by Skip Cohen
 
Almost three and a half years ago, Chamira Young and I did our first podcast as co-hosts on "Mind Your Own Business." Since then, we've added two additional podcasts, "Beyond Technique" and "Tamron Recipes." With each guest, we've learned something not only about their journey but about creativity, passion, and diversity.

Charles and Jennifer Maring joined us on this podcast. We've been friends for many years, going to my early days at Rangefinder Magazine and WPPI. They're no strangers to SCU. We've shared videos and posts involving Panasonic, where they're both LUMIX Ambassadors, to great content on lighting with Profoto.

Charles and Jennifer may well be two of the most creative and diverse couples in imaging today. While best known for their work as wedding artists, they have incredible depth in so many different aspects of lifestyle - photography, music, art, even cooking and decorating. They also walk the talk with three diverse outlets where they share their work, combined with ideas to bring more quality and creativity to your life: MaringVisuals.com  - TogetherinStyle.com - Together in Style – on Youtube.

The fun of "Beyond Technique" is in its purpose: helping you get to know the movers and shakers of the industry beyond their ability to capture stunning images. But it's still fun to share photographs, as I have below, from their galleries. These images demonstrate one common denominator with everything Charles and Jennifer do - they never compromise on the quality of everything they do.

The Beyond Technique series is brought to you each month, thanks to Platypod. Just like Platypod's strength in giving artists a different perspective, we're hopefully doing the same thing with each interview. ​
  
If you haven't visited the Platypod website, take a scroll through the blog and Instagram pages. Artists from around the world are sharing their creativity.

Wander into the Platypod store, and you'll find some unique kits like the Ultra Essentials Kit, now on sale. Just click on the image to the right.
 
A a big thanks to Photofocus for always sharing great content to help photographers grow their skills in technology, marketing, and business. Photofocus also hosts some of the very best podcasts in photography! They're just a click away.

by Skip Cohen

Most of you know I don't make a living as a photographer. My passion is the business and marketing side, and that's where most of my career has been spent. However, hanging out with artists like Don Komarechka and Mike Moats over the last few years, I was bound to learn something. 

Both Don and Mike have had a significant influence on the way I look at things, paying more attention to tiny details in the world around me. The little guy above was at best 3/16 of an inch and was just sitting on the pool cage's frame. We've had a lot of storms lately, and at first, I thought it was a chunk of dirt!

The thumbnail on the right, with my new buddy next to a drop of water from the storm, shows how little he is.

I took off this week to chill and enjoy time with Sheila and the pups. A side benefit was seeing this guy and having the time I needed to grab a camera. And while my skill set is still work in progress, having the right tools sure helps.

I should have used a tripod, but I didn't have a lot of time before "Kermit" took off.  ​So, handheld and following him (or her) everywhere for about ten minutes was all I had. 

​I love the LUMIX G9, and teaming up with the LUMIX G 30mm macro lens, a Playpod Max, the new goosenecks, and two Litra Torch 2.0s gave me what I needed. 

I also had some fun with Luminar, but only for minor tweaking. I lightened the image, sharpened slightly, cropped, enlarged, and erased a couple of distracting dirt spots. 

The short video clip below was simply for the fun of it. The LUMIX line makes it so easy to push a button and grab a few seconds of video.

Shooting macro, handheld without a tripod, and having no video skills whatsoever, made focus a challenge. A tripod would have helped a lot, but at this point in my ten-minute adventure, I was standing on a ladder as my little buddy moved up the wall!

We've all been in some form of lockdown for almost three months. That means lots of time on our hands to do something different. Playing in the macro world is a kick, and with every image I get, I start to understand Don and Mike's love for the craft just a little better. 

by Skip Cohen
 
I know I'm not alone in taking long walks down Memory Lane lately. As the world goes mad, my "panic room" escape to safety has become old videos and archived images. It's the one place I can go to simply appreciate great memories. Now and then, all of us need to clear our heads and unplug from the news.

So, this morning I took a scroll through YouTube and found this short video of my Dad and me from six years ago. I might have even shared it a few years back for a previous Throwback Thursday, but who cares?

Remember the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge? Ironically, one of the most popular fund-raisers in history was all done wrong - but it didn't matter.

​I teared up a little watching this. My Dad passed away a little over a year after this video, but the laughs we had that day live on forever.  Even though I know Dad's watching over us, it doesn't change how much I miss him. And nothing changes how grateful I am to have been Ralph Cohen's son. 

