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Best Locations for Seattle Business Photography and Headshots

Seattle Business Photographer | Serving Seattle, Bellevue & Tacoma areas

One of the questions Julian and the team get asked most often is “what are the best locations for Seattle business photography?” As you might expect, the answer is simple—there’s no one size fits all in business! Different companies require different locations with different identities. Below are seven of the best places you can take corporate pictures and headshots to capture you and your staff in the best light!

Downtown/Uptown

Nothing conveys modern hustle and bustle like the city center of Seattle. With a clean and commercial vibe, and architectural variety ranging from old to new, there are countless places to take your business photos. Try various plazas, the steps of the courthouse, and near the monorail, just for starters. Maybe you can get in some teambuilding at Gameworks!

Pioneer Square

With its brickwork streets and countless landmarks, Pioneer Square has an old school charm like that of New England. Seattle business photography there benefits from the rich foliage, the vast sidewalks, standing room, and the park at the center of it all. The muted green and red hues are perfect for that down-to-earth feeling that many businesses want!

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Kerry Park

Only a handful of cities in the world have a skyline as unique as Seattle’s—trust us we’ve looked! You can get a clear view of the entire city and the Space Needle from Kerry Park, which is wide enough for great group shots. This location will instill your team and customers with more local, home-grown pride than drinking a Rainier at a Sounders game dressed in Northface!

Ballard & Magnolia

These neighborhoods are custom-made for businesses that want to convey a hip attitude combined with an antique aesthetic. This creative aura and architecture is the reason they host their inspiring Art Walk every year. You can also find interesting ways to use big landmarks like the Ballard Locks—it could illustrate the different stages of a work process, or climbing the steps to success. Take advantage of the shipyards and wide terraces for your business photos!

Madison Park

Madison Park provides some of the best locations for Seattle business photography, like its large golf club, arboretum, and expanses of private beaches. It’s great to give your employees a little fun on their photo field-trip! The buildings give a quaint, small town look, with a classy finish that’s sure to rub off on your corporate portraits!

SoDo

Spanning the industrial district and including Safeco and CenturyLink Fields, SoDo is to Seattle what SoHo is to New York—a vibrant, retro neighborhood. With many big warehouses converted into artists’ lofts and studios, it’s perfect for manufacturing and creative groups alike! Use SoDo for old town backgrounds and local sports fandom.

West Seattle

West Seattle is ideal for outdoor business photography. With the boardwalk around Alki Beach, a startup can capture a laid-back, young sensibility. The stunning, open views of the Puget Sound show the vast possibilities on the horizon for your company. Also, the lack of big chains in the area means you can get a really distinct look for your team in front of all the mom-and-pop shops. Everyone likes rooting for the little guy, right?

Why Shoot Seattle Business Photography On-Location?

While there’s nothing wrong with a controlled, studio environment for business headshots, there are many elements that studios can’t provide.

  • Natural lighting gives you and your team a softer, more approachable appearance. Also, people tend to behave more naturally in an outdoor environment, which always leads to better photos.
  • Unique backgrounds from the best locations for Seattle business photography create visual interest—trees, beaches, buildings, sculptures and streets are far more exciting to look at than a blank wall! You can use these backgrounds to say things about your business, like that you’re environmentally friendly, modern and in-the-know, or simply always on the go.
  • Space to move around means not only will you and your team be more relaxed, but also that you’ll be able to take more interesting team shots. Maybe everyone is standing side to side, arms linked, or making a human pyramid to show growth and the business structure—the possibilities are endless on-location!

By Julian Michael > Contact him for your on-location business photo shoot today!

Best Locations for Seattle Business Photography

Shop Quality Instead of Price for Your Child’s Senior Pictures in Redmond

Quality vs. Price | Senior Pictures in Redmond, Woodinville & Sammamish

When you purchase items does quality outweight price for you? Or do you make decisions almost solely on price? From the brand of yogurt and cereal we purchase to our cars and household items, to services such as housecleaning, repairs and photography, we all have our trends.

