by Skip Cohen
At the last minute yesterday, I decided to head to IUSA next weekend. I keep in touch with dozens of photographers weekly, and I felt free of the need to be in Louisville for the convention. But the closer it got to the show, the more I questioned my decision. So often, I forget to practice what I preach. In this case, I need to recharge my battery when it comes to imaging. With a home office and most interaction online, there is no replacement for being together with other photographers, vendors, and friends. My anticipation is almost overwhelming! Just the decision to be at IUSA has created some great energy. So, if you're like me and had decided not to attend, I was surprised that I could lock in decent flights and the hotel this late. Why IUSA? Well, it's the first big show of the new year for most of you. Next, you need to spend time building your network, and there's no better place than a great convention. With nearly 150 exhibitors, it's an opportunity to check out new products, services, and technology. Plus, PPA's educational platform this year is one of their best yet - it's a chance for you to fine-tune your skill set. Here are just a few reminders if you're heading to the show.
I'd love to catch up with any of you headed to the show - look for me at the Platypod booth 1226, Marathon booth 727 or just out and about on the trade show floor.
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Sometimes you gotta take a break from all the noise to appreciate the beauty of silence. Robert Tew by Skip Cohen The other day, I shared a post about gathering your "tribe" and taking the time this week to catch up with those special people who make your life richer. I'm taking it one step further today, and attempting to practice what I preach. You'd think at my age, I'd know what I wanted to be when I grew up. *sigh* Well, it just hasn't happened, and as 2023 winds down, my head is filled with project ideas for the new year, things I want to accomplish, and new goals. It's all positive, but even strategizing on what I'd like to be doing in the new year makes indecision an adversary, and it's time to simply take a break. I'm stepping away from the noise and, like the quote above, appreciating the silence. Silence is one of those unique business tools we all forget to use much too often. I need a few days to simply chill, appreciate everything in my rearview mirror, and figure out the route for the 2024 "trip." Being able to step away from business this week is a luxury not everyone has, but if you can, I highly recommend it. It's a critical step to avoid burnout and recharge your battery. If you can slow things down, start celebrating New Year's today, and meet me back in the "office" on Tuesday, January 2. Thank you for all your support, feedback, and great ideas on how I can help you thrive in the new year. I wish you the best close to 2023 and, even more importantly, a great kickoff to the new year. New technology, products, great conferences, and new friends are all setting the stage for 2024 to be amazing. See you on January 2 - Happy New Year! I simply want to take a break and catch my breath.
But I also think that, sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is deliberately keep some time free and see what the world throws at you. Ruth Wilson by Skip Cohen No matter what holidays you celebrate or where your spirituality takes you, this time between Christmas and New Years is always strange. From the business side, it's about wrapping up loose ends, dealing with a few things on the Customer Service side of life, and winding down. But there's still a sense of urgency as we all wonder, "Okay, what do I still need to knock off for 2023?" On the personal side, many of us are catching up with people we've not been in touch with as often as we'd like. From holiday cards to emails, phone calls, and social media, people we care about become more accessible. Just as the rush to get things done before the holidays, now is the time we tend to be more reflective. I've written a lot about the routine Sheila and I have to read something inspirational each morning after breakfast. This morning's reading seemed particularly relevant to this time of year, when we are connecting with so many people in our lives. To create a richer life, gather your tribe and let them know how important they are to you. Spending time with your tribe fosters connection and understanding. Life is designed to be shared, and when we identify the people who make our lives better just be being in it, we foster a sense of belonging. A tribe can be a little or as large as you desire. Choose those who uplift, inspire, and interact with a spirit of love. Emily Silva And here's my point - take advantage of the change in pace this week. Stay away from the "negators" in your life, but make an effort to reach out to the people who make your life better. There's an old line I've always loved, "Angels do exist, but sometimes they don't have wings and are called friends."