​I know I've abused this quote by Jodi Picoult so many times before, but it's the only one that fits:

Here's my advice for this Throwback Thursday: Whether you share your throwbacks or not, take the time for your own benefit and find a point to look back on. Find a moment in the past that makes you smile and your heart soar! 

​​Happy Throwback Thursday!

by Skip Cohen

Normally by now, high school graduations would be history, but the pandemic changed all of that. All over the country, graduations have been delayed along with proms and other school-centric events. That's made the photographs you captured of this year's senior class even more valuable and important. The Class of 2020 deserves all the support we can give them, and a great looking grad card is one ingredient.

Marathon Press just recently announced they're extending their BOGO offer on grad cards. That not only allows you to support your senior clients, but the BOGO reduces your costs and increases revenue.

​Just click on the banner below for more information and start the process of designing memory-making cards for your seniors, their families and friends.

by Skip Cohen

Working together with Photofocus, ​we started this series six years ago. I had no idea how many talented artists and content-rich interviews we'd be sharing. 

Author, photographer, educator and podcaster, Larry Becker joins Chamira and me, and the timing couldn't be more relevant. Even before the pandemic, we were all meeting and appearing more in online forums. Well, the pandemic changed everything, and now your real estate in cyberspace has incredible value, but only if you use it right. 

Larry's new book, Great on Camera, was just recently published. It was in the works long before the coronavirus was an issue, but to have it available now is perfect. We're all spending more time on camera, and just like the quality of your website headshot as a photographer, you need to present the best possible image.

In this new podcast, Larry shares a lot of good insight into his career, and especially the importance of capturing a great first impression and holding it! Larry's love for the craft and helping photographers and business owners is unbeatable. 

Now's the time to take advantage of fine-tuning your skills and make the most out of the downtime. Listen to the podcast and then pick up Larry's book, so you always look great on camera.

I grabbed two of Larry's videos from his YouTube channel to share below. Visit his YouTube channel for more videos and learning how you can raise the bar on your presentation style.

"Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower."
Steve Jobs

by Skip Cohen
 
There isn't a professional photographer on the planet who isn't struggling with what's become the new normal! Quarantines, social distancing, sheltering in place have all become a way of life, but out of chaos and the pandemic crisis have come some remarkable new extensions for business.

A month ago, I shared a short video of JP Elario at his computer doing FaceTime portraits. Channel 13 in Albany, NY, picked up the story, and I have to share it here. I wish there was a way to make every artist watch this short clip.

JP's part of a father/son business and Joe, his Dad, and I go back to my early Hasselblad days. They're both remarkable artists specializing in wedding and portraiture, and exceptional service is part of their signature. Keeping in line with their never-ending quest to meet their clients' needs, JP starting doing online headshots. 

​These are challenging times, but who knows what other new ideas will come out of the pandemic crisis?

"Do what you do so well that they will want to see it again and bring their friend."
Walt Disney

In the end we only regret the chances we didn't take.
Unknown

​by Skip Cohen

It's Sunday morning, and as always, I'm off track from business, marketing, and photography. I had no idea what to write about until Melody Beattie finally dropped an idea I can't entirely agree with. In her daily meditations, she talked about the negative side of "what if's."

"What if's" can make us crazy. They put control over our life in someone else's hands. "What if's" are a sign that we have reverted to thinking that people have to react in a particular way for us to continue on our course."

I'm a what if guy...but NOT the way Melody's using the expression. I'm the knucklehead who uses what if as a push to the positive side of things. To me, what if is a question, meaning, "What if I try something different?" What if is all about the positive. It's about progress and pushing the edge of my personal envelope.
 
"What if" is the challenge I make to myself all the time. It's the way I analyze the pros and cons of trying something new. And it includes, "What if what I'm about to try is a failure?" Well, my answer is always the same - "I'll try something else!"

The biggest what if in our house over the past year was probably "What if we got two puppies?" Sheila and I wrestled with it and, in November, picked up Lucy and Belle. 

The next 90 days were hell. Through the stress of two pups, we'd painfully ask ourselves, "What made us think we had the patience to train two dogs?"

Well, now we're saying, "What if we didn't have the girls?" 

These two pups, now ten months old, are entirely entrenched as members of the family. They've figured it out, and the pure joy they bring us, especially through the pandemic, is beyond measure. So our what if has become, "What if we didn't have them?"
 
