Every new friend is a new adventure...the start of new memories.
​Patrick Lindsay

It's a short post this morning but what you don't know is that it's the second one I've written. So often I'll write a post, get too personal, read it to Sheila and before she even shakes her head, I know I've crossed the line in blogging etiquette. And that's my first point today - as a blogger it's great to go off track, but stay out of topics too painful to share, let alone write about. It was only a minute after hitting "delete" I knew exactly what I wanted to share.

It'll be two years in December since Sheila and I moved to Osprey. We love the area and have gotten to know some nice neighbors, but never spent quality time with anybody. Earlier in the week, there was a knock on the door from a couple we'd casually met who spotted the military service flag in the window of my office. The flag is authorized for parents who have a family member serving overseas. They spotted the flag and wanted to know who in our family was military, and that started a great conversation, leading to, "Why don't you guys come over on Friday night?"

Well, we had a blast with them. We kept it light and easy - we made some good things to eat, they brought great food too, and a new friendship was forged. Lots of laughs, stories about both our lives and a reminder so many of us have things in common, but don't take the time to find out what they are.

This is a short post with an easy to implement point. Take the time to get to know the people around you better. We all live such busy lives, and so often miss the opportunity to socialize and share bits and pieces of our lives.

Wishing everybody a perfect Sunday, or Monday if you're on the other side of the world. Go for those eleven-second hugs and if you're tuning into this blog late...I read an article a couple of years ago that talked about the importance of hugs being therapeutic. The recommendation was to go for eleven seconds. Just try it right now with somebody you care about, and you'll see what I mean. And, take the time to reinforce a new friendship today. It's our friends who help us stay focused and create an appreciation for life.

Happy Sunday!

If you're new to this series, Fast Food Friday has become a never-ending laundry list of things most of you need to work on. I started the series under the "fast food" umbrella because we're all used to the concept. Time is our most valuable commodity and grabbing a quick lunch is an all too common theme. 

So, even though I think we need to take as long a break at lunch as we need, I'm sticking with the concept. This is a series of relatively short posts to help you fine tune your business and make 2018 a stronger year.

None of this is rocket science, but it does take a commitment, starting with never saying, "That's good enough!" NEVER compromise on the quality of anything in your business, or for that matter your life!

I thought it would be fun and useful to hit on the topic of social media a little bit. Even though past "blue plate specials" have included blogging and communication, so many of you could be more effective in the way you're using social media.

"Social Media" - two words that just a few years ago had absolutely no meaning to any of us. Today most of us have a love/hate relationship with it but done right the only "hate" you should feel is that you didn't get involved sooner! But, don't kid yourself, you've got to have a foundation for communication or at least a desire to maintain contact with people.

There's isn't enough room in a post like this to talk about everything you should be doing, but let's hit on some great basics. Remember, I'm sharing ideas on tips for using social media for your business, not personal use.

• Stay relevant! It's okay to stray now and then but stay on point regarding your core topics. Nobody cares what you just had for lunch, where you're driving, etc. I'm so tired of tweets and Facebook posts like, "Oh boy, just had yogurt - yum, yum!"
• Be consistent! Just for a starter, let's assume you're never going to tweet less than five times a day. Stick with that and tweet around the same times each day, before you start to experiment.
• Remember relevance? Do your best to share helpful suggestions. Send people to other points of interest you know will be useful to them. Use Twitter and Facebook the same way the old town crier shouted out the news in the 1700's.
• When should you tweet? I can't find anybody that agrees on when to tweet, but a few of the experts seem to like 1-3:00 pm EST for getting the most traffic. I tend to hit the first one around 7:30 - 8:00 am EST because I know have a bunch of followers who are early risers. While Monday is typically a weak day for traffic in other businesses, that's not necessarily true in photography.  A lot of studios are closed on Mondays, and many photographers use the time to catch up on their reading. It all depends on your target audience.
• Keep your tweets and posts short. Just because Twitter went to more characters and Facebook allows you plenty of words, doesn't mean you have to use them all!
• Never post without an image. It doesn't always have to be relevant to your tweet or post, but it should be a good photograph. 
• Use a URL shortener - I'm amazed at how many photographers still waste characters on long links. I like Hoot Suite. It allows me to set up tweets and posts in advance.
• Proof-read! Okay, I feel like a hypocrite for suggesting this when so often I miss something, but at least looking at what you write and reading it out loud will help you catch those mistakes that make you feel stupid...and trust me, I seem to have more than my fair share lately.
• If you're using a URL shortener check your link before you tweet. You want to make sure it's working. It's so embarrassing when somebody sends you back a message telling you the link is dead. You gave them a suggestion...they took it...but hit a wall because you had a mistake in the link. 
• Don't engage Trolls! You'll never keep everybody happy. When you do get a troll use the block and remove features of the social media platform you're on, and get rid of them.
• How often should you post? Wandering through the Internet l found these four segments below from Constant Contact. Each social media platform is different, but if you dig hard and long enough, you'll eventually find an analyst or a study that supports whatever you believe. LOL  However, you need to believe somebody, and I like the way Azure Collier has put her post together. She's the Social Media Marketing and Community Manager for Constant Contact. Click on any banner to link to her complete article.

