I have a single track mind. I work on an idea for a long time.
It's like getting acquainted with a person. And I don't get acquainted easily.
Georgia O'Keefe

by Skip Cohen

I'm not sure when multi-tasking became a lifestyle, but we all do it, some better than others. At the same time, there's something to be said for people who can appreciate each moment and each project. At the very least, I admire people who can identify those times that deserve to be savored, and NOT thrown into the urgency of the multi-tasking heap!

Sheila brought Melody Beattie into my life, and each morning it's another passage to think about. Yesterday's was below, and the beauty of its simplicity makes so much sense.

Letting Go of Urgency by Melody Beattie

     One thing at a time.
     That's all we have to do. Not two things at once, but one thing done in peace.
     One task at a time. One feeling at a time. One day at a time. One problem at a time. One step at a time.
     One pleasure at a time.
     Relax. Let go of urgency. Begin calmly now. Take one thing at a time.
     See how everything works out?

Note: The image is the view from Georgia O'Keefe's office window from her house in Abiquiu, New Mexico. It's no wonder she loved it so much.

Let's call "losing" what we're all feeling with today's challenges and everything outside our control. Although I'm hearing some excellent stories about things coming back, business pretty much disappeared for the last few months. 

All of us went into the new year with the usual optimism, anticipating a year of growth for the business, new friendships, and opportunities to expand our networks. WPPI in February was the last live conference any of us would attend for a long time. Like deer caught in your headlights, we simply didn't know what to do!

Here's the critical issue - it's entirely appropriate to be frustrated over everything that's happened. It's been a constant emotional energy drain, but what's wrong is giving up. It's mid-September, and we're about to go into the seasonality of the fourth quarter. You don't have time to be gun shy in today's environment.

Here's are some ideas to start thinking about:

• Call your lab - It's an easy question - just ask, "What's new?" Think about products that are unique for your clients.
• Use your blog - Without being over the top hard-sell, start writing about gift ideas for this holiday season. Obviously, you're going to talk about different things you can do with photographs.
• More than a portrait - Everyone is online these days because it's the best way to keep in touch. It's the perfect time to suggest video holiday cards, combining video, still images, and great music. All of you have the skill set to offer a product/service like this to your clients.
• Stay in touch - We're all hunkered down, but that doesn't mean you can't pick up the phone and talk to your clients. Use the phone, email, and Facebook to keep in touch. You've got to maintain top-of-mind awareness with your customers.
• Grow your skill set - now is the time to expand your skills into new areas to create new products and services to offer your target audience.
• The kids haven't stopped growing - just because everyone is exercising physical distancing and wearing a mask doesn't mean the kids have stopped growing. Remind Mom that it's time for a new family portrait, and you're capable of doing whatever people are comfortable with in terms of their safety and yours.

Last but not least, do what you need to feed your own heart and soul. Take this weekend and be a slug, if that's what you need. Build up a little energy to tackle a more positive attitude. Pick up the phone and call a good buddy. Get involved in your favorite forum on Facebook with other photographers. Look for partnerships to promote multiple products, like a photographer and florist working together this holiday season. 

I'm not suggesting it's going to be easy, and this isn't about me being one of the industry cheerleaders. Business will come back, and as long as it might take, people are still in need of your help in capturing memories and sharing them!
​

Good things come to those who believe.
Better things come to those who are patient,
and the best things come to those who don't give up.
Author Unknown

This is very important - to take leisure time. Pace is the essence.
Without stopping entirely and doing nothing at all for great periods, you're gonna lose everything...great pauses between highs, where you do nothing at all.
​You just lay on a bed and stare at the ceiling.
This is very, very important...just to do nothing at all. 
Charles Bukowski

 by Skip Cohen

Even being hunkered down for the last six months, it's hard for me to believe it's Labor Day weekend. The last six months have been tough on everybody, and I'm going to make a suggestion that will be considered by some to be a waste of a blog post...take the weekend off!

Most of you have seen a dramatic drop in business, with an almost constant level of stress trying to think of how to rebuild and get things back on track. My suggestion is - take a break from it all. Use the next three days to clear your head; spend time with your family; chill - in other words - make it a slug weekend!

