It's an almost typical Sunday morning, except for the fact that Molly the Wonder Dog had me up three times during the night - something she never does. So, unlike my usual early start to the day, I slept in.  In the process of waking up I thought a lot about what I wanted to share this morning.

I started thinking about the seasonality in the business of photography. That took me to think about the ups, downs, and seasonality we go through in our lives, along with some personal family challenges. Lastly, I found myself thinking about a few new projects, the artificial seasonality in the business with the Photokina show coming up this month, and new products being introduced.

As I sat here at the computer, trying to figure out how to write what I was feeling, I picked up Melody Beattie's book. So often I've found her thoughts to be right on target. Well, 2-3 times a year I share a post from Melody. She never lets me down, especially when reminding me to trust the process, life and the journey we're all on. 

And there you have it - the importance of listening to our heart, and trusting the process whether it's personal or business. When things don't come together with the way you've hoped it's hard to get to that point of trusting the path you're on. It might not be easy to always do, but Shakespeare's "To thine own self be true," couldn't be more appropriate. 

The journey we're all on is never-ending, and it's filled with changes and surprises, many outside our control. All we have to do is stay focused, listen to our hearts and trust.
 
If you've had doubts about whatever journey you're on - give yourself the opportunity to think things through before you change your path. Draw strength from great friends and family and make it a day that allows Melody Beattie's suggestion of magic to begin.

Wishing everybody a terrific Sunday, or Monday if you're on the other side of the world. Always go for those long eleven-second hugs and cherish the people in your life who believe in you and have become part of your journey.
​

I ran across the quote above recently, and it's one of my favorites, but on this Sunday morning, even though I've always believed nothing is impossible, there are times when it just isn't true. Here's an example:
​
We're out of town this weekend and took a ride over to Headlands Beach. With a major storm coming in, I spotted one wishful surfer. He was ready and waiting. Each time there was a swell, I'd patiently watch, camera ready to capture his success. He'd paddle out to catch a wave, but there was nothing to ride. 

No matter how hard he wished for his board to catch "the big one," nothing happened. He had set his goal, made his wishes, focused on his dream but no matter what he did things weren't going to change. I guess it comes it comes with thinking you're going to surf on Lake Erie!  While now and then the surf kicks up and you can have some fun, it's not the California coast and yesterday just wasn't the day for surfing.

Stay with me because there's a point with this Sunday Morning Reflections. I've met so many photographers and business owners over the years, who have a dream but a lousy plan to get there. They get frustrated over the same old results and haven't recognized the need to change their plan. Sound familiar? 

There are things we want in life and we're so over-focused on the dream we lose sight of what it takes to get there. We keep trying to reach our goal over and again without stepping back and simply asking "What am I doing wrong?" We can't see the forest through the trees. Finally, frustrated over not getting the results we hoped for, we give up, often demoralized and drained of the energy and spirit to start over again.

Here's the solution - step back, and bring a friend with you. You need somebody by your side who you trust and who knows you better than you do yourself. You need a goal navigator, to help you see the need to change the route to your destination.  And often, it really is that simple.

You don't need to let go of your goal, just change the plan you've chosen to get there.

A goal without a plan is just a wish.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery​

Wishing everybody a perfect Sunday and time to think about your dreams and goals. And, if you're struggling with how to turn them into reality, take a step back. Bring that special friend along and appreciate how important they are in your life. You don't have to do everything alone.

Always go for those eleven-second therapeutic hugs and appreciate the people in your life who make it so unique.

​Happy Sunday everybody...or Monday for my readers on the other side of the world!

Note: Image captured with a LUMIX FZ1000 f3.2 @ 1/1000 ISO 125 (shot in IA mode and processed in Skylum's Luminar 2018)

It seems like I just wrote a Sunday Reflections post yesterday, and here I am on another quiet morning, and as always, off track from the business of photography. In my Fast Food Friday post, I wrote, "You can't capture images that tug at people's heartstrings if your own heart isn't in it."

Well, it applies to everything we do. On a personal level, for the last two weeks, I've been dealing with some challenges with a couple of my own family members. The issues themselves aren't relevant, and too personal to share in a blog. However, some of the things I did to stay focused are relevant to today's post.

My parents always taught us to "do our own dirty laundry." You never shared anything personal with a friend, and often I'm not sure they shared stressful issues with each other. I remember being shocked but also proud of my Dad when he'd go with me to the Caregiver's Support Group meetings while we were dealing with my mother's Alzheimer's. Opening up about what he was feeling to a group of people he didn't know wasn't something his generation ever did, let alone cry during the process.