Missed any of the past Fast Food Friday specials? There are 23 in the complete series and the SCU diner is still serving! Each special hits on a different aspect of your business. As the clock clicks down what's left in 2018, you've still got time to fine-tune your business and make the fourth quarter your best ever!

​We want you to thrive, not just survive!

There's so much outstanding content being shared all year long on Profoto's website. Well, now and then I miss something that deserves to be shared. While it might have been released last fall, this blog post and video featuring Vanessa Joy are loaded with great information that, like Vanessa, is always relevant.

Vanessa shares a lot of "how-to" information in this short video. It's a solid reminder that your success as an artist is dependent on your ability to control the light rather than waiting as the light controls you!

                        "The world is my studio because with the A1 I can  
​                             bring that natural light look wherever I go!"

Enjoy the video and click on any of Vanessa's images in this post to read the entire story on Profoto's "Inspiration."​

Check out Vanessa's video and then check out her website and make sure she's on your radar. She's always doing something cutting edge and linking to her website is just a click away. 

Chamira Young and I have had a lot of fun interviewing some of the most respected artists in professional photography, all thanks to the support of PhotoShelter.  Each artist has had a different story to share along with a lot of insight into ideas to help you build stronger brand awareness for your own business.

Jamey Price joins us on podcast number eight. He's the first motorsports photographer we've had on as a guest, and as you'll hear in the podcast, so much of his success goes well beyond his skill set. He's a storyteller with his coverage of a race, but at the same time, he's a relationship builder.  He's also an incredibly patient and fun artist to talk to. You'll pick up on his style in the interview, but I've had several conversations with Jamey following this podcast, and he couldn't be more sincere in his love for the craft.

Just a couple of weeks ago, one of Jamey's favorite images was featured on "Why?" It's just a click away if you'd like to hear the backstory on one of his most remarkable images.  

A BIG thanks to Jamey for taking the time out of his crazy schedule and joining us on "Beyond Technique," and PhotoShelter for the services and products they offer each client. Jamey's a big fan of the PhotoShelter team and has visited their offices. The PhotoShelter team makes it so easy to show your images the way they deserve to be seen! 

It's not easy picking a few favorites from Jamey's galleries. He's made it a point to be diverse in his ability to capture the images that best tell whatever story he's working on. Check out two interesting categories on his website, "Published Work" and "Outside." Click on any of his images above and you'll see what I mean!

I've written a lot about friendships over the years. In fact, I've repeatedly said, "The best thing about this industry has nothing to do with photography, but the friendships that come out of everyone's love for the craft." 

Going back almost ten years ago, Sheila got me into reading Melody Beattie. While her book, The Language of Letting Go is daily meditations on codependency, I've found so many of her thoughts inspirational. I find whenever I hit a low spot in creativity or problem solving, it's time to take a break and step away from the business. I'll often pick up one of her books, turn to that day's date and see what she's written.

Yesterday I hit a dry stretch and couldn't seem to focus on what I needed to do. So, I grabbed Melody's book and took a short break. It was just what I needed, but I went one step further and took her advice. I picked up the phone and called an old friend. While it wasn't necessarily for the purpose she suggested, it gave me the lift I needed.

We're all so wrapped up in the challenges of business combined with the many hats we wear. Learn to recognize when you need a little lift. Many of you are coffee drinkers, and you love that feeling when the first cup of coffee kicks in each morning. Your spirit is no different, and getting in the habit of reading something inspirational from time to time is going to feed your brain...and heart too.

by Melody Beattie

Friends - August 13

"Don't overlook the value of friendship. Don't neglect friends. Friends are a joy. Adult friendships can be a good place for us to learn to have fun and to appreciate how much fun we can have with a friend. 