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Knowing an Amateur vs. a Professional: How to Know What to Look For

There’s 100 amateur ‘photographers’ (also know as ‘camera owners or beginners’) for every 2 or 3 professionals in our area and it’s difficult to know the difference at first until you take a really close look at quality, posing, angles, lighting, reviews and customer service. When I’m looking through portfolios and other photography websites I can quickly see who I would trust to take my portrait and who I can tell needs to learn more.

Imagine using a highly experienced attorney or doctor who’s seen hundreds or thousands of cases versus a new doctor or attorney who barely has experienced anything. If your goal was to win the case or diagnose and properly treat your child’s condition you’d be a little concerned. In photography you should approach your next session with this sort of mentality. It takes years of doing quality work, experience working with top photographers and art directors or editors to possess expert level knowledge of the industry. Add in the variable of being great with high schoolers and we’re talking some serious knowledge to capture a variety of amazing portraits you’ll be proud of.

Compare the following:

1) Does the ‘photographer’ sound knowledgeable? When speaking with any professional you should feel like the person is knowledgeable about any question you would or could ask them. Think about if their answers to your questions sound flaky or made up, or are based on a foundation and experience…I know I can tell.

Contact Julian Michael today at 425-530-8820

2) Does their website have a variety of examples? And I’m not talking about just a couple good portraits or 1000 so-so images claiming to have been around forever. Some people can get lucky with a few good portraits, but a true pro can repeat any style of portrait on demand and create looks with ease. Whenever I’m looking through other photographers work I’m looking for several elements, many times related to the variety I see overall in terms of the style of portrait, light, composition, framing, etc…which is more rare to find quality than you may know! And don’t be fooled by cool looking websites with fancy slideshows when the work doesn’t back that up.

3) Are they upfront about pricing for sessions and how their packaging works? Basically, are they willing to share with you how their structure works, or does it sound shady? Working professionals have very set rates that work well for their clientele and there’s a good reason they’ve chosen those packages and pricing after years of trial and effort. An amateur will have no idea how to price his/herself and many times will sound unknowledgeable about rates. How ever nice this might sound for your pocketbook it will likely overflow into many aspects of their work. Most notably is their ability to create variety, to create amazing products and their skill level in Photoshop. And let’s not forget they’ve just recently (within 2yrs) purchased their first awesome camera, they’re ‘learning’ new techniques and Photoshop, and they have no process they’ve established to make it easy for clients and their self following the shoot.

4) Are they willing to accept any price offer you make them, or are they confident in their rates? A true sign of an amateur is that they are not doing photography as a ‘living’ or for their ‘work’, it’s merely a hobby and they don’t mind making a few bucks for it. However, when it comes to top customer service, knowledge of working with students, posing the right angles and creating lasting memories they’re likely not a good choice unless your budget is peanuts.

Anyone can beat a price and you’ll always find a bigger deal, but at what point are you sacrificing quality for your son or daughter’s senior pictures in Redmond. With photography, and especially senior pictures photography you’re likely sacrificing a great deal of quality right away when you steer away from trained professionals into amateurville.

Bellevue Events Photographer: 5 Vital Traits for a Winning Experience

Bellevue Events Photographer | Serving Seattle, Bellevue & Tacoma areas

5 Winning Traits to a Great Event Photography Company

Great with People

Hi, hello, please and thank you, you’re welcome…words you’ll hear often by a personable and polite events photographer. Your photographer should be these things plus professional, cordial, assertive if needed, and flexible on-site. This is important at business events and especially at personal events in dealing with a variety of other personalities in a fixed amount of time. Your best Bellevue events photographers will be someone your guests feel they could crack open some champagne with (though not on the job or course)…it’s happened on a variety of occasions with Julian and team!

Julian and his team will make your guests feel relaxed and when needed you’re barely notice they’re there.

bellevue, events, photographer, seattle, corporate, nonprofit, photos, photography, tacomaThank you so much for doing a terrific job with our event! Everyone was thrilled with the pictures!  – Jeff, Junior Achievement Annual Fundraiser Event Chair

Sometimes, the photographer must be unobtrusive and capture candid shots of the event’s guests. However, not every picture-worthy moment arrives organically. Some shots are posed shots of couples, groups, teams or important executives or award winners, for example. Having a photographer whom your guests are comfortable with can most accurately direct people (who many times are used to the being the one giving the orders!).

