 Faith...is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see. Unknown by Skip Cohen While it might seem like a strange post this morning, it's right in line with what I'm feeling after coming off of a terrific long weekend. We all know how to hold focus with a camera in our hands, but what about staying focused on our hopes and dreams? The world is upside down. The quote above is framed and on a wall in our home. While I see it several times every day, that doesn't mean it always sinks in. Blind optimism used to be enough to get me through the craziness of the world, but today, it takes work. The bottom line? I can't fix the world, but I can do my best with my little piece of it and the dreams and hopes I have for myself and my own family. And if each of us focuses on making our little piece of the world better, the big picture might get a little brighter too. It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.
John Wooden
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 While it may seem small, the ripple effect of small things is extraordinary. Matt Bevin  by Skip Cohen Remember, it's Sunday, and I never talk about business when writing Reflections! It's my time to share and remind you about something entirely outside the daily stress of being a business owner. Today's subject is a perfect example. There's a small porch off my home office, and it's ideal for anything that grows with minimal attention and high heat. I'm not sure why the original owners added it to the house because it's enclosed on all sides without any cross-ventilation. At least eight months out of the year, it's too hot to be on. That's where Sheila decided to put a few cactuses...and she was right! This week, my own private desert came into bloom. In all my travels over the years, I've never caught the desert in bloom. But having a few cacti in the family has given me a front-row seat to what it must be like. (And while I did give the image above one little tweak in Luminar, it was just to play with the background.) As I've gotten older, it's the little things I appreciate more and more every day. Looking out the window yesterday and seeing a cactus flower made me smile. The color, the irony of something that beautiful, which has pretty much been ignored of any care, including water or even fertilizer, is a mini-miracle. There's so much we take for granted and miss! We walk right by all the little things because we're too busy and stressed to notice. After all, how can you take time to appreciate a flower blooming when the world is falling apart? If you look at the big picture, you start losing your focus on the little things. Julius Randle There are so many little things in my life that give me joy...my day starts with Sheila and I getting up together and taking care of the pups...we take them out, get them brushed, and then they get a treat to start the day. Later, Sheila and I have breakfast together - almost always avocado toast with an egg over the top. Meanwhile, the house is always filled with music, and you can never predict what's going to be playing - starting the day with Spa Radio and finishing it with Chris Stapleton, Little Big Town, Ed Sheeran, CSN, or some other random artist, usually from the past. Here's my point - pay attention to the little things that make you smile. On the toughest of days, there are always little things that add to your life and give it that extra seasoning, just like the spices you put on a steak before you throw it on the grill. Looking for a little respite from the big pressures in your life? Take the time to notice all the little things - they'll become magical. Wishing everybody a terrific day ahead. If you're in the US, it's Memorial Day weekend and most of you have the Monday holiday to kick back and enjoy all the little things together with the big ones in your life. Go for those eleven-second therapeutic hugs I always write about...they're little things that have big meaning because they're reserved for those people most special! Happy Sunday...or Monday on the other side of the world. Find magic in the little things, and the big things you always expected will start to show up.