Friends can be a comfort. Who knows us better, or is more able to give us support, than a good friend? A friendship is a comfortable place to be ourselves. Often, our choice of friends will reflect the issues we're working on. Giving and receiving support will help both people grow.

Some friendship wax and wane, going through cycles throughout the years. Some trail off when one person out-grows the other. Certainly, we will have trials and tests in friendships and, at times, be called on to practice our recovery behaviors. 

But some friendships will last a lifetime. There are special love relationships, and there are friendships. Sometimes, our friendships - especially recovery friendships - can be special love relationships too.

Today, I will reach out to a friend. I will let myself enjoy the comfort, joys and enduring quality of my friendships."

If you think back to the best books you've read, your favorite movies, TV series or streaming programs there's always a hero. There's that one character we love who's taking on a challenge and inspiring us. Recently Chamira Young and I had Jen Rozenbaum join us on "Mind Your Own Business." 

Well, Jen is that warrior starring in whatever show we're watching, only in this case it's real life and business. And, while there are a lot of women and men who are warriors battling some serious health challenges, it's Jen's outlook on her entire life that's so inspirational. Plus, it's her approach to business, a new podcast series, a new book, getting back on the road teaching, and all with an unbelievably positive attitude and an unbeatable zest for life.

And speaking of Jen hitting the road:
​

• NYC - August 17:  You can see it in person or online but you have to register!  Sign up here: Posing and Lighting to Flatter Any Woman
• Ohio: September 6/7: At the Westcott Headquarters. Sign up here for Sept. 6th: Light: The Ultimate Storyteller – An Evening With Jen Rozenbaum - Sign up here for Sept. 7th: Posing & Lighting For Boudoir With Jen Rozenbaum
• Austin, TX - October 12/14: Precision Camera University. Sign up here: Precision Camera University Weekend 2018

​
And, whether you attend any of her programs or not, take the time to listen to this podcast. Jen shares a lot of incredible insight into her priorities about life, all as a result of what she's learned over the years in business, fighting cancer and all while staying focused on being "Shamelessly Feminine," (her new podcast and book!)

Intro by Skip Cohen

It's Marketing Monday and time to bring one of Scott Bourne's posts out of the archives. Although Scott shared this at least four years ago, it's still a perfect reminder to help you get through those times when you have to improvise. 

As photographers, regardless of how long you've been shooting, you've witnessed first-hand things don't always work out the way they should.  Murphy's Law seems to prevail all too often, but you've hopefully adapted and anticipate something is going to happen that wasn't in the plan.

Too often, some of you freeze. You panic, maybe even give up. You just haven't had enough experience yet to stay focused and keep things going. Even more difficult is not having the skill set to handle the challenge, but you're not stuck on the escalator!

While Scott is talking mostly about shooting challenges - the same alternatives apply to your marketing and business plans. There's always an alternative and very rarely is anything cast in stone. The problem is keeping an open mind, utilizing support from key people in your network when you hit a wall and never giving up your optimism. There's always a solution, and this quote from Scott says it all:

"Whatever, whenever, professionals get paid to make the shot, not complain about their circumstances. If they need better light or backgrounds for instance – they just make it."  

by Scott Bourne

You want to shoot but you’re out of your element. Maybe you’re on  vacation with the family and for some reason they don’t want to schedule everything around sunrise or sunset. Or maybe you’re on a quick  business trip and the ugly, cheap hotel your boss made you stay in doesn’t exactly trip your trigger. It is easy to find yourself in  situations that don’t make it easy. You are on the road, but you don’t  have the circumstances you need to make a great shot. So change the circumstances.

As professional photographers you understand this all too well. The bride wants to get married when the sun is straight up overhead at noon. The location director thinks the “cool” brick wall would make a great backdrop. Whatever, whenever, professionals get paid to make the shot, not complain about their circumstances. If they need better light or backgrounds for instance – they just make it.

The challenge just requires a positive attitude, some creativity and a willingness to work a bit harder.

• When you're just heading out to shoot and there's no client involved, if you’re somewhere that simply offers nothing exciting to shoot, try switching to macro. Give me any city in America and a one block radius to work in town and I can find hundreds of macro shots. Everything from textures, to insects to flowers – you name it.

• Here’s another idea – learn how to improve lighting using  “subtractive” lighting. Instead of adding light to a scene that needs fill, subtract it from any two sides – which automatically makes the  open area away from those two sides the new main light source.

