No matter how educated, talented, rich or cool you believe you are,
how you treat people ultimately tells all.
Integrity is everything.
Unknown Author

by Skip Cohen

Lou Mitchell, author of Mastering Positive Thinking, shared the quote above yesterday. He went on to add:

Regardless of our achievements or status, it is our integrity and the way we treat people that defines us. This perspective encourages us to prioritize kindness, respect, and honesty in all our relationships, understanding that these qualities are the true measures of our worth.

As I read this, all I could think about was how integrity is obsolete under the current administration, especially with the President, most of his cabinet, and the "Squeaker" of the House. You don't have to read or believe any of the fake news being tossed around by both sides - just trust your own eyes and ears.

Every day there's one more lie...the war in Iran has "ended" multiple times, yet here we are starting all over again. Gas prices are headed back up again, food and health costs continue to rise, and millions of dollars are spent on absurd vanity projects, yet we can't find the money to help reduce even the minimum consumer necessities. But we can arrest somebody for touching the reflecting pool while all the January 6th participants are free.

This is why I rarely write about anything political - it becomes a rant, and it doesn't begin to solve the problems. They were never eating cats and dogs in Ohio...but what they're doing right now is far worse...they're eating the very spirit of America! 

Wishing everybody a terrific weekend ahead and time to step away and be with the people most important in your life; make some new memories and laugh over anything that makes your heart soar.

​by Skip Cohen

We're in what many of us think of as mid-summer. Spring seasonality is long gone, but there's still plenty of business out there - both directly and in planning for the fall. Normally my Marketing Monday posts are about ways to grow your business, but today's is a little different. It plays upon your abilities as an artist and family member more than it develops your business/operational skills.

One of my wife's favorite one-liners is, "Don't should on yourself!" Well, this is a post deeply rooted in my "shoulding" on myself. Learn from my mistakes, so you can create new ones of your own!

Here's the backstory: My Dad passed away almost eleven years ago, and my Mom, two years before that. My grandparents died many years before. At this point in my life, there's nobody left who knows any of our family history. I have lots of old photographs and little stories over the years, but what I don't have is a video collection of my folks telling us about their lives, both as a couple and individually. I wish I had those stories, and my grandparents' too.

Companies like Ancestry.com can trace my roots, but that's not what I want. I want video coverage of me just sitting with my folks and talking about our family and their lives. I want the stories!
​
It's a four-generation shot on the right. My mother, great-grandmother, grandmother, and me. I've got plenty of pictures - but not the stories to go with them.

​I've referenced the Senior Friendship Centers in Sarasota numerous times over the years. They're a nonprofit that, each year, delivers thousands of meals to hungry elders, provides adult daycare, a Caregiver Support Center, and more. I couldn't be prouder to have been on their Board for many years and support the way they give back to the community.

One of the programs they started doing many years ago was called "My Journey." It's a recorded interview giving seniors the chance to talk about their lives and create a legacy recording for their children and grandchildren.

I love the concept, but to take it a step further, ALL of you can do something similar. And you have the gear and the skills to do this in more depth than a recording. You've got the ability to create family videos with virtually whatever level of sophistication you want.

​This has so much potential to capture memories, starting with your own family. Don't wait until everybody is gone to say, "I should have taken the time!" Take advantage of all the family time coming up over the rest of the summer and into the fall holidays.

This is especially important if you've got grandparents or great-grandparents alive. Make it a point to get time with them and capture those stories. Ask them questions about their childhood and growing up. Have fun with questions about the kind of kids they were; things they did in school; specific friends, pets, and places they visited. The list of information it would be fun to have and share is unlimited.

​Don't make the mistake I did - Take the time to become your family's historian. You never want to look back and wish you'd captured/created a video about your roots!

by Skip Cohen

This would have been the perfect post for Throwback Thursday, except I got busy with my new adventure into aging and Before They Take Away My Keys. I totally missed posting this yesterday. But there's nothing that says you can't enjoy a throwback whenever it's shared. And while I know I shared pieces of this post many years ago, it's too much fun not to bring back.

I was president of Hasselblad USA from 1987 - 1999, and early in 1988, we got a call from Cubby Broccoli's studio. They were looking for gear that "Q" could use to build a unique rifle for James Bond in License to Kill.

With help from Carl Claesson, then Hasselblad USA's Service Manager, and Don Snyder, Camera Repair Supervisor, we donated a beyond-repair camera body, magazine, and prism finder. "Q" had what he needed, adding other photographic gear to create the rifle. If I remember correctly, the barrel or stock was a carbon-fiber Gitzo tripod leg.

But my favorite part of this throwback story came just after the film had been released. At a Hasselblad press conference in NYC, introducing the newest camera at the time, we chose to kick off the event by showing the rifle, which was then on loan to us.

It took every ounce of control I had not to laugh as I announced Hasselblad's entrance into military weapons and its award of a government contract. After removing the A-12 magazine from the camera, I showed how it was loaded with six large-caliber, high-velocity rounds.