So, the next time you're getting ready to try something new, hesitating and using "what if" as a negative, switch it around and ask, "What if I don't try this?" The pandemic has changed everything in our lives. We're all dealing with a new normal and how to stay positive, motivated, and keep those creative juices flowing. Asking "what if?" is your license to try something new, and as long as you learn something in the process, there's no such thing as failure!

Wishing everybody a Sunday of peace and time to appreciate everything in your life that makes you smile. It's easy to forget all the good things in life when "fun" is buried under the stress of today's challenges. And when it comes to the problem of getting business back on track, ask yourself, "What if I try something totally different this week?"

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

by Skip Cohen

The savings on Platyball through the Indiegogo campaign ends on June 1. If you've got an interest in this amazing product, now's the time to reserve yours! Click below to link to the website.

And if you don't know what Platyball is, check out the short video.

​ by Skip Cohen

I woke up this morning, energized and aggravated, which is a dangerous combination! 

I'm tired of the new normal, along with politicians and people who just don't get it. The way we're living now is the new normal for at least the next few months, maybe longer. There's no wizard behind the curtain who's going to flip a switch and change things. 

But...there is a wizard inside of each of you screaming to come out! It's like Rudy shouting, "Come on, Coach, send me in!" So, what are you going to start doing differently to reach your audience and build your brand?

For years I've talked and written about the importance of partnerships. Long before the word pandemic was in our vocabulary, I was pushing all of you to build a more substantial presence with strategic alliances. 

Over the years, I've been involved in a long list of partnerships. 
 
At Hasselblad, we launched an ad campaign with Kodak and Polaroid. Featuring the work of Nick Vedros, the image used was shot with Hasselblad on Kodak film, but there was no digital technology then. A Polaroid back was an essential component to check exposure and composition for many commercial and portrait artists. The costs for the complete campaign, including production and media placement was split three ways between us.
 
Then came other campaigns, each one similar in structure that included Kodak, L.L. Bean, and Bogen (today Manfrotto.) Each time all of us not only reduced our costs, but each company became an ambassador for the others.

Here are a few ideas to help you start thinking about partnerships.

Your Online Presence: Cyberspace has never been more important in our lives than RIGHT NOW! It's the way we're staying in contact and sharing information. It's also the foundation of education at virtually every level. It's time to clean up your website, blog and any other places in social media where you target your client audience.

Be a Community Leader: A couple of months ago I caught up to Lori Nordstrom one day. Just before we talked, she had been involved in a Zoom meeting with business women from the community, all sharing ideas together on how they could help more during the pandemic. You've got the ability to be a leader in your community and bring other vendors together to help build a new standard of support.

Blogging: There's plenty of advice on developing a stronger blog, from me and dozen's of other writers but my point today is the importance of maintaining your blog with good solid content. Think about your target audience and your readership. How can you help them the most?

Developing a strong blog in your community is also going to help you find new partners. Guest posts from other vendors; informative Zoom meetings; tips on photography, cooking, flower arranging, DIY projects all have a foundation is developing great content.

by Skip Cohen
 
In 2016, after teaching a workshop, I was bothered by the fact that nobody in the class knew who Mary Ellen Mark was. So, while I couldn't do much about artists who had passed, I decided it was time to launch a series that would introduce you to the movers and shakers in imaging who were more contemporary.

Mitchel Wu joins me in this new episode and he's our 129th artist in the series. And, while it's been a few months since the last podcast of "Why?" the feature is back in full swing.

Mitch is based in Los Angeles, and most of you would think of him as a commercial photographer, but I love his passion for storytelling. His passion is toy photography, and he's one of the most recognized toy artists in the industry.

But I so admire another aspect of Mitch's skill set - his focus on fun. Lately, "fun" has been lost under the stress of the pandemic. Well, not for Mitch and just listening to this short podcast, you'll pick on an artist living his dream.

Note: Click on these two images to enlarge and view in the SCU Lightbox!

In the podcast, I mentioned one of my new favorite images, his shot with Kermit. Click on the image to link to Mitch's Instagram page for more details. And don't miss the BTS video on how he created the shot. 

Like the images Mitch chose for his episode of "Why?" you can sense the fun he had in creating the scene. It all goes back to his love for storytelling and detail.

Visit Mitch's website. His galleries are a kick and guaranteed to put a smile on your face!