Sheila introduced me to the concept years ago, and it works. Sometimes you need to walk away from everything and simply relax - be a slug. The pandemic challenges aren't going away, but you need to be fresh to find the creativity necessary to get back on track.

Two nights ago, I needed a break. I had forgotten about the crystal focus ball I bought a year ago. So, I headed to the beach with a LUMIX G9, the 14-140mm lens, and a Platypod. Lying on the beach and watching the sun go down, I realized just how much I needed to step away from work. 

Take this weekend to wipe the slate clean. Spend as much time as you can finding things to laugh about, and come back on Tuesday ready to fire up ideas for the fall seasonality and the holidays. The pandemic isn't going away as quickly as any of us would like, but that doesn't change the importance of clients who still have memories to capture, kids growing up, and families in need of a new portrait. 

Chill over the weekend - join Sheila and me for a slug weekend and come back fired up on Tuesday morning. This is a time when wasting time couldn't be more valuable to help you get your head back in the game and energize.

Wishing everybody a safe and healthy Labor Day weekend!  

by Skip Cohen

Lately, it seems like every post I write starts out referencing something different in our lives because of the pandemic. Like you, I'm taking a look in the rearview mirror more often than in the past, and it's become part of my daily routine. 

I miss the total freedom all of us took for granted. I miss friends, planning for the next convention, and thinking about where Sheila and I might go for a long weekend. Everything has changed, but here's a good thing I'm learning to appreciate, my photographs.  

I'm spending more time looking at past files and immensely enjoying Skylum's Luminar. They do not pay me, and I'm not an active affiliate, but I appreciate the simplicity of understanding how to adjust an image and make it a little better.

I also enjoy getting to know the various filters as I adjust an image to my taste. And for those of you who want to criticize what I did in the above photo, remember, "Beauty is in the eyes of the checkbook holder," and in this case, I'm my own client, and the checkbook holder.

In May of 2019, Sheila and I spent ten days in New Mexico and fell in love with so many different areas. We started in Albuquerque, then drove to Santa Fe and finished in Taos, making stops all along the way. One of the most interesting and poignant was Taos Pueblo. Acting like total tourists, we took the reservation tour, at that time still inhabited by a half dozen full-time residents.

There's a story behind the graveyard and church above:

From Craig K. Gowens page on Flickr in 2009

The original San Geronimo Church was built in 1619 when the Spanish settled the area and began forcibly converting the Tiwa people of the Taos Pueblo to Christianity. The Church was destroyed in the 1680 revolt that drove the Spanish from New Mexico, but rebuilt after their return a decade later. The second destruction of the church occurred at the hands of the U.S. Army in 1847.

During the American military occupation, the native Americans again made a bid for their own freedom, rejecting the authority of the new American territorial governor of New Mexico, Charles Bent, assassinating him in his home in Taos. The U.S. Army retaliated against the Taos Pueblo as one of the leaders of the revolt was a Tiwa native. Hundreds of Tiwa, mostly women and children, had taken refuge in the church during the attack and were killed when the Army bombarded the church with artillery. The bell tower of the church has been restored and serves as a remainder of lives lost in the attack.

One of the features I enjoy most with Luminar is my ability to see the before and after as I'm working on an image. I grabbed a screenshot of one small section of the picture. That bar down the middle slides left and right, allowing you to see each part of the image and the impact the changes you're making have on the finished product.

In this case, I used the one-touch clarity booster, gave the saturation a slight tweak, and then used the structure filter, which enhances clarity and micro-contrast in surface area between edges detected in an image, improving perceived detail and making photos stand out. 

Besides sharing a small history lesson from New Mexico, and intro to Luminar, if you haven't used it - there's an even better bottom line. 

​The need to hunker down is wearing on all of us. Don't let the pandemic's challenges get in the way of the love you have as an artist and business owner. Business is out there, and it will come back - but in the meantime, keep working on your skill set. 

