For years I've talked about the best thing about this industry - the friendships that come out of everyone's love for the craft. And, thanks to social media those friendships that get started continue to grow, even when we don't see each other that often.

Meet Fran Ruchalski, a photographer who I first met at an evening program in Jacksonville in 2012. The evening program I was doing at a local library had to shut down early when a tropical storm flooded the area all around us, and we needed to evacuate before everyone's cars floated away.

Fast forward six years and he and I have stayed in touch through Facebook. He left Florida in 2014 and today is in Logansport, Indiana, but the Internet keeps making the world a smaller place. A couple of weeks ago Fran posted some fun news about a recent award.

That hits one more fun aspect of social media - being able to share news with each other. Fran's shooting for the Pharos-Tribune and recently won first place in the HSPA contest for sports action photography. So, being one of Fran's fans I made the request to see the image and permission to share it in a post.

I know most of you aren't sports photographers, but what a kick to share an image that's completely out of the norm from what most of you shoot. A big congrats to Fran - sure is a kick to be following your career! You can check out more about Fran with a visit to his Facebook page.
​

I'm not sure where the year's gone, but it seems more evident than ever that time never stands still! Here it is Labor Day, and the summer just flew by. 

Like many of you I'm taking the day off, and in fact, this is my only post today. We're spending a quiet day at home and later firing up the grill for a traditional Labor Day barbecue. It will be followed by the usually anticipated indigestion and me mumbling something like, "Why didn't you top me on that last hot dog?" Then comes the search for Pepto Bismol.

It's a day that brings back a lot of great memories. As a kid, this meant a barbecue at my grandmother's house. Family would make the "long drive" out from Cleveland, always arriving just as the food came off the grill. Sweet corn, burgers, and dogs were always on the menu, along with bets over how many ears of corn my Aunt Sarah would eat. And, the day always meant the end of summer - because unlike today where school starts in August, the Tuesday after Labor Day was our first day back to school.

With a little help from Wikipedia, I thought it would be fun to share the origin of the holiday for those of you who don't know how it got started or are readers from outside the US. 

Labor Day in the United States of America is a public holiday celebrated on the first Monday in September. It honors the American labor movement and the contributions that workers have made to the strength, prosperity, laws, and well-being of the country. It is the Monday of the long weekend known as Labor Day Weekend. It is recognized as a federal holiday.

Beginning in the late 19th century, as the trade union and labor movements grew, trade unionists proposed that a day be set aside to celebrate labor. "Labor Day" was promoted by the Central Labor Union and the Knights of Labor, which organized the first parade in New York City. In 1887, Oregon was the first state of the United States to make it an official public holiday. By the time it became an official federal holiday in 1894, thirty states in the United States officially celebrated Labor Day.

Canada's Labour Day is also celebrated on the first Monday of September. More than 80 countries celebrate International Workers' Day on May 1, and several countries have chosen their own dates for Labour Day. May 1 was chosen by a pan-national organization of socialist and communist political parties to commemorate the general strike and events that took place around the Haymarket affair, which ocured in Chicago on May 1 through 4, 1886.

​Whether you celebrate Labor Day or not, wishing you a terrific Monday!

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."

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!

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

Intro by Skip Cohen
​ 
It's almost August and while technically it's still summer - all of you should be thinking about the Fall and getting ready for the fourth quarter's seasonality. I stumbled across this archived post from my good buddy Scott Bourne, and it's a topic and idea that just has no expiration date!

It takes me back to packaging studies in my Polaroid days. For example, we found that different colors created different impressions. Black and gold or black and silver were interpreted as higher quality and value than other color combinations. Certain combinations of pastels also created feelings of high value and had a stronger appeal to women than men. Today, aspects of that same logic apply to your website, blog, mailing pieces and brochures.

Competition is fierce, and you've got to make yourself stand out. Think about this example - You can buy the same Polo shirt at Macy's or Nordstroms, yet the attitude of the staff at Nordstroms is entirely different, along with the store layout, inventory and many of their policies. Now is the perfect time to take a long look at your business and decide - do you want to be Macy's or Nordstroms?  ​

by Scott Bourne

One of the craziest, but most powerful things you can do to market your photography is take your existing marketing plan and pull it inside out. What do I mean by that? Simple. Take something that you've been doing with mixed results and put a new twist on it. Look at other industries OUTSIDE of photography. How does the car business handle that problem? What would a bakery do to solve that issue? How would a shoe store approach it? What do fast food chains do to make that work?

I love studying other business models. I love taking a little bit of this and a little bit of that from other verticals and throwing it into my photography mix. 

Maybe it works - maybe it needs to be refined - maybe it fails. But if you are at least trying something new, you have a shot at improving. If you're always doing the same old thing and failing, well you know where that will take you - NOWHERE.

Try pulling things inside out and looking OUTSIDE the small world of photography. When I bought my first really nice car, I noticed that EVERYONE at the dealership, people who were lot boys and people who were upper management, despite their age and mine, called me sir. "Right away sir." Yes sir Mr. Bourne." "Great to see you at the dealership sir, how can we serve you today?"

