I just heard that Shutterfest is 80% booked and unlike any convention you've been to in the past, when it's full, that's it, nobody else is coming to the event.

In a post two weeks ago I wrote:

Remember the original Burger King slogan, “Have it your way?”  Well, Sal, Taylor and their team have taken education to a level where you can customize what you need and have it your way. You can pick the classes you need the most; experience hands-on shooting with friends; check out a model like you would a library book and practice a new technique you’ve learned at the convention; spend time with specific vendors you’d like to know better and most important of all, build your network.

It all starts by joining the ShutterFest group on Facebook. You’ll get to meet a lot of the people who will be at next April’s convention. You can plan your trip so that you get the most out of every minute you’re away. Most important of all, you’re going to get the most bang for your buck versus any of the big conventions. Why?  Because ShutterFest is big enough to get first class speakers and programming, but small enough for you to feel like you’re attending a boutique conference made just for you.

So many people from last year are still in touch with each other, because Sal and Taylor didn't just launch a boutique conference, but a community. I've watched the Shutterfest group work together and communicate on a regular basis following last April's program.

The bottom line is this new program has become one of the strongest networking and educational events in our industry. It's definitely going to sell out and it's only August. As I've written a few dozen times in the past, you can stand on the sidelines and watch the parade go by or you can be part of it!

Get yourself registered and join us in April. You snooze you lose! and this next program is destined to be one of the best yet!  See you in St. Louis!

Over a year ago in "Nick's Picks" I published this video and last night, wandering through my archives, I was reminded about this particular piece. It's one of the most inspirational videos I've ever watched.

Nick Vedros is one of the finest commercial photographers in our industry. He also believe in feeding your brain and he's constantly in cyberspace searching for gems like this one. His original email said,

"Check this video out, it's about J.R the French 'Grafitti' Photographer on TED talks, if you haven't seen it already, very inspiring! Make sure you see it to the end. It really evolves." 

The description of this TED presentation doesn't begin to really cover it, but it's close:

JR, a French street artist, uses his camera to show the world its true face. He makes his audacious TED Prize wish: to use art to turn the world inside out. A funny, moving talk about art and who we are. Learn more at insideoutproject.net. 

I know it's 24 minutes long, but get a cup of coffee and just trust me!

And if this leaves you hungry for more,check out the TED Talks archives on YouTube. There are some amazing presentations!

BULL! There's always something to write about. Let's set the stage first...

You've got two outstanding marketing tools at your fingertips, your website and your blog. While blogging isn't for everybody, a good blog is an asset for every company. If you're a horrible writer and hate the idea, then find yourself a high school kid who can write and see how they do in converting your thoughts into the printed word. (Just remember to proof read EVERYTHING that gets published under your name!)

There's a huge difference between your site and your blog. Your website is about what you sell, your products and services. Your blog is about your heart. A good blog is your opportunity to be helpful and share why you're a photographer. It's like publicity giving credibility to your advertising. By sharing your heart you're giving credibility to your website, which has the same positioning as if you were a bricks and mortar storefront.

Over and over again people will tell me there's nothing going on in their community to write about. So, we're going to put together a list from as many topics as I can think of right now.

Tips on how to be a better photographer: Nobody is going to steal your business. Give your readership tips on how they can upgrade the quality of their family images. Talk about posing, lighting, composition - all things you deal with every day. Even tips on better holiday pictures will remind your readership that you're the expert on photography.

Great places in the community to photograph: You know the area, share some of those "double secret" locations along with the best time of day, etc.

Events coming up in your community: Whether it's a gallery opening, an exhibit, a workshop or a charity drive, make yourself the expert on keeping people in your community up to date.

New products in photography: Talk about some of your favorites. Help consumers in your community understand they don't need a lot of megapixels to get great images. Every time I hear about an average consumer trading up to get the latest and greatest in pixel count it reminds of the muscle cars of my generation when I was a kid. Don't get me wrong, I had one, but all it did was cost me gas money! LOL

Things you can do with your images: Have some fun with this and talk to your lab. Here's an opportunity to talk about great gift ideas you can provide that are a little out of the norm.

Profiles: Whether people in the community or even pets, doing profile stories, one each week, are a great way to show your skill set and at the same time remind people what you do for a living.