So, when it comes to your own "dirty laundry," what do you do?  Here are three things that helped me get back on track:

• Share with your partner: I've written a lot over the years about my relationship with Sheila. So, when something happens that's entirely off the charts in internal pain, there's no one better than my wife. I don't have to keep the old stiff upper lip with her. Whether you're married or not, everybody has that one person you can talk to without hitting a wall of judgment. 

• Phone a friend: For me, it was all timing. "Vanelli" and I had planned on hanging out for a guy's weekend, and the timing couldn't have been better. I wrote about it in last Sunday's post, but here's my point. The best thing for me was stepping away from my business, and directly into the fun of photography accompanied by a lot of laughs with a good friend. The image with today's post was captured during a couple of hours of us watching butterflies with a few cameras in our hands.

​

• Expand your skill set: Over the years many of you have talked about how being a photographer has helped you through difficult times, and essentially saved your sanity. Well, this past week I had a one-hour conference call with "Abba" at Skylum. He took two of us through a demo of Luminar, which is remarkable. I'm now hooked and a complete believer. I had experienced a small demo watching Vanelli when he was working on his images of Molly and me, but getting into it myself was another thing altogether. Again, it kept my mind off the pain I was feeling and into the pure joy of creativity.

Here's my point this morning - I grew up as a right-fighter from a long line of genetically dominant right-fighters. I'm still work in progress, and while old habits die hard, my life is richer letting go of the need to prove I'm right. There's a terrific Dr. Phil line, "Would you rather be happy or right?" The last couple of weeks reminded me, the need to be right is a cumbersome commodity. It accomplishes nothing but takes away from the energy you need to be happy. 

The next time you're in an emotional crisis and digging deep to find the strength to focus on your own well-being rather than the challenge itself, do your best to step back and remind yourself of all the good things in your life. Start with that one person you trust the most to help you through the moment then focus on the one person you always forget about trusting, yourself!

Wishing everybody a day filled with peace, and respect for the love you have for your family and friends. And, if coincidentally you're in crisis mode like I am now, take the time to look back at the good times. Run your own "Throwback Thursday" moments through your head and enjoy the process. As always, go for those eleven-second hugs, but during the embrace, think about how much that person means in your life.

Happy Sunday everybody...or Monday if you're on the other side of the world!

"There are some people in life who make you laugh a little louder,
​smile a little bigger and live just a little bit better.
Unknown Author

It's Sunday morning, and I'm not as off-track as usual for Sunday Morning Reflections. Let's set the stage.  Sheila is down in Naples for a "girl's weekend" with a good friend, and I'm hanging out with "Vanelli," who drove over on Friday from Melbourne, FL. We've easily covered a few hundred stories about our parents, life, families, friends, and practical jokes, just to name a few of the topics. Well, after this weekend I feel like I'm one of the only guys in the industry who didn't know Vanelli's background. 

While he goes by Vanelli, he's Robert Vanelli also known over the years as "V." His first career was in Karate, and he's best known for being a three-time Triple Crown Karate champion in '84 - '86. Luckily for all of us, he stepped out of the ring and became one incredibly talented artist, writer, and educator. 

While I know I've hit it so many times before, the best part of this industry is about the friendships that come out of everyone's love for the craft. Well, Vanelli and I have known each other for a long time, but never got in any quality time. This weekend has been terrific, and I managed to even weasel a couple of favorite shots of Molly and me. Sorry everybody, after just being featured in a Throwback Thursday post this past week, she's back again.

But here's my real point this morning. I've heard people talk about how if you're a tennis player and play with somebody better than you, your game gets better. I've experienced that myself scuba-diving with friends who were more accomplished than me. 

Well, the same applies to photography and in part to life. Vanelli is a wealth of information, great stories, practical jokes and while understanding the craft is an incredible asset, it's the way he sees his subjects, puts them at ease and then turns his mind's eye visions into reality. As an author for Photofocus.com and having depth in so many different aspects of life, my "game" just got better on so many levels.

Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote in Ulysses, "I am a part of all that I have met." Well, when Vanelli comes into your life, he isn't just passing through but is committed to the friendship. In the same way, all the people who have come through Vanelli's life have made him who he is today, he in turn has become a part of so many of our lives.

This weekend has been a kick, and a new, guaranteed to be crazy; funny friendship has just kicked off!

As I do every Sunday, wishing all of you a perfect day and time with family and friends - those people most important in your life. Go for those eleven-second therapeutic hugs with at least one person who's special in your life. 

Happy Sunday everybody...or Monday if you're on the other side of the world. Regardless, thanks for being part of the SCU family.

PS Check out more of what Vanelli is up to with a click on either image. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy Sunday!