Over the top? Nope. Not a bit. I was in my 30s and I started applying the lesson I learned there every time I dealt with a client. And they noticed. It wasn't the last thing I learned by studying high-end retail. I bought my first expensive watch in my 30s. Again, very polite, intelligent people. But this time there was a twist. They delivered the watch in the fanciest box and packaging I'd ever seen.  Every time I opened the box the watch came in, I was a kid getting a Christmas gift. You see where I'm going with this right?

Study what other businesses do. Not just what other photo businesses do. Jump verticals. Change things up. Look at all the options and then innovate. 

Skip and I are rooting for you.

It's Sunday morning and as always I'm off track from marketing, business and photography. This is the time when I just kick back and let my thoughts go anyplace they choose. As always Molly the Wonder Dog is asleep at my feet and I can't help but wonder how great it would be if we were all the kind of people our dogs think we are!

For some reason that quote above popped into my head this morning as I read three "Chicken Little" posts and emails this morning. A "Chicken Little" issue is from somebody who every day finds something to worry about and does their best to rally everybody around them into believing the "sky is falling."

Over the years In photography we've had some big ones: Photographers in the fifties who felt photography was going to hell because of color! They had children who believed life photography was ending when auto-focus came into play. (Anybody remember when one of the biggest retailers in photography, Calumet, in the late 80's threw Nikon out because they stopped making manual focus lenses?) But it doesn't stop there because the same people upset over autofocus had kids who complained that imaging was over with the invention of the digital camera! And I'm sure we can find a link to today's challenges with social media, digital files, and the list goes on and on.

Okay, so I stepped back into photography for one paragraph, but here's how it applies to life. I'm so tired of having a conversation with somebody that starts out with me asking, "Hey, how have you been?" and then hearing how the sky is falling! And while we all have friends who truly have endured some horrific days - they recognize that it's just that; a bad day and they wouldn't trade their life with anybody.

So here's my point this morning - let's help those people who have mastered the art of pessimism to morph into something else. Instead of asking them how they're doing let's open the conversation with, "Wow, you sound great today - what's going on?" Let's help them to keep life's daily challenges in perspective and get them to stop writing their lives off because there are too many speed bumps along the way.

I spent a lot of time in Japan in the 80's, and when having a lot of differences in a negotiating session, there's an expression which translated means, "there are too many pebbles in the stream." So, one by one you work to remove each pebble, but nobody ever looks at the stream as a dried up creek bed!

Wishing everybody a Sunday, or Monday if you're on the other side of the world, that's filled with optimism and time with the people most special to you. Always go for those eleven-second hugs and think about how much the person in that hug means to you. And definitely, keep each day in perspective. Not every day is the one you're going to base your life story on, but without those days that are off a little how would you ever appreciate the ones that are stellar!

The real potential of social media comes when the "social" side kicks in and that's what happened with my introduction to Greg Anzalone, a fine art photographer from Buffalo, NY.

He had a question about Excire Search Pro that came through the Customer Support email. Since his question involved a new role for me, and company I'm working with, I've been following all the correspondence. 

Wanting to get to know more about him, I checked out the link to his website. I loved many of his images and sent him an email through his website asking him to call me.

So, I'm not only sharing the work of a passionate photographer but reminding you of a basic lesson in communication. NOTHING tops a phone call except meeting somebody in person. Greg and I probably talked for 20 minutes or so, and in that short time the initial foundation for a friendship kicked off. 

We live in an instant fulfillment world. We text, we email, but the phone at times seems to be the very last tool we think about. Yet, it has the potential to build relationships the quickest.

A big thanks to Greg for permission to share a few of his images on the SCU blog. Click on any one of his three photographs to see more. 

Over the last few years I've written a lot about the "Rules of Engagement." Each time it's because I've watched a conversation go completely off track, usually on Facebook. It's one thing to disagree with what somebody's posted, but another altogether to try and rip their heart out. 

I've repeatedly watched as photographers battle it out over semantics, politics, and beliefs until finally an administrator in the forum comes along and deletes the entire thread. As the thread disappears, often the members who thought they had a right to bully their way through the argument, wind up being removed from the forum as well. 

A few years ago I was following a thread on Linkedin in one of the discussion groups.  A member of the group had a black-tie wedding coming up and threw a question out about what was appropriate attire, wondering if he could get by in a dark suit and not a tux.
 
The question was great and certainly appropriate. It was answered right away, but twelve days later the banter was still going on. The volley continued as two photographers argued their points about beach weddings versus the rest of the world, when the only answer that really mattered was to "dress appropriately".  The question was answered right from the beginning, yet people wanted to keep giving input and it got emotional and ugly.

When things heat up in a forum I'm amazed at what happens next. Hiding behind the anonymity of their computer screens, there are always photographers who morph into trolls and bullies, insisting everyone buy in on their opinions.