Go find your "angels." Take a minute and think about everybody in your life. Is there anybody you've missed you want to catch up with before the year ends? Everything we do, from close friends to supportive vendors, takes a village or a "tribe," as Emily Silva wrote above. And to my village/tribe...I'd be lost without you, including my readers. Thanks to your feedback and input, life just keeps getting better. It's not always easier, but it's ALWAYS better! Happy Last Tuesday of 2023! Weekends don't count, unless you spend them doing something completely pointless! Bill Watterson by Skip Cohen
Although there's still time to knock off a few business projects, this post has little to do with business. It's Friday, and while many of you are shooting this weekend, photographing weddings, holiday parties, and other events...it's still a perfect time to wish you a great weekend. Never underestimate the importance of taking the time to recharge your battery, even in the middle of the chaos of the season. And per the quote above - wishing you the luxury of simply wasting time. Happy Friday! by Skip Cohen I thought I'd share some great gift ideas for the photographer in your life, or maybe these are ideas for you to give yourself this holiday season: 1.Tamron's got some outstanding instant savings on sixteen different lenses! Click on the banner below for more information. 2. "Pairs" by Howard Schatz: It's his newest book and it does not disappoint! 3. Anything from Platypod! Check out the three newest products - the incredible Grip for your phone, the Handle and the eXtreme. All top quality and adding to your creativity! 4. Looking for outstanding inspiration and awesome adventures? Check out Joe McNally's workshop series. While several 2024 trips are already sold out, there are still a few spots open for Ireland in the Spring, Tuscany in September, and Greece in October. 5. Moose Peterson has a full schedule of classes in 2024! Seven awesome adventures outdoors. 6. Bobbi Lane and Lee Varis are back with great programs in 2024. They're also teaching at Santa Fe Workshops, the Florida Birding Festival, and more. Follow their website for the latest schedule with this incredibly dynamic couple! 7. A membership in Kelby One! Nobody does it better when it comes to online education including conferences, podcasts and ongoing educational videos. There are so many unique gift ideas when it comes to imaging. From workshops to private classes and conventions, here's your chance to raise the bar on your skillset or the technique of a friend or family member! I've listed seven different programs, but there are so many more to consider. These are some of my favorites. “Most misunderstandings in the world could be avoided if people would simply take the time to ask, "What else could this mean?” Shannon Adler by Skip Cohen
There are moments here and there when I don't get it...but the real issue is written correspondence is the hardest to express and the reader to interpret. Here's the scenario: Yesterday, I posted a piece on FB about ClickCon's move to Detroit. I stated that "finally" the Midwest had a great convention in 2024. In my actual post, I explained my joy in more detail - I grew up in Northeast Ohio and lived there from 2009 to 2011. While it might be considered the Midwest, except for PPO, there was never much to choose from regarding great conventions. ClickCon's move east opens up doors for so many more photographers and includes cities like Toronto, Pittsburgh, Cleveland etc. All closer the Chicago. A reader in another forum took me to task, feeling my wording on FB was unprofessional and passive-aggressive towards other conventions in the Midwest. I couldn't have been more sincere when I wrote back, "I'm sorry you feel that way." I explained how my FB piece could have been written better. IUSA is in Louisville this year and will be an outstanding show. I also used to speak at Shutterfest for six years and know how good the show can be. I modified what I had previously written and got back a compliment on the change, but she had to add one more line: "Sorry you feel that way is a gaslight tactic." Gaslight tactic? Seriously, there was no tactic or strategy to my statement, just sincerity, and it led me to read what I had written and change it. Years ago, I had the honor of lunch with Senator Howard Baker at the Whitehouse. At the time, he was President Regan's Chief of Staff, but his passion for photography was the reason for the meeting. The key reason I was invited was just to hang out and talk about photography. I was relatively new as the president of Hasselblad, and he was a Nikon and Hasselblad shooter. I remember him talking about how difficult it is to write and he told me this story: "Years ago I had to send a memo to another Congressman and wrote, "Sorry this is so long; I didn't have time to make it shorter." It's so hard to be concise in as few words as possible. Well, here I am 30 years later and still struggling with the written word. It's hard enough for me to be PC, let alone use words that don't come directly from my heart. So, if I've written something in a post that you didn't like or are unsure how to interpret it, let me know, but maybe call me instead of writing; then we've got a chance of getting our point across to each other that much better. by Skip Cohen
