Intro by Skip Cohen

It should be pretty obvious by now that I'm a Sallee fan and that includes both DeEtte and JB. Our friendship goes back a lot of years, but that's not the point of sharing this image and what DeEtte wrote below. 

First, there's no danger of that old expression, "the shoemaker's kids always need shoes" ever describing the Sallee's personal family photography. They put the same effort into their own family portraits they do with every client.

Second, I love what DeEtte wrote and wanted to share it beyond her Facebook page. She's as poignant in what she's written as she is creative with her and JB's images. There aren't too many photographers who can express themselves as well with a pen as they can with a camera.

So, congrats to DeEtte and JB; a big thanks for sharing the image and the news, and an even bigger thanks for never compromising on anything you believe in.

Intro by Skip Cohen

I've spent my entire life in the photographic industry. There's no other career field I can imagine I would have ever had the experiences and the pure joy every day than imaging. However, in this guest post from Joan Whitman Hoff, she hits on a topic I've seen come up over and again, and it ties into a major frustration.


We all have events in our lives that change our direction. Too often something changes in somebody's life and they need to step back from their "journey". Suddenly the grape vine cranks up, and the rumors start. I've seen rumors of companies going out of business because somebody puts out a message they're in trouble. I've had calls from people who heard mutual friends were ill because they've dropped some weight. I've even been asked if one photographer had a nervous breakdown because they'd gone off the grid for a few days. People assume the worst.


My frustration is the way people draw the wrong conclusions. It's a spin-off of my good pal, Joan Whitman Hoff's theme in this guest post. What I love about Joan's approach is her suggestion we all learn to take the high road and be better friends to everybody who falls and just needs a little help and time getting back up.


We're always talking about "giving back" and Joan's final suggestion is perfect for all of us. Let's take giving back to a new level and not just apply it to the charities and larger scale projects we support, but individuals who simply need help.

by Joan Whitman Hoff

A friend of mine once told me she wouldn’t mind being rich; but she didn’t want to be famous.  I have thought about this over the years and I understand what she meant.  Being rich enables us to live the life we choose; being famous doesn’t necessarily do so. 

Whether it is fame in the larger world or fame in the community of photography, it is clear the more we do, and the more we become leaders, the more accountable we are to others, and the world.  As leaders, people pay more attention to us and we become role models to them.  

Whether we are educators, photographers, marketing specialists, or an association or corporation, people expect great things from us, and rightfully so.  Yet, as humans, we make mistakes; as humans, things befall us.  Loved ones die, relationships end, illnesses threaten to take our lives, accidents occur, and all we can do is respond to those events in the best way possible.  

Unfortunately, during those times, we tend to judge and even abandon the ‘fallen’.  We take their ‘falls’ as a betrayal of what they promised and who they are, not being aware of their circumstances.   Instead of remaining vigilant and quiet - reminding ourselves that if we can’t say something good about someone, then it is better to say nothing at all - we abandon those who have taught us and shared their wisdom with us when they need our support the most.

Most people I know have endured some type of traumatic hardship, and some have had to dig themselves out from underground, peel themselves out of bed in the morning, and, once they do, wonder if they will make it through the day.  We might not know that, unless they share their stories with us, which I have found many people eventually do; so, perhaps we can find a way to suspend our judgment and view their uncharacteristic ‘fall’ as a call for help.  Maybe as good followers and students we can demonstrate what we have learned; not technique or aesthetic sensibility alone – but the qualities of a good leader… and not abandon ‘ship’. 

We don’t know what has occurred in another person’s life.  Unless that person tells us the details, we will never know the truth.  Even then, we might never know it fully.  So, if someone we have admired fails, let’s be good followers; let’s not ask more for what they can do for us.  Let’s ask what we can now do for them.  Maybe it can be our way of giving back to them what they have given to us.

Ever had a friend who may not have been around that long, but you can't remember when he/she wasn't in your life? Well, meet Levi Sim. He's a photographer, a writer, an educator, a Dad, husband and friend. If you've been to any major photographic show in the last few years, then you probably saw him in his signature fedora and always with a camera.

Levi redefines passion when it comes to imaging. In fact, the collage below is a collection of images by Levi, friends and family that I lifted off his Facebook page, because they really help show who he is. In fact, if you were at the Bay Photo party at WPPI, then you caught Levi capturing his trademark "Steve Jobs" pose of many of the guests that night. He even got me to stand still at the party. 

He's got an interesting point about Facebook in today's guest post.  Levi is a great photographer to follow and the easiest way to keep track of him is just link to his Facebook page. And, if you're at a conference or trade show and catch him on the floor, just walk up and introduce yourself. There's isn't a more approachable artist in the industry.

by Levi Sim

Do you know what I love? Photography conferences. They are the best place to meet like-minded people and make
new friends. For example, I'm really looking forward to Photoshop World in a few weeks where I'll not only meet
new people, but I'll also meet up with my pals from around the world. It's awesome, and I'll do everything I can to 
reaffirm relationships with people and companies. 

But do you know what I won't do? I won't ask any of my industry friends to "like" my Facebook page, and you 
shouldn't, either.

Photographers Cost Me Money on Facebook

Facebook can be beneficial for small businesses. Most photographers I know have a business page on Facebook--which is good since clients probably hang out on Facebook-- and most have invited me to "like" it. I understand this-I want my photography peers to see my work, too, and my Facebook page might be a good place to share my latest 
work. But it costs me money to have photographers "like" my page.

