by Skip Cohen
Sometimes the most fun of this industry has nothing to do with having a camera in my hands but the pure pride and enjoyment of watching friends in action. Kevin A. Gilligan is in the spotlight this morning, and he's no stranger to SCU. One of the best "how-to" pieces I've ever shared was Kevin's three-part guest post on all the ingredients you need for your own exhibition. Noreen Wenjen, the subject in the images, is an accomplished pianist, author, educator - but she's also Kevin's other half, his wife. They've got two kids and live south of Los Angeles, and two years ago, after a five to six-year friendship, he and I finally met in person. Looking back over these last few years, he's become one of my very best friends, and we recently did a program together for ClickCon Nation. As you watch the short BTS video below, you'll also pick up on one of the most important ingredients of a shoot like this - teamwork. There's that old line about "teamwork makes the dream work." While the images of Noreen at the piano are beautiful, one of my favorites is at the very end - and it's the team, (masks and all), it took to produce the images. Kevin's backstory on the image is below, but I want to share my own Steinway moment. In my previous life, we were looking to buy a piano for our two kids who were taking lessons. We wandered into Boston Piano in Natick, MA. As we looked at pianos on their showroom floor, I sat down and plunked a few keys on a Steinway. The manager of the store came over and commented on the quality of a Steinway. After hearing that our kids were taking lessons but not serious musicians, he said, "Well, for what you're looking for now, you'd need a Steinway like you'd need a Hasselblad." The look on his face was priceless as I handed him my new business card. I had just accepted the position of president of Hasselblad USA a few weeks earlier! I totally understood his point, but it was one of those moments that became priceless for both of us. Kevin is a landscape, portrait, and sports photographer from LA's South Bay. Check out more of his work on his website, and follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
A stunning flowing red dress, a big stage, dramatic lighting on a Steinway piano and a beautiful model - These are the components of a portrait shoot that have been burning in the back of my mind for months.
Noreen Wenjen is a classically trained pianist, piano teacher, author and entrepreneur. She wanted to capture dramatic images of her passion, having played piano since she was five. She’s performing on a 9’ Concert Grand Steinway, a gorgeous, hand-crafted instrument that takes a year of meticulous work to build. We wanted to capture her incredible love for music as well as the beauty of the instrument. Thanks to Steinway of Beverly Hills for opening up their showroom to us. I love the way these turned out, I can see the joy on her face, and love the way her red flowing dress looks by the piano. Kevin A. Gilligan
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 Intro by Skip Cohen February is volunteer recruitment month for Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, and this is the last weekly installment of volunteer stories. I couldn't be more proud to be a NILMDTS Ambassador, but it's also frustrating talking with photographers whose immediate response is something like, "Oh my God, I could never do that?" Yet, talk to any NILMDTS photographer, or read the stories I've shared, and over again, they have the same sentiment. "It's changed my life!" "It's the greatest contribution I've ever made with my camera!" I've grown so much as an artist and person because of the experience." Today's post is from a volunteer who joined NILMDTS during the pandemic. So, not only was she dealing with support for the babies and families she photographed, but her own health and the safety of those around her. Please read this story and then click on the link below to find out how you can help support one of the industry's most recognized non-profits.  by Melanie Rodger When I first became a volunteer, I wasn’t sure I could do this. I wasn’t sure I could handle seeing people in pain and sad and crying. How was I going to be able to be the strongest person in a room filled with those going through the devastating loss of a baby? A baby that was someone’s daughter or son, and was also a brother, a sister, a grandchild, a niece or nephew. What I quickly learned was that being the strongest person in the room meant showing a family the features of their babies that are like moms or dads, pointing out the long middle toe, or the cute little button nose that adorns their babies face. I get to help families cherish their babies and spend time admiring all the parts of who they are, and most importantly, capture photos they will have to remember their baby for the rest of their lives. When COVID 19 hit and our entire state was put on a stay at home order, the first thing that came to my mind was the deafening silence of our dispatch line. I knew right away that while the fears and reality of the pandemic were setting in for everyone, there were still families out there that were going to have to say goodbye to their babies, without us photographers. I’m thankful NILMDTS was able to fill the gap of photographers’ absences quickly by launching their Medical Affiliate Program to help train nurses to take professional quality images, but I felt myself constantly checking to see when the phone would ring again. Only a few weeks went by and the phone started ringing, letting us know that we were allowed to come into the hospitals again but that things would look different. Different how? Temperature screenings, a long list of questions to answer, a mandatory mask to be worn, and that was about it. For me, that is such a short hurdle to overcome if it meant we were allowed back and able to provide families with these memories. Sure it’s sweaty to wear a mask and have your viewfinder fog up. Sure it’s harder to navigate sharing things you normally would, but there’s so much honor to be there in the chaos of the world and just take a moment to be present for someone who’s going through this unimaginable loss.  