Let's call "losing" what we're all feeling with today's challenges and everything outside our control. Although I'm hearing some excellent stories about things coming back, business pretty much disappeared for the last few months. 

All of us went into the new year with the usual optimism, anticipating a year of growth for the business, new friendships, and opportunities to expand our networks. WPPI in February was the last live conference any of us would attend for a long time. Like deer caught in your headlights, we simply didn't know what to do!

Here's the critical issue - it's entirely appropriate to be frustrated over everything that's happened. It's been a constant emotional energy drain, but what's wrong is giving up. It's mid-September, and we're about to go into the seasonality of the fourth quarter. You don't have time to be gun shy in today's environment.

Here's are some ideas to start thinking about:

• Call your lab - It's an easy question - just ask, "What's new?" Think about products that are unique for your clients.
• Use your blog - Without being over the top hard-sell, start writing about gift ideas for this holiday season. Obviously, you're going to talk about different things you can do with photographs.
• More than a portrait - Everyone is online these days because it's the best way to keep in touch. It's the perfect time to suggest video holiday cards, combining video, still images, and great music. All of you have the skill set to offer a product/service like this to your clients.
• Stay in touch - We're all hunkered down, but that doesn't mean you can't pick up the phone and talk to your clients. Use the phone, email, and Facebook to keep in touch. You've got to maintain top-of-mind awareness with your customers.
• Grow your skill set - now is the time to expand your skills into new areas to create new products and services to offer your target audience.
• The kids haven't stopped growing - just because everyone is exercising physical distancing and wearing a mask doesn't mean the kids have stopped growing. Remind Mom that it's time for a new family portrait, and you're capable of doing whatever people are comfortable with in terms of their safety and yours.

Last but not least, do what you need to feed your own heart and soul. Take this weekend and be a slug, if that's what you need. Build up a little energy to tackle a more positive attitude. Pick up the phone and call a good buddy. Get involved in your favorite forum on Facebook with other photographers. Look for partnerships to promote multiple products, like a photographer and florist working together this holiday season. 

I'm not suggesting it's going to be easy, and this isn't about me being one of the industry cheerleaders. Business will come back, and as long as it might take, people are still in need of your help in capturing memories and sharing them!
​

Good things come to those who believe.
Better things come to those who are patient,
and the best things come to those who don't give up.
Author Unknown

by Skip Cohen

Not to suggest my usual throwbacks aren't qualified, but there's a difference when you're turning back the clock in your life versus 150 years ago!  

This print is from some time around 1870. It's my wife's great grandparents. Sheila's grandmother was a full-blooded Cherokee, and I shared her portrait in a blog post several years ago. What's interesting about this image is what was printed on the back:

"Milton Baker & Indian wife - Martha Tredway father."

The Indian wife's name was Kitty Gentry, and Martha Tredway was her daughter and Sheila's grandmother. Whoever wrote on the back of the print chose not to even mention Kitty's name! But there's more to the backstory.  In later years, there was a fight between family members over how to spell "Tredway" or "Treadway." As the story goes, "Supposedly Grandma Martha has no headstone because the family couldn't agree on spelling their last name. But I'm guessing it was because they were too cheap!" 

​The print we have is about two inches square and was probably copied from the original, but technology is a kick. The scan came out exceptionally good with a minor tweak for sharpness in Luminar.

I've always been a fan of Throwback Thursday, but these days, looking at old photographs has become even more important to me because of the pandemic. Old photos underscore the importance of telling stories and being able to appreciate that occasional look in your rearview mirror. 

It also hits hard on the responsibility you have to your clients to never compromise on an image's quality. Think about your work today and how it's going to be shared years after you're gone, or for that matter, the subject you photographed is gone. For example, Tim and Beverly Walden don't just create stunning portraits, but family heirlooms that right from the beginning are meant to be so outstanding that they're handed down from generation to generation.

Quality in a service or product is not what you put into it.
It's what a customer gets out of it.
Peter Drucker

Take the time today and wander through your old photographs. Then share them on your blog. They're the perfect marketing tool to remind your audience that it's time for a new family portrait! Just because they're hunkered down, doesn't mean the kids have stopped growing!

​Happy Throwback Thursday!

by Skip Cohen

Each month, thanks to support from Tamron USA, Chamira Young and I have introduced you to another great "chef" from the Tamron kitchen. The idea started as a way to share images, insight into creativity, all while using some of the finest lenses in imaging. Well, the photographs have been outstanding, but even more impressive has been the conversations with the artists themselves - how they got started, their challenges, and especially relevant today: how they're keeping their passion alive through the restrictions of the pandemic.

Just for a second, think about your most favorite restaurants from where you order a pizza to the most sophisticated place you might dine for a special occasion. Each one has a kitchen with a head chef, and each chef has something they've become known for in the flavors and selections offered on the menu.

Now think about the role the artist plays in capturing and creating each image you enjoy. Each artist is a chef.  Their style is a combination of how well they've learned the basics combined with their interpretation of the scene they're about to capture. 
 