Ability to Improvise

No event is identical. No set of guests are the same. Every event is unique and improvisation is paramount!

Skilled improvisers can think ‘on the fly’, ‘get it done’, and work well under pressure, like Julian and team. This might consist of preparing shade, reflection, props and illumination from available objects, bring different groups of people together for staged shots, and handle changing weather for outdoor events. Always choose a photographer with light feet and a nimble mind!

Excellence in Composition

We want to capture the entire setting from wide to close up! A professional knows how to compose a scene the moment it happens, 10min before, and identify other moments that others may not see. For your corporate fundraiser or annual function your keynote speaker may be on-stage for anywhere from 10 to 30-minutes and we want to capture several angles, expressions and reactions.

During the reception or silent auction we will aim to capture the setting and features of your function, while aiming for excellence in composition and lighting with natural expressions and vibe. The best Bellevue events photographers will quickly observe the surroundings in any scene, seeking out foreground elements available for depth of field and any potential distractions in the background. Aiming for excellence in composition seems like a simple task, but is a detailed planning process that is continuous and produces the high quality imagery you expect to see for your event to look larger than life.

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Timeliness & Planning

Obviously your event photographer should show up on time to make sure they capture every valuable second of material, but equally important is the timely delivery of the raw and edited photos—these days people can’t wait to get pictures of their events on Facebook and other social networks. A timely photographer makes sure your friends and guests can start tagging themselves right away!

Efficiency

Time is of the essence! Once the event begins there’s no time for planning, it’s ‘GO’ time. Thus, your events photographer needs to be quick on their feet with a clear focus of the objectives in mind. Your best Seattle & Bellevue events photographers will have the location already mapped, have a clear idea of what shots need to be captured and when, and they’ll have a great point person to direct them when/if needed. They’ll usually take a variety of angles and provide options to the client.

Making every action count with no downtime is what separates the best Seattle & Bellevue events photographers from the amateurs. This ensures that you get the most out of your photographer, whether at a wedding, birthday, cocktail party, business conference or keynote. I know that’s what I would want!

By Julian Michael > Contact him for your event today!

 

Why Hire One of the Best Seattle Headshot Photographers for Your Company?

Best Seattle Headshot Photographers | Serving Bellevue, Seattle & Tacoma

What’s Your Company Headshot Worth to You? A thousand words typically! It’s the way you’ll be perceived by new clients. It’s your initial perception or final pull when connecting with you on LinkedIn. It’ll represent you, whatever you’re using it for, to whomever sees it. Do you want to leave something so crucial up to an untrained amateur with a point-and-shoot camera? I know I wouldn’t. Or would you want your first impression one of the best Seattle headshot photographers with 15 years experience working with a wide variety of people and personalities?!

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Professional Equipment with a Professional Touch

It’s easier than ever to take a picture today—everyone has a camera in their pocket at any time ready to shoot any and everything. But no one would ever claim that a handheld iPhone is going to capture the same quality of a DSLR (digital single lens reflex camera) on a level tripod. The difference in equipment quality and capability is obvious, and it’s exactly the same situation when comparing who is taking your professional portrait.

My knowledge and experience affords me the ability to know just the right angle to accentuate your features while utilizing the best lighting and background that conveys what you want your portrait to communicate to your target audience. In a typical session I’ll take several portraits usually in different angles to ensure you have options prior to image post-production. Working in this capacity is one of the reasons I’ve been ranked among the best Seattle headshot photographers the past few years and clients refer me often.

Knowing Seattle Locations & Local Flavor

How well do you know the area? In my 30+ years in and around the greater Seattle, Tacoma and Bellevue areas I’ve got to know the Emerald City like the back of my hand. For any session I can capture unique team portraits done at Gasworks Park, a corporate headshot on the Two Union Square plaza, and a business headshot during the golden hour of hidden Seattle sun in your home office. It’s all about location, location, location, and from Georgetown to Queen Anne to Northgate, I know them all.

