by Skip Cohen

My mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother all died of Alzheimer's. Two days ago, my good friend, Kristen Jensen, who also lost her mother to the disease, shared a post about Alzheimer's on Facebook. I'm unsure where the post started, but it was one of those please-share-chain-letter-type posts. While I normally hate stuff like this, it was so spot-on and accurate to what we experienced with my mother.

I started this post with the plan to share it yesterday, Throwback Thursday. I decided to combine a few of my favorite throwback images of my Mom with my own version of a public service message, which is below. Well, I posted the piece on my FB page and was surprised at the response from so many people. So, I decided to hold off and wrap up the week with an additional focus on the Alzheimer's aspect, and a mini-tribute to Mom, including a hand-colored portrait from around 1940.​

by Skip Cohen

​Now and then, an opportunity comes along for a trip you shouldn't miss! Shiv Verma's been a good friend for a whole lot of years. The respect I have for Shiv all started with his skill set. I found that my photography skills went up a notch every time we hung out together. The only thing more impressive than Shiv's skills is his passion as an artist and his focus on education. And when I'm stuck on an imaging challenge of my own, he's at the top of the list for a call to help get me out of a jam.

Well, Shiv has several of his own trips coming up, and he's got just three spots left for Tanzania from August 25 to September 2 of this year. It's all-inclusive, and I can assure you it's going to be top-shelf because Shiv never does anything halfway.

I pulled a few of his images for this post because they're all from past Tanzania trips. However, to really appreciate what it's like to travel with Shiv, click on any image to visit his website and check out the specifics for this upcoming trip.

"This is a peak season trip of a lifetime for up to 8, where you have only one photographer per row in the safari vehicles - all for a price that can't be beat. The annual migration in Tanzania is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. This photo adventure is planned to give you the opportunity to photograph the world's largest concentration of elephants per square mile in Tarangire National Park and travel to the northern plains of the Serengeti via Ndutu. Ndutu is one of the few regions where off-road game drives are permitted. We will visit the Mara and Sand Rivers to witness and photograph the annual wildebeest migration. Game drives will take advantage of the awesome light of the dry season"...read more.

​We all catch lots of opportunities for photo adventures being promoted every day, but knowing Shiv as I do, if Tanzania is on your wish list - this is one not to be missed. Check out his 2025 schedule below and click on any of the dates to visit Shiv's website...Wherever he's headed, you can count on a life-changing experience with one of the industry's very best!

by Skip Cohen

​Whether you're celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, it's a family time of year and always special. It's a time to make memories with the people who mean the most to you. And here's my reminder: When you're together with older members of your family, DON'T FORGET TO VIDEO THEIR STORIES.

I've written a lot about legacy programs and documenting the stories of older relatives before they're no longer with you. Whether with your phone or camera doesn't make a difference. Take the time to corner those senior members of the family over the holidays.  

Now, take it one step further - if you've got kids in the house - assign them to be the family historians. If they're young, get the camera set up for them - and if they're older, give them some assignments. Stories like, "Sit down with Grandma and Grandpa and ask them how they met." Anything relevant in capturing those beautiful backstories that will disappear when older members of your family pass on.

Wishing everybody a wonderful holiday! Thank you for all your support, friendship, and feedback. It hasn't been the easiest year, but it's been one filled with memories, and as sappy as it sounds, it has been filled with a whole lot of love!

Happy Holidays! 

Those we love don't go away, they walk beside us every day...
unseen, unheard, but always near, still loved, still missed, and very dear.
Saint Diamonds

by Skip Cohen

It's Hump Day, two weeks before the holidays. For most people it's the busiest time of year. Everyone gets so wrapped up in the holidays, that too many of us miss the magic!

by Skip Cohen

​Sometimes, inspiration shows up in the most unlikely places—like the back of a T-shirt! But it was the perfect sentiment at the Walk to End Alzheimer's last month.

"There is always light if only we're brave enough to see it ...if only we're brave enough to be it."

I wrote about Alzheimer's in a post a few weeks back. Losing my Mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and a great-uncle to the horrible disease is a cause near and dear to my heart. It's the foundation for my newest "adventure," working with the Memory Care Alliance to help caregivers dealing with Alzheimer's.