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

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

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

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

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

And here's my point...

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

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

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

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

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

Happy Sunday everybody!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy Sunday everybody! 

My Sunday mornings always kick off with me sharing whatever is on my mind, and it's rarely about photography. Often I've had the honor of feedback from many of you who were feeling the same way. So, here I am about to go completely off track from imaging.

The topic is giving up on a dream. Big ones, little ones, it doesn't matter - the point is we all get to a point with our dreams where we start to doubt ourselves, the idea and even the relationships that support our quest. We get frustrated with results that aren't coming fast enough. In short, feel, like we're trapped in PinkFloyd's The Wall, "Is anybody out there?" (And if you're too young to have heard the album - go buy it today. It's one of the greats!)

It's a short post this morning and I need a little help from the outside world: 

 Age wrinkles the body, quitting wrinkles the soul.
Douglas MacArthur

Giving up on your goal because of one setback, is like slashing your other three tires because you got a flat.
Anon

Never give up, for that is just the place and time the tide will turn.
Harriet Beecher Stowe

Never give up on a dream because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.
Earl Nightingale

Here's my point this morning - NEVER give up on your dreams. When you get to the point where you're questioning something you're trying to do, step back and take the time to think it through. More than likely you'll remember what it was that started the dream in the first place. So often people give up on the touchdown, just when they're on the one-yard line! (With help from Vince Lombardi on that one.)

Wishing everybody a beautiful Sunday and a day filled with peace and love, just like a flower child from the 70's. Life is too short to waste energy on sadness or letting go of dreams. Always go for those eleven-second hugs and do something today that's different. Even it's just taking a little time to look in the mirror and appreciate the heart of the face staring back at you.

Happy Sunday everybody - or for those readers who remind me now and then it's Monday on the other side of the world - Happy Monday!

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!

I started writing Sunday Morning Reflections as a way to step away from the business of photography and remind myself I have a life outside of imaging. It's a way to recharge my battery and touch base with the challenges of finding balance and the multiple hats we all wear.

Now and then, when I have a hard time stepping away from the business, I read Melody Beattie. This morning was one of those days, and she never lets me down. Her July 15 inspiration is called "Delight in Yourself," and I pulled a paragraph to share: 

Be yourself and accept yourself--warts, waistline, and all. You don't have to sit up that straight, be that proper, or fear what others may see. Let your imperfections show...Relax and be who you are! When you do that, your life will be fun and a joyful gift to others. People who comfortably accept who they are - both their flaws and their good points - are healing, delightful, and fun to be around...Relax. Lighten up. Let go of shame and fear. The whole picture is perfect, and perfectly okay.

This past week was pretty remarkable as we launched Excire Inc. a new company involved in developing search software for photographers. In the process, I talked to a lot of photographers I've never met before. One of them introduced herself with, "I'm an amateur and I know my work isn't very good yet, but I love photography so much!" But when I looked at her work, it was stunning!
 
Photography, as my buddy Scott Bourne once wrote, is the great equalizer. Scott's point was that it doesn't matter what your pedigree is, you're going to be judged on the quality of your images. It doesn't matter what you look like, your education, your age, financial status or often, even your gear. The key is going to be the impact of the photographs you share.

And that brings me full circle to my point. Why is it so hard for some of you to just accept who you are? Why do many of you start out with introductions that sound like apologies instead of proclamations of pride for the choices you've made and are making? Isn't today the perfect time to give yourself a big pat on the back and stop wasting time on things that don't matter?

A few years back I did a podcast with Sandy Puc, and we started talking about our definitions of success. By the end of the podcast we had defined success as waking up with a smile every morning. And, that's what loving yourself is all about - accepting and appreciating the choices you've made.

Wishing all of you the perfect day, whether it's Sunday where you are or Monday morning on the other side of the planet. Make it a day of inner peace, time with the people who matter most in your life and don't forget to cherish that face looking back at you in the mirror. As Melody Beattie started things off this morning - be yourself and accept yourself!

​Happy Sunday everybody!

At this point in my life wearing my blogger hat, there aren't a lot of topics I haven't written about. So, when Sunday mornings roll around, and it's time to write Reflections, it gets harder and harder to share something relevant that's new. Well, I think I found a topic this morning more of you need to work on - learning to be a slug!

And this isn't new either - I've written about it three times over the last five years. However, each day there's something new in our lives. Technology, social media, the economy, consumer trends, and our growing responsibilities all contribute to the stress in our lives. Sometimes it feels like we're caught in a nonstop perfect storm.

