pics@sc.rr.com. Doug Montgomery, hunterland@xplornet.ca. Ed Moody, ejmoody@neo-rr.com. Emran Pishvai, 3930 NW Witham Hill Drive, Apt. 77, Corvallis, OR 97330, outdoorsciwriter@comcast.net.
Glenn Sapir, glennsapir@gmail.com. Ken Schultz, 24492 Dix Farm Dr., Accomac, VA 23301-0492, (H) 757-7877747, (F) 757-787-7747, ken@kenschultz.com. Thayne Smith, 26449 Vintage Trace Drive, Claremore, OK 74019-7524, (H) 918-739-5002, (W) 918739-5002, (Cell) 918-7402630. Ken Sullins, ken@ kensullinsphotography.com.
www.owaa.org/ou/ category/departments/ assoc-update
News Briefs Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame elects OWAA member OWAA member Jerry Pabst was elected as a Legendary Communicator into the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame. The honor recognizes fresh water sportfishing leaders who are instrumental in introducing fishing to the public or maintaining public interest or awareness. NYSOWA Excellence in Craft awards OWAA members took home several writing and photography awards from the New York State Outdoor Writers Association’s Excellence in Craft contest. The winners were announced at the 16 OUTDOORS UNLIMITED Spring 2010
NYSOWA’s annual conference in Lake Placid, N.Y. Glenn Sapir won first place for a newspaper column. Dennis Aprill took home two second place awards: one for newspaper column and another for newspaper feature. In the magazine column category, Tom Schlichter won first place and Angelo Peluso recieved second and third place awards.
Tony Salerno took home a second place award for magazine feature and Tom Schlichter received third place. J. Michael Kelly was awarded second place recoginition in the outdoor scenic category as well as second place in the hunting and fishing category. Bill Hollister took home three third-place photography awards.
For more details about member news and other events: www.owaa.org/ou/category/departments/briefs Submit news for department features to aschroeder@owaa.org.