But today's post isn't just about Alzheimer's; it's about finding a non-profit cause you believe in. Between Mother Nature's wrath and politics, the world has become a very scary, at times terrifying place. I know we're not the only ones who watch the news and want to go to bed and pull the covers over our heads!

The one way to beat dealing with those challenges we have no control over is to get involved in something that, by giving back, lifts your spirits and makes a difference. I loved this guy's t-shirt because it says so much in the simplicity of the message - brave enough to see the light and strong enough to help be the light!

It's December and holiday time - every non-profit needs help. Plus, you're looking for your community to be good to you - so you need to be good to your community. You're not just another retailer; one way to stand out even more is to be involved.

​Think about it for just a second - if everybody we know just gave back a little to their favorite non-profit, how much could we all help change the world?

by Skip Cohen

​In yesterday's post, I mentioned the importance of not being afraid to "hit the help button" when you need it. Since then, I've encountered multiple references to asking for help. The best was from author Cyndie Spiegel.

"ASKING FOR HELP IS A SIGN OF STRENGTH...Learn to ask for help. There is no prize for being the most independent. Asking for what you need is a sign of strength: it demonstrates a willingness to take better care of yourself and those you love by seeking the best possible help. In the same you'd willingly advocate for others, do the same for yourself."

We're ramping up into the 2024 peak of seasonality in imaging, and everyone will face unexpected challenges at some point. When that happens, stop thinking you have to solve every problem flying solo.​

"You are not alone: There is a great big world out there waiting to champion you and help you live your very best life."

​by Skip Cohen

Years ago, I came across the image below. It's a classic, and before I used it in a blog post to make a point, I did a little digging and talked to the company that owned the photograph.

I wrote: Searching for the copyright, Davidson & Company, out of Atlanta, came up as owning the image. It took a little time to explain to one of their staff, who had no idea what I was talking about. Think about how it sounded answering the phone and hearing, "I'm trying to track down the company that owns the right to the shot of a guy with his head up his butt. Are you the Davidson & Company who owns it?"

A few minutes later, I was on the phone with Ken Davidson, and not only did he give me the okay to use it, but he also shared a little of the backstory. The story adds to my appreciation for the journey so many of us have been on in this industry. The image was shot on film and manipulated with conventional retouching. It was created for a commercial client in the late 1980s!

Last week, I received a comment from Michael Washak, the photographer who took the original image. He saw my post from last May about the photograph. Remember, this was captured/created long before Photoshop. But even with Photoshop today, the quality and realism of the original have not been duplicated.

I contacted Michael for permission to share his comment in a blog post. One great phone call later, I had more of the history behind this classic image. He wrote:

I'm the photographer who, while working for Davidson & Co, took the original images. The lower body and background were taken in one shot. Our larger sales rep was photographed from behind. The arms and upper body were photographed from above. The thinner upper body was the retouch artist who used his airbrush skills to blend the two images and painted the seem lines in the pants.

The original images were photographed in black and white using a Hasselblad 500cm 120 film camera. The base print was done in a conventional darkroom using a rubylith mask to separately print each part. Then the conventional retouch artist did his work.

The reason the image looks so convincing, and has not been effectively replicated, is that back then, before photoshop, I became skilled at photographing elements in perspective to build images from individual parts. In the 90s Davidson went digital and their portfolio is now legendary.

Here's my point: We've become so used to looking at the magic artists have created that we forget it's more than just clicking a button or two in Photoshop. We take for granted the skills involved in creating stunning images. And while I often write about great professional photographers being magicians, it's still remarkable to hear the backstories.

Eight years ago, I started the "Why?" series specifically to introduce you to some of the industry's great artists and one of their favorite images. While I slowed down a lot in adding more artists, there are now over 130 photographers featured in the project. Just click on the button below and check out some of the most respected artists in photography.
​
Take the time to follow up on the backstories behind your favorite images. You'll meet some amazing people in the process, and even better, you just might pick up a few skills to help you in your own search for creating the ultimate image!

by Skip Cohen

​In early September, I decided to make a change in my life. I'm not stepping away from my love for this industry, but I'm cutting back a little to make time for working with the Memory Care Alliance, helping families and patients with Alzheimer's.