I was doing great until I made eye contact with my good buddy, Bob Panarella. Sitting right in front of him was one of the journalists, furiously taking notes. That was it - I cracked, along with Bob and most of the audience. 

The story behind the rifle continued...

In the late 80's and early 90's, Hasselblad Sweden produced an ad campaign featuring some of the finest photographers in the world. Each tag line started with "________________ shot __________________ with a Hasselblad." For example, I remember one of Paulina Poroskova photographed by Victor Skrebneski with just that caption.

Sitting in the office one day, somebody had an idea, probably Mark Rezzonico, to do a spoof and create the ad to the right.  The caption read:

MARK REZZONICO USED A HASSELBLAD TO SHOOT ERNST WILDI, WHO USED A HASSELBLAD TO SHOOT ALLEN ZIMMERMAN, WHO USED A HASSELBLAD TO SHOOT SKIP COHEN.

Mark Rezzonico was pretty close to the start of his career in professional photography.  Ernst Wildi wrote every Hasselblad manual and was an amazing photographer, author, and teacher. Al Zimmerman was Vice President of Hasselblad USA and took over as President when I left for other endeavors.

Al is holding the gun used in the movie, License to Kill. You can find anything on YouTube, and the clip from the scene is below.  

Today's post is a perfect example of the biggest side-benefit of sharing throwbacks: the fun of the backstories and trips down Memory Lane. They help us stay focused on the fun of being in this industry. A look in the rearview mirror is perfect for appreciating the view forward and the future.

Wishing everybody a terrific weekend ahead - and if you haven't done a little searching for some fun throwbacks of your own, take a minute or two and appreciate your past and how you got here.

​Happy Friday!

by Skip Cohen

​I started the "Drilling Down" series as a way to share ideas to help you build a stronger business and increase brand awareness. Today is focused on "fun." Out of everything I've shared to date, "fun" might be the most important of all. "Fun" is one of those very special words too often lost under the stress of business today.

Having fun with what you're doing is as important as your skill set as an artist and business owner. In fact, it's at the very core of success. But fun doesn't just happen - it takes work! You've got to take the time to have fun. You've got to recognize burnout. You've got to use those Who Wants to Be a Millionaire lifelines and phone a friend.

When I look back on all my years in this industry, there are so many knuckleheads who have made it fun. For example, during his years at Kodak, Terry Deglau and I simply had fun, but we worked hard to make it happen. We often tagged on extra days at conventions - including driving Ansel Adams' Cadillac into Yosemite for three days with a trunk loaded with Hasselblad gear and Kodak film after PhotoWest in the 90s.

When you're hanging out with good friends and simply having fun, the process of laughing and enjoying each other's company brings new ideas bubbling to the surface. Great friends share so many common interests. It's not about fame, money, or your skills, but about being happy in whatever you're doing, and then sharing time with the right people.

I've written many times in the past, "You can't create images that tug at people's heartstrings if your own heart isn't in it!"  So, if stress is winning too much lately, here are some easy suggestions (in no particular order) to push it back where it belongs!
​

• Take the time to step away from the business.
• Make time to get to know the people you interact with.
• Go to lunch with a friend.
• Don't answer your phone for a few hours on an afternoon when you need a little time to yourself.
• At upcoming conventions, take the time to meet new people.
• Get to know the team at the vendors you work with.
• Don't "doom-scroll" in social media. Ten minutes of scrolling often sours my mood, leaving me hours to snap out of it.
• Keep music playing throughout the day in your office. It's not for everybody, but with my home office there's always something playing on Alexa.
• Keep in touch with friends on social media.
• Follow birthdays and anniversaries - I love Facebook for that.
• On the personal health side: exercise, get plenty of sleep, stay hydrated and eat healthy.

Work to put "FUN" into your business life. And, don't let your business interrupt the time you need with family and friends. 

Have fun, work hard and money will come. Don't waste time - grab your chances.
Have a positive outlook on life. When it's not fun move on.

Richard Branson
​

​by Skip Cohen

I started this series to help artists and small business owners in photography fine-tune their businesses to make 2026 one of their very best years. Social media has become your number one vehicle to keep in touch with your target audience. That means your blog (any social media presence) is more important than ever. It's your best way to maintain brand awareness, but it needs to be done right!

I'm sharing tips from my experience, input from other educators in imaging, and great advice from my good buddy, Scott Bourne. There's no excuse for procrastinating on the things you should be doing to establish a greater presence. And if you don't have a blog, then substitute the tips below in your social media presence on any other platform.