We all live busy, hectic lives and I'm betting each of you wear multiple hats as photographers, business owners, volunteers in your community, parents, spouses, friends, family members, lovers, and the list goes on and on. Most of the time you're going non-stop. You answer the phone every time it rings and every email that comes in. You comment on issues that come up on Facebook, tweet as often as you can and share images on your website, blog, Instagram, Pinterest and even LinkedIn. Your thoughts are interrupted numerous times throughout each day, and sometimes you feel like all you're doing is putting out fires. Sound familiar?

If you're like me, there are days when you need to pull the plug! And that's precisely what Sheila and I did yesterday - we had a slug day. We did absolutely nothing that would change the world or our little part of it. We kicked back, hung out together, had great music playing all day, floated in the pool, watched the butterflies in the garden, fired up the grill a couple of times and watched a few classic movies, including Animal House! We never bothered to even watch the news, except for tracking the story of the kids trapped in the cave in Thailand.

In my younger days, and I only need to go back a few years ago, I would have felt guilty. In fact, I'd be embarrassed to even write about being nonproductive for a day, but here's my point.
 
All of us spend our days multi-tasking. To avoid "hitting the wall" and going into overload, you need to take a slug day. You need to recognize when it's time to unplug from your business life for a day. Slug days are about recharging your battery and having an Alfred E. Neuman smile on your face and more importantly in your heart. You don't worry about anything, especially whether or not doing nothing for the day is honestly going to change the world!

Wishing all of you a terrific Sunday, and if you need it, make it a slug day! The business will all be there tomorrow morning, and it's a new week! If you're feeling the stress of deadlines, the challenges of running a business and you're starting to procrastinate more than be productive - then walk away from it for a day. Clear your head and take the time to dream. Build up the energy you need to follow your heart more, and business-logic just a little bit less!

As always, go for those eleven-second therapeutic hugs with the people most special in your life. And, don't focus on anything except a smile on your face and having joy in your heart. (I know it sounds sappy, but you'll be amazed at the energy a great attitude can help create!)

Happy Sunday everybody - thanks for joining me!

"Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent.
To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden,
​where doing nothing was not boring --- it was peace."
Milan Kundera

​If you've followed me for even a few Sunday mornings, then you know I start each post the same. Molly the Wonder Dog is always part of the equation. She's always asleep at my feet as I start wandering through my creativity "warehouse" trying to figure out what to write about for Sunday Morning Reflections.

Well this morning the topic is Molly and in turn talking about the dogs in our lives. In one respect we take so much for granted about our furry partners - and on the other hand, we take nothing for granted. They're the purest and most consistent example of unconditional love we have in our lives.

I picked up Molly from a breeder in Modesto, California. I didn't want a puppy factory and found two sisters who had an almond farm and did a couple of litters a year of Labradoodles. I'd researched the breed and put in my order.

The litter came along, but I didn't have the first pick. Fortunately, the couple ahead of me didn't want a white dog - remember this is California where people have been known to give up their dogs when they don't match the new decorating! That was it - Molly was about to become a part of my life.

Her mother was a black standard poodle and father a big yellow lab. The litter was a rainbow, so the we-don't-want-a-white-dog couple had plenty to choose from. Molly was eight weeks old when we picked her up and drove home with her asleep, and later that day introduced her to her first tennis ball.

​Well, that was thirteen years ago, and she's been by my side ever since. She went to work with me every day at Rangefinder/WPPI. She kept me company and often calm during the stress of a divorce, always knowing when I was down. She kept me company on the drive to Ohio when I left California, and it aggravated me that she had to stop to pee less often than I did! LOL She's chased tennis balls on the beaches of California, in the parks and snow of Ohio, on the beaches in Florida and up and down the driveway as recently as yesterday.

Her loyalty is unmatched as I believe is her understanding when I need a hug. She sleeps on her bed in my office all day when I'm working and will pick her head up out of the soundest sleep if I get up and leave the room. And, if I have to leave the house, she gets this look of disappointment over not joining me for a ride in the car - but if I say, "It's just too hot today," she tilts her head and understands.

So, this morning is a tribute to the puppy in my life, who at sixty pounds has carved out her exclusive piece of my heart.  But, it's also a tribute to the pups in your lives because in their own strange, compelling and all-knowing way they help you stay focused. They remind us every day how important love is in our lives. Without ever speaking a word they talk and listen to us all the time.

Wishing you a weekend of peace, love and time to scratch behind the ears of the dog in your life. (It's so strange - as I wrote that last sentence, Molly got up off her bed and came over and just looked at me, waited for me to scratch her back and said, "Finish up already - I need to go out!")