Wander through your files and appreciate where you were a year ago. Use your photographs to keep your creative juices flowing, and that passion you have for imaging alive. Keep in touch with friends, stay active in social media, and keep your eye out for moments of inspiration from the people you respect most. Most important of all, don't let go of your dreams.

And one more thing to think about - It's that first convention we're all going to attend LIVE. What a celebration that's going to be. I'll meet all of you in the bar of the host hotel that first night in town...wherever that might be!

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:

Remember that often, especially when you're creating for your own enjoyment, you're the checkbook holder!

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

With all the challenges in our lives these days, it's often tough to stay positive. From the pandemic to politics, there seems to be something new every day, adding to the struggle to stay focused and on track. Even the most confident of us feel the pressure to second guess everything, from maintaining our health to rebuilding business. The result is most often a little damage to our self-confidence. 

It's Marketing Monday, and this is going to seem simplistic, but maybe it's time we developed a check-off list of things to do to help stay focused. You know how to focus your camera, but do you know how to hold the focus on the passion for your career?

• Find yourself a supportive Facebook forum. Most of us have a love/hate relationship with Facebook, but with the pandemic and the isolation of self-quarantine, it's become one of the best sources to stay in touch with other artists and friends. There are so many groups within photography, and while now and then you'll run across a troll who doesn't like the images you share, just remember, "Beauty is in the eyes of the checkbook holder!"
• Take advantage of online education. Yesterday I was honored to help ClickCon Nation launch their nine-month educational series, leading up to ClickCon 2021. I was filling in as Joe McNally's stunt double because he's still without power following the hurricane. For the whole day, there were programs to help you stay on track as a professional photographer. Out of Chicago is coming up on August 22/23, and KelbyMedia has their Landscape Conference Sept. 8/9. There's so much out there to help you hold focus!
• Surround yourself with positive people. Lately, they're not always easy to find, but one of the great things about this industry is how we all watch each other's backs. Sooner or later, the "negators" in your life will hopefully come around, but for now, those people who are throwing up the roadblocks need to be kept on the sidelines. The only thing they're contributing to your life is stress.
• Stop watching the news! I'm not suggesting you put your head in the sand, but limit your intake of information from the media. Sheila and I watch the news a couple of times a week, and we fast forward through anything to do with politics - because nobody tells the truth anyway! Sorry, but it's become harder and harder to know what to believe. So, we've found a couple of sources we trust to read.
• Listen to your heart. It sounds hokey, but you know what you feel inside. You know what your gut instinct is saying about your passion for being a photographer. The pandemic has changed a lot of things, but people's need to capture memories is still out there and might even be stronger than ever.​
• Stay in touch with your clients! Just because you're hunkered down for health reasons, doesn't mean your business and career goals have to be on the back-burner. Pick up the phone and call a couple of past clients every day. You don't need to be selling anything, just checking to see how they're doing.
• Look at old images. Go back and look at your very first images. It might have been a party you photographed, a landscape while on vacation, or maybe just a few shots of your kids. Now compare them to where you are today. Most of you will see growth in the way you compose and expose today. As you get more experienced, there should be noticeable changes in lighting, composition, depth of field, and creativity.
• What are you missing in your skill set? Take advantage of the downtime and expand your skills. Remember, growth only occurs outside your comfort zone.
• Roberto Valenzuela suggested a terrific tool for practicing the craft on a GoingPro podcast a long time ago. He suggested you go back to the last wedding you photographed and look at all the bad images. "Look for what you missed and learn to understand why each image wasn't good!"
• Enter some images in print competition. This is a personal favorite. Whether you enter prints or not, at least follow the judging whether it's online or live at the next convention. Listen to what the judges are saying about each photograph. Use their suggestions as guidance for your own work.
• Join your local chapter or guild of professional photographers. Sooner or later, everyone shares the same frustrations. A local chapter of other photographers becomes a support group and an essential part of your network. There's a lot of comfort in knowing your peers share some of the same concerns and frustrations. 
• Don't respond to trolls! When you step out into the public forums and get shot at by a troll, don't let yourself get caught up in the battle. Don't respond. Your silence is far more effective at driving them mad!​

This is only a partial list, and I know there are a lot more things you can do that I haven't included here. So, feel free to let me know what I've missed. Most important of all, if you're feeling discouraged or frustrated, there are a lot of us willing to help. 