1. "Mom" Appeal: For most of you, your target audience is "Mom." Women make 98% of the purchase decisions to hire a professional photographer in the portrait/social categories. That means your content needs to have appeal to Mom, but so does the look and feel of your social media presence. Your content needs to be relatable to your readership.
2. Gift Ideas: The holiday season might seem like a long way off, but NOW is the time to start planting seeds for gift ideas with photographs.  From frames to albums to canvas and prints, technology has made your choices virtually unlimited. I've written this before - photography is the perfect gift idea. No grandmother ever has enough pictures of her family!
3. Making Your Audience Better Artists: There are things you do every day as a photographer that you take for granted. Help your audience do a better job of capturing images of their family - even if it's just with a cell phone. Share ideas on composition, lighting, fill flash, and storytelling to help your readers get better results.
4. Throwback Thursday: Use your throwback images to remind your audience how fast the kids are growing up, and their families are changing. It's like the old "Subliminal Man" on Saturday Night Live - you've got to plant the seed for an updated family portrait this upcoming holiday season.
5. Be Consistent: Consistency is crucial for building readership, and if you find yourself blogging or sharing content on social media every full moon, you're better off shutting down the blog entirely. Come back when you can make the commitment it deserves.
6. Build a Stash: Every post doesn't have to be done in real-time. They can be written in advance. Build a stash of posts you can use, and then don't relaunch your social media presence until you've got 12-15 posts ready to go and in the pipeline. Then alternate between posts in your stash and something fresh each week.
7. Guest Posts: Sharing and exchanging content with other artists helps you build stronger awareness. Look for partnerships where you swap material with other photographers and groups within your community. No photographers you want to work with? Then consider other vendors with the same target audience.
8. Support Your Community: Writing about upcoming community events gives you more traction for giving back. It also helps define your role better as somebody who's helpful. You're likely to find the sponsoring associations for each event you help publicize, who will share your information and help you build more awareness.

In today's post, including five tips from Scott Bourne below, you've got 13 ideas with a minimal overlap. Your social media presence has never been more important than today, when live interaction with your clients and target audience is often too limited.

Can you survive without a blog? Sure, but here's why it's so important. Your website is about what you sell. Your blog is about what's in your heart. The two work together, just like publicity and advertising to help you establish a stronger brand.

Building Traffic for Your Blog - Five Primary Tips
 by Scott Bourne
​
If you're attempting to become (or already are) a professional photographer, in my opinion you need a blog. But not just any blog will do. Your blog needs to be an extension of you. It needs to show off your work for sure, but it also needs to show off your personality.

Once you build a blog, it won't do you much good if people coming to it don't stick around, because you aren't giving them a reason. So here are five ways to increase your blog's audience.

1. Avoid too many ads, too much sales talk, too many banners and too many commercials on your blog. Make sure there is a nice content to marketing ratio. Read your blog as if you were someone else and ask yourself, would I find this blog to contain enough helpful, valuable information to put up with "X" amount of marketing.

2. Publish your blog on a dependable and regular schedule. While publishing new posts every single day will get you a bigger audience faster, it's not a requirement. What is important however, is publishing with consistent frequency. Publish every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for instance and let your audience know the schedule. Whatever day(s) you promise to publish, stick with it so people know there's a reason to come back and more importantly, so they don't forget your message.

3. Tell stories. Be engaging. Talk more about your subject expertise or your clients than yourself. Make sure your content solves a problem for someone else, not for you. Narrative is a powerful form of communication. Use it.

4. Be yourself. You can't make a blog work unless it's honest, transparent and truthful. It has to be written from your very own true perspective, NOT the perspective you THINK people want to hear. It's way too hard to be someone else and to keep it going. Just be yourself. Not everyone will like what you do. Don't worry about that. There's a big world out there. You only need to reach the people who DO like what you do - the rest can head on down the road to find someone or something else. Life goes on.

5. Be helpful. Make sure every blog post provides the possibility of help to your audience. Your content has to be useful, or nobody will care about it. The more targeted, and niche oriented, the better. The more problem solving the better. 

by Skip Cohen

As I sat down to write my Friday post this morning, I had a hard time choosing a topic. Usually, I can find inspiration on my Facebook notifications, but today I was buried in stories about Trump and a Congress without a backbone. I hate what's happened to our country and the morons who continue to support a conman and his minions.

But it's Friday, and I'm not sure I've ever looked forward to the weekend more. I'm going to step away from my computer, limit my news intake, and appreciate what we can control in our lives. No doubt the grill will be slow-cooking something, and without question, Margaritas will be involved.

And in terms of the quote above...While I hate how Congress has forgotten about We the People, I'm celebrating the people we love and two pups who have enriched our lives beyond measure. Not only is Lucy asleep in my lap as I'm writing, but so are my legs! LOL

So, while the circulation comes back into my legs, I'm wrapping this up with a goal to do my best to follow James Murphy's lead above - and make at least a part of every day feel like a weekend!

Wishing everybody a terrific weekend ahead and time to simply appreciate everything that's going right in your life without being buried under the stress of what's wrong!

​Happy Friday!

by Skip Cohen

It's an expression we've all heard and are reminded of whenever we take on a challenge that turns out to be far more difficult than anticipated. That pretty much describes our days right now. Here's the short backstory:

After ten years in this house, we decided it was time to paint the interior...but not a little at a time. Walls, trim, ceiling, closets -- all in the same project. And while there have been some funny moments, like me finally giving up my warmest winter parka to Goodwill...or deciding which of my alternative sizes of clothing should finally be discarded...it's been exhausting.