Rain City has been my home for a long time, which has helped me learn how to cater to the unique local audience, as all the best Seattle headshot photographers know. Maybe one week I’m capturing a tech startup CEO headshot in natural lighting outdoors that needs to convey a laid-back, smart style with a little nerd street credibility; the next week I’m working with a top local Bank to capture traditional portraits on-site with a pre-set studio look. I know the local vibes, which helps me give the complimentary pre-session styling and posing advice I offer. I look forward to working with you and your team!

 by Julian Michael > Contact him for a  session today!

5 Reasons Your Headshot is Special With the Right Seattle Headshot Photographer

What Makes Your Portrait Special? by Your Seattle Headshot Photographer

What makes your headshot special? Is it the tilt of your head, or the depth of the background, or maybe the angle of the light? All these little details change from person to person, but on the other end of the camera is the one who always knows how to bring all the elements together—the photographer. There are plenty of people who own a nice camera in Washington, however experienced photographers need more than just great work. So why should you choose me as your Seattle headshot photographer? I’ll tell you! :)

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1. Customer Service Always Comes First

You can choose to shop anywhere, but you’ll always prefer to buy where you’re treated well and received warmly. It’s the same with photography—you can hire anyone you like to snap a photo, but ultimately it comes down to communications and relationships and someone who understands how to take quality ‘portraits’. I’ll always take care to take my clients’ wishes, listen and listen more, and provide them with first class service because I value each and every interaction.

2. Honoring Our Agreed Deadlines & Turnaround

Is there anyone who wants to wait two weeks to see proofs? Sadly I’ve heard many stories of photographers that make their clients wait far too long. I’ll make it easy for you and always make certain you’ll view your images in 2 to 4 business days tops! Ultimately it’s about respect and commitment to your clientele. I respect your time and in working with important and busy professionals I know well that the sooner you’ve seen your proofs and chosen your winners, the sooner I can edit and get you the crisp, professional headshot you deserve.

3. Reliability is Guaranteed

Far too often I receive communications from someone needing an Seattle headshot photographer or event photographer because another person cancelled on them or couldn’t honor their commitment. This simply shouldn’t happen. Never have I cancelled on anyone less than a week out unless I was deathly ill or had a family emergency, and those combine for the one time I had to reschedule in the past six years. Once I’ve agreed to a session we are a GO and I will be there with bells on! This is a clear example of what separates amateurs/hobbyists from professionals. In my 15 years of experience I’m well aware of my client’s deadlines and expectations. In today’s marketplace you have your word, your reputation and your portfolio, not necessarily in that order. When you have my word, you can trust I’m yours during the time specified.

4. Follow-up, Follow-up, Follow-up

We’re all super busy…understood. Instead of just waiting, I am proactive in making sure your project is completed on time and all questions are answered. Whether it’s a potential headshot session we discussed that I’m checking in on to schedule, or a quick call to see which proof you’re leaning towards, I will always take the initiative to open up communications because I want to be certain your needs are met and your expectations are exceeded. That’s what you should look for in an Seattle headshot photographer.

5. Variety Makes Everyone Smile

I love to see and make people smile, and from different angles, lighting and composition. Instead of photographing my clients from just one angle, I constantly aim to represent variety by finding the best and most flattering angle to best represent their visual image. Most of my clients have a difficult time selecting their favorite single or set of images because there are so many positive selections to choose from!

by Julian Michael > Contact him today to look your BEST ever!

Lynnwood Headshots Photography, Time to Update for Spring and Summer!

End Your Search for Lynnwood Headshots Photography and Hire Julian for Your Company’s Next Visual Update

Julian will get the job done correctly for you the first time! What are your specific needs? If you’re in need of quality portraits for your team, staff, admin or executives, get in touch today. Scheduling is typically 2-3wks out depending on availability.

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Take advantage of GROUP RATES SAVINGS with a minimum of 5 professionals or more. Have 10, 15 or more and really save per person! Julian will come out to your offices or you can visit his studio in downtown Redmond.