And if you're interested in finding out more about Platypod, one of the new tools helping Mitch capture and create his images, just click on the banner below.

by Skip Cohen

​The pandemic has changed everything in our lives, especially the way we communicate. On a fairly regular basis, many of you are appearing live on Zoom, Skype, and the list goes on and on. But, just like the rules in creating a great image for print competition, there are some definite rules you need to follow when meeting in cyberspace.  Your goal is to be just as professional in an online meeting as you would be in person at a conference or workshop.

And for those of you rolling your eyes, because you already know this stuff, just consider it a reminder. Like meeting with a new client, you've got a minimal amount of time to make a great impression. I'm not an expert in any of this stuff, but thanks to some great friends, I'm work in progress and there are a lot of you who could use a little help.

Let's start with the obvious - lighting. You don't need much. Ironically, none of you would light a basic headshot with a flashlight, but when it comes to your online presence, you do nothing. Yet, all of you understand lighting - so put a little light on the subject - YOU! While I've got a couple of softboxes in my office, my preference is thanks to Litra. I've got two LitraTorch 2.0s on goosenecks on either side of my laptop, which has become my leading computer when I've got to be on camera. When I'm on the iMac, I use the softboxes.

Here are a few more suggestions to consider:

​1. Get a location without backlighting. When you've got something bright behind you, it fools the computer or your phone into thinking the scene is brighter than it really is. I have to remember myself to close the blinds in my office behind me.

2. Remove distractions: We don't all have the advantage of a movie set background. Often, I've forgotten turn the ceiling fan off in my office and have had people bothered by the distraction over my head.

3. Camera and your face on the same plane: Get your camera (computer or phone) on about the same plane as your face. Not only does it cut out chin and nostril shots, but it gives the audience your eye contact and more facial expression. When I'm using my phone, I have a Square Jellyfish adapter on a ball head with a Platypod Ultra. While there are plenty of phone holders out there, this little adapter gives my Platypod Ultra another useful application. 

4. Make eye contact. Remember when talking, if you want to make eye contact, looking at your screen won't do it...you've got to look at the camera.

5. Cut down on the background noise. Mute your microphone when not talking. It's especially bad in a group of more than 3-4 people.

6. Earbuds or a headset cut down on feedback.  

7. Consider a better microphone! The impact of the pandemic is here to stay for a long time. While we all wish there was a switch that could be flipped to end the crisis, it's not going to happen overnight. That means we're all going to be communicating differently for some time. My personal favorite is a Rode Podcast mic, but I also have a Yeti. Both are good, but the Rode seems to give my voice more clarity.

8. Smile more! It's a great tip from a photographer, author, and my good buddy, Larry Becker. He recently joined Chamira Young and me in a Mind Your Own Business podcast, which is now online. And check out his new book: Great on Camera. Written before the pandemic when we had no idea we were going to be on camera a lot more, Larry's approach couldn't be easier to follow, with great tips to raise the bar on your skill set as a podcaster, presenter and participant online.

And that brings me full circle to where I started. We're dealing with a new normal. While we all hope the good old days of just three months ago will come back, that doesn't change the need for looking good and professional online NOW. 
​
From meetings with clients to edu-type presentations to meet-ups with other photographers, you're part of the imaging community. That means the expression "looking good" has a lot more meaning in cyberspace these days because it's often going to be all you have to start.

P.S. And if I missed any tips feel free to let me know and we'll do a post of add-ons!

by Skip Cohen

Most of us have been hunkered down for over two months, and while we're all tired of it, photography has been mentioned numerous times by artists as a key sanity-saver!

Never slowing down on their support for the imaging community, Tamron USA launched a new series, "Top Five at Five." It's a series of top five tips on various imaging types from some of the very best tech experts in photography. 

Social distancing has changed so much in our lives and certainly in the business of photography. However, that doesn't mean you shouldn't continue to build your skill set.

​I chose to share this short video from Ken Hubbard because it's all about landscape photography. Nobody does it better than Ken, and with each image, like the one above, he's showing you the before and after adjustment. 

So, take the next twenty-one minutes and watch the video below. You'll raise the bar on your landscape technique.

Then, regardless of where you live, once restrictions are lifted to allow you outside, put Ken's tips to use. Share the results with me. I'm always looking for great content to share and now's a perfect time.

"Sheltering in place" doesn't have to mean your skill set!