We moved to Florida fifteen years ago, and it's hard to believe how much junk we've accumulated. But sorting out the contents of various closets is only the smallest challenge. We never really thought through our daily routines - now interrupted by the addition of the painters, rooms temporarily emptied into other rooms, the smell of the paint, and trying to find virtually anything that's been moved! Even the pups are confused - since their bed is normally in the room where everything started.

What I did find interesting, though, was the AI explanation of the 70s quote about alligators:

This classic, pragmatic business idiom perfectly describes being so overwhelmed by day-to-day crises that you lose sight of your original goals.

If you are dealing with a flood of pressing issues right now, here is a quick approach to help regain control:

• Triage immediately: Stop worrying about long-term projects until the immediate "threats" (the alligators) are handled.
• Refocus: Take a step back and clearly redefine your ultimate goal (the swamp).
• Re-strategize: Figure out which tasks actually move you toward your main objective, and delegate or discard the rest.

So, I chose not to post for the last couple of days - at least until we were more organized. I'm chasing things down one closet at a time, and as paint in one room dries, I'm preparing the next. I've even got a mini-plan in my head for putting things back. It sounds like we're organized, but only in my writing.

The bottom line is the "swamp" was simply the idea of a much-needed fresh coat of paint. So, there's nothing to do but take things one step at a time. However, there's still a fair amount of "gut-wrenching" decisions when it comes to one last closet -- my camera/business storage in my office! It's more like a museum, home not only to multiple pieces of camera gear I no longer use, dozens of cables, but also to staplers and even a fax machine.

I'm not a hoarder, but finding the power pack for my first cell phone is pretty outrageous. It's close to 40 years old and weighs at least 5 lbs. I've used it over the years to make a comparison to the way some small business owners still try and market themselves without ever expanding in all the new ways to extend your reach!

I'm whining about all the challenges, and we're only on day 2!

Wishing everybody a Happy Hump Day! Whatever the challenges in your life today, be grateful that you're here to take them on. Keep the alligators in the swamp by staying focused on the original intent before you started. Most important of all - don't lose your sense of humor, which tends to evaporate the minute you stop taking care of yourself.

Happy Hump Day!

The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.
Marcus Aurelius

by Skip Cohen

It's Friday, and if you're in the US, it's Memorial Day weekend. In the "old" days, living up north, this was the weekend the grill came out and the first barbecue to kick off the summer. However, living in California and now in Florida, there's something to be said for a grill that's always ready... without putting on a parka!

I ran across the quote above this morning, and I love its simplicity. It was shared by Lou Mitchell, who went on to write: By nurturing positive, constructive thoughts, we create a foundation for a fulfilling life. Conversely, negative thinking can trap us in a cycle of dissatisfaction.

It's a holiday weekend, at least for those of you in the US. So, continuing Lou Mitchell's comments on a fulfilling life, I'm just starting with this upcoming weekend. Do your best to clear your head of everything negative and take the time to appreciate family and friends, and whatever you're putting on the grill!

Years ago, Colbie Caillat released a song titled "Think Good Thoughts." The chorus says it all:

Wishing everybody a terrific weekend ahead and plenty of time to think good thoughts!

by Skip Cohen

It's Hump Day for everyone who's working/living a normal life...LOL  But, most of you are photographers, and if your specialty is on the bridal or event side, there is no "normal" life or schedule. There is no Hump Day to hit and ride over the other side, suggesting you can coast into the weekend.

And that's my point with today's post: I don't know anybody who has true normalcy in their lives. In fact, I'm not sure how to even define "normal." Sheila and I have our daily routines, together and apart, but life has become bizarre. As we watched last night's news, we were blown away by each story. From Mother Nature's wrath to the fires in Georgia and Florida, to there being no escape from the political scene. And regardless of whether you are on the left or right, whatever happened to the goal of supporting "We the People?"

I know this is becoming a rant, but I want my world back! The problem is that it's getting farther and farther away...it's becoming less and less recognizable. So, Sheila and I raise the drawbridge to keep the trolls out, but they still come into our lives emotionally.

This is a short post with only one goal: to remind you that, whatever frustrations you're feeling, you're not alone. Your friends and your network, together, are your support group. There are still memories to be made, moments to capture, and stories to be told, all under the umbrella of friendships. 
​

"Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It's not something you learn in school.
But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything," 
Muhammad Ali

"Friendship is everything. Friendship is more than talent.
It is more than the government. It is almost the equal of family."
​Mario Puzo

Happy Hump Day!

The three big ones in life are wealth, health, and happiness.
We pursue them in that order, but their importance is in the reverse order.
Naval Ravikan

by Skip Cohen

Whether you're celebrating Passover or Easter, it makes no difference - Wishing you a peaceful, safe, and healthy holiday weekend ahead. The world is upside down, but that won't slow down Spring, and it doesn't need to dampen your spirits and faith that things are going to get better.

This weekend, try to shut out the noise and appreciate what makes your heart soar. It may sound sappy, but maybe that's what we need today—more sentimentality and a focus on what truly matters, together with the people who have helped to make us who we are.