Like so many of you, I'm enjoying the long weekend, but not without a quick post, thanks to author, Emily Silva... Concentration can feel elusive when it feels as if all the tabs in your brain are open. We live in an endless loop of information. Although this is convenient and awesome, it take a toll on our nervous systems. To function at our highest capability, we need to take time for stillness. Start your day shutting down all the tabs in your brain and finding your center. Let peace enter if only for a moment. Breathe in the stillness. Nothing more I need to add except to wish you a relaxing and outstanding Thanksgiving weekend. I hope you can find the time to follow her suggestion and "shut down all tabs in your brain," and can find your center. Have a great weekend! PS Photo shot on the iPhone 14 Pro at Hilton Head - this is right out of the camera. No manipulation except cropping to fit today's post. by Skip Cohen
For those of us in the US, there really is no Hump Day this week since tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and many of us are off Friday as well. So, I'm turning today's post into a wish for all of you. The world has become increasingly bizarre, from war to Mother Nature to fires, product recalls, and even Congress's inability to agree on much of anything...It's a mess. Sheila and I always watch the news early in the evening, so we're not left with the insanity in our minds just before going to sleep! Despite it all - here we are, safe and sound, with Thanksgiving one day away. I know many of you have a tradition on the holiday of going around the table and sharing what you're thankful for in your life. Well, how about if we're all thankful for our ability this year (this is a BIG ask) to help change the world? How about if we're all grateful, not for what we have, but for what we can do to help slow down the ugliness? I won't deny I'm thankful for my health, Sheila, the pups, and my life, but Thanksgiving should go deeper than that. Let's be grateful for our ability to help people who have nothing left to be thankful for except their health. Let's be grateful that we can reach out and help somebody else on the planet. It's hypocritical that I write about this stuff when, in my own family, we no longer talk to each other. Thanksgiving was always my favorite holiday and a time for memory-making, but the pain and everyone's inability to forgive or even take the first step back to being what we once were is buried under tons of baggage too complicated to dig through. We're all at fault, and I know we're not unique, but it is sad to see that my family's ugliness is just a microcosm of the world stage. When you go around the table this year at Thanksgiving, first give thanks that you have a table to sit around, both physically and figuratively. Then, give thanks for your ability to help change your little corner of the world. Think about it: if everyone would help make their community a better place, all those small communities would add up. And for me, a big thanks to all of you, my readers. I appreciate your support far more than a blog post can ever show. Your feedback is so important, and together, we're all helping to make a difference in an industry near and dear to each of us. Wishing everyone a beautiful day tomorrow with plenty of time to think about your corner of the world. Give "love" top billing and, most importantly, be thankful for all those people in your life who together help make a difference. Happy Thanksgiving! by Skip Cohen It's Sunday, and I never write about business and marketing, but instead, I like to run amuck on just about any other topic. This morning, I started by looking at images and illustrations I've bought over the years from Adobe Stock. The first image was the one above, followed by the image below. As kids, our imaginations ran wild. We'd lie on the grass and look at the clouds, finding all kinds of hidden critters. We'd build spaceships out of refrigerator boxes, forts out of blankets draped over the dining room table, and entire scenes of great battles with a bag of army men. There was no limit to what could be accomplished in creating our own virtual world - and we did it without one single electronic device. But we got older and lazier - why create a virtual event in our mind when we could do it on the computer? And we stopped lying in the grass because of fire ants and pesticides. And refrigerator boxes for spaceships and clubhouses - NOT - If we get a large appliance delivered, the box is immediately taken away by the delivery company for recycling. But that old line about "you can never go back" just isn't true. When it comes to your imagination and daydreaming, you can always turn back the clock. All that creativity is still there, screaming for an opportunity to be cut loose. The challenge is silencing the day-in-day-out noise, keeping stress at a distance, and allowing yourself to waste a little time and ponder some of the "what-ifs" in your life.