To this day, I find myself being overly cautious of what I am doing in my personal life to make sure that not only does my family not get sick during all of this, but that I am still able to be on call to help families. When I lost my son in 2010, it was a Thanksgiving morning and everyone was home with their families. Everyone was sitting down, eating dinner, and saying what they were thankful for that year. No one was thinking about what I was going through and that I would have cherished photos of my son (I lived in another country where NILMDTS services were not provided at the time). Or that I needed someone to be there and encourage me to hold him longer than 5 minutes, and to take mental notes of all of his traits. I find myself in a position where I now have the honor of meeting someone’s baby while their family members can’t. I know that the only way everyone else will get to see these sweet babies is through my eyes and what memories I create for them to share. But I also always find myself going back full circle, to that moment where I wasn’t sure I would be strong enough to do this, and remembering that I am strong enough, and at the end of the day, it’s truly the biggest honor to be able to help families remember their babies. I’m so grateful to each of the 8 families I’ve been able to serve during this pandemic.I know that these memories will be ones they’re able to hold close to them in a time of a lot of uncertainty. About Now I Lay Me Down to SleepNILMDTS is seeking volunteer photographers and digital retouch artists (DRAs) to volunteer. Even during the pandemic, many hospitals look to NILMDTS photographers as essential workers. If you are comfortable or able to go into hospitals, we need photographers to capture the only moments parents will spend with their precious babies. NILMDTS is also in need of DRAs where you can volunteer from your home. Since the pandemic, retouching sessions have increased by 132%. This includes medical providers and bereaved parents submitting photographs for retouching. Since 2005, Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep has gifted complimentary remembrance portraits to parents experiencing the death of a baby. For many, these priceless images serve as a critical step in the healing process. Having done over 40,0000 complimentary portrait sessions, NILMDTS works with photographers and digital retouch artists from around the world to offer grieving families the gift of photography to honor and validate the legacy of their precious babies.   We all have a part to play in this world, a mission, a purpose, a higher calling, whatever you choose to call it. Emily Crump Intro by Skip Cohen February is Recruitment Month for Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep. I've been a NILMDTS Ambassador for many years and couldn't be more proud to be associated with this team of photographers and artists who give back! This is the third installment of volunteer stories this month at SCU. Emily Crump's "Why" is in the spotlight. And like so many of NILMDTS's members, there's a personal connection. In Emily's case, it started with a friend in need. Like so many of the volunteers, the relationship that grows between the family and the photographer becomes life-changing for everybody involved. After you've read Emily's story, click on the banner above or at the end of today's post and find out how you can become more involved. It's an amazing organization giving photographers the ability to capture images to be cherished for a lifetime. by Emily Crump It was August 2010 when I received the call. My friend, someone that I knew and had been “doing life” with for a few years, needed me. She was pregnant with her second son and had just received the painful news he had gone home to be with Jesus, and she was going to be bringing him into the world today. She knew that I had just started my photography business and asked me to take what would be some of her most treasured photos. Her son’s name is Jonathan, and I say “is” because he is very much alive in their hearts and minds. At that time, I was a very new photographer. I had not taken many sessions, built up a client base, or done a session like I was about to do. I was terrified that I was not good enough, but I also knew that it wasn’t a coincidence that I was asked. We all have a part to play in this world, a mission, a purpose, a higher calling, whatever you choose to call it. For me, mine is based on a verse in the Bible… “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10 Although I was terrified, I knew I had to take these photos of Jonathan for my friend…it was my calling. Their session was beautiful. I was there to quietly photograph his birth and capture the love that these parents shared for their little one. While I photographed, we remarked on his little fingers and toes, his little ears, and all the ways he resembled his big brother.  When the session was complete, I exited the room, ran down to my car, and cried. Through my tears, I thought about what I did, and I knew if I ever got a call like that again, I would do it. That is when I applied to be a NILMDTS volunteer. Now, I would like to tell you that the application was easy, and I was accepted right away but that was not the case. In fact, my first application was rejected, and I was heartbroken. But I was determined. I used all the photography critiques provided by NILMDTS in my first application to practice and improve my skills. I also focused on learning auxiliary lighting, which is very important to NILMDTS sessions. It took 4 years of practicing and prepping until I was ready to apply again and in 2014, I was accepted as an Affiliate Photographer.  Photograph courtesy of Emily Crump Over the years I have met and photographed numerous families and their precious little ones. Each little baby is important, loved, remembered, and treasured. Every little one matters. And I am honored to be there and make sure they have the most perfect photos.  Almost 10 years later, I think about my friend and little Jonathan after every baby I photograph. Grateful that I was given that chance to serve her family. I feel the same way about every family I meet through NILMDTS. Some might think that I am giving to them, but really, I see it as the other way around. About Now I Lay Me Down to SleepNILMDTS is seeking volunteer photographers and digital retouch artists (DRAs) to volunteer. Even during the pandemic, many hospitals look to NILMDTS photographers as essential workers. If you are comfortable or able to go into hospitals, we need photographers to capture the only moments parents will spend with their precious babies. NILMDTS is also in need of DRAs where you can volunteer from your home. Since the pandemic, retouching sessions have increased by 132%. This includes medical providers and bereaved parents submitting photographs for retouching. Since 2005, Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep has gifted complimentary remembrance portraits to parents experiencing the death of a baby. For many, these priceless images serve as a critical step in the healing process. Having done over 40,0000 complimentary portrait sessions, NILMDTS works with photographers and digital retouch artists from around the world to offer grieving families the gift of photography to honor and validate the legacy of their precious babies.   