Ian Jones joins us in the Tamron Kitchen this month, and he's a chef with a focus on lifestyle, family, and whatever his client's need. He's a listener, working hard to meet their mindset.  

I've had a lot of fun in the Tamron Recipes series finding quotes that seem to match some aspect of each guest chef's personality. Ian's quote is based on conversations from our phone conversations and his podcast airing next Tuesday. 

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did,
but people will never forget how you made them feel."
Maya Angelou

About "Chef" Ian:  There's a line from his About page that pretty much says it all, "I love creating powerful imagery, using relentless dedication and passion to bring your ideas to life."  

The key words there are relentless dedication and passion. Ian's a DIY guy, and although I'm sure he's followed a few of his favorite icons, he's stayed true to practicing his craft, his own way, until he gets the results he wants. It seems like a bad pun to use the word "focus," but there isn't a better one to describe his ability to hone in on a way he wants an image to tell a specific story.

Take the time to visit Chef Ian's website. Right from the beginning, you'll notice a lot of diversity - from food to cars, and even people on the street. And you'll find him on Instagram with even more variety to where he's focused his camera.
 
About the Image: When we first picked this image of Ian's, I thought it was captured from behind a window pane. I was surprised to hear he got right into interacting with the kids on this family shoot.

Ian wrote: This was one of my favorite images at the time. It was right after doing a family shoot and the kids were starting to get restless and they had all been waiting to jump into the pool. I figured they would be jumping and having a blast after being told to "smile!" and "look over here!" for an hour, haha.

I quickly changed from the Tamron 28-75 to the 17-28. I got down really close to the pool and had the kids jump in. The girl you see in the photo was having a ton of fun trying to get me wet. This made for a handful of great images. I usually put my camera places that put it in danger, but if i end up getting a shot, to me it's worth it. 

Note: No gear, Sony or Tamron were harmed during the capture of this image! LOL - Ian dried everything off immediately.

As one of Imaging's finest manufacturers, ​Tamron never slows down on raising the bar on the quality of their optics. Quite simply, they make outstanding glass! But their reputation goes a lot deeper than just technology. They're a leader in supporting the photographic community and one of the industry's most favorite suppliers. 

The pandemic has created plenty of challenges when it comes to workshops and conventions, but that hasn't stopped Tamron from maintaining support for artists in cyberspace! Plus, check out their listing of local events being held this fall, all within the guidelines of safety and physical distancing.

​Tamron's website is loaded with outstanding content, as well as their YouTube channel. And their tech team is regularly teaching online with workshops supported by Tamron retailers all over the country. 
 
Click on the banner below for information on their current promotion. It features eleven different outstanding focal lengths to help you expand your creativity. In the almost 200-year history of photography, you've never had more creative tools to work with, and Tamron's been a significant contributor.
​
The pandemic has slowed down everyone's business, but not your ability to keep growing as an artist. This is a great time to expand your gear, and take full advantage of the downtime getting to know a new lens, and boost your skill set.

by Skip Cohen

Before you read about Mark Toal's image above, click on it, and view it in the SCU lightbox. It really is a stunning image. 

What I love most about it is the different perspective he's added by shooting at a low angle using a LUMIX S5 mounted on a Platypod. I've shared several images over the last few months, all going back to a low angle and shooting in a way that's different from how most photographers might view the scene.

​Mark sent me these two images and wrote:​

I've attached a photo of the new Lumix S5 with the Lumix S 16-35mm lens on the Platypod and the final image from the S5. I shot it at a shutter speed of 3.2 seconds at f/22, ISO 100. 

I wanted the low angle so I could get the rocks and the Platypod worked perfectly and adjusted to the uneven surface perfectly. 

The image was taken at Trillium Lake with Mt Hood in the distance. ​

A big thanks to Mark for always sharing great content. He should be on your radar. Here's the link to his website and blog. 

And take the time to get to know the LUMIX Ambassador team too. This group is one of the most diverse and creative teams in photo, and all the ambassadors should be on your radar. Looking for more great content? Check out the LUMIX Photographers Facebook page - there are always great conversations and images shared by LUMIX artists from around the world.

Looking for information about the new full-frame LUMIX S5 - click on the thumbnail below. And watch the short video featuring LUMIX Ambassador Todd White out and about with the S5 as well. This is great stuff!

by Skip Cohen

It's Sunday morning, and I'm into my typical routine. I always go off-topic from photography, business, and marketing on Sundays, and I was thinking about different places I travel these days because of the pandemic.

​For example, on land - Because I have fewer respiratory issues than Sheila, I want to do the food shopping. I typically hit the market at 7:00 am on Sundays for the weekly shopping list. The store's always pretty empty, and the idiots who still think this is all a hoax aren't up yet.

​In Cyberspace, there are all kinds of new places.