Last week I had the same type of challenge in a forum I administrate. It got ugly because a couple of people wanted to play troll and simply didn't know how to behave, let alone communicate. Once a thread goes off track, there is absolutely NO WAY to get it back. We wound up deleting the thread and permanently removing the trolls.

So, here's what I wish we could all agree to and I'm including myself in this. It's an extension of the "Rules of Engagement" I've written about before and it's pretty simple. 

• If the question has already been answered by at least three people, then don't bother to respond if you don't have anything new to contribute.  

• Don't get hung up with semantics and the challenges of communicating via the written word. Too often we sound emotional when we don't mean to. Somebody throws out an inflammatory barb and it starts a sidebar battle that's unnecessary. 

• Don't take the bait! If the conversation seems to be getting heated, just walk away.
• Don't write anything you wouldn't want to share with the world!  Forums are available to everybody who can read. I've heard some truly sad and unethical stories about competitors who have shared information from a forum with another photographer's clients. I've also heard about clients who are in some of the forums and have been shocked by some of the comments from their own photographers. You don't have to sugar coat anything, just be professional when you comment. Remember, there are no erasers on the Internet!
• And as always, from good buddy, Levi Sim..."Act as if your grandmother is watching you!"

Don't get me wrong, I love forum/group discussions. The Internet is a remarkable tool and helps so many photographers every day, but there's no telling how much stronger we could all become if we were simply more selective when commenting in any group. 

The endless volleys that come up over and again would rarely happen if we were all together in one room talking to each other.

“Don’t say anything online that you wouldn’t want plastered on a billboard with your face on it.” 
                                                                                                Erin Bury

Please note: I don't usually post on Saturdays, and on Sunday, it's just one post, Sunday Morning Reflections. However, I was looking through my archives and stumbled across this one from 2014. It's perfect to share right now, but even better are the comments that were written at the time.

If you need a little lift today, I'm hoping this does the same thing for you that it did for me, especially the comments. Check them out and feel free to add to them - Meanwhile, wishing all of you a terrific day and time to pat yourself on the back a little for staying focused on your dreams!

My wife, Sheila, got me into feeding my long-time starving spiritual side several years ago. Since then writers like Melody Beattie and Marianne Williamson have become regular reading. Well, yesterday I read something Melody Beattie wrote:

Okay, so I know at this point a few of you are rolling your eyes, because I've committed one of the things you're never supposed to do in a post...talk about God or politics.  Well, if you don't like the God reference then replace it with "believing in yourself" or "faith".  I'm not going to get in an argument over my belief in God, yours or for that matter semantics. Melody's point is right on the money, because we won't drown, life was certainly meant to be lived and every problem has a solution.

Another thing I believe in is every one of you who are dealing with the day in day out challenges of running a business and building your brand as an artist. I'm proud to be working with so many of you to help you build a stronger business and skill set. My frustration comes out of those moments when I hear about somebody giving up, because of the challenges. I especially hate hearing stories about friends who have family members who don't support their dreams, letting their negativity spill over into your world and creating one more hurdle to test your passion.

I don't know about you, but in high school I remember Algebra and a chemistry class where, on the first day, I looked at the back of the book to see how hard things were going to be. It scared me every time, but after a school year of the stuff, it meant absolutely nothing. Instead of worrying about how much you don't know, give yourself a big pat on the back for how much you've learned and are applying right now!

I found a quote that will hopefully help a few of you to keep things in perspective. Don't get hung up on your challenges. they're all part of growing a business.

It's the 4th of July, and since it's the only holiday of the summer, I'm going to kick back, hang out with my wife Sheila, fire up the grill and probably over-eat! The challenge I face, like so many of you with a home-office, is finding the discipline to step away from the business. It's not easy at any time and on a holiday like this year, in the middle of the week, it's even tougher.

I've written so many posts about recognizing when you need a break and the importance of being good to yourself. It's not easy when I have to walk the talk! 

I know you're a global audience and the 4th of July, Independence Day, is an American holiday. So, to all of you celebrating the day, make it a day to appreciate family and friends. If you're on BBQ duty, pay attention to how long you leave the burgers on and savor the day, the laughs and the time away from the business - it'll all be there tomorrow.

And, if you don't celebrate the day and don't have it off, I can still wish you a terrific Wednesday or Thursday, if you're on the other side of the world!

Happy July 4th everybody!

PS Two days ago I walked outside just as the sun was coming up and there was a rainbow at the end of our street that seemed to run directly overhead. How could I not grab a LUMIX camera? I used a LUMIX FZ300 and just left it on "IA" for the perfect backdrop for my neighbor's dead tree!

Now and then an event comes along in this industry that redefines the meaning of the word "fun." Remember that word? It's the one word that all of us occasionally lose under the baggage and stress of business. It takes work to keep "fun" in your life every day.

Over the years I've always been fortunate in jobs that I loved, and the fun I have in this business. Some moments are exceptionally special, and that defines my experience last week hanging out with Scott Kelby.