• Try pan blurs or zoom blurs. Use colored filters on your lenses. Use HDR.

• Try shooting from a ladder or from ground level.
• Shoot at night. Borrow props from nearby locations.
• Plan ahead and do a meetup – try to convince a model who needs portfolio shots to come down and pose for you or a bunch of other photographers to liven things up.

• Try renting or borrowing new gear to give you a new approach.

I’ve been shooting a long time, in all sorts of locations, under all sorts of weather, and in all sorts of light. I’ve very rarely been completely shut out. All it takes is a new way of thinking and you can succeed.

Intro by Skip Cohen

It's Mirrorless Monday and my good buddy Bob Coates shares a recent experience shooting the LUMIX G9 with it's tether software. Technology never slows down, especially at Panasonic, and today you've got the most creative tools in the 190+ year history of photography.

Check out more of Bob's images with a visit to his blog, Successful-Photographer.com and then wander over to the LUMIX Facebook page and keep tabs on what the other LUMIX Ambassadors are working on. And for more information on the remarkable features of the G9 just click on the camera below.

by Bob Coates

​Shooting commercial work with a client and/or a designer goes MUCH faster when the client can see the image as it is being built. As all decisions need to be made from the view of the camera and the lens mounted upon it being able to utilize Live View on the computer screen makes extreme sense.
  
Back in the day showing images was accomplished by shooting Polaroid’s. Early on in the digital world this was accomplished by showing the client the back of the camera, which could get pretty crowded around a small screen. High-end studios had the capabilities to show clients images on a screen. The ability came later to small camera operators and studios but the technology was often spotty and sometimes expensive.
 
The LUMIX G9 and GH5 now have a rock solid performance in tethering to computers with software provided by Panasonic with your camera purchase, LUMIX Tether. With the software you can set all the controls and operate the camera from the computer. In addition, you can see what the camera sees with Live View and move files to the computer, including RAW’s in near real time.

Molly, the Creative Director for the shoot was able to see the set up in real time and see the final image moments later. Images from this shoot are being used at https://www.crystalmagic.com . 

All in all, I am very impressed with the ease, speed and utility of this new feature that Panasonic has built into the cameras. As I went to use the software this morning, there was a notification the software had been updated. Having the ability to get better software, and better performance in your camera through firmware updates, is incredible. In the past if you wanted the latest tech and new features you had to buy a new camera. Not now! 
  

A house is built of walls and beams, a home is built of love and dreams.
Unknown

For the last half an hour I've been struggling with what to write about on this gorgeous Sunday morning in South Florida. The house is quiet and as I wandered from room to room trying to come up with a topic, it hit me. We don't have a big house, but we do have a big home. Stay with me on this, because it's my whole point this morning.

As I wandered around the house it occurred to me how important our friends are and even more relevant how important Sheila and I are to each other. Our house is built like any house, but our home is filled with memories and love. It's a combination of everything Sheila and I both brought into the relationship and then added over the last ten years.

A number of times in the past, I've described our home as a gallery with photographs from so many friends over the years, but it's much more. There isn't a corner that doesn't represent another chapter in our lives individually or together.

My home office is probably the most intense, filled with memorabilia as recent as last week to forty+ years ago at Polaroid, and beyond. From Ansel Adams' rear license plate framed to my grandfather's pocket watch; a portrait of my Dad and me from four years ago to a crystal bowl that was a gift from friends at Minolta, which holds reading glasses - everything has a story behind it.

And here's my point...

My favorite quote is from Tennyson, "I am a part of all that I have met."  Well, Sheila and I as a couple and individually are here together and living a fantastic life thanks to all the experiences, good and bad, along with all the people who have come in and out of our lives. Even at times when we might have been alone, we were never a solo act - influenced by family, friends, associates and our environments.

I guess this is a Throwback Sunday kind of post. Take five minutes and look around you. I'm betting just like me this morning you're going to realize how much you take for granted in all the people who have come into your life over the years. Together they've all contributed to making you who you are today. 

Nothing earthshaking or even particularly astute this morning, just an appreciation for everything that's made our house a home. I love Sunday mornings because it's the one day of the week where we have no solid agenda. I wake up appreciating a gift all of you have given me - a time to go off track and share some piece of life outside the business of photography.