Don't get sidetracked by people who are not on track!
Anonymous

Life is short, live it.
Love is rare, grab it.
Anger is bad, let go of it.
​Fear is a mind-killer, face it.
Memories are sweet, cherish them.
Unknown Author

by Skip Cohen
 
I'm in one of those sappy moods, so don't give up on me until I'm done with this post.

Thirty-three years ago this weekend, I was sitting in a hotel room nervous about starting a new job on Monday. It was my first day as President of Hasselblad USA. I'd been in the industry for almost twenty years at that point, but I look at that Monday as the real start of my career in photography.

We had a fantastic team at Hasselblad, and I'd experience so many incredible memories over the next twelve years. Many of my very best friends today came into my life during those early years. While I've always loved the imaging world, it's thanks to so many of you today that make getting out of bed such a kick every morning. 

The pandemic has created a new norm we all have to deal with, but I can't think of a more incredible industry to weather the storm and help the world stay focused on what's most important in life. 

Over the years, I've been accused of being the industry cheerleader, wearing rose-colored glasses too often. Well, maybe more people need a pair of those glasses! I love this industry, and if I can help you find a new direction to help rebuild your business, you know where to find me.

Together we can make it through any mess the world throws at us - and I know what a simpleton I sound like when I say that. It's tough right now, and even worse, it's scary. I find myself worrying about Sheila, family, and friends who are all vulnerable. That fear, if not controlled, would turn into procrastination, complacency, and depression. It's a roller coaster of emotion these days, and it takes work to smile from the inside out. Anybody can smile on the surface, but you have to dig to stay happy.

Ironically, it's Independence Day, and we're all fighting to be free of the pandemic. So, stay safe, listen to the doctors, NOT the politicians, cherish your skill set, and ability to help people continue to capture memories. Last but not least, my offer to help is in the foundation of virtually every post I write. But I'm not alone - I'm joined by hundreds of other community members who all share the same love for the craft. 

Last but not least, thank you for being a reader, an artist, and for many of you, a great friend.

​by Skip Cohen

It's Sunday morning, and I couldn't be more off-track from photography but not from what so many of us are feeling. Life is out of balance. On any given day, I'm an emotional roller coaster. I find myself feeling angry with a short fuse for what seems to be no logical reason...ten minutes later, I'm smiling, hugging Sheila and playing with the pups. 

For the most part, we've stopped watching the news, but we caught the idiots around the country, protesting their right to assemble on beaches and in various state capital buildings. Honestly, I don't get it - during the worst 48 hours for deaths and new cases since the pandemic began, different governors were arguing over whether or not to reopen their states! 

So, my world has become very small - it's our home, Sheila, me and two pups. It all works, and I'm grateful for so many things I took for granted most of my life. We venture out to the market, CVS, and here and there to go for a ride. I'm grateful my career morphed into writing and online education, but I'm miserable in missing human contact, a few bro-hugs, handshakes, and face to face time with friends. At the same time, I found myself uncomfortable the other day talking to somebody who wasn't maintaining social distancing!

The challenge initially with sheltering in place was a lack of balance. Everything tilted to being home, and just the four of us...but now we're finding a balance between work and family time. I've mentioned Melody Beattie many times over the years. On Thursday, she had a short piece on balance, and it's perfect for sharing this morning:
 
The goal is balance. We need balance between work and play. We need balance between giving and receiving. We need balance in thought and feelings. We need balance in caring for our physical self and our spiritual self.

A balanced life has harmony between a professional life and a personal life. There may be times when we need to climb mountains at work. There may be times when we put extra energy into our relationships. But the overall picture needs to balance.

Just as a balanced nutritional diet takes into account the realm of our nutritional needs to stay healthy, a balanced life takes into account all our needs; our need for friends, work, love, family, play, private time, recover time, and spiritual time - time with God. If we get out of balance our inner voice will tell us. We need to listen.