The Memory Care Alliance is the vision of one of Sarasota's most respected neurologists, Dr. Mauricio Concha. He runs the Intercoastal Memory Clinic, which launched the Alliance, a community-based network of compassionate and experienced providers dedicated to providing the highest standard of care for patients and families dealing with Alzheimer's. The members are neuropsychologists, clinical psychologists, mental health counselors, psychiatrists, geriatric care managers, home health care agencies, adult day care, support groups, respite care, and legal counseling. 

On the group's private Facebook page, I decided each week to share a new stock image from Adobe that results from a one-word search, "Alzheimer's."  There are hundreds of photos, from the most abstract A.I. created to more personal ones like the four above.

Today, when I posted the first picture in the top left, I realized why I liked it so much. It may be one of the most real. I have dozens just like it of Sheila and my mother, who was fighting the battle with Alzheimer's.

Heading into the craziness of holiday seasonality and the stress, anxiety, and excitement that comes along with this time of year - take a minute and think about something. Where would the world be without photography?

In those moments ahead, when you feel like you're out of bandwidth, take time to pat yourself on the back. As a professional photographer, you've become an accomplished magician and learned to stop time. You help people turn intangible memories into tangible moments they can hold in their hands and cherish for a lifetime!

Alzheimer's is a horrible disease, robbing us of our loved ones, literally as we watch. I couldn't be more excited to be working on this new project, but at the same time, I'm so proud to be part of the imaging industry that I stumbled into a lifetime ago.
​
In those most difficult years of dealing with Alzheimer's and my Mom, one of her most favorite activities was looking through old albums. With each turn of the page, so many memories came flowing back. Mom might not have remembered where she even was, but could tell you the names and stories behind each photograph.

by Skip Cohen

​It's my favorite day of the week, Throwback Thursday, but I wanted to look back at more than just a few old photographs.

When we were kids, nothing could surpass our imaginations. A new refrigerator meant the box it came in was the perfect fort. Blankets over a table became a castle. We improvised with whatever was available and simply created one Hollywood set after another. There was no limit to how far we could travel on our magic carpet.

As we got older, we learned to color inside the lines, and Peter Pan had to grow up sooner or later. We learned to keep things "real" and dreaming of becoming whoever and whatever we aspired to needed to be within reason. Dreams became "visions" - a vision being on the practical side of accomplishments. And when asked what you want to be when you grow up, responses like "a cowboy" or "run away and join the circus" morphed into more practical vocations.

Note: That's me at four years old. I never got to join the circus, but managing a rodeo team for Polaroid in the 80s was pretty damn close to becoming a cowboy. And for you older rodeo fans, that's world champion bull-rider, the legendaryTuff Hedeman next to me, and the big guy in the middle of the back row is Rod Lyman, who years later became president of the PRCA.

Somewhere in the aging process, creativity returned. Driven by time, we realized that being practical and following the rules was hampering our creative juices. In the world of imaging, technology seems to have heard our cry for help. Sitting down at a computer with an image, we could tweak it and break all the rules of lighting, composition, and exposure. 

Social media gave us the ability to expand our reach with new friends and concepts and literally go to the ends of the earth whenever we wanted. Dreams of what our life could be like came back into focus as we became increasingly aware that life was whatever we made of it.

"You have to color outside the lines once in awhile, if you want to make your life a masterpiece."
Albert Einstein

Happy Throwback Thursday!

by Skip Cohen

I started to write a long post about being better prepared for any kind of disaster. Following "Milton," we were without power for longer than any storm previously; our cells had no signal; I didn't have enough gas to run the generator without having to search for a gas station with both electricity and fuel; and there was a lot of clean-up needed outside the house.

I worked on the blog post for about an hour and then trashed it. I was embarrassed to be whining about the importance of being better prepared when so many people are in far worse shape. From the horrific tragedy in North Carolina to homes that were destroyed just eight miles from here - Mother Nature's been on a rampage, and that's only in the last couple of weeks in this area. 

When talking with friends about the various tragedies, my buddy Bob Coates mentioned the World Central Kitchen. The link is below, but I also did some searching and found three other organizations that are doing a lot to support each crisis. More information is just a click away below.​

And don't forget the local chapters of nonprofit support groups specific to your area. There's no such thing as too much support!