Client shoots: Many of you have trapped yourself in what I call "riptide marketing". You started out posting images from every shoot, especially engagement shoots and now you can't break the trend. You're caught in the riptide! There's nothing wrong in showing images of clients, but use a select few to make a point about the technique used, lighting, the location, maybe the composition...you don't need to show every image of every client...just show the 1-2 very best.

Websites and blogs to visit: Pay attention to the demographics of your clients and offer them helpful URLs to visit which are aligned with their interests.

Workshops and conventions you attend: Don't be afraid to toot your own horn when you've attended a great program to raise the bar on your skill set. Here's an opportunity to remind your clients why you love photography and new techniques you're bringing into the business.

Tips on hiring a photographer: Help your readers with great tips on checking out a photographer BEFORE they're hired. Obviously make sure you have a positive answer for your own business on each tip.

There you have it, ten topics that should be able to keep you in blog content for a year or more! Remember, you don't have to post something that's essentially in real time. You can build a stash of posts in advance and then draw from them whenever you're short on time. Also remember the most important rule...be consistent! My suggestion for photographers is always to post at least twice a week on the same days each time!

Now go start writing! And if you're stuck and have a question, you know where to find me.

It's rare that I talk about anything related to advertising of virtually any product. However the artwork above is pretty unique.  I'm getting to know the crew at Breathing Color, along with their products and  I want to share what I'm learning.

All papers and canvases are NOT created equal. While the image above is from their new packaging, it's one of the few times I've seen any manufacturer give you solid examples of what makes their products different and better...Resolution, Dmax, Color Gamut and Metamerism...and you can throw in one more, their archival quality. 

Even more impressive is the list of photographers who contributed: Seth Resnick, Victor Beer, Michael Gilbert, Bill Atkinson, Vern Bartley, Marcus Bell, Andy Katz and Parish Kohanim. Eight of the finest artists in our industry, all using Breathing Color media products.
 
Last week I was in Austin, Texas and had a chance to spend a few hours at Breathing Color's new facility. It's incredible, as is the dedication and enthusiasm of their staff. This is a group focused on making sure photographers have only the very best printing material.  Their chemist and color scientists are constantly reviewing the specifications of their products to make sure they match up with digital technology.

I know this sounds like an infomercial, but you're working to create the finest images of your career...why would you compromise the final presentation to the client?  Adam Hill, VP of sales really put it best when we met...

                                                                "We want to make you a bad ass print maker!"

Breathing Color believes in education and helping photographers raise the bar on the quality of their work. You're going to be seeing and hearing a lot from them here at SCU. In fact, check out the new podcast with Tim and Beverly Walden. They talk about the importance of never compromising on quality including their images as well as relationships with clients and each other.

                   Click on any image above to visit the Breathing Color website and check things out for yourself.

I never heard the expression until Sheila used it...a slug day is a day where you simply do nothing except relax and do whatever you feel like doing. A walk on the beach just might be the most energy we expend today!  While most people would consider it wasting time, for me it's a day to just recharge my battery, ponder the meaning of life, think about the week ahead and appreciate this very moment...the one that's happening right now.

I got a kick out of "Urban Dictionary"s" definition:

"The day after Christmas, where you make a "slime trail" from the couch to the fridge, while watching the movies you received as presents. We celebrated slug day by watching TV and finishing off the leftover Christmas cookies."

This definition suggests that Slug Day is a once a year event, but obviously there are some of us who need it a little more often.

Here's my point...sometimes a day of accomplishing absolutely nothing is in itself an accomplishment. We live in an incredibly busy and demanding world.  We're constantly on the go, working on new projects, trying to find that magic combination of our skills to add another dimension to our business and creativity. Most of us rarely get moments without a computer, iPad or cell phone. Then, there are moments when trolls, family conflicts, personal challenges and good old fatigue, just to name a few, step in to challenge our dreams and test our convictions. 

Well, Sheila and I are taking a slug day and after this morning's post, the computer is off limits until tomorrow morning. Business is going to wait until Monday. Any personal challenges we're dealing with go on the back burner and we're just going to enjoy each other and the incredible life God's given us.