Here's the scenario...

Like so many people in the industry, Scott and I have known each other for years. We share a lot of mutual friends, but in all this time, we've rarely had more than five-minute conversations in passing at a trade show or convention. KelbyOne is only 75 miles away and last Tuesday we grabbed lunch together. 

I consider myself the biggest lunch slut in photography! I love lunch because it gives people a time to talk about the business, get to know each other better and share ideas about an industry I love dearly. So does Scott, and when he told me about the topic the next day on The Grid, there was no way I could say "No" when he asked me to join him.

The topic? Your portfolio and why you need one is a topic I've written about so many times. I headed back up to the Tampa area the next day to join Scott in the KelbyOne studio. Click on the image above to listen to the webcast.

We ran out of time to cover everything, so here's a little more to think about, in relation to your portfolio and upcoming trade shows and conventions.

• I'm convinced that today, in a world of texting, more than ever you need a hard-printed portfolio. There's no emotion or depth in sharing images on your phone or iPad.
• If you want to show your portfolio at a convention set up appointments in ADVANCE! Your work is too important to rely on chance meetings with people you feel are important to speak with.
• Your portfolio doesn't need to be any bigger than 10-12 well-printed images if they're ALL "wow" prints. A "wow" print is an image so good it's the only one you'd have to show to get hired.
• If you have several different specialties to share, like landscape and commercial portrait - have two different portfolios. As Scott and I talked about - you need to know the demographics of your audience. Different targets need to see different kinds of images.
• You won't always be able to get the meetings you want, because conventions/trade shows are typically so chaotic. In addition to your portfolio, print up a series of oversized postcards. For example, a 6x9 card with several of your images and contact information is the perfect leave-behind piece at a convention.  And, here's what you need to say with it when you're hoping to talk with a manager from a company you wish to work with, "I know how busy things are at the convention and I don't want to get in your hair - here's a sample of my work. I hope we can talk when things are less hectic."
• Whether you get to show your portfolio or not, follow up with a thank-you note for their time. In a world of impersonal texts and emails, a hand-written note will be one of the most memorable things you can do!

And one more sidebar about The Grid last week. What a kick the offices are at KelbyOne. Besides all the other hats he wears, Scott's a musician, and they went with a rock n' roll theme throughout the building. They haven't missed a beat from headphones on the great masters to a display of rock lunch boxes! 

A big thanks to the KelbyOne team! To quote Carly Simon, "Nobody does it better!"

It’s an old Spanish proverb and engraved on a pewter plate I've had for many years. It's one of my favorite quotes, and so often seems to ring true. But, this morning it's got me thinking about the challenges so many of you face in dealing with people who don't understand the choices you make.

Photography is an art form and so often misunderstood especially by family members and friends. They don’t understand your passion. They assume you’re going to starve in the process. They may never have seen your work and question whether or not you’re good enough. They don’t understand why you can’t just go out and get a “real job”!  Sound familiar?

Scott Bourne and I, on the old GoingPro podcasts, talked a lot about surrounding yourself with people who have positive attitudes. You need to block out the “Negators.” No, it’s not out of Greek mythology, but it should be. Negators are people who are so unhappy in their own lives their only joy in life is screwing with yours!

The result is your self-confidence needs reinforcement. So, let’s come up with a few things to help you stay focused, pun intended. You know how to focus your camera, but do you know how to hold the focus on your career?
​

• Look at old images. Here’s an easy exercise and you’ll have a good time in the process. Go back and look at your very first images. It might have been a party you photographed, a landscape while on vacation or maybe just a few shots of the kids. Now compare them to where you are today. If you don’t see a difference, you’re in trouble, but most of you will see consistent changes in the way you compose and expose today. As you get more experienced, there should be some serious changes in lighting, composition, depth of field, and your overall creativity.
• Roberto Valenzuela suggested a terrific tool for practicing the craft on a GoingPro podcast once. He suggested you go back to the last wedding you photographed and look at all the bad images.  “Look for what you missed and learn to understand why each image wasn’t good!”
• Enter some images in print competition. This is a personal favorite. Whether you enter prints or not, at least attend the judging at the next convention where it's open to the public. Listen to what the judges are saying about each print. Use their suggestions as guidance for your own work.
•  Join your local chapter or guild of professional photographers. Sooner or later, everyone shares the same frustrations. A local chapter of other photographers becomes a support group and an essential part of your network. There’s a lot of good comfort in knowing your peers share some of the same concerns and frustrations.  
• Join one of the better Facebook groups where there are groups of people with your same interests. I'm a co-administrator in Facebook Wedding Photographers and Advanced Wedding Photographers, and I'm amazed at some of the questions that come up and the way people help each other. There are also groups like ShutterFest, GoingPro, Gary Box's "Inside the Box," Jen Rozenbaum's Group, and the AIBP Members Group, just to name a few.    
• Surround yourself with positive people. Sooner or later they’ll come around, but for now, those people who are throwing up the roadblocks need to be kept on the sidelines. The only thing they're contributing to your life is stress.
• Listen to your heart. Okay, it sounds hokey, but you know what you feel inside. You know what your gut instinct is saying about your passion for being a photographer.
• Don’t respond to trolls! When you do step out into the public forums and get shot at by a troll, don’t let yourself get caught up in the battle. Don’t respond. Your silence is far more effective at driving them mad!