Wishing all of you a terrific Sunday and time to appreciate things in your life that have helped to make you who you are today. We didn't just grow on our own, but with a lot of company along the way. As always hit the eleven-second therapeutic hugs with those people most important to you. 

"The ache for home lives in all of us,
the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned."
Maya Angelou

Happy Sunday everybody!

I've written this many times before: I feel like I'm trapped in an old movie and the hands of the clock are just spinning by! Well, this week seems to have gone by in a flash, and I'm trying a little experiment. 

I'm involved in a lot of different projects, companies, podcasts, and products. At the same time, it's tough for me to keep up, let alone remember what we're sharing in posts and tweets. In fact, just this morning I found an outstanding guest post from Kevin A. Gilligan about finding an artist's collective to help get your work out in front of more people. Kevin sent it to me last year, and it wound up lost in my email!

So, welcome to The Saturday Summary and links to a few of the week's highlights. Click on any of the images below to connect to the original post.

As always, thanks for being a reader. I sure do appreciate the support and the feedback. And, we've got a new week coming coming up that's going to be filled with some great content, all thanks to so many of you and the industry we're all passionate about!

Happy Saturday everybody!

I always enjoy sharing these short videos from Tamron because they're loaded with good content.

Yes, it's sort of an infomercial for Tamron's 150-600 mm lens, but Erik Stensland does a terrific job of taking you through so many of the features. And, you can learn a lot watching another artist shoot.

I especially liked his opening line about "I was on a blue sky day today and wondered what in the world am I going to shoot?" We've all been there, searching to find those scenes that set our creativity on fire. Click on the screenshots from the video above to visit Erik's website and see more of his work.

And, check out more about Tamron's 150-600mm F5-6.3 Di VC USD Lens with a click on the banner below. Then find the Tamron dealer nearest you and check it out directly!

I started Fast Food Friday in February as a way to share ideas to help you fine-tune your business, including marketing, your website and blog and even relationship building and communication. All I'm trying to do is plant ideas on ways to make both you and your business stronger. When 2018 comes to a close I want to see you thriving, not just surviving.

Today's "blue plate" special is another one that's a little different from past posts.  At times it might sound more like a rant than an entree on the menu at the SCU diner!  The topic is dealing with trolls or just negative people. I'm not really upset, just bored with the challenge. This past week there seemed to be a flurry of people on Facebook who never learned how to behave!

Most of you, if you're following me and reading my posts, aren't the problem, you know how to talk to people and behave. The challenge for all of us are the people who don't read anything, but what they write themselves. They love to hear themselves talk and criticizing or even shattering somebody else's vision/dream is how they get their daily thrill.  Sadly, many of them are very talented and have some amazing skill sets, but they haven't figured out yet that the greatest skill in building a business is investing in relationships.

Let's start shutting down the Internet trolls in our lives. Remember, when you engage them in a public forum you're giving exactly the response they were hoping for. So, see if these tips make sense:

• * Talk to people online as if you were face to face having dinner with them and they were picking up the check!
• * Stay away from inflammatory comments when you don't like something. You can still disagree with somebody and not turn it into a battle.
• * When somebody says something you hate, don't assume it's personal. Remember that the printed word is the hardest to communicate with - it lacks eye contact, emotion, the inflection in your voice and people know nothing about you.
• * Remember that it takes a far greater skill set to be sensitive to other people than it does just to be sarcastic. Anybody can be sarcastic. It's not a skill!
• * Remember that what you like and your clients like isn't universal! My old buddy Dean Collins used to say,  Beauty is in the eyes of the checkbook holder!  It's the client who matters most.

* Last, on the list - everybody had to start somewhere and as Michele Celentano once said to a group of aspiring professionals at Skip's Summer School, "Twenty years ago I was right where you are...wondering how long it was going to be before my pictures didn't suck!"

I know for many of you, I'm preaching to the choir, but feel free to forward this post to anybody on the Internet who's behaved like a jackass lately.  Maybe together we can slow down enough aspiring trolls to make a difference!

Missed any of the previous Fast Food Friday specials?
​They're all just a click away and there are 22 entrees for you to choose from! 

Sometimes I feel like I'm trapped in an old Hollywood movie and the hands of the clock are spinning. Time is flying by and it's already August. Don't miss the opportunity to take a hard look at your business and tweak those areas that can make you stronger and build more brand awareness.

Close to thirty years ago I met John Isaac at an industry dinner in NYC. At that time he was Chief of Photography for the United Nations. Although I haven't caught up to him in a long time, my admiration is the same as it was then. So, yesterday when a good friend sent me the link to this TEDxIHEParis Talk from last year, after watching it, I had to share it with you.