If you need to build a spaceship out of a cardboard box - go for it! Who's stopping you? We're all victims of our own sense of propriety - we're grown-ups and supposed to act like it. Whatever happened to the spirit of Peter Pan, who lived in each of us? We said we'd never grow up, but we gave in. We sold out - Now it's time to turn back the clock a little. And there's my point - take the time to daydream. Find a way to block out all the noise, lock up all the stress, and start staring at the clouds. If necessary, build a fort or, better yet, a castle with a wide moat - pull up the drawbridge and don't let anything interrupt your creative spirit. Wishing you a day ahead with time to let your spirit fly and daydream a little. Challenge all the daily paradigms and let your creativity juices flow. Life doesn't always have to get in the way of our dreams. Take the time to appreciate the people you love the most. Go for those long therapeutic hugs I always write about and, in the process, share some of those dreams you need to get back to chasing. Happy Sunday...or Monday on the other side of the world! The business of life is the acquisition of memories! "Mr. Carson" Downton Abbey by Skip Cohen
It's Friday and I'm keeping it light - As you head into the weekend, take a minute here and there and create a special memory. If there's one thing we all realize as we get older, it's simply that life is too short. That means - stop wasting time on things that don't matter. Focus on your business when you need to, but don't forget about the face in the mirror, your family and friends. The image with today's post is a perfect example. It was captured on a sunset cruise. We recently went to Hilton Head for a few days - not because we needed a vacation, but because we wanted to catch up to friends who were there. Considering the laughs, fun and the memories we "acquired." we could have been anywhere! Wishing everybody a terrific weekend ahead and time to appreciate the things most important in your life. by Skip Cohen
You've only got sixty days to make a difference in your business. And while some of the things I will suggest are definitely last-minute rushes – they can still have an impact!
This post is longer than usual and only begins to cover a few building blocks to make this year's holiday season the best. Remember, everything you do now also helps with a strong foundation for the upcoming new year. And if you're stuck for ideas - you know where to find me! Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude. Zig Ziglar by Skip Cohen
A few years back, I started a series of reminders to help you set the stage for holiday seasonality. I'm bringing back a few of my favorites. My goal is to help you build a better foundation to finish 2023 with great sales. There's one ingredient that tops the list and sets the stage for EVERYTHING you do in marketing, brand-building, and promotion - your ATTITUDE! When I was in junior high, the basketball coach had a sign in his office, much like the Zig Ziglar quote above: Winning is 80% motivation and only 20% skill! Seasonality is already ramping up. But there's still time to capture and create more business for 2023; it all starts with your attitude. Here are some things to consider:
I'm not minimizing how tricky business is these days. However, with the renewed sense of family that came out of the pandemic, you have so many opportunities to capture more business. Remember, you can't create images that tug at people's heartstrings if your own heart isn't in it! And, if you're overwhelmed and don't know what you can still do, you know where to find me! by Skip Cohen It's Marketing Monday, and after a week-long break, I'm back and fired up about one of my most favorite topics: holiday cards. There are two perspectives - your own card and the cards you should offer your clients. "Snail mail" is alive and well at holiday time. As email and social media have taken over our lives, holiday cards are an memorable break from the monotony of cyberspace seasonal wishes! A holiday card, done