• I follow the Florida.gov site for the update on the virus, but not the state numbers, just our zip code, and county. I don't put a lot of faith in any of the numbers, but at least I can get a sense of the trend.
• On Facebook, I discovered a group from my hometown, "If You Grew Up in ______...You Remember." It's a private group but 12,000 people strong, and it's been a kick connecting with old friends, neighbors and enjoying the nostalgia of growing up in Ohio. Interestingly, there aren't any trolls - at least not like the photo trolls, and I know it's because everyone knows each other or, at the very least, is linked by no more than three degrees of separation. Nobody's hiding behind the anonymity of their computer.
• Facebook and Friends: Yesterday was Terry Clark's birthday. Terry and I go back to 2010 when he bought a couple of hours of my time to review his marketing plans. It was through a charity auction, and since I was living in Ohio and he was just two hours away in Pittsburgh, I drove over for the day. Well, that kicked off a great friendship, but I hadn't caught up to him in at least a year. Facebook birthdays are a stop every morning, and it's allowed me to stay connected with people I've lost touch with.
• Entertainment: From Netflix to Amazon Prime to YouTube, we're regularly searching for movies and shows we enjoy. For nostalgia, I found "The Rebel" the other day and then more contemporary "Chicago PD" from the first episode in the series. With Amazon Prime, each show is presented without any commercials!
• Zoom: Even on the weekends we've found Zoom is great for connecting with friends, and for business, it's essential. And, if you're in the industry, not being set up right on a video call is the equivalent of a bad headshot on your website. Jay P. Morgan did a great video tying in Platypods. Regardless of what you use for your setup, it's worth checking out. 

Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.
Joyce Meyer

.​And there you have it - we're staying safe and living what many would consider a pretty dull existence, but I still jump out of bed every morning. I'm amazed at so many new things happening as biz slowly inches it's way back on the business front. It's a snail's pace, but it's going in the right direction, and it's steady.

We're all dealing with a new norm. There are no words to describe how much we miss in-person contact with friends. We've got no choice but to stay the course. But think about what that first convention is going to be like when we all feel safe. Plus, we can stay connected with ClickCon Nation programs, going on all day today and one day each month through March of next year. 

So, make it a great Sunday for connecting with friends and family. Just because you're hunkered down doesn't mean you're isolated from talking with people and plenty of virtual hugs. Most importantly, don't lose sight of your dreams - they're still out there, still alive, and still potential in your future - just a slower pace to get there!

Happy Sunday, everybody!

by Skip Cohen

Maybe it's the pandemic or just aging, but there are times when NOTHING beats looking at old photographs. It doesn't get any better than the walk I'm taking down Memory Lane right now.

I recently found the proof-print above, and I have no idea where we were or why, but it redefines friendship, love, and support - Four best friends, Terry Deglau, Tony Corbell, me and Don Blair. I've looked at it so often since finding it that I think I might have shared it many years ago in another blog post. 

They were the three musketeers, and then I came along in 1987 when I joined Hasselblad. It was shot in 1994, although I don't know who the photographer was. I'm guessing it was Don's son Gary or one his other "Numbs." Don used to refer to all of us as "Numb Nuts," and I still have a polo shirt embroidered with "Numb 1," I wear with great pride.

I remember a bunch of us at Don's wife Donna's funeral. We had all gone back to the church, where lunch was served to at least 200 people. Six of us were sitting with Don when a buddy of his walked by, and he yelled, "Hey, Numb Nuts!" In unison, we all turned and said, "What!"
 
Don passed away in 2004 and Terry last year, and it's hard to find the words to explain how much I miss them both. But here's the most wonderful thing about the business we're in - we give people, including ourselves, the ability to take intangible moments and turn them into memories we can hold in our hands and cherish for a lifetime.

I've often referred to myself as one of the luckiest guys in this industry...those three knuckleheads above are a big part of why I feel so blessed. Between Tony and me, I'm betting we could do a Don Blair and Terry Deglau story marathon that would go on for days!

Take the time today and go off in search of a few old photographs. You'll be amazed at how uplifting, even though sometimes bittersweet, those memories will be.

​Happy Throwback Thursday!

Intro by Chamira Young

​Today we bring you beautiful work of Memphis-based photographer and foodie Michael Butler. Last year he had the chance to travel to the Virgin Islands on assignment for a client. Not only did he work hard, but he played hard as well. He had extra time to see the sights, explore the area, and create some amazing images for himself. In the post below, we love how he emphasizes the element of play and fun as he experimented with a couple of new Tamron lenses while out in the field. Photography is an adventure, and it's clear Michael is enjoying every moment of it.

Read the post excerpt below, as well as a sample of the images he took. Also, be sure to check out the specific lenses Michael used while on the trip: the  28-75mm F/2.8 and 17-28mm F/2.8 lenses, featured below!
​​

by Skip Cohen

​"Mirrorless Monday" went right on by as Labor Day, but who cares? It's Tuesday, and this short piece by my buddy and member of the LUMIX team, Mark Toal, is too much fun not to share on any day of the week. 

We're all dealing with downtime, and even though business is starting to open up a little, being a photographer and artist is still a challenge. Time lapse is a whole new adventure, and if you think about things you're doing around the house, family time, etc. there are so many opportunities to have fun capturing a variety of events.  