What to Expect:

Every session is unique so Julian aims to tailor each session to your particular needs and wishes. Some things you can count on however:

– Julian will be on-time and ready to go
– You will have all your questions answered prior to your session
– Basic retouching/enhancement of your headshots is included
– Sessions are quick and easy for your professionals since they’re busy
– Expect excellence in communications and project management

Call Julian @ 425-530-8820 to speak with a real person today!

About your photographer:

About Julian: I’m originally from the Seattle area, having roots on the south end back to my track & field and cross country days before running at Washington State University working for the Daily Evergreen there as a photojournalist and editor. These days I’m based on the Eastside used to traveling up and down I-5 and I-405 to service my clients’ needs. I enjoy great BBQ, pasta and all pizza just like the next guy. I’m frequently on the golf course or out running on Greenlake or cooking and gathering with friends. I’m down to earth, I like to carry a good conversation and I enjoy what I do for a living.

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Redmond Senior Pictures: Leave Your Mark!

Senior Pictures: Leave Your Mark!

You’re about to leave behind your legacy. There’s one year of ruling it all before you go back to the bottom of the totem pole in college, so it’s time to do it right. Your Redmond Senior Pictures will represent the final impression you left in high school, so follow the advice below to get your personality and creativity into the mix!!

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Show Off Your Personal Style

Your outfit is the first thing that’ll help you express your individuality in your senior pictures session. BE YOURSELF in the best way possible—are you the retro diva with the hoops, chewing gum and on the phone? The musician? The jock? Own it! Show your classmates your best looks to share online and in person.

Everyone will warn you that your outfit should be timeless because trends go by so fast that your picture will be out of date, but that’s just it. No matter what you do ‘keep it real’, get your dew up and smile! Believe it or not the Skrillex haircut won’t be popular forever, but just forget your worries and represent the time that is yours. Yes, your future kids might laugh at you someday, but their kids will laugh at them someday, so it’ll all come full-circle as your parents might well know!

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The background can say more about you than anything else in your senior portrait. Do you want it in a photographer’s studio with some gradient curtain behind you? It’s not very exciting, but you can pick your favorite color and get that perfect lighting. Maybe you prefer an outdoor shot—the great thing about Orange County senior pictures is that there are tons of daylight hours to get your perfect headshot. Whether it’s the city, the beach, the mall or the farm, choose a background that shows off both where you’re from, and where you’re going.

Do What You Love

This is another great chance to show off your fun personality. Is the shot far away, showing you riding the horse on your grandma’s ranch? Why not a side shot with you turning towards the camera from that car you want to show off? You could do an overhead shot of you standing proud and looking up, surrounded by your graffiti and other artwork. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with a simple three quarters turn towards the camera for your senior photo. The important thing is that your Redmond senior pictures represents you and your personality.

Just remember to fun with it, be yourself, and have a great year of being on top at your high school!

-Julian Michael

Why Quality Matter for Business Portraits | Seattle Headshots Photography

Why Quality Headshots are Important in Business Today

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First Impressions

It’s common knowledge that people prefer to work with people they trust, and to trust them they obviously need to know them. Someone visiting your site or receiving an email blast doesn’t know you yet, but well-done Seattle headshots photography can make them feel like they already do! If an online touch point is their first impression, you need to work with a photographer who can get the most inviting and trustworthy shot of you. You only get one first impression, after all.

Professionalism

If you’re a Seattle entrepreneur putting your start-up out there for venture capitalists, you need a headshot that makes you look like you have a plan. By the same token, if you have an established business in Seattle or Bellevue with many employees, everyone from the assistants to the executives will need photos with consistent style and quality, because that shows a close team. Whether your business is big or small, sharp Seattle headshots photography conveys that you’re someone serious enough to do business with.

Up-to-Date and Local

You need your headshot to represent who you are right now, which means that as you and your business change, so should your corporate photo. One update every year or so is perfect to keep the presentation in line with reality. Part of this is tailoring the background of your picture to where you do business. Try featuring an inspirational long shot of the Seattle skyline from Kerry Park on Queen Anne, for example, or a magical shot of you downtown amongst the busy Seattle streets. It depends on the tone of your business, of course, but outdoor shots are a great chance to show the Seattle sun shining down on you!

