by Skip Cohen

A few weeks ago, I announced I was putting Sunday Morning Reflections on the back burner and taking a break for a little while, but it's Father's Day, and I can't let the day go by without a "Happy Father's Day" to all you Dads out there.

I already ran a tribute to my Dad earlier in the week, so today is focused on all of you...with just one story about my Dad. 

I was around seven years old when my mom found out I'd ridden my bike with the Jackson boys over the railroad tracks about a half mile from our house. The train tracks were on the 100% taboo list. Mom was furious and screamed, "Wait until your father gets home!"

Dad got home, heard my mother's request for my punishment, and came into my room with his fraternity paddle from college. We talked about what I had done. Whether I was really filled with remorse or in fear of the paddle; he knew I wouldn't do it again. So, the conversation went like this:

"Your mother wants me to paddle your butt...I know you'll never do it again, and you've learned your lesson. So, when I hit my leg with the paddle, you better scream and cry like there's no tomorrow!"

He hit his leg, and I screamed...he hit it a second time, and again, I screamed and cried...on the third time, my mother beat on the door - "That's enough Ralph, let's hope he learned his lesson. My performance was flawless, and had there been an award for best supporting actor in a home parenting drama, the Oscar would have been mine.

And that was my Dad - it never mattered to him how the lessons were learned, only that he achieved the results that helped me grow. Hanging on the wall of my office is his paddle, and next to it, my grandfather's pocket watch, a Gruen that still keeps perfect time. The paddle represents one of my favorite memories...and sharing the story opens the floodgates for more stories, and that's what great memories are all about.

Happy Father's Day everybody. Cherish the moments that got you here because they go by too fast, and before you know it, they're gone.

Wishing everybody a terrific day ahead and time to kick back and chill. Tomorrow isn't going anywhere, so why worry about it? 

And to my Dad, who I miss every day - you gave me a foundation of memories that have made you a legend. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't cherish growing up with you by my side.

​Love ya Pop!

Worrying does not take away tomorrow's troubles. It takes away today's peace.
There is no greater wealth in this world than peace of mind.
Randy Armstrong

by Skip Cohen

​I started this series after reading a few great quotes I hadn't heard before. That led to wanting to share them, especially when they seemed relevant to many of today's challenges.
​
It's a short post going into what's about to become a pivotal weekend in America, June 14. With protests all over the country and an estimated 46 million dollars being spent on celebrating the army and Donald Trump's birthday, there's a lot I just don't understand.  Understanding is only half the challenge - because what we read or what's reported in the news can't be trusted.
 
Sheila and I have chosen to simply keep focused on our life together and what we can support or change. We're doing our best not to let the fear of the future interrupt our peace.  I heard a comment back in January from an unhappy photographer, "I'm just going to live in a snow globe for the next four years."  Well, our snow globe is our local community. 

I miss the America I've known most of my life. I miss respecting our government because it was made up of people smarter than us. Well, the true experts have been fired, and the country is being run by a group that has forgotten about being for the people. In fact, for our own businesses, most of us wouldn't hire the majority of the people we see in the news these days.

I'm trying hard not to make this into a political statement, and it's impossible. So, I'll wrap it up with another great quote.

We spend countless hours reading, listening to, and watching other people's opinions
about what we should do, how we should think, and how we should live,
but make comparatively little effort applying that knowledge and making it our own.
Tiago Forte

​by Skip Cohen
​
It's Throwback Thursday, and this weekend is Father's Day...so it's a multi-faceted blog post. 

The portrait of my Dad and me on the right, which I've shared before, was captured in a booth at PPA National at least twenty-five years ago by Don Blair. I cherish the portrait, but there are a couple of additional points it makes. First, you don't need a fancy studio if you understand lighting and posing! Second, memories captured by old friends are definitely the best.

"Big Daddy" Blair and I wrote our first book together in the 90s. It was a kick to do, and it remains relevant as a guide for outstanding portraiture.

One of the highlights over the years was Dad coming to conventions with me. And when he and Don got together, the laughs were non-stop. They both served in the military in WWII...and I'm convinced the war might have ended earlier if not for these two knuckleheads! (And the way I'm using the word knuckleheads is filled with love, respect, and the biggest smile!) 

There's rarely a week that goes by that something doesn't come up that makes me think of Don. And when Gary (Don's son) and I get together, even on a phone call, there's an ongoing contest to see who can imitate Big Daddy's best "Hey, hey, hey, my man!"