right, is one of your most effective marketing tools. Your Personal Holiday Card It amazes me that so many of you miss the boat on using your own images for holiday cards! A holiday card is a perfect way to show your work and remind people what you do for a living. NONE OF YOU should be sending out store-bought cards. Using one of your own photographs for a card is so soft-sell that it's hard-sell without aggravating anybody! The process is so easy - Create a few hundred cards to send to clients and influencers in your community. Put your image on the front of the card and a pre-printed message inside. Then, add a hand-written note for special clients/influencers to personalize it even more. On the back of the card, it's your contact information. Only, instead of the "Hallmark" label, in the center at the bottom of the card, it's the name of your business, your phone number, email address, and URL for your website. At the risk of sounding like an infomercial, Marathon Press has its annual BOGO going on right now. That means you're decreasing the cost per card and increasing your potential for more revenue this season. Most important of all, you're reinforcing your career path and boosting brand awareness. Holiday Cards for Clients Let's get holiday cards into your mix of client-based services. This is about increasing revenue. After the last few years of challenges in life, this has the potential to be another remarkable holiday season. It's your work on the front of the card, but this time, a portrait you've captured. And you're working with each client to help make their card unique. Again, Marathon comes through with a substantial boost to your revenue with its annual BOGO program. They even offer a holiday sales kit with samples to help you share the idea with your audience. And a mailing to your database right now, and you only need to ask a straightforward question, "What are you doing for this year's holiday card?" There are so many ways to tie in holiday cards with a portrait session. They're the perfect add-on for everything from canvas prints to metal and even stationery (thank-you cards) and short videos. The point is that you're a storyteller, and here are more ways for you to help you and your clients tell their stories.
This is going to be another record-breaker for holiday messages this year. Think about it for a second: We're at a point in history where we're all trying harder than ever to stay in touch. What better way than spreading holiday wishes this season? by Skip Cohen
This is one of the shortest posts I've written, but the topic doesn't need a lot of words to make a point. For most of us, looking back on 9/11 is a vivid memory. We all remember where we were, what we were doing, and how we felt. The sadness borders on overwhelming. For me, we were living in NJ at the time. Data shared a couple of months later suggested if you lived within an hour of NYC, there were no more than 2 degrees of separation between you and knowing somebody who lost family or friends in the tragedy. There's only one way I can look back at that time - a period of sitting in silence. I went outside a few minutes ago, just sat, and thought back to that day. The tagline we see and hear repeatedly regarding today is "Never Forget." How could we...nor should we. Wishing you a day of peace and quiet reflection. About the shot above - 2:45 PM EST - I grabbed my camera and decided to head to the beach, only a couple miles away. The rain was coming down so hard, I could barely see to drive, and gave up. You'd think there was a hurricane! The water coming out of one downspout looked like a hydrant that had been left open - it's going to be a long night. by Skip Cohen This is a very short post today because I live south of Sarasota, FL, and the hurricane is about to land on our doorstep. I've still got a few things to bring into the garage, but going through the process again (having lived here for both "Irma" and "Ian"), there are some observations I want to share about how much I appreciate our industry and imaging.