Now I have the honor of capturing families during their most difficult moments and preserving memories of their little ones, giving back the priceless gift that had once been given to me. Virginia Dow Intro by Skip Cohen Sometimes giving back is very personal. We all have various reasons for being involved in those nonprofit organizations we support. For me, I couldn't be more proud to be an Ambassador for Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep because I'm a parent. The thought of losing a child is overwhelming, and while I can't say I know what a parent is feeling at that time of loss, I can imagine the pain and sadness. In today's guest post by Virginia Dow, she hits a familiar chord for so many of the NILMDTS staff - she became a volunteer because of what a photographer did for her family in 2016, after losing two sons. But there's another very relevant part of her story - the process to get through her fears of being involved and becoming a volunteer. I don't know Virginia, but I couldn't be more proud of her, and especially her ability to share her story, and success at being involved. There are so many of you in the industry with the heart, passion, and skill set to help families at their most challenging times. February is Recruitment Month for NILMDTS. Here's an incredible way for you to give back with your camera. Click on the banner above or at the end of today's post for more information. by Virginia Dow Having someone come and give us the gift of photography when Larson and Emmett were born has meant so much to my family. Being able to include them visually on the walls of our home and in our family photos help us share the story of their lives, that however short, they still blessed us, they still have a purpose, and they still are members of our family.  I started my application to NILMDTS in August 2017, almost one year after Larson and Emmett had been welcomed into heaven. My original submission hadn’t been rejected; they asked for more low light, auxiliary lit images from my portfolio. Which is necessary because all the sessions I have now since done for NILMDTS have required auxiliary lighting. I didn’t have many opportunities to shoot in that specific setting before, so I felt discouraged when they asked for more than what I had already given. So I let the idea fall to the wayside, which was easy to do, I’m ashamed to admit. I was caring for a 3 year old, my photography business was busy, and then I had a baby. And then my husband deployed. And then we moved. All the stability that I had, vanished.  Currently trying to reestablish my photography in a new place, I struggled (still struggling,) but a colleague gave me the motherhood memoir project. To capture moms doing their mom thing or snippets of what makes them a mom and this relit my fire and brought the opportunity to do some auxiliary lighting for my application. With willing and forced participants (my living children,) I had these images to now submit to the review committee. But I still put it off. I had what they asked for and I ignored it. I didn’t want to feel like I missed the mark again, but God had different plans. Sending me little reminders that I needed to do it, until He put something in front of my face I couldn’t ignore. A letter from NILMDTS for a monetary donation, but in the upper right hand corner of the letter, "I'm sorry. We don't have a photographer in your area." Ok, God. I hear you loud and clear.So, I finally did it. Got over my fear of rejection and sent the email with my 5 new images for review. And was told I’d hear back soon. Finally, 3 weeks later, I received an email saying I have been accepted and I could start my training! Not a lot of people knew I was doing this, but I thank those who did and were thinking and praying for me. It was very much appreciated and now I have the honor of capturing families during their most difficult moments and preserving memories of their little ones, giving back the priceless gift that had once been given to me on September 19, 2016. About Now I Lay Me Down to SleepNILMDTS is seeking volunteer photographers and digital retouch artists (DRAs) to volunteer. Even during the pandemic, many hospitals look to NILMDTS photographers as essential workers. If you are comfortable or able to go into hospitals, we need photographers to capture the only moments parents will spend with their precious babies. NILMDTS is also in need of DRAs where you can volunteer from your home. Since the pandemic, retouching sessions have increased by 132%. This includes medical providers and bereaved parents submitting photographs for retouching. Since 2005, Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep has gifted complimentary remembrance portraits to parents experiencing the death of a baby. For many, these priceless images serve as a critical step in the healing process. Having done over 40,0000 complimentary portrait sessions, NILMDTS works with photographers and digital retouch artists from around the world to offer grieving families the gift of photography to honor and validate the legacy of their precious babies.   by Skip Cohen February is recruitment month for one of my most favorite nonprofits, Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep. I'm going to be sharing several profile stories from their volunteers and hoping they pull on your heartstrings to get involved. Since running the first guest post from a NILMDTS volunteer at least eight years ago, I've met so many incredible artists who use their cameras and skill set to give back to the community through the organization. While many of you think the concept is too gut-wrenching, every NILMDTS artist I've ever met talks about how involvement changed their lives - always for the better. This story by Missy Thomas is the first in this month's weekly series. For more information about the organization and how you can be involved, click on the banner above. by Missy Thomas We call them ‘framily’…those friends that have become as much our family as the ones we were born into. We spend Thanksgivings and Christmases together, vacation together, watch each other’s kids grow up, and share in all the joys and sorrows. It was April of 2014 and I was so looking forward to sharing one of those joys as my dear friends Peyton and Justin were preparing to welcome their third baby. After two beautiful little girls, I had my fingers crossed that they would get their little boy this time. I was several states away, but Peyton’s mom kept me updated as labor progressed. I went to bed on the 5th just knowing that we’d have a baby by sunrise. While that did hold true, nothing went as we had hoped. There were complications, a crash c-section, and one perfect baby boy. That moment – the one where we went from anticipating a brand-new baby to the one where we knew he wasn’t going to make it through the day – was so sudden and so tragic that I could almost feel the earth shake.