Many of you are relatively new to photography. You don't know very many of the artists who have blazed a trail of creativity, respect, and integrity before you. John is all about empathy, honor and compassion, and this quote by Emerson seems like it was written about him.

The purpose of life is not to be happy.
It is to be useful, to be honorable,
to be compassionate,
to have it make some difference
that you have lived and lived well.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Profoto never slows down in their quest to develop great educational videos with a wide variety of artists and topics. I love this short piece featuring Albert Watson and one of his most iconic images.

There's so much solid content in this 1 1/2 minute video.  Remember, this image was captured in 1973 - forty-five years ago! No digital image to "chimp;" shot on film and all in manual mode on whatever gear Albert was using at the time. 

Most of you probably don't remember the image when it first came out, but it's another iconic portrait and there a few things that I love about it. First, it's black and white. Second, is Albert's concept behind the image and why, which he talks about in the video and third, Alfred Hitchcock was photographed by one of today's most significant contemporary artists.

Albert Watson's work is timeless because he's made it a point always to stay relevant. 
 
"Albert’s visual language follows his own distinctive rules and concepts of quality. With their brilliance, urgency, even grandeur, his photographs stand out so clearly against the world of today’s images. His way of lighting subjects, especially the fetish objects and portraits, creates a nearly meditative atmosphere in the photographs. Without a doubt, Albert Watson is an artist who greatly enriches our perception with his unique photographic view."

Check out more of Albert Watson's backstory with a click on his image above. It's part of an outstanding post by Clare Gillsäter. And, while you're there, you'll find Profoto's Inspiration tab a terrific resource about some of the finest artists in photography today.

Time to find out more about Profoto's extensive product line? Find a Profoto dealer near you with a click on the banner below.

​Last week I shared a post about this year’s Photoshop World and the fun of a completely new personal project – a metal print hanging OUTSIDE our home. 
 
​The Concept: After a lifetime in this industry, our home is filled with photographs. Out of approximately thirty-five framed pieces of art, only one isn’t a photograph. While three of the prints on our walls our mine, the rest were all gifts over the years from friends in the industry. And, in storage, rotated into the house every year or two, there are at least another thirty.
 
It sounds sappy, but these prints are like my children. There’s a story behind each one, and I’m betting most of you understand my attachment. Each print comes from a point in my career and represents another great friendship. Friends not in the industry are amazed at the diversity of the work, even to the point of not believing a couple of canvas prints are photographs.
 
So, when hanging out with my good buddy Glen Clark in the Bay Photo Lab booth at Photoshop World, there was a giant metal print on display, which was beautiful.  And, the "wheels" started turning, was there a version of this product that could be hung outside? A few minutes more with Glen and I learned about Performance EXT metal prints!
 
The Process: Sheila and I wanted an image shot locally, and I wanted it to be captured on LUMIX. While I’ve always been passionate about the craft, since I started working with LUMIX cameras and the LUMIX Ambassador team five years ago, my love for imaging has never been stronger.
 
Living only a mile from the beach, I wanted a sunset. Lately with the storms and cloud cover every night we've had a non-stop stream of stunning light shows. I captured the image I wanted with an FZ1000 and Sheila, and I started measuring walls outside. We decided on a 30x60 inch print.
  
I set up the Bay Photo ROES software on my computer and from that point on it couldn’t have been easier. I have no experience in printing for outdoor viewing, so I trusted the Bay Photo team to make whatever exposure adjustments were necessary, as well as pick the best method for hanging the print.  
 
The Print Arrives: The hardest part of the process was unpacking the print! LOL In all honesty, I was delighted over how well packed it was. Even Fedex couldn’t mess this one up!

Once unpacked, having already measured the wall and knowing exactly where it was being hung, the rest of the process took minutes. Two holes drilled into the wall with concrete screws and the extension of our home gallery was complete.

The Results: The print is beautiful, and I couldn’t be happier with the ease of the process. Plus, the team at Bay Photo did it right. There’s a frame on the back that lets the print float on the wall. Remember too, this is going to be outside all year long in Florida heat, sun and weather.  
 
There are two additional things I love about the print. First is my pride that it's one of my images we chose to have outside. Second, is what it represents, a lifetime in an industry I love dearly that's filled with some incredible friendships. This print is a fun testimonial to some great friendships at both Bay Photo and Panasonic. 
 