I'm also convinced that it's a great way to do your own video holiday card this year. Better yet, offer it as a product to your clients. It's not a new concept to any of us, but just like canvas prints - it's new to most of your clients, and something they'd get excited about!

Mark's description of how he captured refinishing his deck is below. There was one accessory to the capture that I couldn't be more proud to talk about, the link to the complete Platypod ecosystem.

Platypod products offer unlimited combinations of creative tools. They form an ecosystem of inspiration for photographers in macro, architecture, landscape, hiking, and traveling situations where tripods dare not go. 

A big thanks to Mark for sharing one of his time-lapse adventures. Here's the link to Mark's website and blog. He's always sharing great content.

And take the time to get to know the LUMIX Ambassador team too. This group is one of the most diverse and creative teams in photo, and all the ambassadors should be on your radar. Looking for more great content? Check out the LUMIX Photographers Facebook page - there are always great conversations and images shared by LUMIX artists from around the world.

By Mark Toal
​
​I've recently been refinishing the deck on my house and wanted to record the final step of staining the newly sanded wood.

I needed a way to set up the camera without a tripod since I didn't have space for one. I used a bungee cord to secure the Platypod to the deck railing, set my Lumix G9 with the 7-14mm lens to Time Lapse mode and shot a photo every 5 seconds until I was finished.

​The camera created the video internally. I then used WiFi to transfer the video to my phone and uploaded it to Facebook and my Vimeo.com account. 

Panasonic's tagline from the start of the LUMIX family has been "Changing Photography." Well, they've stayed true to that goal. I've been shooting with the G9 for over a year and love this camera. For more information, click on either of the thumbnails below.

by Skip Cohen

I started today deciding I wasn't going to do Reflections post, but as the day's gone on, I realized I missed writing one. I started thinking about how I wanted today and the holiday tomorrow to go and in the process, stumbled on a quote:

"Seize the moments of happiness, love and be loved!
​That is the only reality in the world, all else is folly.
It is the one thing we are interested in here."
Leo Tolstoy

​And there you have what might be headed to one of the shortest Sunday posts I've ever written!  

Just enjoy life! Ignore the politicians; give the news a rest; maintain physical distancing, and do what's necessary for your health and safety. Ignore the negators trying to squeeze their way into your life, heart, and mindset - just be dumb and happy!

Wishing all of you a Sunday and Monday holiday filled with peace, laughter, and time with the people you care most about, even if it's only on Facebook, Skype, or a phone call. Make time for people you love.

Happy Sunday...Happy Labor Day...and if you're outside the US, the sentiment is still the same!

This is very important - to take leisure time. Pace is the essence.
Without stopping entirely and doing nothing at all for great periods, you're gonna lose everything...great pauses between highs, where you do nothing at all.
​You just lay on a bed and stare at the ceiling.
This is very, very important...just to do nothing at all. 
Charles Bukowski

 by Skip Cohen

Even being hunkered down for the last six months, it's hard for me to believe it's Labor Day weekend. The last six months have been tough on everybody, and I'm going to make a suggestion that will be considered by some to be a waste of a blog post...take the weekend off!

Most of you have seen a dramatic drop in business, with an almost constant level of stress trying to think of how to rebuild and get things back on track. My suggestion is - take a break from it all. Use the next three days to clear your head; spend time with your family; chill - in other words - make it a slug weekend!

Sheila introduced me to the concept years ago, and it works. Sometimes you need to walk away from everything and simply relax - be a slug. The pandemic challenges aren't going away, but you need to be fresh to find the creativity necessary to get back on track.

Two nights ago, I needed a break. I had forgotten about the crystal focus ball I bought a year ago. So, I headed to the beach with a LUMIX G9, the 14-140mm lens, and a Platypod. Lying on the beach and watching the sun go down, I realized just how much I needed to step away from work. 

Take this weekend to wipe the slate clean. Spend as much time as you can finding things to laugh about, and come back on Tuesday ready to fire up ideas for the fall seasonality and the holidays. The pandemic isn't going away as quickly as any of us would like, but that doesn't change the importance of clients who still have memories to capture, kids growing up, and families in need of a new portrait. 

Chill over the weekend - join Sheila and me for a slug weekend and come back fired up on Tuesday morning. This is a time when wasting time couldn't be more valuable to help you get your head back in the game and energize.

Wishing everybody a safe and healthy Labor Day weekend!  

by Skip Cohen

​Even with business starting to pick up a little, we're all going to have a little downtime still, here and there. Well, it's Throwback Thursday, and part of the fun of the concept is the hunt for old images. It's the perfect way to remind yourself how much photography means and use a little of that downtime.

I found this shot of my grandfather in a batch of old photographs from around 1910-1920. And while it's at least a hundred years old, check out everything from his tweed suit, complete with vest and skinny pants, to the cigar in his hand and the pose.

There's that expression, what goes around comes around. He'd be in perfect style today - just take off the straw hat. 

My grandfather smoked cigars most of his life, and one day decided to quit - cold turkey around 1959. He continued to put the money away he'd typically spend on a box of cigars and a few years later took my grandmother on vacation to Mexico!