Marketing and Networking

If you’re working for yourself, a corporate style headshot is likely going to be in most of your outbound marketing. Your face is the face of your company, and photos naturally draw more attention than any text they go with. When you’re trying to connect with new clients or find new employers, marketing and networking becomes the same thing. Proper Seattle headshots photography for your first or second point of contact can influence whether other professionals keep you in their network long enough to get to know you.

Appearances do matter in life and in business, but no matter what type of professional headshot you go for, make sure to smile and hand fun with it!

–  Julian Michael

Look Your Best! Business Headshots Bellevue by Julian Michael

Business Headshots Bellevue

Experience the Best Professional Headshots Session for your Company, Executives, Team and/or Corporation. Whether you’re small or large Julian will tailor a session to your specific needs.

3 reasons companies hire Julian / Business Headshots Bellevue

#1)  Sessions are quick and easy. Why waste time? Julian knows that your time is valuable and so is his. Thus, he works efficiently before, during and after your session while ensuring everyone is relaxed and you receive a high quality deliverable.

#2)  Premium customer service is King. One of Julian’s first college summer jobs was selling shoes at Nordstrom. Later he worked with Nike and The Venetian. You see the trend. Customer service is very important to Julian and you’ll see the difference working with him and most others.

#3)  Getting it ‘right’ is paramount. Julian takes pride in his work and it shows. It’s more than just getting your ‘photo’ or ‘mugshot’ done. You’re getting a professional headshot taken (i.e. the best image of yourself at that point in time). Using his technical expertise and personality he will deliver exactly this to you and/or your company.

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Contact Julian for Corporate pricing or Call (425) 530-8820

SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS FOR GROUPS!!

**Group rates begin at 5 professionals, with 10-15+ saving even more!!

Click here to learn more about headshots and what to expect for Business Headshots Bellevue and Seattle areas.

Single Professional Sessions

Starting at $185 for studio and $155 for outdoors using natural lighting (weather pending)
Sessions for single professionals are available on specific days of the week and include a 20min session on-site in either Redmond or Seattle (depending on scheduling). Most popular package includes multiple images as a final deliverable with a couple outfits; basic package takes less time and includes your best retouched images as your final deliverable. Next time you need a headshot, consider Julian as your Business Headshots Bellevue choice!

 

 

 

5 Tips to a Successful Professional Headshot Session

This month: 5 Tips to a Successful Professional Headshot Session

At least every month I’ll be posting a video clip with useful information for your professional business headshot session, corporate photos or commercial photography needs. These will range from tips to best practices to what to look for when shopping the competition (not that I’m recommending this of course, but I understand!).

See the video: https://vimeo.com/83710961

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Tip #1 – Get Your Outfit Ready the Night Before – You know what looks good, but in a rush (i.e. the morning of) sometimes you’ll forget something or not be thinking straight. Get your outfit prepped and good to go for your professional headshot session the next day!

Tip #2 – Enjoy Yourself – Gotta have fun! ‘Nuff said. It’s not pulling teeth but sometimes is approached this way so keep in mind it will go by quickly.

Tip #3 – Trust Your Photographer – Julian has been a trained photographer for over a dozen years and has photographed thousands of people and dozens of businesses. Trust that he can deliver and that working with you will produce the high quality image you’re looking for.

Tip #4 – Keep It Simple – The simpler the better! Keep outfits simple, including prints, accessories, and hair.

Tip #5 – Be At Your Best! – So many of us forget to give ourselves enough rest, to prep the night before, to bring the necessary hair/makeup products with us, etc, that contribute to not looking your very best. I like to make my clients look really good and I hope you are at your Very Best!

Following these tips will lead to a much more successful business headshot session for you and/or your company when updating your portraits. It’s critical to take this seriously since this is your visual identity and brand. Think to yourself…how often do you actually have a new professional headshot session done?

– Julian Michael

Bellevue & Seattle Corporate Headshots

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