And one more thing – as a consumer, this is a unique product and application. We’ve all seen images outside, but most often they're commercial applications. But, I'm betting many of you have a back porch or patio that's screaming for something other than plants, and take it one step further - how about your clients? 

Who says your favorite photographs can’t be hung outside? 

Intro by Skip Cohen

Mirrorless Mark is back and sharing one of my favorite benefits of Panasonic's LUMIX cameras - the ability to capture great images handheld in low light. Plus, so many of us have strong roots in black and white images. ​

One of my favorite travel cameras is the FZ300. Weighing in at a pound and a half, with its 25-600 mm zoom it gives me everything I need when I'm out playing tourist. In fact, we were in D.C. this weekend, and I grabbed a shot while waiting for the Metro. 

Shot at f2.8 @ 1/60 ISO 2500 I was happy with the results and especially in black and white.

Mark's no stranger to SCU and he's written about his love for photographing trains in the past.  Follow Mark and the LUMIX Ambassador team and put their Facebook page on your radar. And, if you're interested in finding out more about the LUMIX LX100 or FZ300 cameras that Mark and I are both talking about, click on either one below.

​
​by Mark Toal

I love Instagram and Facebook, but I also miss being able to see well-printed photography books and large prints in galleries. Yes, they both still exist but they are getting harder to find. 

The first O. Winston Link steam train image I ever saw was a print that a man I used to work for owned. A couple of years later I went to a show of dozens of his train images at a gallery in Palo Alto.
 
When I moved to Portland and discovered that there are two restored working steam trains here I had to photograph them. This image was taken at a night event for a group of photographers. I was working the event as a volunteer, so I was only able to carry my Panasonic Lumix LX100.

Everybody around me was shooting with large DSLR cameras with heavy tripods. I set the LX100 to Aperture priority at f/1.7 and the ISO to 3200 and took this photo. It might be as close to O Winston as I’ll ever get.
 
 
 

I always go off track on Sunday mornings, mostly because it's fun to share something in life other than business and marketing. Well, this morning we're out of town visiting family for a little time away from the business, and I can't help but talk about the pure fun of just shooting without a purpose other than relaxing.

Here's the scenario: Sheila and I are in the DC area getting time with our son and daughter-in-law. He's military and our time to see them is strictly dependent on his schedule. We're squeezing in some terrific family time and also getting to see the area. On the way out the door, I grabbed a camera. Initially, I was going to bring a lot of gear, but at the last minute decided to bring only one camera, a LUMIX FZ300. It's my favorite camera to travel with.

There are two points I want to make this morning, and the first one is to ask a question. When was the last time you had a camera with you for absolutely no reason than to just play? Everyone knows I'm not a professional photographer, and my business is about marketing, but I'll match my passion for the craft with anybody. Just shooting for the pure fun of it with no purpose other than to capture things around you recharges my battery. It's relaxing, fun and yes, I'm "chimping" with almost every image, excited about whatever features I'm playing with as I get to know the camera better and better. 

The other point is the utilization of time. All of us spend so much time doing our best to be more efficient, not waste time, develop steps in our workflow that make the most out of our most valuable commodity, each tick of the clock. This weekend has nothing to do with efficiency, but just relaxing and appreciating the people we love in our life. It's not just about being a tourist in the D.C. area, but being a tourist in the way we look at our own lives. 

So, here's my suggestion - take the time to enjoy the reasons you work so hard! Kick back, step away from working and spend time with the people who make you smile the most. And, if along the way you've got a small, lightweight camera with you - learn to enjoy and appreciate your skill set strictly for your own pleasure and creativity. Become your own client!

As always, wishing you a terrific Sunday and one filled with smiles and the kind of personal stress-reducing emotion that only time with people important to you can create. Go for those eleven-second therapeutic hugs and forget about work. It's not going anywhere, but you can!

Happy Sunday everybody! 

Most of you know I don't make my living as a professional photographer. While I know more than I let on, my passion is helping you with the business and marketing side of life. However, now and then a product comes along you should know about.

While at Photoshop World a couple of months ago I met the crew from Platypod and I love this product! The concept is simple - they've designed the perfect replacement for a tripod in so many different situations. While it's not for every application, it's one of those products that should be in everybody's camera bag. You never know when you're going to need a solution for a challenge you didn't expect to have.

