Okay, so it isn't as exciting as winning a contest, but it is a lot better than a Nigerian email scam.  (If you prefer those to my email, please don't tell me as my feelings will be hurt.)

I have finally put together an email list and entered it with a professional email management service so I can keep you up-to-date on changes to HockeyPhotography.com and additions to my hockey image archives.  You were selected out of thousands of emails addresses floating about online because you have either a) purchased a print from me in the past, b) signed up via PhotoShelter or c) emailed me with questions about image availability (and my sincere apologies to those who received a reply from me saying "I'll let you know when I get that online" years ago and never heard anything from me again until now).  If you are no longer interested, please just scroll on down to the bottom and choose unsubscribe.  Since I'm using this fancy MailChimp system, it will then prevent me from ever bugging you again via email.

If you are still interested, please update your profile at some point.  There's a field to tell me what you are most interested in (AHA, CCHA, ECAC, HE, WCHA, Women's) which I'll use to better tailor future emails to you (frequency isn't set in stone, but I definitely won't invade your inbox more than once a week).  There is also a place to enter your physical mailing address - some of you received a personal Happy New Year's card* from me last year since I had the info while others didn't as I only have your email address.  No promises of future snail mails, but obviously your privacy will be respected and none of the info on MailChimp will ever be shared.

Your reward for reading this far is ten percent off prints now through September 12, 2010.  Just enter coupon code TEN on the checkout page.  You can place as many orders as you like using the discount through September 12.  Please forward the coupon code (or the entire email) to any and everyone you think might be interested in my images.  Don't assume they were special enough to receive this email directly (if this was forwarded to you by a friend - I'm sure you are special too. I just don't know you or lost/never got your email address).  Also to help the discount go even farther, I will keep the 2008-09 and earlier prices through September 12.  All prints will be set at the same 2009-10 prices come September 13.  I can now accept American Express and PayPal in addition to Visa and MasterCard (along with a few others depending on which country you live in).  See the FAQ for other Discounts.

The website has been redesigned:

In addition to making it prettier, the "Galleries by Date" and "Galleries by Team" pages have been cleaned up and the FAQ has been completely re-written.  I started a blog last year and you can follow me on Twitter.

Special prints available:

In addition to basic prints of my gorgeous hockey images, I can create a special 20x30 print of your favorite player by combining multiple images of him or her.



More info can be found on the FAQ here.  (Hey, I spent a decent amount of time re-writing it - have to direct people there to make the time spent worthwhile.)

Photo tip:  To reduce/eliminate camera shake, stand with your feet apart, slightly wider than your hips, and keep your elbows at your sides.

Archives:

You may have noticed a change in the galleries - lots of "PARTIAL" galleries in 2009-10 (explained in the FAQ).  I've been working hard on getting older games edited and online as well.  This off-season I've added:

070212 - Beanpot: Harvard vs. Northeastern and Boston College vs. Boston University
070224 - Boston College at UMass-Lowell
080216 - Maine at Boston University
080330 - Boston College vs. Miami University
081122 - Boston University at Boston College (women)
090221 - Providence College at Boston College (women)
090328 - Boston University vs. Ohio State University
090410 - Miami University and Boston University practices, Humanitarian/Hobey Awards and Skills Competition
090411 - Miami University vs. Boston University and BU's celebration

Between those games and images edited on their own for a specific use, 11,721 images have been added to my archives since the Boston College men's hockey team won the 2010 men's D1 championship.

Hockey Photo Tip: If you can set a custom white balance on your camera, take an out of focus picture of the ice after it has been skated on and use that to set the white balance.

*I was able to individualize those cards by printing them with Moo.  They have folded cards, postcards, business cards and mini business cards that allow you to use a different image on one side of each business card/post card (with the greeting cards you can change the front image - the inside and back have to all match, something I learned AFTER choosing two images for each recipient).

• Create a personalized Concentration game for a child by creating business cards using 25 images that include him or her - that will give 25 pairs, enough for a game and on the reverse you can personalize the set with the child's name.
• Having a big reunion - print cards with then & now images of the attendees and test people on their ability to match the cards.

If interested, please use this link as it will help me do another mailing this year.  I wouldn't give an affiliate code if I hadn't used a vendor and been happy with their services.

Thanks for making it to the end.  Please let your friends know about the ten percent discount on prints (coupon code TEN) and your enemies too - it's good karma.