Oh and one quick thing I learned this week...I read in one of the magazines I get, giving or getting a hug for a full ten seconds has some therapeutic value.  Check it out - Go hug somebody you love and start counting. It really works!

Happy Slug Day everybody...thank you for your support and allowing me to share a moment that for some of you will seem totally off course...but if you don't go off course now and then, how do you know you're on the right path?

Welcome to one of my most favorite quotes and it's incredibly accurate.  Think about it for just a second...haven't you found that the longer you're a photographer and the more you do to raise the bar on your skill set, the better it gets? With each new task you accomplish you become more focused on the direction you want to take in your career, even it's only short range and just the day ahead.

The challenge is the ability for many of us to not go A.D.D, on things that don't matter. It's not just the trolls in our life who distract us, but often situations that take up time, but have no real significance.

Here's a classic example...

There's a lot of great information being shared in a number of different photography forums, especially on Facebook. It typically starts with an innocent question somebody has about a technique or procedural challenge of being a professional photographer. Every now and then, somebody writes something that somebody doesn't like and the next thing to happen is a global shit storm over semantics. (Apologies for the S-word - but there really isn't a better description!)  Everybody has to get in on the act and eventually an administrator has to delete the thread and often throw the most abusive parties out of the group. It becomes a complete waste of time.

Time, not money or even your skill set, is your most important commodity. You can never get it back when it's wasted so why let yourself get off the trail to hunt a rabbit!?

It's Saturday morning and as usual, I always go off track on the weekends, but this is about believing in yourself to such an extent that you don't waste a minute of the day doing things that take away from the joy of being an artist, a member of your family or just somebody's good friend.

Make it a great weekend everybody...spend every minute simply appreciating your family, friends and definitely your career choice!

I tweeted this quote yesterday and it's so on target for things lately.  It deserves to be expanded into its own post.

              "Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people"
                                                                                           Eleanor Roosevelt

Aren't we getting tired of the non-stop character assassinations that seem to plague the topic of conversations lately? Back in the 80's I was one of the big supporters making sure published images always credited the photographer, when ASMP was working hard to get everybody on point.  So, I'm a huge fan of supporting photographers' rights, but honestly, I'm not interested in the non-stop barrage of people who think they've earned the right to comment on every personal challenge that seems to make it into the grapevine. I think we're also weary of people who just finished reading the "Troll Manual" and think they have a right to go on the attack, because they don't like something somebody said in a forum, an image or a question somebody asked.

I'd love to get everyone's grandmother on the program with a non-stop reminder of something we were all told as kids..."If you don't have something nice to say about somebody, keep your mouth shut!" 
We just need to agree on a very simple Rules of Engagement...

• Don't talk behind somebody's back.

• Don't spread rumors.

• When you hear a rumor, contact the party who's the subject and ask what's going on. Pretty simple - just be up front.

• Write as if the person you need to talk about was standing next you...and stop hiding behind the anonymity of your computer screen.

Most important of all, let's follow Eleanor Roosevelt's advice and talk about ideas and events. Technology is constantly changing the way we do everything, especially imaging. Let's focus on the amazing opportunities we've all got to make this a stronger industry and stop shredding people!

I don't usually quote Queen Latifah, but I got a kick out of this quote. I guess it's just a matter of your priorities:

There it is, my first apartment…the entrance was through a back alley on the corner of Newbury St. and Hereford St. in Boston’s back bay. It was essentially two rooms in a basement of an old brownstone. It had a fireplace, it’s own entrance and I thought it was the perfect place for my first legal residence. (The entrance is the really ugly door on the right and there was no AC then.) 

I had just started working at Polaroid and at $2.89/hour plus overtime and $139 for the rent, I thought I was golden. I’d never lived in the city before and this country boy was about to take over Boston! My first lesson was learning things aren’t always what they seem!

One week into being a Boston resident, my apartment was broken into. Even more aggravating was the burglars used my suitcase to carry everything out in and I didn’t have that much to even steal. Then came the cockroaches…I remember reading an article in the Boston Globe…”The cockroaches were in Boston before man arrived and they’ll be there long after man is extinct!” Plus, everybody had to come through my unit every time the furnace or hot water tank had problems.

Here’s my point this Throwback Thursday... even though it’s fun to reminisce…there are lots of things that are going to come along that might seem ideal and you’re going to want to jump right in. After all, they’re all going to seem like once in a lifetime opportunities.