James died in Peyton’s arms a mere 18 hours after he was born  With my husband heading out the door for a deployment, I couldn’t get there for two more days. I never got to meet James in person. Peyton had hired a birth photographer, so although they didn’t get pictures from NILMDTS, they have a collection of gorgeous professional photos. So much of those few days didn’t seem real and it wasn’t until I saw those photos that it truly sank in. He was real, he was here, and now he’s gone  Those pictures made real his entire 18 hours of life and showed me not only what he looked like, but documented the incredible amount of love he had surrounding him during his brief time here. I couldn’t imagine a world in which those memories didn’t exist, and I knew then that I had to do something to honor the little boy that I had come to love so much. I applied to NILMDTS on what would have been James’ first birthday and haven’t looked back. I’ve served in a few different roles in the organization, but my favorite is being a photographer. It’s hard to articulate how rewarding this work is. Yes, it can be absolutely heartbreaking, but this work gives back so much more than I put into it. What I treasure most about being invited into those rooms is helping parents see and parent their baby, in whatever way possible in the short time they have. To help squeeze a lifetime of memories into a handful of hours. I always make sure that I point out cute noses and tiny fingers. Or crazy hair and crooked toes.I try to get them involved by doing things like dressing or diapering their baby. I can do those things myself – I do them all the time – but it makes such a huge difference for them to be able to parent their baby, even if it’s not how they had hoped to do so. I always engage extended family in the room as well. Grandparents almost always just want to be helpful. They are watching their child lose a baby and they want more than anything to fix it. They love helping even in little ways like putting on a hat or wiping a nose. They just want to do something. When I see them, I always think back to James’ grandparents and how it felt to watch their hearts break, too. I can always feel a shift once families are brought into the process more. When I get there, baby is usually in a bassinet somewhere in the room. Everyone is in shock. But if I do my job right, by the time I leave they are almost always holding their baby and checking him or her out. Dad might be so proud because the baby has his crooked toes or mom might be beside herself because she KNEW the baby was going to have red hair. To be able to lead them to that is the greatest gift I can think to give someone. And all the while, I’m quietly capturing it on camera. These families may never remember me or a thing about me, but I’ll never forget a single one of them. And while I’ll always wish more than anything that James was still here on this earth, I’m so humbled by the experiences that his death has brought about in my life as well as the lives of others who loved him. His memory lives on both through my work with NILMDTS and through the nonprofit that Peyton and her friend Carol co-founded, Gathering Hope. That nonprofit, honoring both James and Carol’s son Matthew, has reached thousands of grieving mothers through their events in Texas, Oklahoma, and Delaware. About Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep NILMDTS is seeking volunteer photographers and digital retouch artists (DRAs) to volunteer. Even during the pandemic, many hospitals look to NILMDTS photographers as essential workers. If you are comfortable or able to go into hospitals, we need photographers to capture the only moments parents will spend with their precious babies. NILMDTS is also in need of DRAs where you can volunteer from your home. Since the pandemic, retouching sessions have increased by 132%. This includes medical providers and bereaved parents submitting photographs for retouching. Since 2005, Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep has gifted complimentary remembrance portraits to parents experiencing the death of a baby. For many, these priceless images serve as a critical step in the healing process. Having done over 40,0000 complimentary portrait sessions, NILMDTS works with photographers and digital retouch artists from around the world to offer grieving families the gift of photography to honor and validate the legacy of their precious babies.  Click for more info  by Skip Cohen This could just as easily fit on Throwback Thursday since it goes back to WPPI 2011, but it's Marketing Monday, and Scott Bourne's wisdom in this "Photographers Ignite" video is perfect for the challenges we're all facing these days. Kevin Kubota's series was the annual opening program for a few years in a row at WPPI, with at least five hundred people in the audience each time. Kevin's idea set a new standard, yet to be repeated, for great presentations and sharing information. Here's the concept: Each speaker had twenty slides to show in five minutes, and they automatically changed every 15 seconds. The challenge was to get your message out there, and Scott did a terrific job. He's sharing five minutes of pure inspiration. It's been one of my favorite presentations for years because there's so much in it. I find myself hitting the pause button repeatedly and thinking about the point Scott's making at the time. And these days, with the pandemic's challenges and the need for so many photographers to rebuild and jumpstart their businesses, Scott's sharing the building blocks for success in every slide! Grab a cup of coffee and take five minutes...oh, and in the intro, Kevin mentions Scott's 90,000 followers on Twitter - that's 209,000 today. "People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it!" Scott Bourne   by Skip Cohen...and Brian Palmer Sunday Morning Reflections have ALWAYS been about something other than business, and this morning is no exception. I was thinking about what to write about when I noticed an IM from Brian Palmer about an old post he recently ran across. It became the perfect topic for today...the importance and roots of our most special friendships. Here's the short backstory: In 2009, I resigned from Rangefinder Magazine and WPPI. While everyone thought I was nuts, I couldn't have been happier...or nervous. It was a recession, and I wasn't sure what I wanted to be when I grew up! I left California for Akron, Ohio. Sheila and I found a great house to rent together, but I knew nobody in the area. Catching up to photographers online, I met a local artist, Brain Palmer. I'm the biggest lunch slut in photography, so we met for lunch. That kicked off a fantastic friendship that, ten years later, is still something Sheila and I cherish. Brian attended a couple of Skip's Summer Schools, and we got together socially with his wife Perla and daughter Sara. At Skip's Summer School in 2010, Brian grabbed the shot above of Sheila and me. He sent me a print which has been in a frame on my desk all these years - it's one of my favorites of the two of us. Meanwhile, Brian and his family moved to Tokyo, but we've never lost touch, thanks to social media. Today he lives in Melbourne, Australia, and this morning he ran across his post about the image, which he shared in September of 2010. I never saw it, but it's perfect for sharing today. We're all fighting to keep our sanity through the pandemic and eight months of being hunkered down. But, hunkering down is about your health - it's about hiding from germs, NOT friends. Brian and I caught up a little on an IM this morning. Just a few IMs back and forth, but from the smile on my face and Sheila's when I told her about catching up to Brian, you'd think I'd won the lottery. I wish all of you a day that keeps you in touch with great friends and memories that remind you that no matter where you are in the world - thanks to technology - you're NEVER really alone. And to Brian's point in his guest post today - you don't always need eye contact to capture a moment that's special to your subject. Brian, Perla, and Sara - we sure do miss you guys! And you might be in Australia, but the world's getting to be a tiny place, thanks to social media. Thanks for catching up this morning - can't wait for the day we can figure out how to get beyond the pandemic and get together in person. Happy Sunday, everybody. Make it a day worth remembering. by Brian Palmer (Posted September, 2010)
As some of you know Perla and I were at Skip's Summer School this past August, which was an amazing experience, hosted by Skip Cohen. In addition to the speakers presentations there was a breakout session where Skip, Tony Corbell, Clay Blackmore, Scott Bourne, and Bambi Cantrell were having a Q&A session with anyone who wanted to participate. As the session was winding down Skip & his wife, Shelia, turned in and I decided to play the photojournalist and capture a few moments of them leaving. Here is one I captured of them on the escalators. I still cannot believe they didn't see me sneaking along behind them, as I was shooting with a 24-70mm so I didn't have a lot of reach. Would this had been a better shot with Skip and Shelia facing me? Maybe. But not interrupting that moment, regardless of what it was, will, in the long run, mean more to them than a posed straight on capture. This is in no way saying posed and camera aware captures do not have meaning, because they do, just as much and more just depends on what you are trying to accomplish. This write up is only a comparison between the two. Just food for thought. **Word of advice - be careful when laying on the ground next at the top of an escalator! The edges are sharp. 