Here's a fun quality of Facebook. The image above was shared on Royce Chenore's page over a year ago. Recently somebody commented and the thread became active again, coming up on my page this morning.

Royce originally wrote:

This is Circa 1995... it was a publicity photo for the "PORTRAIT 2000" teleconference.... this was in the VERY early days of "electric imaging" now called digital retouch... the photographers submitted "selfies" on FILM of all formats brands and speeds....(selfie...another term that didn't exist) and ACI composited them into one image.... this was EXTREMELY INNOVATIVE AT THE TIME!! Feel free to share and tag others if you wish....

Well, I picked up the phone and called an old friend who I hadn't talk to in a lot of years, Ed Pierce, (front row, second from the end.)  What a kick it was to talk him about this event. Here's what so many of you don't know.

• ​This event actually led to the launch of PhotoVision, which many of you subscribed to over the years.
• There were four events in the series with the smallest being 58 viewing locations and the largest at 80+.
• While some of the locations were in theaters, over half were in hotel ballrooms with satellite trucks. Just the logistics alone, which included a few snow storms, was an incredible accomplishment.
• Ritz Camera had the studio for the production, but Ed Pierce had to help them rig it for the event.
• Each speaker was interviewed live during the event and then there was a 25-30 minute video of them working/teaching, and then back to the speaker live again.
• There was a full panel of operators standing by to field phone-in questions for the speakers - much like a telethon.
• The program was eight hours of live content for each event.

Now, take a minute and think about online education today. This is where it all started! There was no Creative Live or Lynda.com or for that matter ANY online programming. There were no webinars, even YouTube wouldn't be founded for almost another ten years!

But this is also another example of a fun aspect about Throwback Thursday. While in one respect I can't believe how old I am to have been around for this stuff - on the other hand, I couldn't be more proud to have been a very small part of it. Hasselblad was one of the sponsors and Tony Corbell, and I flew to Washington D.C. and were in the audience all day at the live event.

It's hard to imagine a more fun trip down Memory Lane when it comes to photography. To Royce for sharing over a year ago - thank you! And, to my old buddy Ed Pierce, who answered the phone just a few minutes ago, it really is time for you to write a book. You're the one who blazed this trail into video education and helped change so many lives in photography!

Happy Throwback Thursday everybody!

I first heard the expression twenty years ago from a friend who was an outstanding outdoor photographer. Since then I've used it numerous times, usually in reference to photographers who spend too much time trying to fix a bad image. In fact, a few years back somebody sent me the link to a Mythbusters episode where they proved you could! 
 
Every day I look at websites of professional photographers, and I'm shocked at how many artists compromise on the quality of the images they share.

They seem to fall into a few different categories:

• A lack of consistency from one image to the next. For example, the same bride with varying flesh tones from one image to another.
• Too many images - great galleries are about quality NOT quantity. 
• Irrelevant images: If you're a children's photographer don't mix in your landscape images with your core business. At the very least give them their own tab like "Personal Work" or if you're trying to become a landscape artist as well, a separate site might be more appropriate.
• Limited subjects: I know some of you are just starting out, but recently I was on a senior photographer's site who had only photographed one subject, a female. There were twenty different images of her in different poses, clothes and black and white as well as color.
• Bad exposures and composition: It's more of the same challenge - ONLY show your very best work.
• Bad lighting: If it's a poorly lit image, then why show it at all?  I'm not talking about exposures, but a lack of understanding of portrait lighting. And, there are so many great educators to learn from like Sue Bryce, Tony Corbell and Bobbi Lane, just to name a few.
• Filter junkies and special effects: If it's a bad photograph, it's simply a bad photograph. Let it go and work on your skill set with a goal of clean images right out of the can! Then use manipulation to enhance your images, not build them from scratch.

Having galleries with great images is essential. You don't need a lot of images to show your skill set. And, if you don't have the skill set yet, then stop calling yourself a pro. Your galleries have got to look better than "Uncle Harry's."  If they're not, you're building a weak foundation for the brand awareness you're working so hard to establish.

Sadly many of these artists do have the skill set and the passion for the craft, but early on they wanted to fill their galleries to the max. They never went back to update their galleries. They didn't take the time to do a "lifeboat drill" on their images and decide which ones get saved and which ones need to be trashed.

When I was a kid, I had a red Mustang, and I was trying to sell it. It had a fairly significant dent in the door, but I didn't want to bother fixing it. Everybody who looked at the car loved it, but not the dent. My Dad finally took the keys, got the dent repaired and sold the car for $200 more than I was asking. He sat me down and gave me a life lesson I've tried hard to never forget, 

                            "Whatever it is your selling, don't set yourself up to have to apologize for anything!"