Take the time to make good decisions. Nobody needs to rush you into anything that may not be what it appears. Utilize the expertise of your network. Get a few opinions on what you’re about to invest in, be it money or time, often just as valuable.

The truth is, things are not always what they seem to be, so get another pair of eyes to help you choose the right path. The key decisions in your life will always be your responsibility, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a little help when it comes to fact-finding!

The challenge hits at least half the photographers in our industry. It's the decision that answers the question: Am I ready to go full time as a photographer? 

Fifty percent of the photographic industry are made of part time photographers. The number might even be higher in the wedding and event specialties. There’s nothing wrong with being a part time photographer as long as you’re making sure your skill set is top shelf.

Cindy Harter Sims spent her last five years as a music teacher, before going full time. She saved every penny, attended every workshop she could and fine-tuned her skill set. She worked to develop her network and had an amazing group of photographers and friends in the industry. She had one vision, to some day have her own studio. If you need a little inspiration, her guest post is one of the most read  and inspirational pieces I’ve ever published.

So, if Cindy can do it anybody can right? NOT – nothing could be further from the truth, because you’ve also got have Cindy’s belief in herself, her unwavering dedication to be the very best and the level of support she had from her family and friends. I'm not saying everybody can't do what Cindy did, but you need to have incredible focus.

So, where’s the madness come in? I’ve seen some of you drive yourself to a level of insanity on your quest to be a full time photographer before you’re ready. I’ve met of a few of you who are very talented, but you’ve buried yourself in a state of depression, because you haven’t made the jump to full time yet. I’ve also seen a few of you jump, before you're ready and guess what, “the net doesn't always appear!”

Here’s a great way to think about it…you don’t want to go full time until you can’t afford not to! In other words, your business as a photographer has grown so much that it matches  or even passes up your day job.

Cindy’s success happened because she laid out a plan. She knew her budget going into the transition. Most important of all, she believed in herself and knew what skills she needed to develop to make it all work.

Let’s stop the madness you’re creating and let the obsession of being a photographer full time go. Do NOT let go of your dream, just the obsession that’s causing career blindness , deafness and affecting your judgment. You simply need to be patient.

Ever fall in love? Changing career paths is almost the same…when it’s right you know it in your heart and feel it with every fiber of your being. But, if it's not right or still half baked, you can feel that in your heart too. So many of you are so talented...just stop rushing the process.

This is definitely going to sound like an infomercial, but it’s a whole lot more. I want to make sure all of you know about an amazing program that's changing the way we look at education. Meet ShutterFest 2015.

I attended and taught three workshops at last April’s event and now I’m hooked, because it’s not just a mini-convention, it’s a community. ShutterFest is part of a trifecta built by Sal and Taylor Cincotta. The trifecta started with Shutter Magazine, now with over 90,000 subscribers. Then came Shutter Network, followed by ShutterFest.

Sal set out to create a different kind of convention and if anything I should be jealous, because it’s what I was trying to do in a smaller way with Skip’s Summer School, when it first started.  The truth is, I can’t be jealous, because Sal, thanks to an amazing crew, is providing an incredible opportunity to raise the bar in education and it’s working.

Sal’s video is below. The original hotel block is already sold out, but just a few doors down they’ve already added another hotel. You’ve still got time to get your registration in for what’s going to again be the event of the year.

Remember the original Burger King slogan, “Have it your way?”  Well, Sal, Taylor and their team have taken education to a level where you can customize what you need and have it your way. You can pick the classes you need the most; experience hands-on shooting with friends; check out a model like you would a library book and practice a new technique you’ve learned at the convention; spend time with specific vendors you’d like to know better and most important of all, build your network.

It all starts by joining the ShutterFest group on Facebook. You’ll get to meet a lot of the people who will be at next April’s convention. You can plan your trip so that you get the most out of every minute you’re away. Most important of all, you’re going to get the most bang for your buck versus any of the big conventions. Why?  Because ShutterFest is big enough to get first class speakers and programming, but small enough for you to feel like you’re attending a boutique conference made just for you.

The clock’s ticking – don’t miss out on what’s going to be one of the very best programs for 2015…See you in St Louis!