Facebook is paid for by advertisers, and one catch is that only a certain percentage of your business page audience 
will see a post unless you pay for promotion;I think it's as little as 6% will even see it in their time lines. If you're paying for exposure, you want results by reaching your clients (you know, those people who will give you 
money to do your work). Chances are, photographers aren't your potential clients, but they are a part of the 
impressions you paid to make.

Facebook doesn't distinguish who your post will reach: impressions are impressions. I love to have kudos from my 
industry friends, but I'm not willing to pay for that privilege, and I don't think you should, either. If you want to spend money on photographers, buy them lunch instead.

See you on Instagram. 

Intro by Skip Cohen

This guest post is a testimonial to two different realities. 

First, the power of social media. Chris Corradino and I met on line, then via the phone and now several times over the last couple of years, we've caught up to each other at various trade shows and conventions, usually PPE in New York.  He's a passionate photographer, writer and educator. In fact, he wrote a great guest post on mirrorless technology last year.

Second is that old expression, "great minds think alike." In a podcast with Mary Ellen Mark, who the industry lost just a short time ago, she talked about making her students cover up the display on their digital cameras. Why? Because so often they're looking to chimp and think they got the shot. However, the real image, the one with all the power may not have happened yet. It's the whole reason why she loved shooting analog vs digital. As she put it, when you don't know if you got the shot you stay with the scene longer.

Interested in keep track of Chris? He needs to be on your radar. Here's a link to his most recent newsletter  which is where I found the great little tip below.  You'll find a lot more helpful content on his website.

Featured Tip: Study the Subject not the Camera


I see a number of photographers who prepare well, do their research, and get in the right place at the right time only to miss the shot. Why? They got distracted and took their eye away from the viewfinder while their subject proceeded to do something amazing. This is most often a product of fixating on the LCD screen. While it's helpful to immediately see your results, be sure to watch the scene in front of you. By remaining present you'll be ready to capture the decisive moment.

Intro by Skip Cohen

This is a prime example of the fun of social media - making the world a smaller place. Just a few months ago French photographer, Pierre Lambert contacted me on an IM and we talked about ShutterFest. I asked him if he wanted to do a guest post. I love what he wrote. 

I've been involved in Shutter Magazine and ShutterFest from the very beginning and what Sal and Taylor Cincotta and their team built is far more than just a great magazine and convention. They built a community! They even created a troll-less Facebook group where photographers help each other and aren't afraid to share ideas on marketing, technique and ways to grow their business.

ShutterFest 2016 is going to be pretty remarkable. As the team adds more great programs and components, it's becoming one of the most attendee-centric conventions in photography!

See you in St. Louis in 2016...along with Pierre...and check out Pierre's site for more images and information about his photography in Europe.

by Pierre T. Lambert

Traveling has always been exciting to me and even more when it is for photography. 

About a year ago I fell into Sal Cincotta’s vortex after watching one of his Creative Live classes. Whether you like what he does or not, it is difficult to stay indifferent to him. In my case I really appreciated his very direct way of speaking. From there I discovered Shutter Magazine, attended one of his workshops in London and starting hearing about “ShutterFest”. 

All the way to Paris that event sounded really intriguing.  They advertised that it was going to be like no other conference. The fact that there would be a lot of shooting involved & classes to attend made it really appealing to me, eager to learn more. So there I was getting a ticket months in advance, (which was really cheap at the time for Europeans with the exchange rate).but not totally sure I would actually be going.

Since I had my ticket, I joined the ShutterFest Facebook group and then my mind was blown away… the community of people in this group was incredible! So many people were asking sound questions about every aspect of photography (business, technique…) and people were helping each other. In this little world of photographers there were actually people not trying to keep their success a secret recipe!

The event has become THE event for photography. So much so, that I ended up extending my trip to shoot, visit friends in LA & Chicago and even discover Vegas. I was also one of the first two photographers to come from Europe, one from Germany & me from France.

The event started blowing my mind as soon as I arrived.  Photographers were already shooting with models everywhere and the event hadn’t officially started.  People were coming from everywhere in the US, which surprised me, being European. I know how big the US really is. I mean if you were coming from California all the way to Saint Louis it was further than going from Paris to the other end of Europe in Istanbul.

It was incredible being able to actually meet in person, photographers who I had only known through social media in the Facebook group. Apparently people could tell from my accent that I was from France and it ended up creating a lot of fun situations.

To improve your skills and propose different things to your clients you have to step out of your comfort zone, learn more and be open to new experiences. ShutterFest was amazing in making that happen. Seeing what happens on the other side of the Atlantic was great. I've taken some ideas and brought them home to my own market.  

Education at the event was remarkable and what was even better was seeing the instructors having as much fun as the “students," often shooting outside of their classes with other photographers. I keep thinking how amazing that would be to have the event held in Paris and all the crazy shots that would come out of it.

What really impressed me was seeing all those models at the event, allowing the photographers to be super creative. It was like a giant amusement park for photographers: renting lenses for free, shooting taking place everywhere, instructors and experienced photographers helping out others and quality vendors to make your life better.

What Sal’s small team (8 people) pulled together is incredible. I've never experienced this sense of community and support to one another on this scale before. And, from some of the veterans I met, they confirmed my feelings. 

It was a long trip from Paris, but without regret I can say this was worth every cent. I came out of it with new photographer friends, killer shots, new techniques and more knowledge. I'll be there next year! 

By the way, just a side bar on the differences in our markets: One big thing I noticed is the huge discrepancy between the US market for weddings and the market in France - the average in the US is $24,000 spent overall on the wedding compared to the 12K euros ($13,000) here. 

I can't wait for the 2016 convention - See you at ShutterFest next April!