But there's one more aspect to facing a fight with Mother Nature that I've been thinking about - It's the power of social media and keeping in touch with friends and associates. I posted a short post on my Facebook page yesterday about the storm coming in. Within minutes, a few dozen friends had commented. At the same time, I could keep in touch with what was going on with other friends dealing with similar challenges. As much as I hate Facebook at times - so often, it's the mortar holding the bricks of friendships together. Here's my point - we're part of a fantastic industry. Where would we be, or the world for that matter, without imaging, without our ability to share photographs and videos, and without the ability to document each event in our lives? Stay safe, everybody, and prayers for everyone north of us as "Idalia" hits the coast. "We tweet, we text, we e-mail. Everybody's chatting, but is anybody listening? Why America needs to revive the vanishing art of conversation. We need to talk." David Dudley by Skip Cohen
Last Sunday, I shared a post that was thanks to something Helen Yancy had posted on Facebook. It was about people who want to change history, but there's another aspect to her post I wanted to share. It's about people who are so absorbed in social media, they've forgotten how to truly be social. They think hitting the "like" button on a Facebook post is enough. I'm a major Helen Yancy fan, and hitting the "like" button and writing a short comment about what she posted just wasn't enough. Fine-tuning how you use social media is obviously on my mind lately, since two weeks ago I shared a post about using your phone more to keep in touch with friends. Here's my point: Social media has definitely helped to make the world a smaller place. Every day we're able to keep in touch with what's going on in the lives of so many different friends and associates. We share the joys, the sadness, the accomplishments, and the changes in the lives of so many other people. But social media by itself doesn't build relationships. Thanks to regular phone calls and real conversations, Helen and I have stayed in touch and maintained a friendship I cherish. Those people you care most about need more than you hitting the like button and commenting on a post. I'm not suggesting you need to call people every day, but here and there, if you care about somebody, let them know with a phone call. Don't get me wrong - hitting the "like" button is great for feedback and showing support, but there's nothing memorable. There's nothing that holds a place in somebody's mind or for that matter heart. It's cold and emotionless. We live in an instant fulfillment world of text messages and email, but a live conversation on the phone is a building block in a relationship. Whether it's purely business or just a great friendship having a conversation always beats a one-second click of a like button. by Skip Cohen
It's Friday, and I'm continuing this series with short ideas to help you fine-tune and build a stronger business. And I always consider them a "clean up" theme because, like weeds in a garden, many of you have ignored these areas for so long that what-not-to-do has taken over the what-you-should-be-doing. So, as you roll into the weekend, here's a simple idea to think about - let's make your website/blog a community resource. Jay Conrad Levinson, known as the "Father of Guerilla Marketing," always listed community involvement as one of the critical things great marketers should do. People like buying products/services from companies they perceive as giving back to the community. You need to be involved, and it can be anything from capturing images of an event to helping a non-profit filling ketchup and mustard bottles for the Boosters Club at Friday night games. It doesn't matter what you're doing, as long as you're giving back. Publish a Community Calendar: Here's the twist, and it's perfect for your website and blog. Start publishing events of non-profits in your community. The fun of this is obviously self-serving - by sharing information and the links to upcoming fundraising events in the community, you're showing support for each association/group. You're setting yourself up as an ambassador of goodwill for each nonprofit. In addition, many of the events will give you the opportunity to photograph the activities and the participants. And while you don't have time to attend every fundraising event, each time you can work on one, you've got new content for a blog post! Here's an easy place to start - check with the local Chamber of Commerce about events that are coming up. Next, take a few minutes and look at the non-profits in your community and their websites. Look at the Senior Center, Alzheimer's Association, Breast Cancer Awareness groups, Programs for Veterans, support for the homeless, United Way...and the list goes on and on. Make a list to start building content for your community calendar. There's one more great little benefit - the more frequently you publish community events in a calendar, the closer you get to becoming a clearing house for community activities. Your calendar has the potential to become a resource for the community, all under the umbrella of you giving back. You're looking for the community to be good to you - so you need to make sure you're being good to your community. Perfection is an illusion. If we keep waiting for the stars to align, we will reach the end of our lives regretting that we never tried. Stop the waiting game and take action toward the change you want. Emily Silva by Skip Cohen It's Wednesday, hump day, and If you think about it, there really is no middle of the workweek any longer. The expression started in the 50s when Saturday was a coast day, and no businesses were open on Sunday. Today most retailers run seven days a week. Plus, if you're a wedding and event photographer working Friday - Sunday, there is no "coasting" into the weekend. Still, and probably just because I love the illustration above from Adobe Stock - I'm going to keep it light and start a series of quick thoughts to hopefully help you through the back half of the week. After making a big change in their life, we've all heard people comment, "I wish I had done it years ago!" Change doesn't come easy for most of us, and big changes are always slow, depending on the risk involved. In business, especially, there's a lot to consider. But the challenge so many of us have is finally taking that leap of faith to make a change. Whether it's big or small, we procrastinate too much through the process. The point is, we're looking for perfection - exactly the right change. One of my most favorite quotes is thanks to Zig Ziglar: If you wait for all the lights to turn green, you'll never get started on your journey! There's my point - stop chasing perfection, but don't slow down on continuing to set high goals. Whether it's running your business, working with clients, raising the bar on your skill set, or simply recognizing what it takes to make you smile every day - all you can do is your best. And if there's something slowing you down then just like a garden - it might be time to do a little pruning! "I'm careful not to confuse excellence with perfection. Excellence I can reach for, perfection is God's business." –Michael J Fox Happy Hump Day!
