Happy Birthday FX Photo Studio ! 

We are thrilled to celebrate one year of cool photo effects with FX Photo Studio and offer some XShot iPhone tripod cases and camera extenders this Month!

Celebrate with FX Photo Studio and and enter the gigantic giveaway of cool tech stuff including the new iPad and XShot goodies until June 16th! 

What do you have to do?

Stay tuned with FX Photo Studio on facebook as they will be offering different prizes every day!
We will let you know ahead when the XShot goes live

Check out awesome instagram master @kewiki as he is celebrating with his own challenges….

Chris Voss, the serial entrepreneur and social media marketing expert recently reviewed the Pocket XShot camera extender and the iPhone 4 Tripod Case on the Chris Voss Show. We have been following his Social Media Technology reviews and we were thrilled to see him share some XShot love!

"This is awesome for being able to take videos of yourself, if you want to walk around at a convention or if you want to walk and talk, you can hold this handle out. I love this, it is almost like having your cameraman with you. I think this is awesome for video bloggers. "said Chris Voss.

Check out the Chris Voss Show  tips and reviews , along with one of his favorite pizza place recommendation video shot with his new camera accessory… 

Thanks Chris!

More about Chris Voss

It was too awesome not to share with you…. 

About a month ago, Google+ updated its features, layout, sharing options and more and uploaded a video to explain all the changes. 

While watching it at XShot, we all cried of joy right away… not because the features were so awesome (some are pretty cool though) but because we spotted the camera extender after the first 10 seconds , where Google+ explains how to share bigger, more beautiful videos with an example. OK, Google could have chosen among millions of videos, but they chose an epic snowboarding self-video, taken with the famous "camera on a stick"  Why is that? Because it makes stunning videos. The XShot telescopic camera pole became very pouplar among snowboarders, especially the GoPro users as it makes a perfect combo for self-videos and for getting great angles, high and low.  LOVE IT!!!!

A big thank you at to all the outdoors fans using the XShot, we love watching your videos, and seeing one on a Google+ video is just priceless…

For those who would like to see the video and learn a few things about the Google+ new features along the way, check it out:

Our 2012 “I spy an XShot at Coachella" lucky Winner is Theresa Janke from Bonita, California.  She spotted the XShot up high with a GoPro camera during Porter Robinson.

Congratulations Theresa!   You just won your own XShot camera extender so that at your next adventure you too can get the awesome above the crowd shots that no one else could get. What is your next concert or festival? Lollapalooza? Burning Man? Or just trying your XShot to take group portraits on the beach with your friends? Works pretty well too.

The concert camera accessory was spotted a few times in the Sahara Tent and at the David Guetta concert

Guest Post by Evan Williams of PureADK

Hilary Lockwood and Evan Williams are a young adventurous couple who work hard and play hard. In their leisure time, they enjoy exploring the Adirondack Mountains in Northern New York State. While they are out and about, the XShot goes everywhere with them to document their adventures. Check out the camera extender with their GoPro camera nicely secured on Evan's chest, ready to hike and shoot. Picture by Pure ADK :  http://pureadk.com/

Consisting of 6 million acres, the Adirondack Park and Forest Preserve is the largest park in the contiguous United States. To give you a size comparison, the park is larger than the state of Massachusetts.

"Constantly inspired by the endless beauty of the Adirondack Park, we are always discovering new facets of the Park that motivate us to get out and explore it. As we continue to adventure throughout the mountains, we have designed a website called Pure Adirondacks (PureADK.com) to share our personal stories, laughs, and experiences and put a personal touch on making the most of the Adirondacks.  By documenting our discoveries through photos, videos, and personalized posts, we hope that PureADK will not only act as an educational and informational resource, but also as an entertaining way to get a unique view on all that the Adirondack Park has to offer."

While many people think of a park as a place you visit for a day or a week, the Adirondack Park is unique. Since the park is a mix of protected private and public land, there is actually around 130,000 year-round residents that live, work, and play within the boundaries. Thousands of people of all ages also visit the Adirondacks every year to take advantage of what the landscape has to offer. From hiking on the network of 2000 miles of trails to skiing the former Winter Olympic venue, Whiteface Mountain, there are plenty of recreation opportunities for the outdoor lover. There is also a mix of shopping, great restaurants and nightlife in the small villages throughout the park.

Here is a recent video of the PureADK crew out for a Spring hike. Located near Keene Valley, NY, the group set out on a hike into visit Rainbow Falls, then to take in the views of Lower Ausable Lake from Indian Head.

                               Indian Head & Rainbow Falls Hike – Adirondacks from Pure Adirondacks on Vimeo.

