[Ed_L]

Thanks for the kind words Tom. As per the medallions -- aren't they actually embeded into the stone? If so, my thinking is that it would need to be put in when they make the stone. But it is certainly possible (maybe even probable) that I'm way off base.

Ed

[DJ Dubovsky]

Thanks guys. Does this mean you aren't coming to Florida to lead me by the hand? Bummer

I am lucky in that I can start this business as a hobby first to get my feet wet and go on from there while my husband keeps us living comfortably. I do think I will implement a few things as you said and some are pretty easy and inexpensive. But I will take it slow and get the feel becuse that's just my "conservative" nature.
OK, I can't tell a lie. I'm not conservative, I'm a chicken. cluck..cluck...cluck Just getting this far took an Act of God.
DJ

[thomasgeorge]

Ed---CLICK Contacting Monument/headstone manufactures might be a thought, I think contacting the Funeral Directors with a tasteful brochure might be worth thinking about. Also--I have tried my hand at capturing images via "FRAME GRABBING" off video tape. With some practice that has a lot of potential as an income source. The first customer I had wanted a picture of his favorite sheep dog, a heeler- collie- something else mix( I had the pleasure to know that dog and he could work sheep like nothing I ever saw before or since) and the only picture of "Simon" was on a 7 year old video tape. I "grabbed" the necessary frames, combined them and adjusted in PS4 and the finished photo actually brought tears to that grizzled old fellows eyes. Anyhow--might be worth looking into. Tom

[thomasgeorge]

Dj, Starting out with a "paying hobby" is probably the best thing anyone entering this field could do. Having the freedom to learn, apply that learning and expand slowly is a perfect combination. Just dont be afraid to seek out new stuff. Not every thing you try or look into is going to "pan out" but the exprience you gain is NEVER without value and in a few years YOU will be the "GREAT AND POWERFUL, THE ALL KNOWING WIZARD OF DIGITAL MAGIC" , sorta like Doug. Tom

[Doug Nelson]

Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain

[Ed_L]

Hi Tom,

I was thinking along those same lines. Brochures distributed by the funeral homes, could be inserted with the other paper work involved with the services, and would be a good thing. I do think that the words would need to be *carefully* chosen, so as not to put the intended audience ill at ease.

Another thing I thought of was (and I don't know if this is possible) if you could make some type of medallion in it's own holder that could be placed into the ground. You might not be able to do this at some cemeteries because they have restrictions against it. And although the restrictions might seem unfair, many of them really need to be put in place. People will put many things around grave sites, and after a while, they are not attended to. This leaves the upkeep up to the cemetery personnel. Plus the fact that the grass needs to be mowed, etc. Just a thought. Hey, another thought -- if you could get the medallion to lay flat on the ground, it might be a more acceptable idea for the people in charge of things.

Ed

[thomasgeorge]

Ed, I agree fully. It sounds like there could be a market for these services and as long as all concerned are ethical in their dealings with the grieving relatives. Tom

[Sally]

I do some work for a wedding photographer. She arranges to get drum scans, I do whatever she wants and either return the resulting work (on CD) to her or send it to the company who prints her wedding photos.

The work sometime includes changing heads, for example there is one person in a group with eyes shut, he is in a different photo and I borrow his head to have open eyes.

Another thing I do may be used more frequently in Australia, I don’t know. Together we work out what is wanted, the idea comes from her with some input from me. There will be several wedding photos on one page, probably 11” x 14” . The photos are probably all taken at the same location.

An example is the first one we did together, of a photo of the wedding dress hanging from a hanger. Then some different pics of the girls helping with the dressing process. Another was dancing at the reception. Both sets of parents and bride & groom and a couple of other pics.

I would be interested to know if this is done in other countries?

By the way I have done a couple of restorations of still born babies. I didn’t find it distressing. I felt I was giving pleasure to the grieving mothers to see their babies in less gruesome pictures.

Sally Cowell

[Sanda]

I'm a social member of the local RSL(returned service league) I was thinking that I may advertise in their monthly magazine. I'm sure there are a lot of people who would like restorations of their loved ones who were lost in the wars. I think I need to make an advertisement showing a restoration of a service man. I think I would offer a discount to members of the club.