All images copyright Howard Schatz. All rights reserved. by Skip Cohen I joined Hasselblad USA in July of 1987, right around the same time that Howard Schatz and Beverly Ornstein were getting started. A few years later, I met them both. Now, twenty+ books later, I continue to be in awe of his work. His new book, Pairs is remarkable - it's more than just stunning images. It spans thirty years of work in 365 photographs as Howard explores the relationship between two subjects or images. "Couples or colleagues; actors or acrobats; fighters or friends; lovers or dancers; newlyweds or newborns: the photographs in this book reveal the passionate and dynamic, subtle or obvious, and always compelling, mystery of relationship." Howard goes on to explain: From the beginning of my professional career, my main interest, my motivating force, and passion, has been to explore and experiment, searching for imagery that would surprise and delight me in my quest to explore what's deep inside. One of many areas of my ongoing interest has been the exploration of the relationship between two subjects: the visual, graphic, emotional, social, physical, and even spiritual dynamic resonating and resulting from such combinations. This book belongs in the library of anyone who loves fine photography. It's the perfect holiday gift scheduled to start shipping on October 1, 2023. Having been given a sneak peek, this may be my favorite of his books to date; it's a stunning body of work and demonstrates why the statement, "Nobody does it better," is so appropriate when describing Howard and Beverly's passion for the craft. What a kick to have followed Howard's work for so many years! I am in search of the electric, sometimes eccentric and always compelling connections possible with a combination of two whether dancers, athletes mothers and newborns, gymnasts, and even inanimate objects. Sometimes, they were brought together intentionally: I've found other images that speak to each other in ways I had not previously noticed. The connections are sometimes subtle, sometimes not. - Howard Schatz
by Skip Cohen Yes, this is an infomercial, but if you know my reputation, it's not without being justified. I've been involved in several Kickstarter campaigns since joining Platypod, and this one has been the biggest kick to work on. Why? Because the product has a huge payback in boosting creativity, and it's just $49 until the end of May. While it looks like a light-saber handle with the description of a camera riser - it may well be one of the most diverse accessories the company has ever released. And for those concerned about backing projects before they go to market - this one is in full production, with our first shipments already headed from overseas to our warehouse! So from studio to close-up, macro, food, portraiture, tabletop and copy stand work, even vlogging, this little marvel allows you to add up to eight different accessories. With eight 1/4-20 sockets at the top, you can add lights, reflectors, monitors, and the list goes on and on. Plus, it will hold up to eleven pounds, and they're stackable - each from a breakdown height of three inches to adjust from 6 to 10 1/2 inches! Visit Kickstarter and scroll down the project page for great videos and reviews from Lenworth Johnson, Rick Sammon, Don Komarechka, Stewart Wood, Moose Peterson, Dave Williams, Liam Douglas, Bob Coates, and Sharky James. What a kick! Check out Larry Becker's demonstration video below...there's so much this accessory can do. "Do you really need this?" For most of you, YES! |
Our Partners"Why?"Check out "Why?" one of the most popular features on the SCU Blog. It's a very simple concept - one image, one artist and one short sound bite. Each artist shares what makes the image one of their most favorite. We're over 100 artists featured since the project started. Click on the link above and you can scroll through all of the episodes to date.
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