A view from the top   " I got the XShot just over a year ago because I wanted something to mount my GoPro on to shoot some skiing videos. It turns out that I use it for a lot more than that. Every trip Hilary, my fiancée, and I go on, the XShot comes with us." Evan

Find out more about the  Adirondack Park and Forest Preserve on the PureADK webiste and facebook page. Evan and Hilary will help you prepare the experience of a lifetime!

So you've got your outfits all picked out and memorized the schedules for your fav bands (I hope).  If not get to it!

And if you are super music festival savvy then you have also packed your camera and your XShot camera extender  so that you can get cool above the crowd shots that no one else can!

You don't have an XShot?! What!????

Well you're in luck, because we are giving a few away.

WHAT TO DO :

• Keep your eyes peeled for someone using one and trust us, you will see them.  Just look up and search for a telescopic arm with a camera or iPhone on top above the heads! 

• Snap a photo of an XShot in action and post it to our Facebook page either by tagging "XShot" or posting it on our wall. 

Entries accepted until 4/25/2012 to give you some time to recover and find you camera… 

We will pick our favorite one and send the lucky winner (could be you) an XShot so that at your next adventure you too can get the awesome above the crowd shots that no one else could get.

Here is an Eye Spy an XShot Photo from Coachella weekend 1 from Caterina Caligiuri!

How many can you find this weekend? 

Please spread the word and let's see the pics!

More info on the event on Facebook

More info on Coachella's events and lineup 

Beth Whitman from Wanderlust and Lipstick  is a total XShot travel master. She renamed her camera extender the "camera stick" and gets amazing group pictures with her fellow travelers wherever she goes.

Check out the beautiful background and stunning Bhutanese temple behind these lovely ladies. 

"I'm in Bhutan at the moment leading a group and the women all LOVE the XShot and keep insisting that I take out the "camera stick" so we can get a group photo"   Beth

What is your favorite travel gear?

 Check out that very cute and well edited video. It is not an ordinary video, first because it was shot by Gary Cruz , a professional photographer from California, and second because he chose to shoot the video in 8mm style. It is the perfect way to capture a day of family fun. It brings some of us back down to memory lane, but it really carries a special emotion and makes it a keepstake he will watch later on with his family.

  Weekend with the Abars Part 2 – Snow Day! from Gary Cruz on Vimeo.

Music by Matt Pond PA. It is appropriately called "Snow Day"

 "I decided to give it a Super 8mm look because I was inspired by the old home movies since those early adopters were probably film enthusiasts. The photographers would edit their film where it had a beginning, middle, and end; then they would show it to family and friends. I want to cherish these times like they did." Gary Cruz 

Find out more about Gary Cruz Portrait Photography

Thank you Gary for sharing your great videos and pictures with us, we really appreciate it and feel very honored to have you as an XShot friend. Congrats on your super cute family

"Every item on here is worth packing for that special trip, whether it is a small $2.00 product or $100.00 product. If it has made this list, you want to see it, pack it or experience it on the greatest trip of your life. We had hundreds of products to choose from and could only pick ten, but I wanted to include some of our favorite runner up’s too!" Source Honeymoons.com

Must Have Travel Products

1-  XShot camera Extender YAY!!!!!

So many photo albums of honeymooners are missing one thing. That is pictures of the couple throughout the trip! This compact, lightweight camera accessory was designed to help you capture every priceless moment of your romantic honeymoon and vacation and ensures no one is left out of the photo taking the picture! The telescopic camera extender attaches to any compact digital camera or hand-held video camera so that the person behind the lens can be part of the special memories they capture by simply extending the camera far enough away from you and your new husband to take a picture of each other without having to ask anyone!

2-  Livespeakr™ iPhone speaker

On your honeymoon, it is always nice to up the romance by playing your favorite background music in your hotel room!

3-  Reisenthel Bag

The reisenthel travel bag is a perfect item to pack, it is small when you need it to be, and expands out to a larger bag if you find yourself out of room in your bag!

4-  Soak no-rinse hand-wash solution

Travel-sized mini are perfect for your honeymoon

5-  GoGirl Urination device

Hilarious accessory if a Turkish toilet gives you a panic attack

6-  PortaPocket® carrying cases

Helps you you conceal and carry your belongings quite discretely, even while dancing with your new hubby

7- BoBarra TSA Laptop bag

If you really carry a laptop on your honeymoon, check out a stylish and TSA approved bag

8- San Diego Hat

Sassy, always trendy and protects from the sun!

9-  Zip-Zac® Towel

This new patented, water-resistant lined, zipper pocket, ZIP-ZAC® Towel is the ideal place to stash keys, cell, cash or anything else while lounging on the beach.

10- Cruising Caddy™

A compact travel tote and water bottle carrier is just the right size to hold all your items by your side leaving your hands free for shopping, picture taking or hand holding while you're on your honeymoon.

To discover the “Must Pack” Runner Up’s and get more details and pictures on the top 10 products, read more on Honeymoons.com