Since Father's Day is Sunday, this is also about my Dad. He was my best buddy. Although he passed away over ten years ago, that doesn't diminish the appreciation and love I have for everything he taught me. I used to say there weren't many guys my age who still had their parents around, let alone liked them! 

He also possessed an amazing level of integrity, still conducting business on a handshake right up until his passing at 93. I convinced him to write the post below, which I share once a year. It makes a great point - stop worrying about everybody else's business and stay focused on your own.

Wishing all the dads out there a terrific weekend and a chance to simply kick back and relax. And to Dad and "Big Daddy" - I picture the two of you hanging out together and watching over all your "chicks and grand-chicks," as Don used to say.

​Happy Father's Day everybody!

by Ralph Cohen

Yesterday was my 88th birthday.  I have been happily retired for many years, and unemployed for at least 15 of those. Now, out of the blue, comes our son, Skip, threatening me with employment! The pay he considers adequate is $.02 per word. So gathering together, my 50+ years in business experience, I thought this would be a good time to put my two cents in.

I am not a plagiarist, but I must quote my father who spent the last months of his life writing advice to his children:

“Conduct your business in an upright manner and remember, the most important thing in one’s life is to be honest with one’s self. Maintain the high standard and dignity that your business requires. Do not go into deals hastily and be visible in your business as much of the time as is possible.  If you take time to play, do it away from your business, because your livelihood needs all the attention you can give to it.”

Early on, I concluded that the best testimonials came from my many friendly competitors.  We didn’t really compete with each other, in the true sense. True, we were in the same field of endeavor, but we all knew we were there to help each other. Happily, the “tough competition” fell by the wayside.  

I remember giving Skip driving lessons and I told him, “Watch the left front fender…..the rest will take care of itself!” I’ve found this is really true of everything in life.

An old axiom says “If you tell the truth, you never have to remember what you said.”  That is all part of reputation-building. I found that, sadly, in the field of real estate, truth is hard to come by for many. In our case, it was a major building block in the reputation which we enjoyed, and helped us to thwart the competition.

Goodwill is all of the above, plus a lot of caring for your clients as well as your competitors.  If life is a give-and-take situation, giving is the more important of the two.  The taking will come with time and be far more appreciative.  Just remember - you heard it here!  

​Ralph Cohen, Founder and Creator of Skip Cohen!
​

Snowflakes are one of nature's most fragile things,
but just look at what they can do when they stick together!
Vest Kelly

"A single arrow is easily broken, but not ten in a bundle." 
Japanese Proverb ​

by Skip Cohen

Although I shared this post almost seven years ago, we're coming up on the anniversary of the first Skip's Summer School in 2009. Time definitely flies when you're having a good time!

I left WPPI and Rangefinder Magazine in 2009 to follow a dream - starting my own business. We were in the middle of a recession, and I was headed off to pursue a dream to fulfill my entrepreneurial spirit. As I look back to the first program in '09 and the images from 2010, featured here, there are so many friendships that came out of this workshop series.

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 said 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. Kay passed away last year, but the photograph below is one more reminder about the value of photography...capturing memories, especially of people we love and miss!

We kept the Summer School programs 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.

A favorite 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. Brian's on the other side of the world these days, but I still keep hoping we'll catch up on one of his family trips back to the US.

The shot itself, 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, the SCU blog 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 sixteen 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.
Author Unknown

It's no good running a pig farm badly for 30 years while saying,
'Really, I was meant to be a ballet dancer.'
By then, pigs will be your style.
Quentin Crisp

by Skip Cohen

Over the years, I've met many photographers who have shared their regrets about the direction their career path took. However, the revenue stream was substantial, and it was too risky to consider a change. Yet, they still have a passion for another specialty and a chance to be more creative.

Senior photography is one of those areas that people have found it was hard to break into. So, they gave up chasing the idea. My point isn't so much about what a great direction it can be for a career, but if you're going to take that path, then do it right!

If you're interested in the senior market, the first thing you need to ensure is that you've the right skill set, not just with your camera. You need excellent communication skills and the ability to establish a strong relationship with your subject.

For many seniors, this may be their first time working with a professional photographer. They're as nervous about getting a portrait done as they are in dealing with some of their own self-esteem issues. That means your listening and conversational skills must be as good as your understanding of exposure, composition, and lighting!