And for those of you who feel God doesn't belong in a blog post, get over it. Feel free to substitute whatever you believe in. The point is to pay attention to your inner voice and don't stop believing in yourself.

For all of us, this is the toughest time we'll ever share/experience in our lifetimes. We can get through this, but it means to accept virtual hugs instead of the real thing, face time on a computer screen, and sharing recipes rather than a meal together. We're an industry with a tradition of working together and watching each other's backs. Rather than let the pandemic push us into withdrawal - it's time to step it up and become more outgoing, and Cyberspace gives us that opportunity.

Wishing everybody a day of peace, good health, and safety. Think about your life right now and if you're out of balance what's missing to get back on an even keel. There's an old African proverb: "Smooth seas don't make skilled sailors." Well, we've all been sailing through the perfect storm for two months, and when this is over, there's nothing we won't be able to accomplish. 
​
Happy Sunday!

by Skip Cohen

​For most of us lately, every day is the same, and today is a good example. I rarely post on Saturdays, but something came up yesterday, and it's perfect for many of you during Downtime 2020.

Looking through my emails, I read the online newsletter from my high school, Riverside H.S. in Painesville, Ohio. One of the bullet points they shared was this one:

"Instead of the Prom: In past years, the alumni association has always donated some funds to help support the RHS prom. This year, the prom is uncertain. Instead, the association is donating those funds to a project to give each graduating senior a lawn sign to celebrate his or her graduation. The signs will be handed out to the seniors as they drive through a set- up that will pass out their cap and gown for graduation. This is still in the planning stages but certainly will help the graduating seniors celebrate their success in this unusual year."

That got me thinking about things we can all do to support not only the Class of 2020 but high schools across the country. There isn't a school in America, even before the pandemic, that had all the funding they needed, especially for art programs, including photography. So, here are some ideas to consider:

• Donate gear: Most of you have cleaned out at least one area of your home, studio, or office during the last two months. How about donating equipment you no longer use to the high school? They're always short on gear, and so many of you have cameras, lenses, and lighting equipment you no longer use. Donate it to the high school and help the next generation of photographers.
• Teach a class: Online education has never been stronger. Set yourself up to teach a photography class to kids interested in expanding their skill set. 
• Photographs: The "Instead of the Prom" piece they're doing at my old high school is perfect for a photographer to step in and supply senior portraits for the signs. It's one more way to help make this year's graduating class feel special.
• Tied to Prom: One of the LUMIX Ambassadors recently wrote: "Hey, I just did an entire series of prom porch-traits for the seniors where I live. Since their prom was canceled, the Project Graduation team reached out to me about doing photos of the kids at their homes with their dresses on."
• Provide Content: If your high school has a newsletter they publish, look for opportunities to provide content. For example, I saw they were looking for stories from alumni going back to elementary schools in the area. Even though Sheila and I were never close through elementary, junior, and high school, we still met in second grade. I've got some great pictures and stories. So, I offered to write something for the January story they have schedule about our elementary school. 
• Get Involved: Even though most schools are closed, take the time now and get involved in helping with next year's yearbook. Most schools need all the help they can get, and now's the time to show your willingness to join the team and your expertise as a photographer can help make the 2021 yearbook even better.

I'll be the first to admit there's very little I've done in regards to my high school once I left Ohio so many years ago, but right now, the schools need our help. Even if you've got no connection to the community you grew up in, the one you live in now has the same needs for support.

Basketball season, spring sports, prom, graduation - all the programs that created memories for your high school days have been put on the back-burner. But you can help find ways to bring photography into the mix, and many of you have senior portraits captured long before the pandemic. Even Marathon Press has a special BOGO on grad cards.

You owe it to your community and your clients to get off the sidelines and support the schools and the Class of 2020. And if any of you are doing something special, let me know in the comment section below, and we'll add it to the list above.

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!

by Skip Cohen

I've shared a lot of images over the years from various photographers, but this one tops them all! 