Check out all of Tamron USA's helpful videos with a visit to their YouTube channel. You won't be disappointed.

by Skip Cohen
 
​About forty-five minutes south of us is a sweet (and expensive) little community called Boca Grande. On Saturday, in a goal to just get out of the house, we threw the pups in the car and headed south for a ride. I didn't feel like taking a lot of gear but wanted a camera with me. I took the LUMIX GX85 with the kit lens, the LUMIX 12-32mm. 

As we crossed the causeway into Boca Grande, it was obvious we were late for the party. As I stood on the shore at the base of the bridge, I was initially disappointed in the coverage. This is the moment when so many of us "should on ourselves," as we regret not taking another lens with a longer focal length. 

The image above is straight out of the can. It was shot handheld in panoramic mode and easy to hold relatively level since I had the skyline to work with as I panned. I had walked up into the no pedestrian section of the causeway bridge and shot in IA mode. I wanted to get in and out quickly.

​I really appreciated the results. The image at the top is enlarged 120%, with the only tweak being clarity and exposure in Luminar. Click on the image to view in the SCU LightBox. And for the fun of it, I took the Sherif's boat on the right to 200%.

by Skip Cohen

​Every year when I write my Memorial Day post, I struggle with what to write. The challenge isn't about what I want to say. It's finding a new way to express my appreciation for families who have lost loved ones serving in the military, those who have served, and our active members of the military today.

This year my appreciation extends well beyond defending democracy. As a result of the pandemic, many members of the military are wearing a very different hat. They're helping to fight an invisible terrorist, as they repeatedly become first responders too.

As in past Memorial Day posts, this is the right time to remind everybody, at least, those on the younger side of the curve, what the holiday is all about. Here's the definition from Wikipedia:

Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for remembering the people who died while serving in the country's armed forces.[1] The holiday, which is observed every year on the last Monday of May,[2] originated as Decoration Day after the American Civil War in 1868, when the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of Union veterans founded in Decatur, Illinois, established it as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the Union war dead with flowers.[3] By the 20th century, competing Union and Confederate holiday traditions, celebrated on different days, had merged, and Memorial Day eventually extended to honor all Americans who died while in the military service.[1] It typically marks the start of the summer vacation season, while Labor Day marks its end.

We've been fortunate in my family and Sheila's. We've never lost anybody on the battlefield, starting with both our Dads who served. But, Sheila and I have both lost friends going back to the Viet Nam War. And having a son who's actively serving today and having done multiple tours, we're very much in tune with the worries every military parent shares.

For those of you who have lost a loved one in war, thank you for your incredible service. There's no sacrifice greater than the one you've made. And if you've served or have a family member serving now, thank you for your service, support, and focus on helping to keep us safe.

​Wishing everybody a safe and HEALTHY Memorial Day!

We don't know them all, but we owe them all.
Unknown Author

by Skip Cohen

It's Sunday morning and if nothing else, you have to admit I'm consistent. Reflections has become a weekly ritual. If you're new to the SCU blog, be warned, there's no telling how far off-track from photography, marketing or business I might stray!

I ran a post about this Rangefinder cover two years ago. I found it this week in some old files. I decided it was perfect to make a point about the changes we're all going through as a result of the pandemic and social distancing.

​The short backstory about the image goes back to my Rangefinder Magazine days. The photographer was Damien Bredberg, and the image won him Editorial Photographer of the Year in Australia in 2004. Adding to the fun of the backstory, it was his father, who was the model.

Within a week or two of being published, I started getting hate mail and even a nasty phone call. The call came from a reader in Arkansas who called me a "porn-monger," and claimed his granddaughter was emotionally crippled by seeing the cover when she went to get the mail. Then came a woman who ripped off the cover and mailed it to me, claiming her magazine was now better for the change. Last on the list was a woman who wrote, "May the view from the back of this motorcycle rider be your just reward!" 

And that takes me to my point today - Most of us have been in some form of lockdown for over two months. In the process, we've become overly sensitive. We don't ask for clarification when we don't understand what somebody wrote or said.

Then we open the door for more stress. We listen to the news and believe the media. We believe what we read - after all, if it's on the Internet, it must be true. Anxiety and frustration, combined with genuinely missing human contact, is taking its toll on our smile muscles. Our happy gene has atrophied. 
 
Notice I used "we" in the above reference? None of us are above the impact controlled isolation is having. I repeatedly have to catch myself from being overly sensitive. Sheila and I help each other stay grounded along with two puppies that drag us off to the happy zone, whether we want to go or not.