But here's the real point of today's post - you don't have to develop the senior market alone. Check out Marathon's "Power of 3" Senior Marketing program. It's direct mail at its best, with the expertise of the Marathon staff to watch your back and help you develop an effective program.

For example, check out the strategy and timing below of their 3-point program, as well as the optional fourth "last chance" piece.

• Mailing 1: Introduce yourself and create awareness that it's time to think about senior portraits and become a part of the class of 2026.
• Mailing 2: Give seniors a chance to take a second look at your photography and recognize your studio as the best choice for their senior portraits.
• Mailing 3: One more chance to convince seniors that your studio stands out from the rest and that you offer the creativity they expect for their senior portrait experience.
• Optional Mailing 4: For only 96¢ per name, you can add another "last chance" card to let seniors know they must call now or they will miss out. Custom design is an additional $65 for this card.

At the very least, finding out more about the program should be a no-brainer. It costs nothing for you to get more information. There's an unlimited combination of design components for you to choose from, but everything starts with your interest in expanding your expertise into the community.

Even better, to help you build your brand as a senior photographer, the available design for each 3-part mailing is limited to only one studio per marketing area. It only takes a phone call to find out what's being done in your area.

You can't create images that tug at people's heartstring if your own heart isn't in it!
Skip Cohen

If the senior market is something you've considered, then pick up the phone and give the Marathon team a call! Click below to find out how to get your Senior Power of 3 sample pack or call (800) 228.0629 to speak to an Account Representative.

by Skip Cohen

I'm having some fun with great quotes, and the one above is one I shared 15 years ago on Facebook. I still hear people asking photographers, "What camera did you use?"  Even in a world being touched by AI, it still amazes me that there are people who think it's the gear that makes the image, when it still takes an artist's creativity.

So, the next time somebody asks you whose camera you use, there's a better answer.

Years ago, I was in Tucson when Richard Avedon turned over his archives to the Center for Creative Photography. His travel camera, which he loved to play with at the time, was an old-style Polaroid SX-70.

May there be just enough clouds in your life to create beautiful sunsets!
Author Unknown

by Skip Cohen

​On January 1, 2017, I wrote my first Sunday Morning Reflections post. It was something I wanted to try - sharing something more personal with topics miles away from business and marketing. Now, 8 1/2 years later, I'm finally running out of things to write about.  

Thanks to all of you, I've managed to survive crossing the line into topics the "experts" say you should never blog about - you know, the stuff in our lives that really matters. (LOL)  As readership grew, Sunday mornings became a time for sharing thoughts on the lives we're all trying to live outside of business.

NOTE: If it seems like I'm headed down the road of sappiness, it's only because I am.

I realized this week that maybe it's time to slow down a bit, and this will be my last Sunday Morning Reflections post. I'll still be sharing a few marketing posts and, of course, Throwback Thursday, but less frequently. I turned 76 last week, making me officially an old fart, putting me in good company with other residents of Sarasota County, typically considered the oldest per-capita county in the United States.  Which, by the way, explains why so many people drive at 11 mph with their left turn signal on!

So, this morning's post is a giant "THANKS" for your support, feedback, and never-ending enthusiasm for an industry I love dearly and a life I feel so blessed to be able to share. In the second Reflections post in 2017, I shared  an outstanding quote, along with the one above:

by Skip Cohen

​It's my favorite day of the week, Throwback Thursday!

If I had a closet for all my throwback pics and videos, the shot above, from Adobe Stock, would be precisely what it would look like...although not as organized! One aspect of the fun of #TBT is the simple fact that, due to changing technology, you really don't have to go back very far to find a classic memory.

For example, I wrote for Shutter Magazine for six years. Every article included a short video summary. It was just over nine years ago we captured the two-minute video below.  The fun of these videos was the challenge of getting people to remember my point. I knew if I could do something stupid in the video, readers might remember my point.

Happy Throwback Thursday!

Faith...is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see.
Unknown

by Skip Cohen

​While it might seem like a strange post this morning, it's right in line with what I'm feeling after coming off of a terrific long weekend. We all know how to hold focus with a camera in our hands, but what about staying focused on our hopes and dreams?

The world is upside down. The quote above is framed and on a wall in our home. While I see it several times every day, that doesn't mean it always sinks in. Blind optimism used to be enough to get me through the craziness of the world, but today, it takes work.