Happy Passover...Happy Easter...Welcome Spring!

Don't wait for someone to bring you flowers.
Plant your own garden and decorate your own soul.
Luther Burbank
​

There is only one way to avoid criticism:
Do nothing, say nothing and be nothing.
Aristotle

by Skip Cohen

I read Aristotle's quote the other day, and it stuck with me. Why? Because it describes what so many of us do so often, especially in today's political climate. And in cyberspace, especially, it's easier to just be quiet than deal with the abuse after the fact.

What amazes me is how often somebody's waving a banner based on something they've read on the Internet, and it's all fake, created to capture followers. For example, there was a post, complete with photographs, of Nancy Guthrie's body being found two days ago. The story suggested foul play involving greed and an inheritance battle within the family. It was all a fabrication.

If you question some of these supposedly legitimate posts, you get shot at by the trolls. These days, avoiding people who want to be trolls is almost impossible. In fact, we've all discovered we have friends who have turned into political warriors, doing their best to right-fight their way into contradicting what we believe.

I didn't start out writing to share things you already know about the challenges involved in having an opinion these days. Just an effort to remind you that you're not alone and don't shut down expressing yourself just to avoid criticism. But there are some people with ignoring - all listed in today's illustration above.

Wishing everybody a terrific weekend and time to chill. That doesn't mean you have to be quiet; just stop doom-scrolling and stop listening to people who don't have their facts straight.

The quote below, even though I've shared it before, is so on point for today:

Don't believe everything you read on the Internet.
Abraham Lincoln

One can never speak enough of the virtues, the dangers, the power of shared laughter.
Françoise Sagan

by Skip Cohen

From Google AI: The phrase "laughter is the best medicine" is a widely recognized idiom suggesting that humor and joy have therapeutic benefits for physical and mental health. 

The world is upside down, the economy is uncertain, we've pissed off Mother Nature, and we've got a government that's forgotten about "We the People," but that doesn't change the responsibility each of us has for our own health and immediate environment. Nothing helps improve life more than laughter!

After reading the quote above, I stepped away from "doom-scrolling" and wandered through my archives, both on my computer and on my phone. I grabbed a few of my favorites in screenshots. As I expected, each shot brought back memories. Within a few minutes I had a huge smile on my face, and, like a lunatic, I found myself laughing out loud!

The key to unlocking the grip the outside world had on my heart this morning was my collection of photographs from past good times. My Houdini-like escape from the clutches of current events and things everybody keeps telling me I should worry about was all thanks to good friends, Sheila, two pups, and laughter.

You can't put your head in the sand regarding what's going on in the outside world, but you can laugh at it whenever an opportunity comes by. One of the things we like about "Nightly News with Tom Llamas" is that they always close the broadcast with something good going on in the world. It leaves you with a choice to make - be "Chicken Little" and panic over the sky falling, or grab a handful of Alfred E. Neuman philosophy and take a break from worrying about things you can't control.

That brings me full circle to my point - too many of us are taking life too seriously. I'm just as aggravated over current events as anybody else, but I want to take the time to smell the roses and appreciate all the things in life that still make me smile. It's the one way to keep the trolls of the world  from winning!

Wishing everybody an outstanding weekend ahead. Take the time to laugh, but more importantly, pay attention to the people who make you smile. They're the ones you enjoy the most. You need to focus on how they contribute to making your life unique and something to cherish every day!

Happy Friday!

You have to be at peace with yourself. I love to laugh. I think laughter can cure.
You can see it in a person's face. Around age forty, when your face has lost the glow of youth,
what you are inside starts to form on the outside. Either the lines go up or they go down.
If they go up, that's a good sign.
Elizabeth Taylor

by Skip Cohen

The expression about diving your plan comes from scuba diving. Your time underwater is valuable and limited, so you always want to make the most of it. The same thing applies to any convention or workshop you're headed to in the months ahead. You want to maximize your investment and get the most out of every trip.

It's Throwback Thursday, so I thought I'd have some fun with convention shots over the last ten years. And I'm combining my "albums" with a post out of the SCU archives to help you get the most out of every conference you attend, starting with IUSA next week. ​ Check out more photographs below.