It's so easy to let the stress of the pandemic grind you down, but stay focused on the career path you chose to be a photographer. You're magicians who turn intangible moments into tangible memories your clients can hold in their hands and cherish forever!

Physical distancing makes it tougher right now to work with the same creative freedom you have in the past, but that doesn't mean people don't still have memories to capture!

by Skip Cohen

Lately, it seems like every post I write starts out referencing something different in our lives because of the pandemic. Like you, I'm taking a look in the rearview mirror more often than in the past, and it's become part of my daily routine. 

I miss the total freedom all of us took for granted. I miss friends, planning for the next convention, and thinking about where Sheila and I might go for a long weekend. Everything has changed, but here's a good thing I'm learning to appreciate, my photographs.  

I'm spending more time looking at past files and immensely enjoying Skylum's Luminar. They do not pay me, and I'm not an active affiliate, but I appreciate the simplicity of understanding how to adjust an image and make it a little better.

I also enjoy getting to know the various filters as I adjust an image to my taste. And for those of you who want to criticize what I did in the above photo, remember, "Beauty is in the eyes of the checkbook holder," and in this case, I'm my own client, and the checkbook holder.

In May of 2019, Sheila and I spent ten days in New Mexico and fell in love with so many different areas. We started in Albuquerque, then drove to Santa Fe and finished in Taos, making stops all along the way. One of the most interesting and poignant was Taos Pueblo. Acting like total tourists, we took the reservation tour, at that time still inhabited by a half dozen full-time residents.

There's a story behind the graveyard and church above:

From Craig K. Gowens page on Flickr in 2009

The original San Geronimo Church was built in 1619 when the Spanish settled the area and began forcibly converting the Tiwa people of the Taos Pueblo to Christianity. The Church was destroyed in the 1680 revolt that drove the Spanish from New Mexico, but rebuilt after their return a decade later. The second destruction of the church occurred at the hands of the U.S. Army in 1847.

During the American military occupation, the native Americans again made a bid for their own freedom, rejecting the authority of the new American territorial governor of New Mexico, Charles Bent, assassinating him in his home in Taos. The U.S. Army retaliated against the Taos Pueblo as one of the leaders of the revolt was a Tiwa native. Hundreds of Tiwa, mostly women and children, had taken refuge in the church during the attack and were killed when the Army bombarded the church with artillery. The bell tower of the church has been restored and serves as a remainder of lives lost in the attack.

One of the features I enjoy most with Luminar is my ability to see the before and after as I'm working on an image. I grabbed a screenshot of one small section of the picture. That bar down the middle slides left and right, allowing you to see each part of the image and the impact the changes you're making have on the finished product.

In this case, I used the one-touch clarity booster, gave the saturation a slight tweak, and then used the structure filter, which enhances clarity and micro-contrast in surface area between edges detected in an image, improving perceived detail and making photos stand out. 

Besides sharing a small history lesson from New Mexico, and intro to Luminar, if you haven't used it - there's an even better bottom line. 

​The need to hunker down is wearing on all of us. Don't let the pandemic's challenges get in the way of the love you have as an artist and business owner. Business is out there, and it will come back - but in the meantime, keep working on your skill set. 

Wander through your files and appreciate where you were a year ago. Use your photographs to keep your creative juices flowing, and that passion you have for imaging alive. Keep in touch with friends, stay active in social media, and keep your eye out for moments of inspiration from the people you respect most. Most important of all, don't let go of your dreams.

And one more thing to think about - It's that first convention we're all going to attend LIVE. What a celebration that's going to be. I'll meet all of you in the bar of the host hotel that first night in town...wherever that might be!

by Skip Cohen

To start this post, click on the image above to view it enlarged in the SCU Lightbox. It was captured/created by my good buddy, Shiv Verma. He's no stranger to SCU, but of all the images we've shared of Shiv's, it's one of my favorites.

To start, I love black and white. We don't need to see color in every image, and I love it when Shiv adds something more to an image, just by keeping it simple. He shared this image on Facebook two days ago, and it deserves to be seen more! With the photo, he wrote:

Shiv Verma should be on your radar. He's always sharing great content with a lot of "how-to" information. You'll also find he's a regular contributor on the Platypod.com blog and their Instagram page. His website is only a click away.

​Shive is also a LUMIX Ambassador, one of the most creative groups in imaging. Follow Shiv and the other LUMIX Ambassadors for great content and a lot of terrific diversity. Each Ambassador has a unique skill set, but the common denominators are their love for the craft and respect for quality and creativity.

For information on some of Shiv's favorite gear, click on either thumbnail below. Panasonic never slows down on developing incredible tools to help artist expand their skill sets and creativity.

Intro by Skip Cohen
 
Time is our most valuable commodity, but so often we throw it away worrying about what other people will think. Even when we've done our very best, we worry about criticism and outside opinions.

Well, it's Sunday morning and if you've followed me for even a short amount of time, you know I love to go off-topic from the business and marketing of photography once a week. Before I even thought about what I wanted to write about today, I got side-tracked with the post below from my good buddy, Scott Bourne.  