The bottom line? I can't fix the world, but I can do my best with my little piece of it and the dreams and hopes I have for myself and my own family. And if each of us focuses on making our little piece of the world better, the big picture might get a little brighter too.

It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.
John Wooden

While it may seem small, the ripple effect of small things is extraordinary.
Matt Bevin

by Skip Cohen

​Remember, it's Sunday, and I never talk about business when writing Reflections! It's my time to share and remind you about something entirely outside the daily stress of being a business owner. Today's subject is a perfect example.

There's a small porch off my home office, and it's ideal for anything that grows with minimal attention and high heat. I'm not sure why the original owners added it to the house because it's enclosed on all sides without any cross-ventilation.  At least eight months out of the year, it's too hot to be on. That's where Sheila decided to put a few cactuses...and she was right!

This week, my own private desert came into bloom. In all my travels over the years, I've never caught the desert in bloom. But having a few cacti in the family has given me a front-row seat to what it must be like. (And while I did give the image above one little tweak in Luminar, it was just to play with the background.)

As I've gotten older, it's the little things I appreciate more and more every day. Looking out the window yesterday and seeing a cactus flower made me smile. The color, the irony of something that beautiful, which has pretty much been ignored of any care, including water or even fertilizer, is a mini-miracle.

There's so much we take for granted and miss! We walk right by all the little things because we're too busy and stressed to notice. After all, how can you take time to appreciate a flower blooming when the world is falling apart?

​If you look at the big picture, you start losing your focus on the little things.
Julius Randle

There are so many little things in my life that give me joy...my day starts with Sheila and I getting up together and taking care of the pups...we take them out, get them brushed, and then they get a treat to start the day. Later, Sheila and I have breakfast together - almost always avocado toast with an egg over the top. Meanwhile, the house is always filled with music, and you can never predict what's going to be playing - starting the day with Spa Radio and finishing it with Chris Stapleton, Little Big Town, Ed Sheeran, CSN, or some other random artist, usually from the past.

Here's my point - pay attention to the little things that make you smile. On the toughest of days, there are always little things that add to your life and give it that extra seasoning, just like the spices you put on a steak before you throw it on the grill.  Looking for a little respite from the big pressures in your life? Take the time to notice all the little things - they'll become magical.

Wishing everybody a terrific day ahead. If you're in the US, it's Memorial Day weekend and most of you have the Monday holiday to kick back and enjoy all the little things together with the big ones in your life. Go for those eleven-second therapeutic hugs I always write about...they're little things that have big meaning because they're reserved for those people most special!

Happy Sunday...or Monday on the other side of the world.

Happiness is finding joy wherever you can.
Unknown

by Skip Cohen

​In the last few months, if you've followed me for even the shortest time, you've probably noticed me writing more about my work supporting Alzheimer's patients and their caregivers.  Having lost so many family members to the disease, it's a topic near and dear to my heart.

It's Sunday, and Reflections is consistently about something other than business and, most of the time, more personal than my regular posts. Well, when I read the quote above, all I could think about was a comment my Dad made when dealing with my mother's last couple of years with Alzheimer's.

"I'm going to hang onto every moment of joy we get, squeeze the damn juice out of it, bottle it, and save it for the bad days."  

And Dad did just that...he hung on to every moment where, as we used to describe it, the sun came out from behind the clouds, when my mother was back to being herself, even if just for a few minutes. He was angry, frustrated, and sad so often - he was losing his best girl after 60+ years, and there was nothing he could do to slow things down.

Fast forward twelve years later, and technology is slowly catching up on the disease. There are treatments now available that, if Alzheimer's is caught early enough, they slow it down. There's no cure, but there is a giant speed bump being created by infusion drugs like Kisunla. As a result, the word "hope" is becoming a part of the Alzheimer's vocabulary.  And along with hope, joy is a little less elusive.

And there's my point—it's an expression we've all heard so many times over the years: life is only what you make it. You can complain that roses have thorns or rejoice that thorns have roses. It's all in your perspective. In spite of the chaos in the world and the insanity of what we read, hear, and see happening, the quality of your life is still mostly dependent on you.

Wishing everybody a day ahead filled with joy, smiles, and time with family and friends you love the most. For us, we've got good friends coming over for this afternoon, and I'm already anticipating that wonderful ache you get in your gut from laughing too much. Don't forget those eleven-second hugs with the people most important to you—they're the ones that help you keep things in perspective and focus on joy.