At some point, I'll probably write a more detailed post about protecting your business from a disaster, but for now, there are so many people who need our help. We all rationalize in a disaster, recognizing that if we're alive and our family is safe, that's what's most important. That's definitely number one, but rebuilding, recovery and survival are next in line behind the safety of the people we love. 

It doesn't matter what you give, how big or small—the point is that you're giving back to people who need help more than you do.

If you want to feel rich, think about all the things you have that money can't buy!
Anon

Sending prayers and positive thoughts to everyone in the path of Hurricane Milton and especially those north of us who are months, if not years, away from recovering from the last storm.

by Skip Cohen
​
It's definitely a TGIF day - not because it's the end of the week, but the storm is over, at least here in the Sarasota area. We were lucky - Hurricane Helene turned more north. But for so many of you, we're sending our thoughts and prayers. We may not have gotten hit with the full force, but what we did get left us with complete respect for the power of Mother Nature - high winds, rain, and tornado warnings repeatedly.

As I watched the hurricane roll in and worried about our safety and home, I got a little philosophical. I started thinking about this one set of Crepe Myrtle flowers fighting to hang on. The tree started the season covered in hundreds of blooms, yet this one group was all that was left.

At the risk of sounding outrageously trite, like an old Jack Handy routine from Saturday Night Live, I started thinking about business. What gives some people a survival instinct so strong that they're determined to pivot, grow, and stay in tune with the demand for their services? Yet, others slowly slip away and eventually cease to exist. They give up.

Okay, it's a reach to connect, but think about your passion for photography. If you've been a working pro for at least five years, you've survived a pandemic, changes in technology, consumer trends, and countless challenges in competition. You've grown because you didn't slow down. You kept searching for the right recipe to continue doing something you love no matter what the "weather".

In most cases, you never slowed down, continuing to fine-tune your skills and build relationships. I've written repeatedly over the years you can't create images that tug at people's heartstrings if your own heart isn't in it. Well, your heart's still in it!

I loved the quote below when I went searching for statements about survival. And when I think about friends who maintain a positive attitude, no matter what life throws at them, they all include these three simple rules along with their indomitable spirit.

Three Simple Rules in Life
1. If you don't go after what you want, you'll never have it.
2. if you don't ask, the answer is always no.
3. If you don't step forward, you're always in the same place.
Unknown Author

Wishing everybody a great weekend ahead; prayers and positive thoughts if you're currently in Helene's path and time to give yourself a pat on the back. Whatever your goals in life, every day is an opportunity to bring them more into focus because you just won't give up on your dreams.

TGIF

"The Last Survivor" - Captured with a LUMIX G9 and 14-140mm lens

Steven Gotz: ​This was one of my favorites—he took family portraits as well as some of his zoo images, pulled the color, and turned them into line art for coloring books for his clients. Remember, back then, everyone was hunkered down at home, and if you had young children, they needed something more to do. I loved the idea then and even more today—think about the fun of sending a client a coloring book of their family shoot, headshots, etc. 

Here's my point today—no matter how tough the challenges, even heading into the complete unknown of Hurricane Helene, we can only do the best we can. We're prepared, evacuating if it becomes mandatory, and doing everything we can to reduce the element of surprise...and fear. Best of all, we've got some great neighbors, and we know we'll all help each other with whatever Mother Nature has in store.

Meanwhile, we're doing what everybody does in South Florida - wait it out and say our prayers...and for everyone north of us where the latest tracking information says Helene is headed - our thoughts and prayers are with you as well.

Be safe and if there's a mandatory evacuation, remember, if you stay, you're the lowest priority if you need help during the storm.


*LUMIX FZ300: ISO 100 f2.8 @ 1/125 (It's an older camera in Panasonic's line with a fixed zoom lens.) 

by Skip Cohen

​This is probably the shortest post I've ever shared.  I simply loved the quote. There's nothing more that needed to be added.

*From A Year of Positive Thinking, by Cyndie Spiegel

by Skip Cohen

A conversation with a photographer recently set the stage for this morning's post. He's struggling to get involved in a non-profit in his community. In overthinking which one to join, he's procrastinated his way into not doing anything.