Isa Zapata  This is what I like about photographs. They're proof that once, even if just for a heartbeat, everything was perfect. Jodie Picoult by Skip Cohen
As I sat down to search for material for my favorite day of the week, Throwback Thursday, my good buddy Nick Vedros came up in my Facebook notifications because it's his birthday today. Nick shared the shots above in 2010 and 2011. Well, they deserve to be shared again. The big shot on the right is Nick and Dean Collins...Nick and Dean were the very best of friends, and the "Nicky, Nicky, Nicky" line was Dean's way of greeting Nick whenever he saw him. It included a long sigh and Dean shaking his head in recognition of the greatest practical joke ever pulled, in this case, Nick on Dean. It wasn't until years later I learned the backstory. (Sorry, it's "R" rated, but just trust me, it was a classic.) The two smaller pictures are from the Blue Man Group in NYC one night in the 90s. Nick invited me to join them, and it's one of my favorite memories. And now that the Blue Man Group is no longer playing, it's become an even greater classic. But today's post isn't just about my own fun walk down Memory Lane. It's about great friendships, the ones that stand the test of time, even when some of the friends have passed. Dean passed away twenty years ago this past February. At least a few times a month, I think about our friendship and how much I miss catching up with him. Over the years, I've promised to stop using that quote by Jodie Picoult, but it's the best one ever shared about throwback photographs. And to the birthday boy himself today...Nick buddy, you've enriched my life and created your own unique chapter of adventures. I'm a better photographer for having hung out with you at so many events. And being on the road with you was always a kick! From a friendship I cherish, to all the laughs, and pride I have at being able to say, "Yeah, I know Vedro," what a trip it continues to be! At least thirty years ago, Nick was doing a program somewhere around Phoenix. In the back of the room, the legendary Don Blair was listening and furiously taking notes. Most of you never knew Don, but he was one of the finest portrait artists in the world. At that point, he had taught hundreds, if not thousands, of classes focusing on lighting and posing. "What are you doing? You know all this stuff," I asked. Don just shook his head and said, "Are you kidding me? This guy is unbelievable and I have all these new ideas I want to try!' So, from Don Blair to knuckleheads like me, other friends, and thousands of artists and photographers, Nick, you've been an influence. From your creativity to the way you prioritize friendships and everything in between, the industry is better today because you're in it! Happy Birthday, Buddy!  At the end it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished. It’s about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better. It’s about what you’ve given back. Denzel Washington  by Skip Cohen
In any business today, you need to stay focused on everything you can do to break through the noise and chaos in everyone's lives. One of the best ways to stay on your target audience's radar is to be involved in your community. Jay Conrad Levinson, better known as the father of Guerrilla Marketing, in a presentation I attended many years ago, listed "being involved in your community" as one of the top 100 things guerrilla marketers needed to do, and for a good reason. Simply put, people like to do business with companies they perceive as giving back. If you want your community to be good to you, you have to be good to your community. Spring seasonality is coming to a close next month, but that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of business opportunities all summer and right into year-end. But you need to keep being noticed as more than just a talented artist. You want to be perceived as somebody who gives back to the community. From local events to national nonprofits, every community has an organization that needs help! The best thing about help is that it can be defined in so many different ways—from financial support to your skills to just jumping in as a "worker-bee."
None of what I'm sharing today is a new topic to share on the SCU blog. No act of support is too small—the key is being involved. I'm not sure there's anything more rewarding or powerful in building your brand. You want to be recognized in your community as a person/company who believes in giving back and can walk the talk!  