Think about how that applies to your business.  Whether you're showing images to sell your photographic services or a house for that matter - don't compromise. Don't show people anything that would require an apology, excuse or an explanation as to why it's not their best choice.

If it's a lousy image, don't show it! Never show less than your very best work. Never compromise on quality. Only show "wow" images - images so good you'd just have to show one of them to get hired!  Most important of all, be consistent in everything you deliver! 

Intro by Skip Cohen

Now and then I meet a photographer at a conference or online, and I'm amazed at the potential paralysis over making a mistake. The pure fear of worrying about so many aspects of their business from capture right through to marketing sends them into their own "No Fly Zone."

We all make mistakes. They can't be avoided. Depending on what you do with them, they can stunt your growth as an artist or just the opposite, create a growth spurt. It's all in how you look at the mistakes and if you choose to learn from them. Norman Vincent Peale wrote:

"Problems are to the mind what exercise is to the muscles, they toughen and make them strong."

Scott Bourne wrote the following post a while back about making mistakes and as we leave the slow season, and business starts to pick up again, it's the perfect time to share it once more. While a couple of points have been updated by new technology and now auto-reset, it's still a great list to review and develop a habit of how you shut down after each shoot and make sure you're in good shape for the next one!

No matter how seasoned you are, the pressure of business, the economy and new technology all change the game, and suddenly you find yourself buried in mistakes you never used to make.  Scott's put together a solid check-off list for cutting out one critical variable in your life, mistakes with your gear. 

"When you find yourself in a hole. Stop digging!"
Will Rogers

I wanted to share these short videos about the Palm Springs Photo Festival for several reasons. First, there are a lot of conventions, conferences, and workshops in our industry. Some of them are great, others mediocre and a couple I've heard are terrible. Well, each one has their own personality and benefits for attending. Jeff Dunas has been a friend for a lot of years, long before he realized his dream of founding the Festival. Thanks to Jeff and his team, the Festival has grown to be one of the GREAT events each year, and needs to be on your radar to attend.

Second, watch the videos and pay attention to the way they explain the story. How would you tell your story? And, could you do it all in 2 1/2 minutes like the first one?

Last but not least, unlike other annual events in our industry, the Palm Springs Photo Festival is truly a festival. It's a celebration of imaging, education and networking. One of its unique characteristics is the energy and the pure joy in the air...all the time. This is about the passion for the craft from each instructor, speaker and attendee. 

For more information and to register for the event, just click the banner at the top or either of the two Festival images.

"I like to think of it as a renaissance. Everybody inspires everybody else."
Festival Attendee

I started this as a concept idea about four years ago. Since then I've probably written a few hundred posts about the importance of exceeding client expectations and making yourself habit-forming. I'm bringing the topic back because there are still so many artists who just don't get it!  Plus, we're in the fourth quarter, the seasonality stretch for 2017. There's no better time than RIGHT NOW to make some changes in how you do business! And, if this post just doesn't apply to you, please don't be offended but help me make the point and send it on to somebody who's clueless!

Take a minute and think about a few things:

We’re living in the age of instant gratification. We text, tweet, and abbreviate. Our spelling has become absurd, phonetically attacking a conversation for the sole purpose of packing a full paragraph into just 140 characters.  We eat on the run, multi-tasking and getting a little work done so we can justify stepping away from the biz at lunchtime. MacDonalds has two lines for the drive-in window, and we can order combo meals, and the decision-making process becomes even faster.  

New photographers jump into the market thinking because they understand Photoshop they’re perfectly capable of being a professional. They shoot with wild abandon and a mindset of, “No problem. I’ll fix it later in the computer!” The truth is, no matter what your skill set, if it's a lousy image there’s one fundamental rule of nature, “You can’t buff a turd!”

The reality is you can’t Tweet quality. There are no shortcuts to creating outstanding images. There are no shortcuts to building relationships with your clients. There are no shortcuts to great marketing. All of this leaves me with one sentiment – it’s time for many of you just to slow down, take a big breath and decide what you want to be when you grow up.

If you’re a shortcut, bought a camera and learned Photoshop artist before you understood lighting, exposure, composition and your gear,  here’s you’re missing some incredible opportunities:

• You’re doing yourself a huge disservice and leaving a lot of great revenue on the table. A great series of images shown to an excited client has the potential to create not only more sales from the original job but additional sales as your client shows your work to their friends. Any moron can get their first client - the key is to get more, along with the first one coming back.

• You’re doing your client a disservice, by not “being all you can be."  Yeah, it’s the US Army’s slogan, but it’s so dead-on, for every profession. You can’t compromise on being the best at what you do. When you present images that exceed a client’s expectations the excitement and goodwill you’ll be a part of will take your pride and theirs to an entirely new level.