Wandering through Facebook a few minutes ago I saw a post by Elizabeth Newton, and loved everything about it. Thirty different artists are featured in the image above, and it's the perfect reminder you can still keep in touch with your audience, even when hunkered down!

With the image Elizabeth wrote:

Thirty local photographers got together to spell out a message for our clients.

Quarantine has been hard on all of us. You miss leaving your home and your children are getting antsy. Or you're terrified to leave your home everyday and work on the front lines of medicine, food service and deliveries.

We miss watching your family grow, capturing your moments and telling your story with our cameras. We are doing our part, staying home, keeping our distance and waiting for you. We will see you soon. And when we do, we'll all be healthier and better for it!

Until we meet again. ​

by Skip Cohen

​The only thing still consistent for me on Sundays is how much I enjoy writing Sunday Morning Reflections. As I've written so many times in the past, it's therapeutic and often more for my benefit than my readers. Well, needing a therapeutic moment at least once a week is another characteristic of what's become the new normal.

Over the years, I thought I did an excellent job of adjusting to all the changes. I accepted my loss of privacy as my phone suddenly was with me everywhere I went. I learned not to take it personally when somebody was talking to me, and the call was dropped. I adjusted to all caps in an email, meaning somebody was yelling at me. I ate lower carbs. I changed my vitamins each time research showed that whatever I was taking was no longer a healthy solution...on Vitamin E - off Vitamin E etc. I gave up ties, then suits and sport jackets, then accepted completely casual attire. I even tried to like eating Kale!

Life was so easy just seven weeks ago! 

I now have five masks to choose from when running to the market. I say hi to neighbors, but I don't always know who they are because of their mask. ( I had my first wardrobe malfunction at the register: My mask slipped off one ear and my left cheek was exposed!) The old Jerry Seinfeld "close talker" episode would now be anybody five feet away rather than the social distancing six. I have to pay attention to the one-way aisles in the store - God forbid I should head up an empty aisle in the wrong direction. And going to the mailbox is a process. I get the mail. Open it in the garage, and make sure I don't touch my face before washing my hands.

But here's what hasn't changed...

My love for this crazy community we're all a part of. Even something as fun as my mask wardrobe for today's post brought out another new normal in my life - playing with Platypod. For those of you who have one, Square Jellyfish makes this great little adapter for your cell phone, which I use for "Facetiming" with family and friends.

And I'm actually talking with friends MORE now than before. We're all starving for contact, and my phone as an instrument to talk to somebody directly has never been more valuable. Just when I finally figured texting out, talking came back.

While I miss real contact, bro-hugs, and a firm handshake, this is the new norm. There's a stronger sense of family and plenty of time to be together, but also time to find plenty of moments for personal thought. We've binge-watched one great series after another, but always together - Sheila, me, and the pups.

There's also never been more support for photographers to expand their skill set. The downtime has created one opportunity after another with programs like QuaranCon, Out of Chicago LIVE going on today, the f64 Lunch Bunch every Wednesday, and the list goes on and on. And, there are some great deals out there with discounts for ongoing programs like KelbyOne and Creative Live.

I guess it's time for my point this Sunday - Business will come back, but until then, you've got to protect yourself, your family, friends, and dig deep for every ounce of patience you can find.

Patience is not the ability to wait,
but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.
Joyce Meyer

​This is a time to step outside your comfort zone because it's the only place growth can flourish. Expand your skill set; take time to consider how you can hit the ground running as things slowly get better and do everything you can to stay in touch with your clients and target audience.

It would be an understatement to say what we're all feeling is a pain in the ass, but we really are all in it together. None of us are alone!

So, you know how to hold focus on your subject with a camera in your hands - now it's time to hold focus on your attitude. Keep it together, and on those days when you want to give up and feel weighed down by frustration - besides your immediate friends, there are so many of us out here willing to help - including me.

Wishing everybody a Sunday with more smiles than frowns and hang onto that sparkle you had when you first started in this business. Don't let the politicians mess with your head. Reduce your intake of news and whether you've got somebody there to hug or it's a virtual hug with a friend quarantined miles away - go for it!