Happiness is finding joy wherever you can. Unknown by Skip Cohen In the last few months, if you've followed me for even the shortest time, you've probably noticed me writing more about my work supporting Alzheimer's patients and their caregivers. Having lost so many family members to the disease, it's a topic near and dear to my heart. It's Sunday, and Reflections is consistently about something other than business and, most of the time, more personal than my regular posts. Well, when I read the quote above, all I could think about was a comment my Dad made when dealing with my mother's last couple of years with Alzheimer's. "I'm going to hang onto every moment of joy we get, squeeze the damn juice out of it, bottle it, and save it for the bad days." And Dad did just that...he hung on to every moment where, as we used to describe it, the sun came out from behind the clouds, when my mother was back to being herself, even if just for a few minutes. He was angry, frustrated, and sad so often - he was losing his best girl after 60+ years, and there was nothing he could do to slow things down. Fast forward twelve years later, and technology is slowly catching up on the disease. There are treatments now available that, if Alzheimer's is caught early enough, they slow it down. There's no cure, but there is a giant speed bump being created by infusion drugs like Kisunla. As a result, the word "hope" is becoming a part of the Alzheimer's vocabulary. And along with hope, joy is a little less elusive. And there's my point—it's an expression we've all heard so many times over the years: life is only what you make it. You can complain that roses have thorns or rejoice that thorns have roses. It's all in your perspective. In spite of the chaos in the world and the insanity of what we read, hear, and see happening, the quality of your life is still mostly dependent on you. Wishing everybody a day ahead filled with joy, smiles, and time with family and friends you love the most. For us, we've got good friends coming over for this afternoon, and I'm already anticipating that wonderful ache you get in your gut from laughing too much. Don't forget those eleven-second hugs with the people most important to you—they're the ones that help you keep things in perspective and focus on joy. And to my best buddy and wife, Sheila, who helps me stay focused on the joy in our lives... Everything changed the day he figured out
there was exactly enough time for the important things in his life. The Story People  by Skip Cohen Suggestion: To get in the mood for this throwback, hit play on the YouTube link below before you read today's post...and turn up the volume. It's Throwback Thursday, my favorite day of the week. This is a different kind of throwback post. It's not a photo throwback but audio together with a sampler collection of items as I turn back the clock. It started with "Alexa." We've got several of them in the house. As a result, music is always playing, and yesterday, I felt like turning back the clock. "Alexa, play Crosby, Stills and Nash!" For the rest of the afternoon, she played nothing but their songs. CSN appeared on the music scene with their first album in 1969. Yeah, I'm an old fart, but this is classic, and the fun of Throwback Thursday is the way throwbacks take you on a trip back down Memory Lane. For a stretch yesterday, I found myself thinking back to the 70s. I started with my wardrobe of platform shoes and bell bottoms to my afro and wide-collared shirts. Then came other artists like Richie Havens, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, and Iron Butterfly---there was no stopping the memories. As I was writing today's post I started thinking about food and drinks. Whatever happened to Cold Duck, Harvey Wallbangers, and a Tequilla Sunrises? A Big Mac with fries was under a dollar! A large pizza was under $5.00 at Pizza Hut. Fondue was the hot dish, and everybody had a fondue pot. The list goes on and on. There's a quote from Alfred Lord Tennyson that I've shared many times: "I am a part of all that I have met." Well, think back on your own trip down Memory Lane and all those little experiences that added to your life back whenever—not the big events, but the little things that are like the seasoning that goes into a good meal. Happy Throwback Thursday! PS And for all you old farts - feel free to add any classic memories that I missed.  A.I. image from Adobe Stock The death rate for people who play it safe and for people who live boldly is the same: 100% Patti Dighi Seriousness is overrated. If you want to achieve more without runing your life, the first step is to approach your work with a sense of play. Ali Abdaaf by Skip Cohen It's Hump Day, and whatever I post, I like to keep it short. I ran across the two quotes above this morning, and they hit on a topic I've tried to live by for most of my adult life. Remember, I'm still a work in progress, so I haven't always gotten it right. When I look back on different aspects of my career, the most significant and rewarding jobs/projects have always had an element of work-hard-play-hard. From those jobs have come incredible friendships and a network build on trust with some amazing people. The only thing I'll add to the sentiment of the two quotes today, is that there are so many of you whom I've met and talked with who are simply over-focused on the challenges in life. As I've written before, you can't create images that tug at people's heartstrings if your own heart isn't totally in it! I'm not suggesting you take anything too lightly - but now and then, ease up a little and focus on what YOU need. What puts a smile on your face and makes your heart soar, even just a little bit? Who are the people in your life you wish you connected with more often? Who gets those eleven-second hugs I always write about on Sundays? Happy Hump Day...and here's one more thought that ties in with today's theme... You were born an original. Don't die a copy.