As always go for those eleven-second hugs with the people most special in your life and hug that puppy! You don't need to have an official therapy dog, that pup in your life already has an inherent ability to know when you need support

Happy Sunday everybody!

Note: A big thanks to Nicole Begley from "Hair of the Dog." Together with Terran Bayer, they taught an outstanding workshop on pet photography here in Sarasota this past winter and Molly got to model. The images, where credited, are all from students in their class who captured a few of my favorites. Check out more about Nicole and her workshops at her blog. It's loaded with great content and in the hierarchy of why people hire professional photographers in the portrait/social categories the order is brides, babies and pets! 

It's a typical Sunday morning. I'm working on this post, Sheila's still asleep and Molly is stretched out at my feet. The house is quiet except for the rolling thunder of a storm coming in. It was 6:40 am, and the sun was coming up. I don't usually grab a camera first thing, but the shot above is facing southwest, and the color was amazing, washing the entire neighborhood in the epitome of "sweet-light."  

I started this Sunday Morning Reflections series because it's one of my favorite times of the week. Sunday mornings are always quiet, and it's developed into a time to reflect on the past week. Mostly I do an inventory of the week's memories. Just a few minutes ago I closed my eyes and thought about the last few days.
​

• Shauna Gartz shared a Facebook post about a dream she had about Bill Hurter, past Editor-in-Chief of Rangefinder Magazine who passed away a couple of years ago. We all worked together, and her post brought out one memory after another as old friends responded with their thoughts.
• Earlier in the week, I tracked down Dick Roesler, an old friend from my Polaroid days. I have no idea why he was on my mind or Polaroid going back thirty years ago, but the conversation brought back a long series of smiles about funny moments from our past.
• I recorded a new episode of "Why?" on Friday with Andy Marcus, which will air tomorrow. Andy and I go back to my Hasselblad days, and the podcast got me thinking about everything from Dean Collins to film.
• Last but not least, I had a problem with our wifi and while on the phone with Tech Support at Frontier Communications there was a lot of waiting for the system to reboot. The Tech Rep was based in Rochester, and we started talking about Kodak. My relationship with them began when they were a powerhouse in the late 80's. In fact, if not for Kodak I never would have met some of my best industry friends.

​There's a quote I've shared before by Alfred Lord Tennyson, I am a part of all that I have met.  Well, the memories of this week clearly support that. Everybody we meet becomes a part of us and in turn, create the memories we learn from and cherish the most.

And I guess this brings me to my point this morning - take the time to appreciate your journey and your memories. Check your inventory regularly - don't let special moments slip by as time served, but learn to savor everything and everyone who comes into your life. 

As usual, I went searching for an appropriate quote and *poof* I was drawn to it immediately:

Why do we close our eyes when we pray, kiss or dream?
Because the most beautiful things in life aren't seen, but felt from the heart!
Author Unknown

Trust me for a second. Find a comfortable chair and close your eyes and think about the highlights of this past week. No matter how much intermittent stress there might have been, there were moments of brilliance where your soul had a chance just to soar.

We're an industry founded on helping people capture memories they can see and hold on to. However, like the quote I found, your power as an artist isn't really in your photographs. It's in those beautiful closed-eyes moments that tug at people's heartstrings, thanks to your skill set with a camera in your hands.

Wishing everybody an amazing Sunday with memory-making moments that make your heart skip a beat. Go for those eleven-second therapeutic hugs with the people most special to you, and take the time to appreciate the face in the mirror! Everything you do today is a foundation for something tomorrow.

Happy Sunday everybody!

It's one of those Sunday mornings when everything just seems right in the word. While I know that's not the case; there are times when we all need to search out that one place where we can enjoy the solitude of inner peace.

Okay, I get that I'm even more off track than usual for a Sunday morning, but I was having a hard time trying to figure out what to write about. My Sunday posts are ALWAYS live and off-the-cuff, and I stared at the wall in my office for a long time. Then, like a cartoon character with the lightbulb going off above my head, I decided to move to the back porch.

I not only found peace and solitude but the trickle of the water feature in the butterfly garden set against the sweet light of sunrise brought out the zebra longwing above. I had a camera close by for a grab shot. I had no goal in mind except to capture the moment and a new visitor.

And, in an odd way that brought me to my initial point, if you build it they will come. I had no idea the joy and sense of peace planting the butterfly garden would bring. We all live hectic, stressful lives, and for me, it's sometimes difficult not to get sucked into the day-in-day-out pressure of business.

The first year we planted the garden we got a couple of Monarchs right away, but it wasn't until this morning, a year later, I realized how much the garden had grown, and along with it, brought in lots of new "tenants." It all left me with the incredibly simple realization it just took time and patience.