While I've written a lot over the years about the importance of giving back to your community to build brand awareness, it all starts with what's in your heart and has nothing to do with your business. You have to find that cause that pulls at your own heartstrings first.

For example, we moved to Florida to help my Dad through my mother's fight with Alzheimer's. My mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother all died of this horrible disease. Being involved in the fight against Alzheimer's is my way of paying tribute to my family; keeping my Mom's spirit alive and has nothing to do with my business. 

I've always believed everything happens for a reason. Whether it's true or just how our mind rationalizes our choices in life, my favorite quote by Alfred Lord Tennyson, "I am a part of all that I have met," couldn't be more accurate. Everything that happens in our life, everybody we meet, and every challenge, victory, and defeat contribute to our journey. My mother's fight with Alzheimer's took me to the Senior Friendship Center in 2011. It started with my Dad and me joining the Caregiver Support Group, which led to me helping them build a blog, then a podcast series, and almost six years on their Board.  Last week, I joined the Memory Care Alliance, expanding my involvement in the fight against Alzheimer's.

The Memory Care Alliance is the vision of one of Sarasota's most respected neurologists. It's a community-based network of compassionate and experienced providers dedicated to providing the highest standard of care for patients and families dealing with Alzheimer's. The members are neuropsychologists, clinical psychologists, mental health counselors, psychiatrists, geriatric care managers, home health care agencies, adult day care, support groups, respite care, and legal counseling.

It's Marketing Monday, but in all honesty, however you choose to be more involved in your community starts with having nothing to do with marketing or building your brand. It's about expanding your heart, and the theme of today's post is, "Together we make a difference."

Take some time to think about the challenges you and your family have experienced. Just about every challenge any of us have ever faced has a cause-related non-profit organization associated with support for people experiencing the same difficulty. Listen to your heart first, get involved, and then you can build brand awareness around your giving back.

Marketing is about brand building. It requires a huge commitment and establishing and never-ending stream of awareness with your target audience. Professional photography isn't just about capturing great images, but creating an experience with each client. It's about exceeding their expectations and, as I've written so many times, making yourself habit-forming.

Too many artists focus on pricing and promotional packages, putting less emphasis on everything else in their business. Building a strong brand needs to obviously include a technical skill set for capturing stunning images and telling a client's story, but that's only the tip of the iceberg. Trust, integrity, communication, and accessibility are all key components—all of which go beyond your logo, website design, etc.

​I chose the quotes in today's post because each one hits on a different aspect of building brand awareness. Take a few minutes to think about your brand.

How can you make yourself stand out from your competitors? What can you be doing to make sure people recognize your business as their very best choice? What are people saying about you when you're not around? What are they thinking when they see your name or hear about you from another consumer?

by Skip Cohen
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It's Hump Day, and a great time to make a point - I apologize if this sounds like a rant.

I'm tired of all the noise in our lives. At the risk of sounding like the old fart that I am, I miss limited access because I wasn't near a phone; spam calls trying to rip us off, emails from the Geek Squad or Amazon looking for approval of massive charges that don't exist, and we've just about given up watching the news. Fortunately, we record the news and can catch what we want in 10-15 minutes.

A few years back, our son got me into fly fishing. The image above was captured with one of my favorite older cameras, a LUMIX FZ1000, f2.8 @ 1/160 ISO 200. It was taken at a park near Helen, GA, and it was incredibly peaceful. Years later, looking at this photograph, I can still feel the silence and the joy of just casting—it didn't matter if I hooked a trout or not—the benefit was in the silence.

I shared the quote below last year, and it's perfect for what so many of us need now: silence.

"In silence, we can hear our intuition speak. But it can be difficult to find silence in the age of hyperconnectivity. We must find the time to unplug and create silence at least once a day...A change happens when we learn to access stillness...In stillness we find our balance." -- Emily Silva 

"Stillness" is such a foreign concept these days! Most of us get so busy we rarely search out silence until the damage from the "noise" in our lives is well underway. Find a moment today and kick back and chill. Walk away from everything and appreciate the silence.

​Happy Hump Day!