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.
 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: Beauty is in the eyes of the checkbook holder! Remember that often, especially when you're creating for your own enjoyment, you're the checkbook holder!  Image copyright Scott Bourne. All rights reserved. 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 It's a very different Throwback Thursday post this week, but so appropriate. Glen Clark and I have been friends since we first met close to thirty years ago through another mutual friend, Terry Deglau, then at Kodak. We've worked together on a long list of projects, and he's one of a small group of buddies who's high on the call list when I need a lift. He sent me the post below, and I'm ecstatic he's allowed me to share it here. It's Throwback Thursday, and these days none of us have to turn the clock back very far for the fun of old photographs and a walk down Memory Lane. During the last five months of downtime, one of the most popular activities for every photographer has been cleaning out our closets. As I look at my own collection of photographs over the years, I'm a perfect candidate for a show on hoarding. I have an attic full of prints, many of them framed that will never see the light of day - but we're out of wall space! Glen's dealing with a challenge we can all identify with - letting go of the footprints from our journey to make room for new ones. And the reason it's so hard? Jodi Picoult's quote, which I've shared numerous times says it all: "This is what I like about photographs. They're proof that once, even if just for a heartbeat, everything was perfect." by Glen Clark I am struggling through a sad reality… As a photography professional, I've spent the better part of my life believing in and promoting that captured images represent memories, moments and milestones we will cherish during our lives and, in some cases, pass along as family heritage and precious treasures. And as an industry, we've promoted the value of large wall prints and decor items for home, office, and even commercial/business/public spaces. These "works of art" have enhanced our environments. My wife and I have accumulated more than our fair share of photographic art pieces and wall prints, each representing moments in our lives we cherish. But, we're now at that stage when we are reducing, cutting back, and "lightening the load." Our cherished print collection has become a burden. Our children and their children don't want the "Family Heritage" things we've collected (including our works of art). The sad reality is we need to let these things go. We've shared the few items wanted by family and friends. Before our treasures are tossed, we're copying them, so we at least have digital memories. I'm now creating digital copies (another story in itself), followed by destroying the originals and throwing them in the trash. An hour after we grabbed the photograph above, the prints around me were gone. It was heartbreaking…but at the same time, it was a bit "freeing." What advice would I share with my younger self if I could? Here are a few conclusions:
TRUTH – Having one readily available image when wanted is far more valuable than having multiples that need to be searched for to locate.
The one huge takeaway is this… Cherish each moment for the beauty, friendship, love, etc. it contains and, if you want, keep a few things to remind you of the good times. However, remember that today is here and now, and therefore more valuable than yesterday and tomorrow is not guaranteed. Live well, enjoy each day, share your love with people, cherish those close to you, and thank God for it all. Follow Glen on his Facebook page. You'll never be disappointed in what he's sharing!
