Brian Naughton

Photographers can sometimes work miracles, and the good ones will always turn up prepared. But ultimately you need to take responsibility for what you want. Is it just pack shots? Or brand storytelling? For example, if you're an artisanal smokehouse specialising in high-end smoked wild salmon, you should be thinking in advance how that story can best be told -- storyboarding the journey (the wood chips you use, loading the kiln, where and how you source your salmon, the people who work for you that make the magic happen, etc., etc.). A picture is worth a thousand words -- so whatever your line of business, think in advance about how best to tell your story. Great photos can differentiate you from your competitors -- take it from me!

In terms of visuals and image optimisation, here are a few things to consider. Firstly, what aspect ratios are you using on your website? Are you using full-bleed, widescreen images? Or is everything in square grids? Considering in advance will help you get it right before finalising the images. How you crop images makes a BIG difference in terms of impact. Consider how your images look on both desktop and mobile -- optimising for both is best. In terms of image size, save at no more than 2000 pixels on the long edge (at 300 ppi). Another hack if using Photoshop: use 'File>Export>Save for Web' and reduce the number of colours in the output palette, which will drastically improve file size without significantly reducing image quality.

One of the key USPs of crypto like Bitcoin (BTC) is that it is a digital bearer asset, meaning you get to physically own it without the need for any trusted third parties -- and therefore with zero counterparty risk. As Michael Saylor says, Bitcoin is digital property. But this is ONLY the case if you self-custody your crypto -- in a secure hardware wallet, which is kept fire-walled from the internet. In order to do this, you must take responsibility for keeping a hard copy of your seed phrase (the recovery password for the wallet) somewhere SAFE -- i.e. to preserve it against damage, loss or theft. As FTX creditors now know, self-custody is an essential component of the crypto revolution -- hence "not your [private] keys, not your crypto".

I think it's worth considering how rapidly everything is moving -- it's really a question of catching the train before it leaves the station! For example, DeepMind co-founder Mustafa Suleyman recently expressed his belief that Ai systems will be able to autonomously invent, manufacture, market and sell products by 2030. In the here and now, Ai will automate a plethora of time consuming processes, such as taking a piece of original video content and repurposing it into multiple viral short clips for use on platforms like TikTok... plus a hundred other social media tasks that until now have required large teams to accomplish -- editors, designers, planners, etc. If you're in the social media business, you simply cannot afford to ignore Ai!

Getting paid in crypto as a freelancer can be daunting at first — but once you have a system in place it’s very straightforward. The vast majority of crypto payments I’ve received have been in dollar-denominated stablecoins (such as USDT and USDC). This makes it easier for everyone in terms of volatility, etc. My hack would be to set up a centralised exchange account (e.g. Coinbase); figure out the account specifics for a given stablecoin and chain; and simply use this route so you can cash out and transfer fiat direct to your traditional bank account. ALWAYS be sure to check all details when sharing those mad alphanumeric addresses, and best practice (from their end) would be to send a nominal amount first to confirm everything works!

Unless there's a specific reason for a sit-down, three-course meal (such as a gala dinner), it's MUCH easier to offer a buffet-style spread, where people serve themselves; or (my preference) a decent, quality selection of canapés (and refreshments) served to people by event staff walking around the venue. Going high-end on canapés and drinks, for example, leaves a much more lasting impression on people than a run-of-the-mill sit down meal would. People also like to network at events, so this format enables them to float around more, rather than getting trapped with a bore. Assume there will be 'special' dietary requirements, and remember that carnivores also like (and eat) vegetarian/vegan options, so make sure you get the balance right!