Things are not going to return to normal magically, but we can get better on dealing with the new normal. Stay in touch with friends via Zoom, Skype, Facetime - whatever it takes to get face to face contact. Use your phone more, not to text, but to call. The printed word is the most challenging way to communicate, but throw in the tone of your voice, and it's the next best thing to being with somebody.

We're part of an amazing industry. Even with the restrictions created by the pandemic, things haven't changed in the need for people to capture and share memories.

​I used to show that RF cover as one of my last slides any time I was teaching, and my words are still relevant:

Don't let "fun" be one of those lost words buried under the stress of the pandemic. It takes work, but it's so worth keeping it active in your vocabulary.

Wishing everybody a day of fun, and in the US a long holiday weekend and time to catch up to friends, even if it's only on a Skype call. And those long hugs I used to write about - they'll come back some day. In the mean time, keep building on the foundation of friendships and love you have with those people most special in your life.

Happy Sunday...and Monday to friends on the other side of the world.

Intro by Skip Cohen

This is the last "installment" in Mark's Corner for his week off from work to having fun in photography. For so many of us, photography is helping keep our sanity during the downtime. Mark's been having fun all week long with a camera in his hands, not for clients, but his own enjoyment. And considering my role with Platypod, it's fun to see how a Platypod Max was Mark's perfect hiking companion. 

Check out more of Mark's work by stopping by his website and blogs. As a member of the LUMIX team at Panasonic, you'll find a lot of solid content on making the most of LUMIX cameras.  If you're on Facebook, wander over to the Lumix Photographers Community. With over 9,000 members, artists from all over the world are always sharing great images and creative ideas to help you build your skillset and vision.
​

by Mark Toal

​Today I had to get out of the house. The sun came out after a rainy, cool morning. I could hear power boats on the Willamette River near where I live just south of Portland, Oregon. Huge clouds were rolling across the sky, perfect for a time lapse video.  I knew exactly where I could get a great view of the sky and the widest part of the river.
 
I own about four tripods, but I’ve never liked using one. A while ago Platypod sent me one of their "tripods." I’ve been using it where I need to hold the camera steady, in this case for a 30-minute time lapse. As you can see it’s not a traditional tripod, but instead a very small plate with adjustable legs.
 
I carry a Panasonic camcorder with me because it’s very quick and easy to set up for time-lapse videos when I’m out hiking. As you can see in the photo, I attached the Camcorder to the Platypod, set it on a light post to shoot an image every second. After 30 minutes I turned off the camera, put the whole set-up in my sling bag and went home. 

As the Camcorder recorded the time-lapse, I walked around the park taking photos with my Lumix S1. I love setting the S1 to a 2:1 size ratio to give me a panoramic looking scene that you see in this image.
​

Jerry Ghionis is one of the finest educators in our industry. Check out his educational programs with a click on the banner below. 

Intro by Skip Cohen
 
Mark Toal's back today with a quick introduction to Snapseed, which I just downloaded a few minutes ago myself. The original title of his post was "SOOC" (Straight Out of Camera). Every photographer's goal is a clean well-exposed image right out of the can. I know I'm dating myself to film with that expression, but it's still one of my favorites.

The truth is, how much you manipulate an image is up to you, and it's all personal taste. But to add two more points to Mark's message today - if you've done things right during capture, you don't have to spend hours cleaning up files when all you need or want is a tweak to the saturation, contrast, etc.

And while Lightroom and Photoshop are incredible tools, he missed my favorite, Luminar 4 from Skylum. I've been using it for the last two years, and I love the ease of use, especially with their presets for adjustments in clarity, exposure and saturation.

Last but not least, those purists who want to argue against manipulation of an image, or people who simply criticize what they don't like in your photographs:

Beauty is in the eyes of the checkbook holder!
Dean Collins

by Mark Toal
 
After showing a few of my photos in a class I was teaching, one the students asked if I processed my images or they were straight out of the camera (SOOC). I assured them not one of my photos is straight out of the camera and that I hate the term SOOC. Once in a while I say something in a class that I immediately regret, and this was one of them. I could tell that people wanted to hear that they don’t have to do anything to their photos.
 
I see the photos from my camera as a starting point for me to create something from. I’m not talking about drastic changes as you can see in these two examples. I’m mostly just adding contrast and saturation.