 Intro by Skip Cohen For years I've written, the best thing about our industry is the friendships that grow out of everyone's mutual love for the craft. Since the start of the pandemic and being quarantined, the importance of those friendships has grown even faster and become more cherished. Meet Erik Cooper. We've only been friends a few months, but thanks to Facebook and the phone, we've spent a lot of time talking. This morning we caught up on a great phone call, and he told me about a project he launched at the beginning of the pandemic. Every week I've been sharing at least one post about something professional imaging artists are doing to make the most out of downtime. There are two aspects of Erik's project that I appreciate the most. First, he's bringing a group of people together who share a mutual love and respect for imaging. They've all helped each other raise the bar on their skill sets. Second, Erik chose to stand out from the crowd and implement a way to be a leader in education, but even more critical during these tough times, help everyone stay positive and focused. The Beatles' line of getting by with a little help from my friends couldn't be more accurate. A big THANKS to Erik for writing something up about the project and especially to all the artists/models involved in the images in this post. The pandemic isn't slowing down, but for this group, neither is their positive attitude!  Click to view any of the collages in the SCU Lightbox by Erik Cooper We make choices everyday that determine just how positive we can remain during adversity. In March and April of 2020 our country moved into quarantine in order to lessen the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This was indeed a trying time for the US as well as other countries involved around the globe. Being located in Colorado, one of the first states to deal with the virus, our new agency, ECP Talent, decided to stick to a positive outlook in dealing with the shutdown. Most of our model and talent team were locked up in their houses and looking for a new spin on time with their families or by themselves. As a photographer, I thought it a good idea to teach them lighting principles they could use for their postings. We had six instructions on side, flare, butterfly, clamshell, low level and GOBO lighting. All of this with the design of staying positive during the lockdown. The response was amazing from the team as well as the public when we would post the resulting collages. The members were then able to apply these principles to future posts and the impact on their pages was notable. I receive requests often to continue in this effort from the team. Staying positive is so important. Note: Check out more of Erik's work with a visit to ECP Talent on Facebook, Erik Cooper Photography on Facebook and on Instagram, ECP Models on Instagram   Click to view any collage in the SCU Lightbox   I want this phone! LOL by Skip Cohen It's Throwback Thursday and now and then I like to step away from the memories of old photographs and instead find early concepts I've shared in blog posts. Seven years ago, my good buddy Scott Bourne wrote the post below about using your phone. At that time, picking up a phone and making a call was in the shadows of texting, email, and social media in general. Many of you didn't have a phone number even listed on your website. Well, the new norm has changed all that and made the phone one of your best tools for helping your business. Talking to a client directly is second only to the benefits of meeting with them in person, which these days can be minimal. And a phone call, especially when you're not hard-selling anything, is perfect for helping maintain relationships important to sustaining your brand and reputation. So, why not start today and set a goal of ten clients or friends a day you're going to call and just ask, "I'm just checking up on people I care about - how are you guys doing?" It really is that simple, and the phone is a great way to keep in touch! Scott Bourne should be on your radar. Check out more great content and wisdom by visiting his blog, Picture Methods. by Scott Bourne This may come as a shock to some of you, but in the old days, not one single professional photographer on the planet had a Facebook account. Nor did they have a Flickr account, a blog, a website, an e-mail address or anything else that involved being "on line." Yep I know, I know, hard to conceive. But it's absolutely true. And in keeping with my status as "older than dirt" I know this is true because I was actually there! Truth be told, I've spent more of my life operating without the Internet than WITH the Internet. I've sold more photographs, licensed more images, booked more shoots using the telephone than the Internet. Now here's the good news. The telephone still exists. Oh you don't hear about it very often, but yep, I checked. It's still there. You can get one just about anywhere. And you no longer need to rely on a lady named "Ma Bell" to pick one up. Yes, the magical telephone still works and in my opinion, still has great value. So today's Marketing Monday tip is short and sweet. Get a telephone number, plaster that puppy everywhere. Use it. Share it. Actually answer it. Talk to people. It's an amazing thing. You can hear the happiness or sadness or joy or suspicion or whatever in the other person's voice. You don't have to rely on emoticons! You can just ask people how they are feeling, what they need, and they will tell you! Crazy right? You should put your telephone number on every single piece of marketing material you hand out. And you should put it on your website, your blog, your social media accounts (at least the ones you use for business) and you should do so today! People still use the telephone. They really do. Maybe not ALL people. But enough to warrant you investing in one, promoting the number and responding promptly to every single call, period. I know what you're thinking. "But Scott if I put a telephone number on my website people will call me!" Yes! Isn't it wonderful? Clients and prospects will call and try to give you money. It's like magic. Give it a try. Really. As always, Skip and I are rooting for you.   Intro by Skip Cohen It's Throwback Thursday, and I usually turn back the clock exclusively to old images or videos. But this morning, wandering through my archives, I found one of my favorite guest posts from my good buddy, Scott Bourne. I've shared it a couple of times over the last few years. Scott and I go back a lot of years to my Hasselblad days, later to helping me launch Skip's Summer School, then writing a book together and a never-ending stream of projects and new ideas year after year. In 2012, while at Summer School, Bobbi Lane did her best to get the two of us to be serious for a portrait session. She was successful, but only for a minimal time! The post below is so relevant today. Life is very different for this year's graduates than it was when Scott first wrote this. However, as much as things change, to his point, the importance of relationship-building NEVER varies. Most people see the challenges created by the pandemic as a liability, but for this year's graduates, I see opportunities. So many things in our lives have changed, giving this year's grads the ability to indeed be pioneers in virtually every field. While business may have slowed down over the last few months in photography, we're all part of an industry that itself has never slowed down. More than ever before, your greatest marketing tool is relationship building! by Scott Bourne Commencements are coming up all over the country in the next couple months. As someone with gray hair, I can’t help but have a very different perspective on photography than someone of college age. I am often asked what advice I’d give someone just breaking into professional photography. The usual response goes something like this… “Be prepared for lots of hard work – sales and marketing should dominate your day – show the work every chance you get – network like crazy – shoot what you love – repeat.” But while that’s all good advice, there’s more I would say if I were speaking at a commencement. I’d talk about understanding the high degree of importance graduates should place in each and every relationship they engage in during their career. Whether it’s the mailman or the recent client, these relationships are really all that matters. I didn’t know this when I was young and it hurt me…both personally and professionally. So obsess over gear and f/stops if you must, but if you really want to succeed, pay attention to the people in your professional life. Build solid, long-term relationships with them. Care about them. Help them. Put them and their interests ahead of your own. You never know where that will lead. You might be dealing with that person 30 years later. They’ll remember how you valued (or didn’t) the relationship when you were young. And so will you. If you believe business is built on relationships, make building them your business. Scott Stratten  We get by with a lot of help from our friends! Intro by Skip Cohen After I posted a short rant a few weeks ago, which included projects several photographers have been doing, Steven Gotz wrote this as a response on Facebook. It really hit home, especially his last line: The less time I feel sorry for myself, the better off I am. I immediately caught up to him on an IM for permission to share what he wrote. Unless you work for a company like Zoom, there is no silver lining to the challenges the pandemic has created. But there are things to have faith in and a reason for hope as things slowly return to some level of normalcy. Our definition of "normal" will continue to be different, as most of us miss the freedom to simply be out and about. So, Steven, thanks for today's dose of inspiration. This is good stuff, and maybe it'll spark a few ideas with other photographers about things they can do to start rebuilding their revenue stream. Most important of all, as Mark Toal mentioned, photography is a way to keep his sanity! by Steven Gotz
It is extremely easy for us to start feeling sorry for ourselves. Income streams for many of the best of us have dried up completely. Some may end up giving up on or postponing their lifelong dream of being a full time working photographer. Some may have to go back to the type of jobs they did before they went full time as a photographer. Some of us are getting mad that we have to wear a mask, some people are outraged at others for not wearing masks. (I am staying in, so far, so no mask for me.) All this during an election year with many people having to hold their nose to vote. My personal solution to keeping my sanity is simple. I have been working on projects to help other people. I don't know how creative that is, but it really helps.