1. Why are you going to this convention? It might sound like a stupid question, but some of you go to party, others to buy, and more of you to learn and network. Figure out what the most important thing is you want to get out of the show before you get there.
2. Check the weather forecast wherever you're headed! It's pretty obvious we've aggravated Mother Nature this year around the country. You're going to be out in the evening, so pack accordingly. I know this seems so basic, but I'm amazed at how many people never check a couple of days before.
3. What companies do you need to visit? Take a few minutes and look around your office, studio, or the trunk of your car. Isolate every product you use as a photographer and list its manufacturer. Now, look at every company whose services you use. Your lab, frame company, web design, album company, etc., should all be on the list. Your first goal BEFORE you get to the show is to isolate every company that's involved in your business. ​Here's the link to the IUSA list for next week.
4. New products and companies: Are there products you need for your business or new services you require?  For example, you've read posts about Marathon's Bella Art Prints and Albums here on the SCU blog. Make it a point to stop by Marathon (booth 347) to check out their complete product line and services.
5. Walk through the print exhibit. This is a terrific time to get a feel for imaging trends, as you'll see just about everything in the prints submitted for competition.
6. Walk the trade show, aisle by aisle! One of the best things about any convention is finding out about companies you may not have worked with before! Start in one corner of the show and work your way through EVERY company exhibiting, even if they're showing products you don't use.
7. Wear comfortable shoes!
8. Make plans for breakfast and dinner meetings NOW. Nothing beats time with old friends, as well as new ones. Never eat a meal alone! When it comes to dinner reservations, they don't come easy in any convention town, especially like a venue like the Opryland Hotel in Nashville. If you're heading out for dinner, it helps to know where and when you're going. Think about making a couple of reservations in advance, even if you don't know who you'll be having dinner with!
9. Update your phone book! Make sure you have the cell numbers for friends and associates you want to catch up with. There are few things as frustrating as wanting to meet somebody at a convention, but you've got no way to contact them.
10. Put the "social" into social media. So many of you have friends you talk to all the time online, but have never met in person. You hang out in various forums with them and share a lot of great discussions about photography. Check who's going to the convention you're headed to and set up a time to get together. It's a lot of fun to physically meet people whom you've talked to regularly, but only in cyberspace!
11. Check out the special programming going on in the various booths.
12. You snooze, you lose! Look, I was young and stupid once, too, and there are few things as fun as going out with friends and bar-hopping. However, you're at the show for a reason, and if you need to sleep in late the following morning, your evening out with friends might become the most expensive BAD investment you can make if you miss appointments or presentations you had planned to attend.
13. "Growth only happens outside your comfort zone!" Review the programming and decide in advance which speakers you want to hear. Plus, always pick at least 1-2 programs entirely out of your comfort zone. 
14. Call your insurance agent! If you're taking any serious gear with you, check to make sure you're adequately insured. I remember one year, a woman left all her camera gear in her room but didn't check to make sure the door closed completely when she went out for dinner. Everything was gone when she got back, and she was NOT covered by her insurance. Another photographer had two lenses lifted out of his camera bag while he was listening to a presentation.
15. Publish a couple of press releases! Let's talk about those pictures you're taking while at the show - use them for your own publicity campaign. For example, let's assume you want to expand your business and you're attending a few programs outside your comfort zone. Get a photo of you and the speaker, then write a short post about expanding your business into that new area of expertise. The same goes for any new equipment you might be considering buying at the show. A large-format printer, for example, would be a great topic for expanding your services to the community. In the same respect, working with a new lab would give you access to new products to talk about.
16. Utilize their assets without depleting yours! Get yourself approved for a leasing or a higher credit line before you leave for the convention. If you're going there to shop for new gear, it's so much easier when you know what you can afford before you hit the trade show floor.
17. Talk to the people around you when you attend any program. A photography convention is unique because you're all there for the same reasons. Make it a point to get to know the people sitting on either side of you. It's amazing what you can learn by just talking to each other.
18. Talk to the icons! I'm always amazed by how many of you are intimidated by your favorite photographers. The truth is, they're there to teach and meet other photographers interested in their work. Just walk up, introduce yourself, and thank them for whatever inspiration they've given you. They don't bite!
19. Analysis Paralysis: Take time at the end of each day, before your head hits the pillow, to do a quick overview of who you saw, what you learned, and what companies you can scratch off your list. If you wait until you get home after the convention, it will be too late!

The one thing I find most frustrating with attendees at a big convention is that they just haven't planned their trip. They got their tickets and made it to Nashville or Vegas, but then everything fell apart. Plan your experience so you're not wasting time and, even more important, your money.

Like the main rule in scuba diving...Plan your dive, dive your plan!

by Skip Cohen

It's December 16 and the end of the year is just two weeks away. You're down to the wire wrapping up what's been a challenging year for everybody. If anybody that tells you they had a great year and "it was so easy,"  they're lying to you. However, a lot of photographers are saying "It was a good year, but I never worked so hard in my life!"

Well, with two weeks to go, here's a different way to look at the year...

I've written a lot about "Walk the Talk" books over the years. They're short motivational books you typically see in the business section at a bookstore. Sometimes they're by the register. They may be small, but they pack a powerful punch. I was just looking at Finish Strong and found a couple of great quotes:

"It doesn't matter where you've been, it only matters where you are going."
Brian Tracy

"Great beginnings are not as important as the way one finishes."
Dr. James Dobson

"Slug day" can refer to a day of low energy or routine disruption...
Google AI

by Skip Cohen

It may be Black Friday to most of the country, but for us, it's the perfect slug day. It's taken years for us to perfect and develop a planned routine of simply not planning and taking time to do just about nothing. We've made it into a science, and it starts with "Spa Radio" from Pandora playing throughout the house, and with a chilly morning in Florida, the fireplace has its first taste of winter going right now.