John Mason  "Do not listen with the intent to reply, but with the intent to understand." Anonymous  by Skip Cohen
I started this series with the hope that these ideas would help you break through the marketing chaos. Think about all the noise in our lives and how much we ignore before a business finally gets our attention. This is the fifteenth chapter in the series, and it's so appropriate for the potential sales activity in the market, especially this time of year. Part of the excitement of seasonality is that it opens the door for new clients. However, converting a potential client into a loyal customer takes skills beyond the quality of your work, pricing, and diversity of your skills. Success is about relationship building, and a key component is truly listening to your clients. One of the top complaints of new couples after the wedding is that often; the photographer doesn't meet their mindset with the finished photographs, video, and album. And the reason most often relates to listening skills. So, here are a few suggestions:
Your strongest marketing tools, which I've written about before, are building trust and relationships. This applies to every specialty within photography, including commercial, boudoir, family, children, maternity, and the list goes on and on. It all starts with your listening skills!  "Mother's hold their children's hands for awhile, but their hearts forever! Anonymous by Skip Cohen
There's something that happens as you get older, and holidays like Mother's Day come up on the calendar long after your mother has passed away. We lost my mother in 2013 after a seven-year battle with Alzheimer's. The older I get, the more I appreciate things I learned from my her and the more I cherish Mom's humor, her incredible style, and love for my Dad and our family. There are so many memories. Mother's Day is no longer sad. It's not so much about missing her, but a time that's more of a tribute. It's a long walk down Memory Lane, and looking back with plenty of smiles and a whole lot of love. Mom lost the battle with Alzheimer's, but even near the end, she still had moments when everything came together. I remember getting over to hospice early one morning by myself, two days before she passed away. I walked in and said, "Hey, Mom, you look great today!" Her response was, "Why shouldn't I?" Sheila and I are blessed living in Florida, and it's all thanks to Mom. In October 2011, Sheila could take early retirement from her job, and I could go anywhere I had a computer. My Dad was 89 and needed help. So, for the first time since I graduated high school, I was able to live close to my folks. It's become one of the very best decisions we've ever made. And while Alzheimer's took Mom from us, she became the stimulus and foundation for projects I'm working on today. Working with the Memory Care Clinic, we recently held the first Memory Care Pioneers get-together. We had 120 people in attendance. The core group of attendees were Alzheimer's patients on the new infusion treatments, and they were there with their caregivers to celebrate HOPE. "Hope" is a word that's never been in the Alzheimer's vocabulary. (I wrote about the event in early April--here's the link.) To all of you Moms out there who inspire all of us, Happy Mother's Day and thank you for your service. And to my own Mother...I miss you, Mom. We talk about you all the time. I think about you most often when I'm cooking, and over the years, Sheila's heard story after story of things I learned from you—even the tough lessons. Knowing how much you loved a view of the water, any water, you're in our hearts any time we're near the ocean. Wishing all of you a terrific day ahead. Send your Mom a virtual hug if she's outside your house, and if she's with you right now, cherish her presence. Then, go for one of those good old eleven-second hugs I always write about. Happy Mother's Day!  by Skip Cohen It's been a crazy week regarding special projects, eating up the clock, and finding time to post. It was so busy that I even missed my favorite day of the week...Throwback Thursday. I'm writing today as a reminder that we're down to the wire, and if you missed doing anything for the first "race in the trifecta," Mother's Day in the US this weekend, you've still got graduation and Father's Day over the next five weeks! Too many of you still consider active marketing something you only need to do when business is slow. You procrastinate and wait for your ship to come in, but when it does, you find yourself at the airport! I'm here to remind you that it's time to wake up and aggressively go after Spring Seasonality!  I use a lot of Adobe Stock photography, especially when trying to illustrate a point. So, I went to my download library and pulled four favorites from the archives. Each image makes a point. If you missed promoting your services and products for Mother's Day, crank up the volume and aggressively target family/graduate portraiture and Dad's for Father's Day. Based on the clock ticking down, I'd go after Father's Day, which is five weeks away. Think about it—most dads are missing an updated family portrait. Even more apparent is the target buyer—it's MOM! Women make 98% of the purchase decisions to hire a professional photographer in the portrait/social category. Plus, for most families with young children, Mom makes the choice regarding "What should we get Dad for Father's Day?"
Here's the bottom line today - This year has enormous potential, even in these bizarre times, and you're in a service minimally impacted by tariffs and politics. Don't miss the opportunity to finish the year feeling like the two kids below!    “Give them quality. That’s the best kind of advertising” Milton Hershey by Skip Cohen Ever think about the impression you make when a potential client walks through the door...of your website? A future client wandering through cyberspace is like shopping for your mother's birthday present. You know you need to get her something, but you don't know what. The solution is to wander through the stores in the mall looking for ideas. So many of you don't realize your website is one of those stores. In the United States, an estimated 273 million people, or about 80.4% of the population, shop online.This number is projected to increase to almost 289.91 million by 2027. (Google A.I.) When people come to your site, are they walking through Nordstroms, where everything is easy to find and nicely displayed, or is your site the equivalent of Macy's the day after Christmas? Your website needs to be an experience and have a look and feel that connects with the shopper. Fine-Tuning Your Website |
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*Quote by Janet Dailey
by Skip Cohen
As we added more plants to our butterfly garden yesterday, I knew exactly what I wanted to share this morning. Remember, on Sundays, I always jump the tracks and wander miles away from business and marketing topics. It's my time to get a little more personal.