I had some fun recently using my Platypod as a microphone stand when filming my monthly video for Shutter Magazine.  Platypod is the adult version of the erector set I had when I was a kid - I can build almost anything with it. I was going to be in the pool making a point about my August article and needed a low angle for my lapel mic. Sorry, you'll have to watch the complete video to understand why I'm in the water wearing a jacket, shirt, and tie!

I grabbed the screenshot above from the Platypod website along with the short promotional film below because they do a far better job than I can of demonstrating the versatility of the product line. It's inexpensive, durable and as Moose Peterson put it, "elegant." Check out the complete Platypod line with a click on the family shot above.

PS - And no, they're not an SCU sponsor and I am not being compensated for this post - I simply love companies and products that solve problems and have been developed by great people!

Obviously, I started this mini-podcast series because Profoto is an SCU partner and I love their products, reputation, and support to the professional photographic community. But, there's been a side-benefit - each short podcast, typically 5-10 minutes has given you a chance to meet another photographer. 

We all know the names of the six artists featured on EDU10 so far this year, but listening to their comments about how they shoot, light their subjects and even a few of the challenges gives a blog post a new dimension. Best of all it provides you as a reader a little more insight into the importance of great lighting and creativity.

Click on any of the featured images below to listen to some of the most respected artists and educators in professional photography today. You just might be surprised at some of their stories and how Profoto is changing the way they capture some of their most favorite images.

Profoto has changed the way photographers work today, removing virtually all of the normal limitations on lighting. They've given photographers the ability to control the light - anywhere - and at the same time expand their creativity and capture some of the finest photographs in the world.

Find out what all the buzz about with a visit to your Profoto dealer, starting with their website - it's all just a click away.

I left WPPI and Rangefinder Magazine in 2009 to follow a dream - starting my own business. We were in the middle of the worst recession, at least in my lifetime, and I was headed off to pursue a dream to fulfill my entrepreneurial spirit. For years I'd followed so many of you vicariously as business owners, and nine years ago we launched the first Skip's Summer School.

Most of my family thought I was nuts and there were more than just a few friends who felt the same way. But I ran across an anonymous quote around that time that says it all:

I've shared the group shot above in at least one other post, but this was the team who made it all happen that first summer. We started in Las Vegas at the MGM, and because of the economy at the time and Vegas hurting for business, there was no room block commitment, no minimum food or beverage and minimal charges for everything we needed as long as we booked rooms - and we did!

​I recently ran across a couple of photographs that bring back so many great memories from those summer programs. In 2010, Sarah Petty offered to fill in for Vicki Taufer, which brings back a whole story of its own. Here's the short version - Vicki and Jed were adopting their daughter and got caught in an immigration challenge and couldn't bring her back into the US for several months. Vicki stayed overseas, and Sarah jumped in to save summer school with an outstanding program. The story goes a lot deeper as dozens of photographers in the industry tried to help with letters to congressman, immigration officials, and a non-stop push to get Vicki home.

Friendships are the best part of this industry, and Kay Eskridge spoke that year as well. We kept the program simple with one big room, no breakouts and a dozen vendors who wanted to support education around the perimeter. Wifi was still a big deal, and the room was set up, so a new speaker kicked off every ninety minutes, but there were charging stations, and you could work at the same time - giving attendees the ability to stay in touch with business, but still pick up great ideas to market and promote their products/services.

One of my favorites programs over the years was a completely impromptu panel of experts in the evening after the day's schedule. We got together after dinner for anybody who had wanted to keep things going. We were there to answer questions about business, photography, life - it just didn't matter. That's Clay Blackmore, Tony Corbell, me and my honey, Sheila. We had at least 8-10 instructors join us. 

One of my favorite images of Sheila and me was captured that night and sent to me by good buddy, Brian Palmer. It proves a very special point - you don't have to have everybody looking at the camera all the time.

After the 2013 summer workshop, like so many educational events we decided it was time for a change. Workshops events like this are incredibly labor intensive and with so many different events to choose from it was time to move on, but not from the goal of education, continuing to build a business and support an industry I love dearly.

With help from good buddy, Scott Bourne, SCU became a reality and my life morphed into that of a blogger, podcaster, and writer. I wouldn't change a thing in my life since leaving Rangefinder/WPPI. The best part of the last nine years is the friendships that have come out of everyone's mutual love for the craft and the support we all give each other no matter what challenges life puts in our paths.

If the plan doesn't work, change the plan, but NEVER your goal.
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