We're all so impatient for the final results. We live in an instant fulfillment world and most of the time fail to appreciate our growth, or how life always proves true to one of my favorite mantras, everything works out for the better.

And, to my second point - we built the garden because we love butterflies, but I had no idea the sense of peace it would bring to our little corner of the world. We all need to step away from the pressures life throws at us. So, while you might not have a garden to melt the stress away, it's so important to find that one place that allows you to be alone with your thoughts, your dreams, and your goals.

So, at the risk of sounding like a hippie headed to Woodstock - wishing everybody a day filled with peace, love and plenty of smiles. Go for those eleven-second hugs with the people you care most about. Most important of all, take the time to give yourself a big pat on the back for all the growth you've gone through over the last year. 

​Happy Sunday everybody!

It's a typical Sunday morning. I got up at 6:30 and the house is quiet. It's one of my favorite times of day. I love this time to quietly reflect on my life or just this past week and appreciate the journey I'm on. 

Yesterday was one of those perfect days - I completely stepped away from business and enjoyed a day with my wife, Sheila. We did nothing remarkable except appreciate each other and the life we've made. It's so simplistic - we just hung out together.

A couple of days ago a good friend, Jared Burns, posted this stunning image of his wife, Beth. I first met Jared at Skip's Summer School many years ago, and the friendship grew.

Jared was part-time for many years and a year or two ago made the move to be a full-time photographer. Part of my inspiration this morning is all thanks to Beth and Jared and the strength of their relationship and the way they support each other.

But, typical of Sunday mornings, I'm all over the place and while this post started with things to think about if you're about to make the leap to a full-time photographer as Jared did, there's more to it. It's also about being happy and focused on what makes you smile.
  
Since starting my own business in 2009 and becoming responsible for my own destiny 24/7 versus working for other companies, I've learned a lot. Often the lessons have been thanks to so many of you, including Jared!

So, whether you're part-time and trying to decide to go full-time or you're already full-time and need to establish a stronger focus on your business, see if these suggestions make sense:

• If you're part-time, the challenge is to grow your business to a point where you can't afford NOT to quit your day job.
• Take your time! Don't be in a rush, especially if you've got a family. It's important to not underestimate the importance of the benefits of your day job, and that usually means health insurance.
• Do everything you can to keep building your skill set, even in specialties and techniques you think you'll never want to do. Build your skills to be as diverse as possible.
• Building a new business isn't just about a cute logo, the right location, and friends who believe in you. It's about building brand awareness. That means being involved in the community, giving back, networking with associates in photography, other retailers and the people you hope to target for your business.  
• Don't be afraid to share your fears with your spouse or that one singular friend we're hopefully all lucky enough to have in our life. You've got to have full transparency with each other to grow.
• Develop a strong network of support. Get rid of the "Negators" in your life. As a good buddy of mine used to say, "Dump all the Dr. No's" - you know the ones - they're the people who always tell you why something won't work.
• When it's right, you'll know it. Seriously, this is like falling in love. You'll know precisely when it's the right time to head off on the entrepreneurial highway.
  
• NEVER head off on any journey before you believe in yourself! This is where your network of support comes in and can help you build confidence.
• Last but not least, stay on track with the most important thing I've learned from my wife Sheila, and I'm betting Jared and Beth have learned from each other too, "To thine own self be true!"  I've written this before, you can't create images that tug at people's heartstrings if your own heart isn't in it." 

Wishing all of you a beautiful Sunday and time to relax and appreciate everything in your life. If you're tuning in late to my Sunday posts, I read an article many years ago in AARP Magazine - it talked about hugs being therapeutic when they last at least eleven-seconds. So, go for those long hugs with the people most special in your life. And, if I go back to the days when I was a kid, and NOTHING was open on Sunday - make it a day of quality time with family, friends, and filled with smiles!

Your smile is your logo, your personality is your business card,
how you leave others feeling after having an experience with you becomes your trademark.
Jay Danzie

Happy Sunday everybody!

It's Sunday morning, and I'm especially off-track, but with a topic so many of us can identify with. I woke up to another day of storms in Florida and the first tropical storm warning of the season. That got me thinking about the fear the media keeps creating and in turn how we all deal with anxiety in general.

Well, it's a Melody Beattie morning, and ironically she wrote about fear for today, May 27. If you want to read the whole meditation, you'll have to buy the book since I've only selected a couple of paragraphs.

It's time to stop punishing ourselves. Time to stop beating ourselves over the head with fear.