It's too good not to share beyond his Facebook page. The best things about great friendships are what you learn from each other. Over the years he's been my sounding board on so many different ideas, and what he wrote this morning, once again hit home.

It also reminded me of one of my favorite quotes from Dean Collins:

Remember that often, especially when you're creating for your own enjoyment, you're the checkbook holder!

by Scott Bourne

People ask me how/why I produce so much content. It doesn't matter whether it's photography, painting, writing, music, etc. It's always the same simple answer.

I've come to realize that my own effort is the only thing I can control in this life. Period.

I can't control what people think of my effort or of me for that matter. I can't control what others say about my effort or about me for that matter. So why worry about it?

I spend 100% of my time on that which I CAN control. My own effort. I do everything I do with gusto. I don't ever go half way. I don't ever ask for permission. I just go for it. For me it's always pedal to the metal, from sun-up to sun-down, seven days a week. And that's the way I like it.

As artists, it's none of our business what others think of our art. That's a rabbit hole and if you go down it, you'll never know how much work product you lost and time you wasted searching for empty compliments and dealing with vapid trolls.

So my advice is direct and to the point. Just do the work. Throw yourself into it 100%. Express yourself. Give the world your point of view without fear. Don't look back. When others hate. We create.

​That simple philosophy has served me very, very well for more than six and a half decades. I hope it will serve you too.

Scott should be on your radar. His blog is just a click away, and you'll never be disappointed in the content he shares.

Wishing everybody a terrific Sunday - a day filled with peace, minimal frustration with the pandemic, politics or anything that interrupts your ability to be creative. Smile more, bitch less and appreciate everything that's working right in your life, even though these days it's sometimes tough to recognize!

And to my pal Scott - thanks buddy. I needed this!

​Happy Sunday everybody!

by Skip Cohen

I shared the bottom half of this post two years ago before any of us had ever used the word "pandemic." 

SARCASM ALERT: This post is dedicated to those who seem to make a hobby out of losing clients and then blame the trend on everything and everybody except the face in the mirror, here's an updated list.

1. Hunkering down on your business: Hunkering down is all about your health and physical distancing, but there's no reason for you to disappear. Keep in touch with your clients through social media and the phone. Business will come back, and there are already some creative business trends taking place around the country in imaging. Don't ignore your target audience.
2. Answer emails quickly: It's human nature to think people don't care when they don't get back to us, especially via email.
3. Answer your phone: I've actually heard photographers complain about getting calls lately. The impact of downtime is different for everybody, but don't let complacency interrupt that dream you had for a growing business.
4. "Why should I keep writing blog posts? Nobody's buying anything." Your website is about what you sell, but your blog is about what's in your heart. The pandemic has only changed your level of personal interaction, not the importance of your presence with your target audience. Share content involving your expertise, photography. Help your readers to be better photographers with tips and suggestions. Share ideas about new products from your lab, giving clients new ways to present their images.
5. "I stopped sharing posts about things in the community when the pandemic shut everything down!" Well, it's time to start sharing things again. Remember, people like buying goods and services from companies they perceive as giving back to the community. Live activities are limited everywhere, but the need to get the word out about the community's needs has never been greater! Start making calls to the non-profits in your area and the Chamber of Commerce. All you have to do is ask, "How can I help you guys?" Then, sit back and listen.
6. "Why should I talk to other photographers? They're in the same mess I'm in!" It's the old line of together we stand, divided we fall. We're an industry known for sharing ideas and working together on finding solutions. Phone calls, IMs, and participation in the various forums is going to help you stay focused. Plus, you never know when a new idea might come up in a conversation with other artists.

Wandering through the Internet several years ago I came across Desk.com and a list of "Five Annoying Customer Quotes" written by Allyson Stone. Today the site is called Salesforce.com and it's loaded with a lot of good content. Reading her five quotes, I wanted to put them into perspective for the business of photography. 

• "Please go to our website!" - Your website should be about your services and what you sell, but instead many of you are managing by the exception and have filled your site with policies. I've been on a few that were written with all the finesse of an IRS audit, with material about cancellation and refund policies. Save those topics for the contract discussion and utilize your site to show your best qualities as an artist. Stop scaring customers away!
• "I'll have to transfer you." - Take responsibility for the answers your customers are looking for. Even more important, if you have staff, whether part-time or full-time, train and give them the ability to make decisions. There's nothing wrong with saying to a customer, "I'm sorry I don't know the answer, but let me call you back in a few minutes." Customers know it's not a perfect world and they can accept mistakes. What they can't accept is feeling like they're not important.
• "That's not our policy." - Rules for any business are important, but there are times when circumstances warrant a modification. If you're looking for everything to be black or white, you're doomed. You've got to be able to define the gray areas and find solutions, not fall back on a statement blaming "policy." If that's your only way to do business, then you're going to be far more successful working for Comcast!
• "Sorry, there's nothing I can do." - Whoa, that's the end of the road, because right after you make this comment, the customer decides to not only NEVER work with you again, but to tell their friends about you. There's no more significant statement that defines you as a jackass. The truth is, there's ALWAYS something you can do. Just make sure whatever you're doing to resolve the situation is always the BEST you can do.
• "Hmm, I don't know." - It's not the fact that you don't have an answer, but the interpretation of the statement itself. It's like a surgeon saying "Oops!" on the operating table. You're expected to be the expert, and if you're going admit to not knowing the answer, then you need to temper that statement. Add a few more comments about getting a better answer, looking into it further and giving the customer a sense of commitment, rather than just shrugging your shoulders and walking away.