• You’re undermining the credibility of an entire industry. I remember a story several years ago on the local news. It was a consumer protection story where a woman wrote to the TV station for help getting her wedding images. Mistakes happen, and there are always extenuating circumstances, but when what should be a quietly resolved customer service issue gets so out of control the local news media gets involved, the business entity didn't do their job.  Think about the number of people who watched the story and got a wrong impression about professional photographers. Even worse, think about the credibility boost the story gave to all the Uncle Harrys and all that gear they own. 
• You’re making it harder to build your business than it has to be. When a client is disappointed and underwhelmed the entire business model collapses. Ever gone back to a restaurant where you had a really bad experience? Of course not, because nobody does! On the other hand, when you exceed a client’s expectations you’ve got a customer for life, not to mention one more member of your word-of-mouth publicity machine.
• Last on the list; you're probably not having that much fun, because half the time you don't know what you're doing. You can't create images that tug at people's heart-strings if your own heart isn't in it!

So, here are a few ideas to help you fix the problem:

• Slow it down and pay attention to the quality of your images and the quality of your relationships.
• Build your business one client at a time and treat every client as if they were the only person who was ever going to pay you for your skill set as a photographer.
• Focus on being the very best photographer you can be. Have a mindset that one of the magazines wants to do a story about you, but you told them to wait until you had the images you wanted!  
• And as always, NEVER compromise on quality - images, relationships with clients, building trust within the community.

You’re part of a fantastic industry, and there’s help every step of the way, providing you respect and love the craft.  And trust me, if you respect the craft, there is no way to describe the return on your investment!

by Skip Cohen

With ShutterFest just around the corner, I pulled this post from the SCU archives. It's the perfect reminder to make some plans for the conference - Not just ShutterFest, but ANY convention or workshop series you attend!

There are two primary reasons to be at a convention: education and building a stronger network. The sad part of the process is, so many of you spend the money and take the time but do absolutely no planning. Time is your most valuable commodity and once it's gone you'll never get it back! So, let's look at ways to get the most out of every convention.
 
For those of you who are regular readers, I know this is going to be redundant, but as often as I've written about it, even I forget some of the basics. We all get too busy and as recently as ten minutes ago I got an email from my good buddy Bryan Caporicci about finding time on both our schedules at ShutterFest to catch up. We've work on a lot of projects together, but lately never have the time during our regular days.

Here's the first big rule!

DON'T GO TO A CONVENTION COLD! THINK THROUGH WHY YOU'RE GOING, WHAT YOU NEED HELP WITH, WHAT YOU WANT TO COME BACK WITH! WHO ARE THE MOVERS AND SHAKERS YOU WANT TO TALK TO? PLAN YOUR TRIP! Sorry, It's all in caps, a font larger and bold, because I'm yelling at you! LOL

1) Think about what you need most in terms of help with your business.  Do you need more education in marketing and business, a better understanding of photography or more products for providing added value to your customers like frames, canvas prints etc? Are you creating slideshows for your clients? When you print your own images are you calibrating your monitor and printer? Maybe you need a few new focal lengths in your camera bag - maybe you need a new camera bag! Have you checked out mirrorless technology?  How about the albums you offer? Is it time you had some new things to show your clients?

The purpose here is to establish your priorities - at the bigger shows, for example, there are a few hundred exhibitors and it sure helps to walk in the door focused on where you need the most help.  Otherwise, it's simply overwhelming, with too many choices to make once you're there.

Note: My personal top choices to check out at ShutterFest this year? Panasonic for LUMIX cameras, especially the new GH5, Marathon Press for Bella Art Prints and Albums, X-Rite for color calibration, Tamron for outstanding optics, Photodex for slideshows and obviously Profoto for the best in lighting!

2) If you need high ticket equipment - look into leasing if you're worried about tying up capital.  You've got time to establish your credit line with a leasing company before you go, then you know exactly what you've been approved for and can work the convention like a pro. This is about using somebody else's assets without depleting yours!

3) Go to print competition judging!  If you're in early enough for any convention in professional photography with print competition, it's the best bang for your buck out there!  I went in to observe 10 years ago for half an hour wondering how my own entry was going to do (yes, I only had one) - I stayed all day.  With the comments from the judges, it's like having class after class in composition, exposure and printing being given by dozens of industry icons!

4) Plan your days in advance. For example, most convention schedules are out early and on line.  Think about what classes you want to go to and then be there at least 15-20 minutes early for each one. And, when you get there early, go talk to the instructor - this is just as much about building your network as it is absorbing the content of the class. Programs fill up fast and you don't want to be closed out of a program, but if you are, it's not the end of the world.  Yes, it's frustrating, but there's a lot to choose from - so select your programs on where you need the most help, not exclusively on the popularity of the speakers.

5) Pay attention to the lineup of speakers at many of the exhibitor booths.  This starts by reviewing any convention's exhibitor list and knowing in advance who their spokespeople are. Many of the exhibitors have some great mini-programs going on in their booth throughout the trade show.