And to my best buddy and wife, Sheila, who helps me stay focused on the joy in our lives...

Everything changed the day he figured out
there was exactly enough time for the important things in his life.
The Story People

by Skip Cohen

Suggestion: To get in the mood for this throwback, hit play on the YouTube link below before you read today's post...and turn up the volume.

It's Throwback Thursday, my favorite day of the week. This is a different kind of throwback post. It's not a photo throwback but audio together with a sampler collection of items as I turn back the clock.

It started with "Alexa." We've got several of them in the house. As a result, music is always playing, and yesterday, I felt like turning back the clock. "Alexa, play Crosby, Stills and Nash!" For the rest of the afternoon, she played nothing but their songs.

CSN appeared on the music scene with their first album in 1969. Yeah, I'm an old fart, but this is classic, and the fun of Throwback Thursday is the way throwbacks take you on a trip back down Memory Lane. For a stretch yesterday, I found myself thinking back to the 70s. I started with my wardrobe of platform shoes and bell bottoms to my afro and wide-collared shirts. Then came other artists like Richie Havens, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, and Iron Butterfly---there was no stopping the memories. 

As I was writing today's post I started thinking about food and drinks. Whatever happened to Cold Duck, Harvey Wallbangers, and a Tequilla Sunrises? A Big Mac with fries was under a dollar! A large pizza was under $5.00 at Pizza Hut. Fondue was the hot dish, and everybody had a fondue pot. The list goes on and on.

There's a quote from Alfred Lord Tennyson that I've shared many times: "I am a part of all that I have met." Well, think back on your own trip down Memory Lane and all those little experiences that added to your life back whenever—not the big events, but the little things that are like the seasoning that goes into a good meal.

Happy Throwback Thursday! 

PS And for all you old farts - feel free to add any classic memories that I missed.​

The death rate for people who play it safe and for people who live boldly is the same: 100%
Patti Dighi

Seriousness is overrated. If you want to achieve more without runing your life,
​the first step is to approach your work with a sense of play.
Ali Abdaaf

by Skip Cohen

It's Hump Day, and whatever I post, I like to keep it short. I ran across the two quotes above this morning, and they hit on a topic I've tried to live by for most of my adult life. Remember, I'm still a work in progress, so I haven't always gotten it right.

When I look back on different aspects of my career, the most significant and rewarding jobs/projects have always had an element of work-hard-play-hard. From those jobs have come incredible friendships and a network build on trust with some amazing people. The only thing I'll add to the sentiment of the two quotes today, is that there are so many of you whom I've met and talked with who are simply over-focused on the challenges in life.  As I've written before, you can't create images that tug at people's heartstrings if your own heart isn't totally in it!

I'm not suggesting you take anything too lightly - but now and then, ease up a little and focus on what YOU need. What puts a smile on your face and makes your heart soar, even just a little bit? Who are the people in your life you wish you connected with more often? Who gets those eleven-second hugs I always write about on Sundays?

Happy Hump Day...and here's one more thought that ties in with today's theme...

You were born an original. Don't die a copy.
John Mason

by Skip Cohen

​It's been a crazy week regarding special projects, eating up the clock, and finding time to post. It was so busy that I even missed my favorite day of the week...Throwback Thursday. I'm writing today as a reminder that we're down to the wire, and if you missed doing anything for the first "race in the trifecta," Mother's Day in the US this weekend, you've still got graduation and Father's Day over the next five weeks!  

Too many of you still consider active marketing something you only need to do when business is slow. You procrastinate and wait for your ship to come in, but when it does, you find yourself at the airport! I'm here to remind you that it's time to wake up and aggressively go after Spring Seasonality!

by Skip Cohen

Ever think about the impression you make when a potential client walks through the door...of your website?

A future client wandering through cyberspace is like shopping for your mother's birthday present. You know you need to get her something, but you don't know what. The solution is to wander through the stores in the mall looking for ideas. So many of you don't realize your website is one of those stores.

In the United States, an estimated 273 million people, or about 80.4% of the population, shop online.This number is projected to increase to almost 289.91 million by 2027. (Google A.I.) 

When people come to your site, are they walking through Nordstroms, where everything is easy to find and nicely displayed, or is your site the equivalent of Macy's the day after Christmas? Your website needs to be an experience and have a look and feel that connects with the shopper.