It's the perfect topic for a lazy Sunday morning...

It's Sunday and while many of you might have a wedding today, just as many have an opportunity to just kick back and enjoy your own happiness.  "Love, grace and gratitude"...three big words and while the love and gratitude seem to come easier for most of us, grace can often be a challenge.

For me personally, it takes a lot of work, a focus on forgiveness and not reacting to family and friends who often just don't get it. Over the years I've been much more comfortable going on a bombing run than just being gracious. I've got a secret weapon though, my wife Sheila, who over the years has worked hard to get me to remember, "Don't bomb and don't respond to bombs!"

For those of you who don't have Sheila in your life, sorry she's not available for "outpatient" support...LOL. However, I'm betting everybody has a spouse or truly good friend you can lean on to get you through the tough times so that nothing trumps grace !

We're part of an amazing industry. Be proud of your career choice to be an artist. Love what you do and share that passion with your family and friends and this being a Sunday, just kick back and appreciate the fruits of your labor. Raise the bar and bring in a little grace now and then - it's so much more calming than the alternatives.

As always, hug somebody you love - make it a great day and as my buddy, Matthew Jordan Smith, says, " Always Dream Big!"

Happy Sunday everybody!

There are a lot of mornings that just start out with me thinking about how much I love the path I'm currently on in terms of my career. Those of you who know me well, already understand how much I love this industry and helping all of you who are part of it.

While I'm pretty much a one man band, I have some amazing friends and associates. I  also have a pretty remarkable wife, who many of you have met at various programs. Sheila has helped me a lot with various aspects of the business.

SCU has also been supported by some amazing partners, companies who believe in education and helping you raise the bar on your skill set. They believe, like I do, that if we can help you become better artists and business people, then the reputation of the entire industry gets raised.

But most important of all in helping to build SCU are all of you, my readers. You have given me incredible feedback and shared your passion for the craft. From ideas for the blog to specific requests for workshop content, Google+ Hangouts and webcasts, without you, who knows what I'd be writing or talking about?

We've all helped each other and what started out as a pipe dream for me, this week had some terrific confirmations that this is the right path.

• Resource Magazine put SCU on their list of their eighteen favorite blogs to follow, with SCU at number 3.

• Eyefi.com had me in the top 100 Most Socially Influential Photographers

• On Monday of this week we launched a new forum on Facebook called Going Pro and we're coming up on 800 members in just the first week. It's made up of the finest group of moderators I've ever worked with and there are more to come.

• Then there's my own activity on Twitter - thanks to so many of you, I'm coming up on a 20,000 follower milestone.

To say "I couldn't have done it without you" would be a huge understatement! It's your support and feedback, both good and bad, that's made this transition from the publishing/trade show side of the business so amazing.

Thanks to so many of you for becoming such good friends!

I've said this before, but it's so rare any of you take me up on the offer.  You know where to find me if I can help you with anything. We're all too close to our own businesses and sometimes all you need is a fresh pair of eyes.

Wishing everybody a great weekend!

I almost missed the opportunity to dig through my archives on a Thursday! It's really true, time flies when you're having a good time.

Let's set the stage. Rudy Guttosch, who today is VP at Foveon was Hasselblad USA's first "Electronic Imaging Manager". As a kid, he grew up in the photographic industry and there's nobody more passionate about imaging. During his time with Hasselblad he was an amazing asset. The only sad part was, Hasselblad really didn't have any products! Remember, this is before digital imaging and the only product, which Sweden pretty much controlled was a system for wire photo transmission for photojournalists.

As a result, Rudy, who absolutely loved photography, got involved in so many other aspects of our business before good buddy, Ray DeMoulin called me one day to tell me he wanted to hire Rudy. As much as we hated to lose him, it was the right decision. With his incredible background he just wasn't being utilized. To this day, Ray calling me first, is one of the classiest things I've ever heard happening in our industry.

Well, a year before Rudy left we were at Photo West, then sister show to PPE today. It was at Mosconi Center in San Francisco and it was Rudy's birthday. An hour before the show opened, a woman singing Swedish opera walked in. As she started singing "Rudy" in a full soprano at max volume, Rudy started turning red, but she had a full routine and he wasn't about to escape.