As long as it is not about me, I can continue on a lot easier. The less time I have to feel sorry for myself, the better off I am.  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 My old buddy, Dean, was responsible for one of the greatest quotes in photography and sales. It doesn't matter what anybody thinks about your images except the client. Sometimes, when you're shooting for your own pleasure and not on the job, that client is YOU!  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.  I understand that people don’t want to invest in Lightroom and Photoshop or pay a monthly subscription fee. There are other alternatives like Adobe Photoshop Elements or the App Snapseed for your phone. Most of the photos you see on my Facebook and Instagram pages have been transferred via wi-fi from my Lumix camera to the iPhone and adjusted in Snapseed. If you’ve resisted trying Lightroom or Photoshop or any another program, and your sitting at home wondering what to do until the world re-opens, this might be a good time to download a free trial version and watch some videos on YouTube to learn to use it.  Click on this banner for more information. Intro by Skip Cohen This series got started when my pal, Mark Toal, sent me an email saying he was taking off for a week and playing with photography, as opposed to his usual role at Panasonic with a camera in his hands. He asked if I'd be willing to run a new piece each day, and I jumped at the chance! The pandemic has changed all of our lives, especially when it comes to keeping in touch with family and friends. Like many of you, Sheila and I have a regular Skype call with our kids, usually on Sunday afternoon, but they're adults. I love this piece Mark's sharing today, along with his YouTube channel just for his granddaughters! Somehow, the "Hoboken Chicken Emergency" seems perfect for the challenges we're all facing these days! Besides, we've binge-watched every series on Netflix and Amazon we can find - time for the Mark Toal storybook channel!  by Mark Toal When the shutdown for the Covid-19 virus first started the first thing that occurred to me is that I wasn’t going to see my granddaughters for a while. I could make do with less toilet paper and flour and trips to Costco, but not seeing Hadley and Eliza for weeks was too hard to think about. We were able to FaceTime, but it just wasn’t enough, so I had the idea to read them books on video and upload them to YouTube. This might give them something to remember during this period with Papa Mark. I’ve wanted to learn to be more comfortable on video and this seemed like a good way to practice and only have a 5 and 7-year old see it. Because I’m a photographer it gave me the justification to buy the new wooden tripod that you can see in the photo of my simple video set-up. I also used my Lumix G9 with the Lumix 12-35mm f/2.8 lens and a Rode microphone. Because I’m shooting these in my dining room, I set the camera to aperture priority in the custom video mode and choose f/2.8. This way the cluttered background would be out of focus. I used face detection to stay focused on my eyes and shot in 1080P to keep the file sizes smaller. I decided to keep in as simple as possible and just use window light. Click on the title to see me reading The Hoboken Chicken Emergency by Daniel Pinkwater.  Mark's using the LUMIX G9 and LUMIX 12-35mm f2.8 lens. Just click on the thumbnails below for more information.