This is the scenario. A fear enters our mind. Our mind takes it and runs with it. Something bad is going to happen. Something terrible and traumatic is on the way. We quickly review the traumas of our past and make the determination. Yes, it is very possible that this devastating event will happen.

So we sit crouched in the present moment full of fear and dread. We worry the worst that could possibly happen, probably will. We begin to believe that it is most likely waiting at our doorstep, ready to pounce on us and steal our joy, our peace, our place and rhythm in the universe.

She expanded the concept more and then closed with:

Recognize and acknowledge your fear. Then release it. Let go of the energy. Stop punishing yourself. While life's seasons may not always be fair, they are trustworthy. And within each day, each moment of each season, there is a way of peace and joy.  Do not allow fear of what if to ruin the joy of what is.

And here's my point this morning.
 
An old friend from Peru, Mario Fernandez was here last night. I haven't seen Mario in over twenty years, going back to his days as owner/publisher of Foto Imagen magazine, then based out of Miami. It was a great visit as both of us wandered up and down Memory Lane and our ever-changing lives and careers. Over and again we shared stories of events, projects, accomplishments and adventures that never would have happened had we given into fear and not taken a risk here and there.
   
​Well, I'm a year older today, and with each birthday I find myself reflecting on how much my life keeps changing. Don't let fear slow you down. Appreciate that gut feeling you get, respect it, but don't let it drown you in a sea of regrets. Embrace change, embrace those new opportunities that come into your life, and most of all remember, if it weren't for change there'd be no butterflies!

Wishing everybody a beautiful Sunday, or Monday if you're on the other side of the world. Make it a day without fear and as Melody Beattie wrote, don't let anything ruin the joy of what is - this moment right now. Always go for those eleven-second hugs with the people most special in your life and appreciate the simplicity and the deafening silence of peace.

Happy Sunday everybody!

The trick is not how much pain you feel - but how much joy you feel.
Any idiot can feel pain.
Life is full of excuses to feel pain, excuses not to live, excuses, excuses, excuses.
Erica Jong

For several years now I've made it a point to run amuck on Sunday mornings and dive headfirst into any topic outside photography. It's getting harder and harder to find something to write about that's different from a thousand plus Sundays of the past. 

This past week I caught up with an old buddy who commented on how over all the years we've known each other I haven't changed. We laughed over a few of our past adventures, and as I sit here writing this morning, I'm thinking about whether or not I have changed.  

The truth is I've changed in a lot of ways. I've made mistakes; have regrets and have isolated moments where I wish specific things were different. However, the one core that drives everything I do is my ability to be an eternal optimist. Part of this is learned, but it's also in my genes.

I grew up with Grandmothers who loved expressions like, "Don't cry over spilled milk." "A stitch in time saves nine," "Every cloud has a silver lining," and the list goes on and on. My Dad, at the height of dealing with my mother's Alzheimer's once said, "I'm going to squeeze every drop of joy we have left and never let it go!"

And then there's my wife Sheila, who's known more pain than anybody I know. Twenty years ago she lost three brothers and her parents over a five year period. She was the one person in her family to have the strength to bury them all and still have a belief in life, God and the pure joy of just being alive. And that's a big piece of what I fell in love with - her zest for life.

When we put in our butterfly garden, we wanted a water feature, and that's the three monoliths in the photograph above. The feature is a memorial to her three brothers. That's "Alan" in the middle, "Wally" on the right and "Jimmy" on the left. It was my idea because while I never knew them, I know they're watching over us. As sad as it is to have lost them, it's a tribute to them and life.

So, here's my point this morning and Erica Jong said it best in the quote above, "Any idiot can feel pain." Just like me, you have a choice in your perspective about today and all your tomorrows. If you want to be miserable, it's your choice, but what a kick if you can teach yourself to wake up smiling every morning. Then, take whatever comes along, whether good or bad, as another component in a pretty amazing life...yours. And if you're buried in excess baggage from the past and at times feel like you can't get out of your own way, then remember one thing, "broken crayons still color!"

Wishing everybody a Sunday filled with joy and lots of color. Never miss an eleven-second therapeutic hug with people who are special in your life. As photographers, we all love the feel of a well-printed black and white photograph, but fortunately, life isn't black and white. Make today a day where you appreciate the love around you, the peace in your life and especially your power to change the world - even if it's only your tiny piece of it. That' where all the color is!

Happy Sunday everybody!

On Sunday mornings I always step away from photography and hit on something more personal. With today being Mother's Day, there's plenty of material to write about. At the same time, I've written about my mother on plenty of other occasions, so I've been sitting here thinking about how to make today's post different.