Here's the thing about excellent Customer Service - it's about your attitude. It's not a department that's part of a large corporation. It's meant to be the foundation of everything you believe in business and about your customers. Excellent Customer Service is about making yourself habit-forming and exceeding customer expectations. Every client needs to feel like they're your most important customer.

We're still very much dealing with the challenges of the pandemic, but so is your target audience. Want to make some great in-roads in building your brand? Remember...

Now's the time to show how much you care!

by Skip Cohen
 
As bizarre as this might sound, there is one fun aspect to the pandemic - with so much downtime old friends regularly surface, and it's fun to catch up!

Meet an old friend, Helmut Horn. We met in the '90s when he bought Ansel Adams' '77 Cadillac through a Hasselblad fundraiser. A few months later, he called me "Chicken" because I was afraid to get my scuba certification. He kept on me, and thanks to his support, I got my certification at Cheeca Lodge in the Keys, early the following year.

That one event changed my life and introduced me to an experience and hobby, unlike no other. Through Helmut, I met other divers, friends from the industry, and my first trips with Tom Danielson and Bob Rose - two of my best buddies to this day. Their names are in my logbooks through at least 300 dives over the years.

When I spoke with Helmut a few weeks ago, we talked about one of the biggest scuba challenges - getting all your photography gear on a dive trip. The shot above is Helmut and his friend Peter Kühn with their combined camera and lighting gear.

Remember, unlike today's lightweight camera gear, this was all back in the film days. Housings, lights, and even the brackets were heavy.

Helmut's introduction of the ocean into my life resulted in dozens of trips over the years all over the world. The shot above was to Cocos Island - 36 hours by boat from Costa Rica. I refer to the trip as the "most fun I don't think I want to do again," but incredible nonetheless. Strong currents and definitely for advanced diving, each dive kept you on your toes. It wasn't relaxed, but unbelievable to be an observer and in the water with thousands of sharks who had no interest in us at all. It's an experience I cherish and one that few people can relate to.

A typical dive would be to follow the mooring line down to a section of the reef and then grab a rock to hang on to and watch the hammerheads swim in and pause at a cleaning station. Dozens of tiny butterflyfish would come and eat the parasites off the sharks. Essentially it was the equivalent of nature's car wash for sharks. 

I found the very short video below, captured with Panasonic's LUMIX cameras. In fact, there's one shot of a GH5 in the video, one of my favorite cameras in the LUMIX line. Click on the thumbnail for more info

I figured I might as well add a little entertainment to today's post. As with any place we've traveled, it's a kick to be back, even though it's only in video. It's a definite reminder of the importance of staying healthy, getting through the pandemic, and back to a time with friends and trips like this!

Take time to wander through your archives and find a memory that makes you smile. Between old photographs and talking to friends, there's no better therapy to help you stay positive during downtime!

​Happy Throwback Thursday!

"Every lens ever made was created with a purpose in mind."
Charles Maring

by Skip Cohen

Every Monday, I share a new post with images from the world of mirrorless cameras, especially LUMIX. Today's post features the GH5 and a portrait shoot during the pandemic by my good buddy Charles Maring. But, the real stars of the video are Jessica Rose and the Leica 42.5 f/1.2 Nocticron lens. 

It's a short video, but pay attention to the way Charles is shooting - into the sun and taking full advantage of the narrow depth of field created through this amazing piece of glass. His quote above says it all, and you'll see in image after image how he takes full advantage of the creativity brought out by his vision, combined with the best characteristics of the lens.

"I'll often point this lens into the sun, because with its f1.2 aperture it gives a really soft elegant glow, and roll-off to the highlights."

Charles and Jennifer Maring need to be on your radar. Click on any of the portraits in this post to visit their website, "Together in Style." You'll never be disappointed in the content they share.  And stay tuned - they're about to make an amazing change in their lives, and all of us have been invited to share a front-row seat to their new adventures!

Take the time to get to know the LUMIX Ambassador team too. This group is one of the most diverse and creative teams in photo, and all the ambassadors should be on your radar as well. Looking for more great content? Check out the LUMIX Photographers Facebook page - there are always great conversations and images being shared by LUMIX artists from around the world.

 by Skip Cohen

One of my readers recently asked me to make a video or write a post about the challenges of building a photography business. Her husband doesn't understand so many of the things she does that don't directly bring in revenue:

I would absolutely love to have something that I can sit down and watch with my husband, that will help explain to him what is really involved in building a photography business...So, perhaps you will consider putting together something aimed at the significant others that those of us in the industry are in love with, and don't want to strangle."