6) Network, network, network - since you're there early to get a seat in a program then utilize the time wisely and talk to the people around you.  Try to never have dinner alone or with the same people - bring along a newbie, somebody you've just met at the show.  This has always been the coolest part of any convention for me personally - the friendships you can make just sitting and talking to people. Remember, everybody is dealing with the same challenges you are - the economy, creativity, growing the business, marketing and technology. When you exchange ideas, even your frustrations, sooner or later somebody you talk to from another part of the country is going to have a solution that worked for them!

7) Diversify - I've already written a lot over the years about staying diverse, but here's your chance to really start to learn a new skill set.  Find at least one program to attend that's completely out of your element - the one that might scare you the most! Do that at every convention you attend. Always have one program on the list to help you expand your horizons.

8) "Working the trade show" is no easy endeavor, but since you're there, at least do it right.  You don't need to go straight to that one company you want to see the most - because your tunnel vision will result in missing everybody you walk by on the way.  Literally work the room one aisle at a time and do your best to see EVERYBODY.  I love ShutterFest because it's a smaller show, but don't underestimate the power of quality! There might be less exhibitors than at a bigger show, but Sal and his team have been very selective and these are all vendors you need to know.

10) Bring some of your own images!  I never understand photographers who come to a convention with access to every icon in the industry as well as so many manufacturers and leave all their work at home!  You don't need to carry around a 16x20 portfolio case, just a book of a dozen or so of your favorite images, or your promotional piece or even a few images on an iPad - but be careful of boring somebody with too many images on the screen. This is where I really like paper prints at a convention.  If I'm working in a booth and busy, I don't have time to have somebody try and direct my focus to their iPhone or iPad, but leaving me a couple of 5x7's in a folder with a business card and more information will stay in my memory a lot longer.  Plus, it allows me to examine the material at my leisure when things might be a little quieter.

11) Take a camera with you!!!!  I'm not talking about the gear you shoot with for your business, but something better than your phone. Since ShutterFest is all about hands-on, most of you have a decent camera with you. Don't just use it to build your portfolio! Get a few shots of yourself at the show interacting with vendors and other photographers.   Do a press release when you get back to the local paper, Chamber of Commerce, post it on your blog or Facebook page - nobody is watching out for you but you! 

12) Take advantage of evening programming and special events.  Sure, it's important to have a good time, but take advantage of the various presentations.  You want to come home from a great convention with more than a hangover and a few good jokes you heard at dinner!

13) Don't be afraid to talk to your favorite speakers.  Everybody is approachable and everybody is there because they believe in education and sharing.  But, I can't bring this blog to a close without a few words of caution - show some courtesy. 

I know it seems basic and maybe insulting to some of you, but when you see one of your favorites stay away from the storm trooper approach, especially if they're already in a conversation.  You might have to wait a few minutes for an opening or you might even need to catch them later. It's tough when you're involved in a conversation and somebody just jumps in and interrupts - you'll never get anyone's attention or the respect you want and deserve.

And for me at ShutterFest, Sheila and I will camped out each day at a table in that incredible lobby of the hotel. We've got a couple of breakfast meetings, but we're almost always there by 9:30. And I'm there to not just meet new friends, but to help you with business and marketing issues you're dealing with. Don't be afraid to ask for help. I won't always have the answers, but I've got an incredible network and it's all yours if you need some guidance!

Last but not least - have fun!  Seriously, it's one of those words that's lost in business today - you're going to a great convention. You're going to see old friends and make new ones.  It's okay to work hard and play hard - just make sure you never miss the bell the following morning!

That night, Tony and I, just like the goofballs of professional wrestling, came into the restaurant carrying our championship belts over our heads in our Yukatas. There were probably a dozen people who joined us for dinner, but it was really Wendy, Calvin, Tony and I who ran up the tab.

I remember eating for what seemed like an eternity, when Tony turned to Wendy and asked, "Honestly, how much more can you eat?"

She looked him straight in the eye and said, "At least a couple more orders!"

I looked at Tony, he looked at me, we were both turning green... we threw in the towel! At that point we were coming up on 63 pieces each. We had to give up our belts and to this day, every time I see Calvin he reminds me that the belt is hanging in his office!

As with every Throwback Thursday post, there's always a point or two. First, get photographs from those special events that help create the memories in your life with friends/associates at each workshop and convention you attend. Second, print them...if these were just on a jump drive somewhere, I never would have found them. Third, there's an incredible value to the friends in your network and they're part of your life to help you make those memories, regardless of whether it's for work or play. Just appreciate them.

And yes, the final check did come to just under $2000, but Wendy and Calvin were both spokespeople for Hasselblad and most of the guests that night all had something to do with supporting our marketing efforts. So we rationalized and decided it was part of sponsorship. LOL

Just for the record, my Dad joined us that night and I remember heading back to the hotel and he looked at me and said, "Wow...business in your industry is a lot tougher today than it was for me. All I had to do was learn to play golf!"