It was one of the all time great "gotchas" as vendors from all over the trade show floor came over to see what was going on. The more people showed up the redder Rudy got. At the end of the day one of the guys from Canon came over to me and said, "Nicely done - you get the award for best humiliation of an employee at a trade show!"

One last point to all of this. Rudy and I don't see each other very often, but I called him to make sure he was okay with me running this today. There will always be an amazing friendship from the Hasselblad chapter we shared and that's what this industry is all about. The longer you're in it, the more people you'll meet and the more stories you'll have about the good old days, which for many of you are right now!  You'll start to cherish the photographs and the memories. What an

“There’s nothing in the middle of the road but yellow stripes and dead armadillos!”
Jim Hightower, Radio Commentator and Author

I've been thinking a lot lately about some of the traits of photographers we admire.

One of those traits is about taking a stand. This isn’t about being opinionated, it’s about believing in yourself so strongly that you’re not easily swayed by the various trends and opinion shifts in the industry. That doesn’t mean that photographers we admire don’t pay attention to consumer trends and paradigm shifts, just that they take a stand and don’t ride the fence!

Michele Celentano is one of the perfect examples of somebody always willing to take a stand for something she believes in, including her friends. She is totally focused on providing her clients with a finished print on paper or canvas and even wrote about it in "I Believe." So, while so many other photographers hand out a disc or jump drive, Michele stays focused on the true value of what she's providing.

"I’m taking a stand!  I am a photographer! I am without a doubt passionate about creating photographs - real pictures - printed on professional papers - and made into beautiful albums.  I want your children, their children, my children and future grandchildren looking at and holding onto photographs not the latest greatest gadget."

Every photographer we admire has taken a stand on something. They have a consistency in their images, their business and their relationships. They don’t waffle when you ask them a question. They’re not politicians trying to please everybody. They stay focused on what they believe.

Taking a stand isn’t just something they do when it’s appropriate, it’s the way they live their lives!

“To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for,
where you want to go and why you want to get there.”
Kofi Annan

Right off the bat some of you are rolling your eyes and mumbling something about, "Just what we need, another educational venue for beginners!" Well, this might surprise you, but I agree.  There are too many places people can get help, including photographers who decide they can teach a workshop just because they've been in business for a couple of years!  Sadly, while there are lots of places that appear to help, not all of them are giving out good solid information and the help you need.

So, what makes Going Pro different from everything else you have access to? 

Each moderator has their own unique skill set, blog and resource to help you not only get the answers you need for the challenges you face, but the information and technique to help you raise the bar on your skill set.  It's only been live for two days, but there's already some great discussions going on and links to some really useful information.

Like we said in the description for this new forum...This is all about helping photographers thrive, not just survive!

It's a typical Sunday morning...I'm up earlier than I'd like to be. (Whatever happened to the days when I could sleep past seven?) Sheila's still sound asleep and Molly the Wonder Dog is asleep at my feet. One of the things I love to do, especially on Sunday mornings, is just wander through old files looking at an endless stream of business and personal images I've collected over the years. Each one is a memory-maker with a story.

I found this image in my archives.  While this post is mostly a story about some famous camera gear, it's also about an amazing friendship. 

That's Ansel Adams' camera gear on the left! It was loaned to him by Victor Hasselblad. In later years, Victor passed away and then some time before Ansel died he gave it to his assistant, Rod Dresser, and essentially told him, "It's consigned to me, just use it and keep it in good shape. When Hasselblad wants it back, they'll ask for it."

Well, the years went by and nobody knew it was even out there. Rod called me one day, probably around '94 and told me about the gear. He didn't feel right still having it. So, we replaced it for him, with newer gear as long as he'd help us promote the sale of it for charity. In the end we raised $100,000 for The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and the Center for Creative Photography, when shock jock, Don Imus, put in his bid...and later wrote me a check!

But here's the real reason this image means so much to me...

My good buddy Nick Vedros offered to help us with an image for the ad we wanted to do. His concept was to create something that looked like it was part of a shipment of artifacts to a museum. He wanted to establish historical value with one image. Remember this is all in the film days with no chance to play around on a computer!

Nick built a box and stylized the shot, finishing with a little light painting to give it the strong look of a shipment of valuable relics. The idea was brilliant and it worked, but the most fun for me personally was the entire concept was created by a good friend.