Well, here's where I want to go this morning.  Growing up I was always closer to my Dad than Mom. Mom was the disciplinarian in the family and Dad just wanted to be the good guy. As I got older, the gap widened and then at some point, well into adulthood, the relationship changed. My mother didn't have kids around and took care of Dad. The older I got, the more I appreciated their relationship.

We moved to Florida in 2011 to help Dad, who by then was taking care of Mom. She had Alzheimer's, and Dad was 89 - it was a lot to manage. Moving down here was the best thing in my life I've ever done, and it gave Sheila and me quality time with both of them. 

I remember going out with Dad for lunch one day after our meeting at the Thursday morning Caregiver Support Group at the Friendship Centers. We were quietly arguing over his need to take a break from caregiving, because he would not leave her side except for these short excursions. He ended the discussion with, 

"Look, your mother has taken care of me all these years. Now it's my turn to take care of her!"

As you get older, you see the world differently. You start to understand things you couldn't comprehend when you were younger. The older I got, the more I appreciated how much my mother and father were dedicated to each other, and yet still found time for their family. They built a life on love, honesty, and commitment. 

I'm not a rear-view mirror guy, and I rarely look back. However, I wish I had told my mother how much she meant to me. I wish I had taken the time BEFORE Alzheimer's to sit and talk with Mom more often. 

So, here's my point: Live your life with no regrets, especially where your mother is concerned. Take the time regularly to let her know how you feel about her. Life is full of surprises, not always good ones. Life is too short, and you don't want to be looking back saying, "I should have..." or as Sheila puts it, don't should on yourself.
 
For all you Moms out there, Happy Mother's Day. For most of you, you're the mortar that holds the bricks of your family together. You wear a long list of different hats as a mother, wife, friend, lover, business owner, photographer and the list goes on and on. No role compares with your never-ending commitment to motherhood!

Mothers hold their children's hands for a while, but their hearts forever.
Anonymous

Wishing you a day with no regrets, time with your family, time to be appreciated for everything you do and lots of love. Add a few more seconds onto those eleven-second therapeutic hugs and make today a memory-maker, especially for your Mom.

Happy Mother's Day!

Photo Credit: Cantrell Portrait Design

There are dreams of love, life, and adventure in all of us.
But we are sadly filled with reasons why we shouldn't try.
These reasons seem to protect us, but in truth they imprison us.
They hold life at a distance. Life will be over sooner than we think.
If we have bikes to ride and people to love, now is the time.
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

​Now and then I sit down to write on a Sunday morning, and I have no idea what I want to share. Well, this morning is one of those times where I started out without a topic but thinking back over recent events, it became obvious.

Being older than many of you, I've become acutely aware of my body slowing down. I don't feel any older except for my body creaking for ten minutes when I get up in the morning! At a time when so many of my friends are retired, I'm just having too much fun to slow down. There's that old line about if you love what you do you'll never work a day in your life. That's me! I love what I'm doing and the way our industry keeps creating new products and projects for me to sink my teeth into.

And, that brings me to my point this morning, age is just a number, and often it works both ways. I've met young photographers with so much passion and creativity their images grab me as if they're an old master. At the same time I've worked with people older than I am who look at each day as a gift and an opportunity to accomplish something new in their life.

The bottom line is that "age doesn't matter unless you're a cheese!" This is also the title of the book where I found this morning's quote. The authors, Kathryn and Ross Petras have bailed me out more than once on a Sunday morning.

Recently a new friend from Facebook commented on something I had written and asked me how I keep coming up with things to write about. I didn't have much to say except that at this point in my life, it's thanks to my readers, friends, and associates. My passion for this industry is about my love for what we do - help people capture memories, and I've shared hundreds of images over the years both personally and professionally that all lead to one point, and it's right there at the top of the page.

I consider author Jodi Picout's quote one of the very best about photographs. I've shared it numerous times before but put together with this image, it truly hits home.

A lot of families have some dynamic that's surprising and seems wrong. I have no idea how the issues in my family would rank because everything we feel and do is relative to our own heart and situation. The image above is of me walking with my son and his three boys. It's one of my most favorite family images, even though circumstances don't have us in each other's lives today. My grandmother used to say time heals all wounds, but I suppose that depends on whose watch you're wearing.

So, on this beautiful Sunday morning, I wish you the most special time with family and a day when any click of your shutter captures Jodi Picoult's sentiments about her love for photography. Photographs don't lie, even if they only capture love and joy for a heartbeat.

As always go for those eleven-second hugs today. Remind the people in your life how special they are and make it a day loaded with memories. Even a little memory has the chance to sprout and grow into something bigger and better down the road.

Image by Cantrell Portrait Design