It couldn't be a more typical Sunday morning. Molly, the Wonder Dog, is asleep at my feet. I can't seem to sleep past 7:00 am, but managed to tip-toe out of the room without waking Sheila up. So, here I sit sharing one of my most favorite topics this morning, "friendships." We're headed to Ohio later in the week and spending some time with great friends, "Hoss" and Melissa. They've been friends of Sheila's for at least twenty years and adopted me when I came into the family. We might be a few thousand miles apart, but that doesn't change the quality of the friendship. We get together a few times a year at our house or theirs and from the time we're in the same room to when we leave, the days are loaded with laughter, great conversation and quality time together. Friendship isn't about who you've known the longest. It's about who walked into your life, said, "I'm here for you" and proved it. Anon We all have lots of people we consider friends. Most of them are people we just enjoy being with, but those true friends, the ones who would be there for us, no matter what the crisis, are rare. Great friends become family and a reminder that blood isn't always thicker than water. I'm obviously excited about getting time this week with good friends. They're a couple who have become so significant, Sheila and I have a hard time remembering when they weren't in our lives. Wishing all of you a wonderful Sunday and time to appreciate those friends who help make your life "a little bit better." Take the time for one of those eleven-second hugs with somebody very special. (If you're tuning in late - one of the magazines did a story a year ago about longer hugs having therapeutic value - eleven seconds was the minimum.) Happy Sunday everybody - take the time to appreciate your friends and if you're not shooting a wedding today enjoy the day off. You've earned it. There are some people in life that make you laugh a little louder,
smile a little bigger and live just a little bit better. Anon
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You'd think after all these years in the industry, and almost ten of them in publishing, the novelty of getting a magazine would have long worn off! Well, it hasn't and every month when my issue of Shutter Magazine arrives I come bounding in from the mailbox like a kid on his birthday! This month's issue is loaded with great content and coming in at 212 pages, it may well be the largest magazine in professional photography. And, yes, I do write for Shutter and have a monthly column on the building blocks of business, but my passion for this publication has nothing to do with my articles. It's about the enthusiasm and focus of the team involved, starting with Sal Cincotta and his dream of publishing a solid "how-to" magazine. If you're not tuned into Shutter Magazine, just click on this month's baby edition to check out the website, and subscribe to both the online publication as well as in print. Personally, I still love a magazine I can hold. While today's online technology offers convenience, I still like to look at great images and kick back and just read something I can hold. While you're checking out the magazine, check out Project Lunacy, a hands-on boutique conference coming up in November. It's a spin-off of the most talked about new show in our industry, ShutterFest and promises to be another amazing experience for those who register in time! Meanwhile, I'm going back to reading my new Shutter Magazine! Back in March, Jerry Ghionis posted this on his Facebook page. I shared it and just a few minutes ago somebody commented and I watched it again. It's pure smile material. While it's not going to change your life or help you raise the bar on your skill set as an artist it might well be the best example of the importance of exceeding expectations! Plus, it just might be the best three minutes you can waste today! Wishing everybody a terrific weekend filled with a few of your own unexpected off-the-chart great moments! Image copyright Mike Moats. All rights reserved. The fun of "Why?" is in the back-story and always from the artist directly. This image today is our first adventure into macro photography, and it's all thanks to Mike Moats.
A quick visit to Mike's website (Just click on the image) and you'll notice a wide range in the variety of his macro images, from the recognizable to the obscure, he always stays true to his passion as a "landscape" photographer. While it might seem like a stretch, it's all in your perspective. His website is called "TinyLandscapes." I first met Mike through his role as a Tamron Image Master and did a spotlight profile post on his work. What I love about Mike's work is his ability to take us places that are always around us, but we never see! In this new sound-byte, Mike shares a lot of great insight into what makes a macro flower shot unique. And, just like any of your images, no matter what your specialty, you've got to make your work look better/different than what everybody else captures! A big thanks to Mike and all of the artists to date. There are now fifteen in the series. Each one has presented a different perspective on their work and in the process we're each getting the benefit of knowing them a little better! Every now and then Throwback Thursday brings with it a throwback frustration. I've had this print for several years. It originally came out of pictures belonging to my Grandmother. I have no idea who these people are. Everybody who might know in my family has long since passed away. I'm pretty sure it was taken in Ohio, someplace mid-state where my grandmother grew up, but beyond that, your guess is as good as mine.
What I do love is the time the photographer took to set up a group pose like this. There's some sweet symmetry in the way he's set up the shot. There's nothing on the print, front or back, to tell me who took the shot, but I love the serious expressions. Even the kids look like they're about to get their teeth drilled. I can guarantee nobody was cracking jokes to get them to smile! Because my grandmother saved the print all those years, I'm assuming they're family, but who knows - they could be your relatives! Feel free to let me know if you recognize any long lost family members or even the house. Regardless of who this is, Throwback Thursdays are a kick. Use them as a marketing tool in your blogs to remind readers of the importance of capturing memories, especially as we go into the graduation, Father's Day and the July 4 holiday season! And, as always, take a few minutes to today to search for a Throwback - it's a fun reminder of the importance of memories and the responsibility we all share as members of the photographic industry. Plus, it's a great way to just take a break for a few minutes and remember why you love being an artist. |
Our Partners"Why?"Check out "Why?" one of the most popular features on the SCU Blog. It's a very simple concept - one image, one artist and one short sound bite. Each artist shares what makes the image one of their most favorite. We're over 100 artists featured since the project started. Click on the link above and you can scroll through all of the episodes to date.
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