Sheila and I will do our usual breakfast, spend some time with the pups, and then it's open season on anything that doesn't require deep thought or maximum energy. We might do a little light Internet shopping for holiday gifts, maybe watch a movie, and most important of all, just appreciate the post-Thanksgiving Day mood that finished yesterday with Sheila's pumpkin roll.

Okay, you've got the picture, but here's the most essential part of a successful slug day - recognizing you need a break. It's not about being overworked, but about being overloaded with whatever issues get in the way of making our hearts soar. And as sappy and hokey as that sounds, think about it for a minute.

Every day, we should start out fresh, with renewed energy and optimism. But life doesn't work that way, and it's tough to keep your head clear. I have a hard time compartmentalizing a variety of issues. Just like the "monkey on your back," when you've procrastinated too long on doing a specific project, it's hard for me to get away from whatever is causing more stress.

So, Sheila introduced me to the concept of "Slug Day."  After all these years together, I've finally mastered the technique. I know if your business is exclusive to the retail world, it's impossible to make today a slug day, but that doesn't mean you can't plan one for the near future. You need that respite to keep your creative juices flowing!

Wishing everybody a day and weekend ahead with time to kick back and appreciate everything and everyone in your life. Hopefully, you can enjoy the holiday weekend with a clear head and the energy to put all the challenges in your life aside for a day and recharge, smiling more and bitching less.

​Happy Friday... and if you're headed home by car or plane after Thanksgiving, stay safe, be patient, and take your time.

Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It's not something you learn in school.
But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything.
Muhammad Ali

by Skip Cohen

It's not only Hump Day, but the day before Thanksgiving. There was also a beautiful sunrise this morning.  Combined with the season, I was already in an intro and retrospective mood when I ran across the quote above in Lou Mitchell's book, Positive Thinking...One Day at a Time. 

While I'm grateful for the incredible friendships I have all year long, this time of year I tend to think about them far more often and with greater intensity. There's that old line, "It takes a village." My village over the years has been blessed with some incredible people and, in turn, great friendships.

Here's the bottom line to today's short post...I'm so grateful for the friendships I've made in my life and especially over almost 56 years in this industry. Whether casual acquaintances or friends I'd donate a kidney to, it makes no difference... each person has contributed to my life today.

I've used this quote by Alfred Lord Tennyson many times in other posts: "I am a part of all that I have met." Everyone I've met over the years has become a part of me. We're all pieces of everyone's life-puzzle. And like a puzzle, some pieces are bigger than others, but they're all necessary for the complete picture of who we are.

Lou Mitchell went on to write:

Friendship is one of life's greatest mysteries, a bond that defies simple explanations. It's not taught in textbooks or classrooms but learned through shared experiences, trust, and mutual respect. Understanding the true meaning of friendship is essential because it forms the foundation of our emotional and social well-being. It teaches us empathy, loyalty, and love.

Wishing everybody a terrific Thanksgiving. If you're traveling, be safe and patient. Take the time to join me and think about all the friends in your life and how they've had an impact. Then, think about how you can remind them of the role they've played in your life.
​
Happy Hump Day...and Thanksgiving too!

Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, ‘
What! You too? I thought I was the only one.
​C.S. Lewis

by Skip Cohen
​
Yesterday I was interviewed by a writer for an excellent company that specializes in AI. They're working on a white paper document with contributors from a variety of different fields. I'm a big fan of AI, but I get frustrated with many of you. Some of you either see AI as the cure-all for everything you're missing, or you go the other way and worry about AI replacing your skills.

Any time I've ever been interviewed, been a podcast guest, etc., there are always things I think about after my initial unrehearsed responses. I've been thinking a lot about my conversation yesterday and my opinions on AI, which at times were more negative than positive.

The truth is, the combination of AI with many of the old standards gives a business owner the perfect tools to expand reach, customer loyalty and build more brand awareness. What I hate is the way so many businesses act like AI will make up for their incompetence in other areas, especially marketing.

As business owners, you still have to build relationships. You still need integrity to build trust, keep your promises, deliver on time, and exceed expectations! In fact, in a world that's driven by text messages and social media, that personal analog touch is even more important. Photography is still a word-of-mouth business, especially when it comes to Customer Service.

And as far as being replaced by AI, you still have to tell the client's story. Whether in an album or an individual print, clients are trusting you to see the world through their eyes. 

Technology never slows down, and you have to keep up with all the trends and ways to grow your skill set, but from my perspective, the demand will continue to be there for artists who listen to their clients. Ed Foreman, a motivational/marketing speaker many years ago, gave me some of the very best advice:

"If I can see the world through my client's eyes, then I can sell my client what my client buys!" It's a great concept, going well beyond the old line of "put yourself in their shoes." You have to understand what people in your target audience love most, what they worry about, and what/who are most important to them.

Years ago, I did a podcast interview with Mary Ellen Mark. She talked about covering the screen on the back of everyone's camera and forcing them to shoot like they were working with film. Why? Because she wanted people to stop "chimping" to see if they got the shot. The reality is, the real emotion in an image might have happened after the photographer moved on! For example, a grandmother hugging her granddaughter, a bride. What if the most powerful shot wasn't the hug, but the tear in Grandma's eyes a minute or two after the hug? If the photographer chimped and moved on, that special moment was missed.