​Happy Sunday!

by Skip Cohen

​Just a few months ago, my definition of a great conference involved floor space, thousands of people, and a venue of outstanding topics with great educators. Well, the pandemic has changed all that, but thanks to the Out of Chicago team, the ingredients for a great conference are all kicking off tomorrow at 1:00 pm CST. All that's missing is the floor space!

We're all going stir-crazy in the absence of contact with other photographers and friends. Fear, anxiety, confusion, frustration, stifled creativity, complacency - all words that have slowly crept into our vocabulary. The truth is, being hunkered down has created its own collection of symptoms and often feeling as damaging as the virus itself. 

This weekend Out of Chicago LIVE is going to change all that. Excitement, education, creativity, diversity, clarity, and fun all replace those painful words above. "Fun" is one of those words that's been lost over the last couple of months, but it's making a comeback! 

With over 600 people already registered, this conference is guaranteed to help you boost creativity with an incredible cast of talent - some of the very best artists in imaging! Plus, you'll find support from the vendor community, door prizes, and great deals to help you expand your skillset during the downtime.

And for those of you who think you're too late because it all starts tomorrow...NOT! Time is the one thing we've suddenly discovered we do have, and here's an opportunity to make the most of it. 

Check out the schedule with some of the very best programming in professional photography. It's all just a click away on the thumbnail to the right. 

See you on the Chicago side of cyberspace!

by Skip Cohen

Two weeks ago, I launched a new series, "The Hunker Down Photo Share: Finding Joy." The whole idea was thanks to Anne Geddes, who told us on the f64 Lunch Bunch how she's sharing images of "joy" from her followers on Instagram.

So, I sent out an email to fifty personal friends, all members of the photography industry, asking for images of joy. I also invited all of you to share images. We're all feeling the stress and anxiety of the pandemic. You have to work to find joy, whether it's something that makes your heart actively smile now or a look into the past.

Joe Buissink and I have been friends for a lot of years, and when I didn't hear back from him, I sent him an email as a reminder to send me an image to share.

​I not only know Joe well but his work. We wrote a book together over ten years ago. But, as well as I know his work, I'd forgotten the smiles his photographs have always brought out.

He sent me three emails, each with a different photograph, and they simply deserve to be shared with all of you. Each image is a reminder of life before social distancing. In all honesty, as sappy as this sounds, my heart and soul needed a lift. It didn't matter that I knew none of the people in any of the photos he sent, only that I could feel the joy.

A BIG thanks to Joe for sharing the images and reminding us how these days might seem far away right now, but working together, we'll get through this. Those moments of joy with friends and family will come back. We need to have faith - and to share Sheila's favorite quote one more time...

by Skip Cohen

​I hit a turning point this week on several levels, and I'm hoping what pushed me over the "top" helps many of you as well. 

A few minutes ago, I read a post on Facebook by a photographer who described her level of depression:
 
...a lot of it, I think, is due to stress and anxiety over the current pandemic and how it's completely killed business and changed everything. I can't find motivation to even edit.

This has been a rollercoaster of emotion for all of us. For me, I cycle through optimism, anxiety, depression, frustration, sadness...and then repeat the process. You name it, I've felt it. Some of this is a guy thing - It's my job to watch out for Sheila, our home, the pups, my business, etc. But, I'm defending us against a burglar I can't see who's stealing joy and leaving behind a truckload of stress and fear over and again.

Not that I'm entirely home free and back to my optimistic self, but I did turn an important corner this past week and here's what helped me through it:

