by James Dowd, The Commercial Appeal

For a self-described shutterbug, Gene Mangiante doesn't log too much camera time these days.

It's not that he doesn't want to, it's just that the 28-year- old entrepreneur is too busy developing Mangiante Photography, which he founded in 2001.

Somers Gardner, Staff Photographer

If your photos never seem to look as good as others you've seen, or somehow seem boring or stale, then I have the tip for you. "The Rule of Thirds" is not technically a rule but a great guideline to make your images more visually interesting.

Many people think they need to line their subject up as the center focus of their photo; however, if you offset your subject, it will draw more attention to it. Imagine The Rule of Thirds as a tic-tac-toe table of nine squares across your viewfinder. The lines should be the focus points of your shot and should be the same for both vertical and horizontal shots as seen in the photos below. Both girls are lined up with one of the "tic-tac-toe" lines. Notice the way your eye is drawn toward the subject making the shot more interesting. You can use this rule with simple, everyday shots, and you'll be surprised at what a difference this little adjustment can make.

Once you have a great shot, don't leave it on the computer - print it out and show it off! When preparing your photos for printing, remember that there is always the possibility for incorrect cropping to occur. Make sure you talk to the photo lab technician in advance about proper steps you or the lab can take to avoid over-cropping. This might save you time and money in the long run.

"Mangiante delivers what the customer wants instead of what they think the customer needs. And they are willing to go the extra mile to do it!"

Holy Rosary Catholic School - Darren Mullis

Michael Spikes, Operations Manager

Many people may have heard this phrase: stop rewarding poor performance. I am using it in regard to customer service. How many times have you gone to a business, say a restaurant, and received poor service? I'm willing to bet at least a few times. Now, my next question: how many times have you gone back to that same restaurant only to get the same result?

As customers, we should always expect great results. We all have experienced a decline in service at some point, but to accept it makes the problem worse. If we as a society refuse to do business with companies that provide sub-par services or products, then those businesses will have no choice but to make improvements. If you are a business owner or even an employee, you can help this process by providing excellent service and finding ways to go above and beyond for your customers.

Mangiante Photography is proud to welcome our newest client! St. Anne Catholic School has chosen Mangiante Photography as its official school photography provider.

The future of our business truly depends upon the satisfaction of our customers, and we are happy you have chosen to become part of our family. We strive to provide all of our customers with fast, efficient service, along with the highest quality products available.

If you are interested in our products and services, please contact us for more information!