 by Skip Cohen
The fun of this industry, especially these days, is keeping in touch with people. Whether on the phone, email, virtual meetings, or in social media, it's wonderful catching up with friends. Meet Michael Novo from Chicago. Michael and I met at Skip's Summer School many years ago. We've kept in touch, and he recently told me about the image above. Seeing a coyote running down Michigan Avenue with no cars, no people just hit me like a scene from a sci-fi movie. Throw an ape on horseback, and we'd have the making of another Planet of the Apes movie. Michael's description of the scene pretty much says it all: For those who know Chicago, I was on the north side, off of Lake Shore Drive and Michigan Ave, which seemed like a great place to start for my personal shoot. With so few cars coming by, I thought I'd wait around for a window of the street being totally empty. When the moment arrived, the silence and solitude was broken by a less familiar sound of something behind me. What I initially thought to be a dog, turned out to be a coyote running by as I swiveled my head. Not exactly a sight I was prepared for and missed the opportunity of a head-on shot. So instead, did the best I could to focus and recompose after he passed by. It's certainly not technically the 'best' image I've ever created, but once I saw it as a large print, it made a lasting impression of being in the right place at the right time. Check out more of Michael's work with a click on the image above to visit his website. Plus, Michael's involved in a lot of different projects, and you'll find more of his images on his Instagram page as well.  Click to visit Chris Withers Photography by Skip Cohen
Wandering through Facebook this morning, I caught this image by Chris Withers in the Facebook Wedding Photographers forum. I immediately put in a call for permission to share his photograph. But just as high-impact as the image itself, what Chris wrote with his post was even more on point: "Making the most of a crumby situation. This lovely couple was meant to be married this past weekend. Had to change their date. I was inspired to offer the chance to create a photo they could share with friends and family and also to remember this bizarre moment in time. Imagine the stories we will tell looking back. They will need memorable photographs." If there was an award for optimism during a pandemic, Chris would have my vote! He's taken a "crumby situation" and turned it into a milestone memory-maker. And in the process of walking-the-talk, he's reminding all of you not to lose sight of your ability to continue to create magical moments for your clients. THANKS Chris! Intro by Skip Cohen The Internet has made the world a smaller place, and with it have come some terrific cyberspace friendships. Meet Steven Gotz. Based in California, I first "met" Steven when he joined us for lunch with the f64 Lunch Bunch. During one of those webinar gatherings, he shared an idea for converting images to coloring book pages. Well, that led to a phone conversation and the start of a great little friendship. I made the offer to help share his coloring book idea with my readers, and Steven was kind enough to do a guest post. Now, think about the power of this for any family with young children who are hunkered down trying to find things to keep the kids busy. Even more valuable is the concept for those of you who are children and family photographers. Here's a way for you to share something with your clients - coloring book pages of their own family portraits! A BIG thanks to Steven for sharing the idea and writing the post. He's a perfect reminder that we're all in this together! More of Steven's work with his FREE Shelter-in-Place coloring books and Wordsearch puzzles is just a click away below, as well as his KelbyOne Class, "The Art of Zootography." by Steven Gotz By way of introduction, I am a Headshot Photographer, as well as a Zootographer and Docent at the Oakland Zoo in Northern California. With most of us forced to stay home due to shelter-in-place orders, and with most zoos being closed, in order to continue to give back to my community I have been keeping busy making coloring books of my animal images for the Oakland Zoo web site. My takeaway from a lot of the Zoom sessions, chats and tutorials I have been watching lately is that photographers are looking for constructive ways to stay in touch with their clients. And, at the same time, many of them are looking for ways to keep their own children constructively occupied. Or, at least, quietly occupied. It occurred to me that while children are enjoying coloring my photographs of animals, they might also enjoy coloring photos of themselves and their families. If a photographer who shoots family or pet photos could keep in touch with clients by sending them a PDF with one or more coloring pages of the family, the children, the family pet, etc, then that photographer might well be remembered when we come out the other side of this crisis. How about if the client were to take a smartphone photo of their children in their favorite superhero shirt, or their favorite sports team’s jersey, then send that photograph to the photographer? It only takes a few minutes to turn that photo into a coloring page and send it back. Now there is truly a two-way communication with clients.   While photos of families with younger children would most likely be more useful, for the purpose of this post, I chose to use a family with older children to respect privacy issues.
To create your own coloring pages, start by opening your photo in Photoshop. You can use a raw file, an edited PSD or TIF, or even a JPG. However, if you are using anything other than a raw file, please remember to edit a copy, not the original. Step 1: Duplicate the background layer. Step 2: With the background copy selected, Image / Adjustments / Desaturate Step 3: Duplicate the desaturated background copy Step 4: With Background copy 2 selected Image / Adjustments / Invert Step 5: With Background copy 2 still selected change the blend mode from normal to Color Dodge. This will likely make the layer almost completely white. No worries, that will change in the next step. Step 5: Apply a Gaussian Blur to taste. In the tiger image I chose 9 pixels. I used 6 for the family photo. You might find that using a levels adjustment on the black and white top level provides a bit better result. Each photo is different. I use the Lightroom Print Module to organize the pages, and then I simply print to a PDF. It is my hope that you find making coloring pages out of your photographs a constructive use of your time while staying home, and staying safe.  Canon 1DX Mark II with a 150-600mm lens @ 600mm - Exposure triad: f/8 @ 1/1000 ISO 800 Images copyright Kevin Dooley. All rights reserved. Often the fun of social media is about the people we meet just hanging out in cyberspace. A few weeks ago, when sharing a post on Facebook, I quoted T. Boone Pickens, with a line that's become a favorite over the years: "When you are hunting elephants, don’t get distracted chasing rabbits."  Well, knowing I didn't mean it literally, Kevin Dooley read my post and threw in his vote for the elephants with the image on the right. That's all it took to get me to look at his Facebook page. I fell in love with the image he used for his header, which is in today's spotlight. I sent an IM to Kevin, who's based in New Mexico and was up very early that day. That kicked off what I hope becomes a nice friendship. He sent me the file to share and the "gearbox." The image was captured in South Africa while with Idube Photo Safaris. Kevin is the owner of Idube Photo Safaris, as well as being an accomplished wedding photographer at Kevin's Photography in Albuquerque. What a kick to now have Kevin in my network. He needs to be on your radar. The Internet hasn't just changed the way we share images. It's changed the way we network and kick off new friendships! A big thanks to Kevin for allowing me to share his images! Click on both images to view in the SCU Lightbox!
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