Over the years, I've heard a lot of comments mostly from husbands or wives that they can't get their spouses to understand what it takes to build a business as a photographer; equipment purchases when revenue is limited; experimenting with different techniques and the list goes on and on. And the same questions come up often from parents of photography students who proclaim, "Oh my God, my kid wants to be an artist!"

So, I'm going to take a shot at the request, and you guys can tell me how I did.

• My spouse keeps taking classes online and before the pandemic at conventions, but he/she doesn't have a big client base, and there's no money coming in - only going out! Photography is an art-form that's continually changing. From trends in style to different techniques to new technologies, an excellent photographer never stops learning. But that's only one aspect to attending conferences - a photographer is often only as good as his/her network. Hanging out with other photographers creates an incredible exchange of ideas along with solutions to so many different challenges that come along. My advice to every photographer is to attend as many conventions/conferences as you can each year.
• Why so much gear? While there are photographers who think owning everything is going to make them better, the truth is that you need a certain amount of backup equipment as a professional. No serious wedding photographer, for example, shoots a wedding without a backup camera body, a couple of lenses, and additional lighting gear. Another reason for additional gear is different locations require different equipment. One of the most recognized wedding photographers in the industry, David Ziser, used to demonstrate his lens choice in various venues called, "Big Church - Little Church." Changing focal lengths depending on the location gave him the ability to elevate the quality of his images and tell a better story for the bride and groom.
• My spouse is just getting started, and I'm tired of her/him giving away their work. While sometimes new artists lack the confidence to charge for their services adequately, often, there's a need to build a portfolio of prints or a strong gallery online. Every photographer's portfolio should only show "wow" photographs. A "wow" photograph is an image so stunning that it's the only one they'd need to show to get hired. Techniques and trends are continually changing, and practice only makes perfect if you're doing it right. So photographers will often need to give away their photographs in exchange for time with models, whether individuals or family sittings. Last but not least, a great way to get noticed in the community is giving away a sitting for example at a charity auction. People like buying products and services from companies they perceive as giving back to the community.
• My spouse has been second-shooting for another wedding photographer! Why shouldn't she/he get paid for the full value of their services? There's no better learning experience than being a second shooter. Jerry Ghionis, one of the finest wedding photographers in the world, has said, "The way we get started is backward. Instead of going out and immediately being an artist and small business owner, we should all second-shoot for a year and fine-tune our skill set. Then when we opened our business, the techniques we need would all be second nature, and we could focus on developing the skills we need to run our business." And second-shooters get paid less because they're not the primary contact with the client. They're also not involved in album creation, ordering or printing the work.
• My spouse can't seem to make up her/his mind on what they're going to photograph! They keep experimenting with other specialties. Being a professional photographer and having a successful business requires a certain amount of diversity in your skill set. For example, there are logical connections. Bridal clients start families (maternity and newborn photography), and families have pets. As the kids grow, so might Mom and Dad's business needs for headshots, product work, etc. Also, as the kids grow, senior photography might become a need. While it's great to specialize, you never want to say to a client, "Sorry, I don't do that kind of photography!" You always want to accommodate their request, and if it's just too far out of your expertise, then at least be able to make a referral to another photographer from your network.
• I'm tired of hearing about networking - whatever happened to just collecting business cards? There are few learning experiences better than attending a class or meeting with other photographers. Remember, they're not only business owners but artists. Having a strong network means having resources to draw from when a particular situation creates a challenge. That situation could be anything from clients wanting their deposit back to finding the best pose for a plus-size bride or groom or a larger than normal wedding party. This is an industry where we watch each other's backs, and so often, photographers are stumped and simply need suggestions on a better way to handle a specific situation. The same applies to questions about gear and needing help when funding is limited but there's a need for a different lens or piece of lighting gear.
• It's only been two years since he-she rebuilt the website, now the galleries are being updated AGAIN! Every photographer sees a change in the quality of their work as they become more skilled, and the best work needs to be shared—also, trends in photography change just like the style of clothes we wear. Your website is essentially your storefront and always needs a contemporary feel to appeal to the target audience.
• Now she/he's spending time on a blog - how in the world is that going to create new business? A website is about what you sell, but your blog is about what's in your heart. Allowing a photographer to photograph your family, wedding, or even pet represents a great deal of trust, especially if they're coming into a client's home. A good blog with consistent new content helps clients get to know the artist and what's important to them and is one of the best ways to grow a business.  

Here's the bottom line: Being a great photographer is about passion, but not just for the artistic side of pre and post-processing, but people. There are no compromises when it comes to the responsibility to each client, and the goal is always to exceed expectations. It takes years to learn all the skills, and it's never-ending.

Having spent my entire career in the photographic industry, there's no other field like imaging. Except for modern medicine, no career field has given the world more! Think about what a newspaper or wedding album would look like if it weren't for photographers. Every day they capture memories and turn them into tangible moments for their clients, but there's one last ingredient ideal for great artists...support.

Whether it's from your spouse, parents, or partner - support helps build confidence, and confidence is one of the key ingredients in building a business!