Finally, I'm at the point of this morning's post...friendship. I've spent my entire life in the photographic industry and along the way met some amazing people - one of them Nick Vedros. I've repeatedly described him as one of the finest and most creative commercial photographers in the world today. But his success isn't just about his creativity and skill set. It's about the commitment he makes to his friends, the integrity he puts into every client relationship and his unmatched passion for life.

I've written this a few dozen times over the years, but the best thing about this industry has NOTHING to do with photography directly. It's about the friendships that come out of everyone's love for the craft. I consider myself to be one of the luckiest guys in photo, because I keep getting opportunities to work with some of the most creative artists in the world!

"Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together."
Woodrow T. Wilson

Wishing all of you a wonderful Sunday! Make it a memory-making day...Let a few friend know how important they are to you...and as always, hug somebody you love!

Several times a year I write about the importance of taking a break before you crash and burn. I get some amazing comments from many of you about how timely my topic is and how much you needed to be reminded. What's ironic is how little of my own advice I actually listen to!

This is a very short post this morning. I want to remind you that while I talk a good game and have years of experience to share with you, too often it's really tough to follow through. I want to help you grow your business, avoiding many of the mistakes so many of us have made, but I'm still making mistakes.

The hardest thing to do in business is recognize you need a break. This was a particularly hard week with a double whammy of some family stuff combined with business challenges. So, in one hour Sheila and I are headed to the beach for most of the day. We're going to hang out on Lido Beach...snorkel for shells...sit in the sun...listen to music...read a book and just kick back and chill. 

The usual me would feel I was being irresponsible, but the truth is, it's the most responsible thing I can do today. The perfect way to avoid the "heat" of those flames, when you're about to crash and burn, is simply to do something you love doing. For us, it always involves each other and the ocean.

Anybody want to join us?

Wishing everybody a wonderful weekend and the ability to take a little time off when you need it. Spend time with somebody you love and hug

Okay, I'll give everybody a heads up - this is definitely rant material. I'm kind of blown away lately by how many photographers have their point of focus totally screwed up. I'm not talking about your cameras, but your lives. Here's what got me going...

I subscribe to a great little news magazine called The Week. In a section called "The Bottom Line" they wrote:

Forty percent of Americans who earn vacation time fail to take all the days they've allotted, leaving an average of 8.1 vacation days unused - for a cumulative total of 429 million unused vacation days each year!

So, this is a little like playing the Kevin Bacon game and it got me thinking about my own focus and rarely taking time off. That took me to somebody who I heard recently proclaim with pride they've pretty much worked non-stop for three years and *poof* - here I am asking the question of a whole bunch of you, "What the hell are you doing?"

Vacation, especially as an artist and business owner, isn't just about relaxing, but giving yourself time to appreciate why you're working so hard in the first place. It's about your family, friends and things you're passionate about beyond the business. It's about putting yourself in an environment where you're removed from the challenges that stress you the most.

When I worked for Hasselblad I used to get so aggravated when the Swedes would close the factory for the entire month of July. I used to think they had the worst work ethic - how could somebody care about the business and just walk away for an entire month? Then it hit me that as Americans most of us don't know what to do with a two week vacation, let alone a month off.  Well, I started thinking...who's really the country with messed up priorities?

It's a short post today and perfect for a Friday...learn to stop thinking you're indispensable. Time is the one thing we can never get back. It's time everybody started to prioritize their bucket list and started checking some things off. Most of the time I can't walk the talk myself, so I know how hard it is to do.

I know each of you take a huge amount of pride in your work, but somewhere in life the world started telling us that a good work ethic meant you only focus on work. No, a good work ethic is loving what you're doing and having a goal to be the very best you can be...that means recharging your batteries before you crash and burn!

Photo Credit: © lucato - Fotolia.com

Last week America lost one of its greatest statesmen, Senator Howard Baker. He was an amazing contributor to this country, but I don't know how many of you realize his passion for photography and support for our industry. You'd often see him wandering the floor of some of the bigger photo shows just to check out what was new in gear.

I don't want to make it sound like we were such good friends we were about to buy a boat together, but we spent enough time together for me to look back on the friendship as one of the highlights of my career.