We've all had to deal with loss; whether it's family or friends, it's all part of life. Twenty-eight years ago, my wife lost two brothers in a car accident. Thirty days later, she lost another brother in a road rage incident in Chandler, Arizona. When we built the butterfly garden eight years ago, three monoliths were added to the water feature. It occurred to me that it was a perfect memorial to her three brothers. They were all killed before I came into the family, but that doesn't change feeling like I knew and loved them, thanks to Sheila's stories.
Almost three years ago, she lost another brother, and last fall, "Uncle" Randy, her last living brother, died of a brain aneurysm. She went off in search of a fitting addition to the garden and found it at Toscano, a sculpture manufacturer. Adding the two boys completed the garden, but nature had one more surprise for us.
That's "Randy" lying down in the back. For the last two weeks, we've had monarch butterflies throughout the backyard, all attracted to the Stuckeys-like big buffet of a few dozen milkweed plants. While the caterpillars continue to feast, it's a never-ending cycle of finding a new chrysalis almost every day. Last night, Sheila spotted a new one hanging from "Randy's" ear.
The garden isn't as lush as it will be in a few more weeks, but it's lush with memories, love, and peace. I found an appropriate plaque online that says it all:
As we added more plants to our butterfly garden yesterday, I knew exactly what I wanted to share this morning. Remember, on Sundays, I always jump the tracks and wander miles away from business and marketing topics. It's my time to get a little more personal.
We've all had to deal with loss; whether it's family or friends, it's all part of life. Twenty-eight years ago, my wife lost two brothers in a car accident. Thirty days later, she lost another brother in a road rage incident in Chandler, Arizona. When we built the butterfly garden eight years ago, three monoliths were added to the water feature. It occurred to me that it was a perfect memorial to her three brothers. They were all killed before I came into the family, but that doesn't change feeling like I knew and loved them, thanks to Sheila's stories.
Almost three years ago, she lost another brother, and last fall, "Uncle" Randy, her last living brother, died of a brain aneurysm. She went off in search of a fitting addition to the garden and found it at Toscano, a sculpture manufacturer. Adding the two boys completed the garden, but nature had one more surprise for us.
That's "Randy" lying down in the back. For the last two weeks, we've had monarch butterflies throughout the backyard, all attracted to the Stuckeys-like big buffet of a few dozen milkweed plants. While the caterpillars continue to feast, it's a never-ending cycle of finding a new chrysalis almost every day. Last night, Sheila spotted a new one hanging from "Randy's" ear.
The garden isn't as lush as it will be in a few more weeks, but it's lush with memories, love, and peace. I found an appropriate plaque online that says it all:
Those we love don't go away. They walk beside us every day.
Unseen, unheard, but always near, still loved, still missed, and always dear.
Unseen, unheard, but always near, still loved, still missed, and always dear.
Having a garden like this has become a true labor of love for both of us. It's far more than just about butterflies; it's about turning the challenges of life we both share into something filled with color and beauty. And while the only brother-in-law I ever knew was Randy, it doesn't change my love for the energy of their spirits, thanks to photographs and Sheila's stories. As each new flower blooms, it's another visual tribute.
Wishing everybody a Happy Easter and a day filled with peace, love and new memories to add to your stash to cherish in the future. It's a day for those eleven-second therapeutic hugs I always write about, and in the process of a long hug, think about how much richer your life is thanks to the person you've got your arms around!
Happy Sunday...or Monday on the other side of the world.
Wishing everybody a Happy Easter and a day filled with peace, love and new memories to add to your stash to cherish in the future. It's a day for those eleven-second therapeutic hugs I always write about, and in the process of a long hug, think about how much richer your life is thanks to the person you've got your arms around!
Happy Sunday...or Monday on the other side of the world.
Butterflies are nature’s angels. They remind us what a gift it is to be alive.
Robyn Nola
Robyn Nola
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