The bottom line, AI is an incredible asset to understand, but don't rule out some very old-school approaches. From direct mail to pounding the pavement in your community, to relationship building and keeping in touch with your clients past, present, and future...the heart of your business is still YOU!

by Skip Cohen

​It's Veteran's Day, and while parts of this post I shared many years ago, it's still great to bring back. 

My Dad was part of the "Greatest Generation," serving in the Army Air Corps in WWII. Like so many veterans, while he saw action in the Pacific, he rarely talked about it. However, there were a few stories he shared over the years.

Dad played the trumpet all through high school and college until he dropped out to serve after Pearl Harbor. That's Dad in one of the Army Air Corps bands above, second from the right in front of the drummer. 

On a hot, humid day in New Guinea in the 1940s, his CO was looking for musicians. Dad's hand to volunteer couldn't have gone up faster, thinking he was about to score some light duty. All those years playing the trumpet were about to pay off! NOT - for the next three days, he was part of a crew moving pianos for Bob Hope and a USO show!

Dad was initially trained as a pilot but wound up with a perforated eardrum. That changed his role, limiting his time in the air. He spent a good part of the war in the tower at the airfield. One story he told me was about his CO near the end of the war. They regularly sent out planes to calibrate the radar. Just as Dad was getting ready to head out and fly with one of the calibration crews, his CO held him back so he could go himself. Dad was pissed that he got out-ranked and had to stay in the tower. Well, the plane never returned!

That one event gave Dad a whole new philosophy on everything from destiny to dealing with disappointment to believing in divine intervention. Growing up, whenever I was disappointed over something big or small, Dad would remind me, "Everything always works out for the better!"

A year before Dad passed away, we joined HonorFlight.org and went to Washington. I remember Dad sitting with a group of veterans who were also on the trip. Dad was based in the Asia Pacific, and they had all been on the European front. Somebody asked Dad if he ever got to meet General MacArthur. I loved his answer, "No, but I brought in his plane a few times!"
​
So, to our son Brian, who's serving now, Uncle Randy who passed away last year, my Dad who left us in 2015, and all my friends and associates who served in Viet Nam or have family in the military now, I'm not only writing the longest run-on sentence I've ever published, but sharing a big heartfelt thank you!

On this Veteran's Day morning, I wish everybody a day of peace—not just inner peace with your life, but the kind our veterans have fought to preserve. Take the time to hug a veteran today and remind them of your appreciation for the sacrifices they made. And, to every parent who joins us with family in the military today - "thank you" is such an understatement.

If you've got a veteran in the family, especially if they're in their 70s or older, check out HonorFlight.org. It's a fantastic group with one goal: to show the appreciation all our veterans deserve and get them to Washington for one more "tour." Just click on the HonorFlight logo below for more information.

You see, in life, lots of people know what to do, but few people actually do what they know.
Knowing is not enough! You must take action.
Anthony Robbins

by Skip Cohen

It's Friday and I like to keep it short. When I saw the quote above I couldn't help but think about the political mess the U.S. is in. This isn't about being on the Left or Right.

​If any of us ran our businesses the way Congress is acting now, we'd be out of business. I recognize it's easy to be on the outside and criticize, but we've got a government that's forgotten about We the People!

Think about a customer service problem you might have had in your business that simply wasn't your fault. Instead of pointing fingers and doing nothing, you took action and fixed it, because that's what the customer expected. It's what you needed to do to build loyalty and grow your business. You were a problem solver and didn't let complacency get in the way.

I'm back to not watching the news because I'm tired of all the finger-pointing, the lies, the whining, and the complete disregard for the people. I'm tired of all the "fat cats" in Washington who do nothing but criticize and want to take away health benefits, cut back on the social security we've all spent a lifetime paying and take no responsibility for their inaction. 

Want to end the government shutdown? Stop paying the members of Congress! 

by Skip Cohen

Over the years, I've written nearly 200 blog posts on the importance of giving back to one's community. One thing I always write: you're looking for the community to be good to you, so you need to be good to your community.

My point today is about timing. At least in my lifetime, there has never been a greater need to support one's community.

It doesn't matter which "side" you're on in politics; the challenge is the same for all of us. We have a government that can't get its act together. At the same time, more people are out of work, costs for everything have increased, and programs that were previously in place to help have been cut back or discontinued altogether.

The fourth quarter officially begins tomorrow, and with it come numerous local opportunities for you to give back. From helping to feed the homeless to national programs like NILMDTS, the Alzheimer's Walk, and Toys for Tots, as well as volunteers participating in community events and special programs in schools, there's no shortage of ways for you to get more involved.

The challenge is that so many of you continue to procrastinate about getting involved. What's sad is that it's so easy to get started - it's not rocket science. It just takes a little focus...which you know all about when there's a camera in your hands!

I hope you'll take some time today and think about how you can give back and then take the first step...get involved!