June 2010 Issue 59

Welcome!

Welcome to this month's newsletter. Now in the new colours of Wizz2u! This month Rupa shares her tips on choosing a lifestyle photographer and we bring you tips for dealing with landlords and letting agents.

Win an exciting and fun lifestyle experience from Rupa Photography. The prize is worth £250 and includes:

• A lifestyle experience on location (within London) and a premier of the slideshow at Rupa's premises worth £100
• 8" x 6" photograph mounted and framed overall frame size 12" x 10" worth £100
• £50 voucher towards further products.

To enter, please email Rupa. Entries close on Friday 25 June at 5pm. Competition and prize subject to terms and conditions

For those of you who are new to us, we send out this newsletter once a month with organisationally focused hints and tips. We provide lifestyle management and virtual assistant services to clients to help them get their to-do lists done, whether this be in their personal or business lives.

Choosing a Lifestyle Photographer

Lifestyle photography is a style of photography which aims to portray real-life situations on location. It is suitable for individuals looking to get stunning images of themselves for either personal or commercial use, couples looking for a unique experience which will capture their personalities and relationships and families looking for natural shots of themselves either within their own home or a location that perhaps holds fond memories.

Choosing the right lifestyle photographer is an important decision. Here are ten useful tips:

1. Find a photographer whose work and style you feel would suit your requirements.
2. Have a one-to-one chat with your photographer prior to booking. You should ask the photographer about their packages and cost and their approach.
3. There is more to lifestyle photography than stunning images. Ensure you get along with the person taking the photographs.
4. Before the shoot starts arrange to meet up for a coffee to get you relaxed.
5. When choosing your lifestyle photographer look at their post-production style as well as the photography itself. Be mindful that quirky effects such as spot-colouring (i.e. where a majority of the image is in black and white but one object is in colour) will date over time.
6. Prior to your shoot think about what you would like to use your photographs for. For example if you are interested in framed pieces for your home ensure that the photographer you go to sells these products.
7. Establish a brief with your photographer prior to the shoot. For example you may want to have a shoot with your children at the beach.
8. Once the location has been established give due consideration to clothes and props for the shoot in keeping with the brief. A change of clothes/accessories can bring variety to your lifestyle photography.
9. If you have young children it is advisable to bring along a few of their favourite toys to keep them engaged and focused.
10. Remember that your lifestyle shoot is supposed to be a fun experience. The more relaxed you feel the better your photographs will turn out.

Task Tips - Dealing with Landlords and Letting Agents

We don't think it's possible to go through a whole tenancy and not have a single maintenance issue. Most landlords will deal with these painlessly and efficiently, but communicating with any landlord or agent can be a bit of an art:

• Learn how they like to be communicated with - for instance, if you have a male landlord who gets stroppy with you and you are a woman, try getting your male partner or flat mate (or secretary) to deal with them. Or, perhaps your letting agent responds better when you start your call with pleasantries rather than 'you haven't sorted out our hot water'!
• If an issue doesn't get sorted out quickly, keep a list of dates and times you have communicated and where possible put everything in emails. If they prefer you call them, follow up with an email to confirm what was said. And give them deadlines to get back to you.
• Sometimes it is easier and quicker to get little maintenance issues dealt with yourself. But beware, you should let your landlord or letting agent know you have done this. If you end up wanting to claim them against damages you have made at the end of the tenancy, they could easily say they had no idea.
• Don't withhold rent at any point unless it has been agreed. If for any reason you have to go down any legal route, you will then be in the wrong and that isn't seen favourably.
• And don't forget, most landlords and agents are reasonable and are doing their best, but sometimes there are things beyond their control. As long as they are updating you regularly you should be fine.

You Should Know About - Join My Band

www.joinmybandthemovie.com is a short film which is about a boy who starts a band to get a girl. You can donate any amount via the website, but just £10 ensures you a ticket to the premier and after party. Something different to spend your spare money on.

Service of the Month - Corporate Concierge

We are experts in the on-site corporate concierge business and provide dedicated concierge services to businesses who want to help their employees with their work-life balance. The concierges are directly employed and managed by us but are permanently based on client site and available to deal with dry cleaning, booking tickets and restaurants, organising flowers and gifts, running local errands, taking on research, organising new passports and visas and much much more. Wizz2u have over 400 suppliers and a vast network of partners to ensure that every request gets dealt with in a timely, cost effective and professional manner. Our concierges have the back-up of our mobile concierge, are all CRB checked and fully referenced plus we provide holiday and sickness cover with all of our relief concierges being fully trained on each site in advance. If you are one of more than 200 employees based at one site and think your employer should provide this or you are a senior decision maker who would like to provide this great benefit for your employees, then please email us. Please look at the website for more information.

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