I joined Hasselblad in '87 and a year or so later heard the Senator was a Hasselblad shooter and used to buy from one of our best retailers, Penn Camera in D.C. So, I suggested the next time he was due to come in the store I'd fly down and let's take him to lunch. Well, instead he suggested we come to his "house" for lunch...the White House!

He had only been in his new job as White House Chief of Staff for President Reagan a few months and Gorbachev had just been there the week before. I remember him saying, "Skip, I was a senator for a lot of years and have been in this job only a few months...this job has felt longer!"

He sat in a chair with his feet on the edge of the coffee table and just wanted to talk about photography. In the middle of the table was a big basket of Tennessee's favorite candy, GooGoo Clusters next to a couple of photography books. Somewhere in the conversation we talked about the challenge of communicating things in writing and he told me he once sent a letter to another congressman and wrote, "I'd like to make this shorter, but I just don't have the time!" That rolled into a discussion about how hard it is to be concise and the conversation came full circle, because a picture really is worth a thousand words.

A year or two later I talked him into speaking at a PMDA dinner in New York. I was program chairman for that dinner and he flew in, we grabbed a quick drink at his hotel and then headed to one of the function rooms at the UN where this special evening meeting was to be held. He had flown in on his private plane and needed to leave immediately after his presentation.

As I walked him out, he talked about loving the opportunity to talk to so many people from the photo industry and then he thanked me for getting him a private car and made a comment, "I sure hope you didn't get me one of those big obnoxious limos. I hate the things...just love a simple Ford. I like to sit up front and talk to the driver."

As we walked through the door to the outside, all the blood had drained out of my face...not only did I get him a stretch, but because he was Senator Howard Baker, I got him the biggest one I could find. Not only that, but it was white on white and couldn't be more ostentatious.  It was huge and a family of twelve could live in it for a lifetime! He gave me a look that most of us only see from our spouses when we're really in trouble...but for some reason, I held my ground, looked back at him and said, "Admit it, you love it!" He cracked, climbed into the front seat next to the driver and headed to the airport.

A year or two later he was in NYC again and called me. He was open for dinner on just one of the nights and I invited him to Gramercy Tavern. Knowing just about nothing about politics, I decided we needed another photographer with us who could talk politics as well as photography. I made a quick call to my buddy, Denis Reggie, who grew up in the political arena. An hour before dinner I had another panic attack, Denis was a diehard Democrat and Baker the leading Republican! 

The truth is, it was an amazing dinner and a month later the Senator called me and asked if I thought Denis would photograph his wedding. One call to Denis and an hour later they were on the phone together going over plans.

I'll leave you with one last story...somewhere over the years he told me a story about once being introduced at a political dinner as the third most famous person to ever come out of Tennessee. "I sat there trying to think of who the other two were...turns out it was Dolly Parton!"

Last week we didn't just lose an amazing contributor to our country, but an artist with incredible passion and an unmatched love for life. He loved photography, published several of his own photography books and you couldn't help but enjoy his company, especially when he was in his photo mode!

It's going to sound unbelievably simplistic and a few of you will even say naive, but the true power in any negotiation is your ability to establish trust!

“To be successful, you have to be able to relate to people; they have to be satisfied with your personality to be able to do business with you and to build a relationship with mutual trust.”  George Ross, The Apprentice

This quote got me thinking about new photographers just starting out in this industry who, in looking for work, often think their skill set is enough to negotiate a great deal!  While your skill set and showing you understand photography is a key, if you haven’t established trust with a potential employer or client, your future will be at a standstill.

The truth is this challenge has an impact on anybody in business today, regardless of being new or a seasoned veteran. If you can’t communicate and establish a relationship with people quickly, then again, the business relationship isn’t going to move one inch closer to your dreams.

So, the next time you’re talking with a client you hope is going to hire you for a family shoot; a potential employer who you hope is about to hire you to work for their studio or a corporation who’s considering you for shooting their next product catalog, think about how you relate to people. Think about your style in negotiating. Think about everything you’ve done or could be doing to establish mutual trust.

We’re an industry that’s built on relationships and your success in the future needs to be built on a solid foundation of integrity, trust and credibility!

Photo Credit: © nicolasjoseschirado - Fotolia.com