• We stopped watching the news. We're down to one night a week for an update. One of my best buddies sent made this statement: "I know it's hard to believe that ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, and other news outlets would lie and mislead the public. But, unfortunately - they are lying to the public. Some of them seriously hate America! Remember that Math is a bad man. Numbers don't lie unless you fudge the numbers to support your theory or claim. Some of the first models said there would be millions of deaths. Then it was 500k, then 200k, and so on... now the estimate is probably between 50-75K. That is probably the average deaths due to flu every year. They created hysteria and now have to cover for their early predictive models." 
• I did a little research on the flu in past years. Please don't misunderstand me, I'm not minimizing the seriousness of COVID-19, but in the flu season of 2017-2018, an estimated 61,000 people died in the US from complications resulting from the flu. And we lost over 34,000 for the same reason the following year. And yes, my sources are through Google, CDC statistics, etc. I'm just tired of the media and the spin they've put on this.
• Worried about our retirement savings, I called my guy at the bank. I never saved like I should have when I was younger, but still, I had watched our little nest egg drop by 30% when the market crashed. His comments, "There have been six virus panics to hit the stock market since 2003. Each time the market dropped by approximately 13%. This time it was hirer because of Russia and Saudi with oil issues. What you're seeing is fear trading NOT math trading. And in an interview with the executives of 100 of the top 500 companies in the US, they all predict they'll be up and running again over the next 90 days and at 90% production within 30 days after that."
• I read some of the comments people made about Ellen Degeneres after she compared being quarantined to being in jail. People jumped all over her because she's living in her large house with her wife, dogs, and hardly suffering the way, so many other people are. But here's what aggravated me the most - it was a simple comment on being shut off from her friends and freedom to go out. But social media has given everybody an opportunity to criticize. Everyone seems to forget the millions of dollars every year she gives back to people. We miss her regular show, because we'd record it and make it the last thing we watched before going to be bed. "Why?" Because it was always so uplifting, and it got us away from the BS of politics, fake news, and let us go to sleep smiling.
• Last but not least, one buddy, Brent Watkins put together QuaranCon, and another, Rich Harrington at Photofocus, put together the Artist's Notebook. I had two presentations to do this week. Talking with Brent about how to keep in touch with your clients while hunkered down was the first. Then two days later came a one-hour presentation with Levi Sim on making your blog more effective. Both programs were about keeping the "home fires" burning at a time when the world has entirely run amuck!

Look, COVID-19 is no joke, but its impact on America shouldn't have resulted in so many horrible spin-offs. Seventeen million people have lost their jobs, and Congress is still arguing over stimulus programs. How much faster do you think they would have moved if their salaries had been cut and most of them were furloughed?

And that brings me full circle. I'm out of my funk. Sheila and I are following every safety precaution recommended. We wear masks when we have to go out. We maintain social distancing. I wash my hands after a simple walk to the mailbox. We're doing everything we need to do to stay safe. But, if I let the pandemic shut me down completely, then all the doom and gloomers on the misery ship win! That cruise line is far worse shape than anything the Diamond Princess faced, which is where the shock of so much of this started. And by the way:

"It had nearly 4,000 people on board—many of them in risk groups. (Somebody who used to perform aboard cruise ships quipped that passengers are mostly "the newlywed and the nearly dead" ;)) You'd expect these packed together on a ship in quarantine to be all infecting each others. And yet… 4,061 passengers and crew were examined, on board what effectively became an unintentional virus incubator. Only 712 contracted the virus (about 17.5%), of which 334 asymptomatic (8.2% of the total), leaving 378 (9.3% of the total) ill. Only 7 people died (1.85% of those ill, or 0.17% of all passengers and crew examined), all of them age 70 or older. (Remember, the passenger population is skewed toward the elderly.)" Here's the link to the article.
​
I've got my focus on getting our joy back, and while I might slip now and then, I'm determined to make it just a speed bump and not shut down the whole highway!

As sappy as this sounds, together we can all get through this!

by Skip Cohen

"Group f/64 was a group founded by seven 20th-century San Francisco Bay Area photographers who shared a common photographic style characterized by sharply focused and carefully framed images..." Wikipedia

Yesterday was day five for the f64 Lunch Bunch, and once again, there was a lot of good solid content shared. Plus, questions from the attendees created more ideas and food for thought as we all work to find some acceptable level of normalcy in dealing with social distancing.

Sadly, as I've written a few times, there are still too many photographers who have taken shelter in place to mean EVERYTHING. It's intended to help you protect yourself, your family and slow down the spread of the virus, NOT apply to every aspect of your business. You can maintain social distancing in cyberspace and still keep in touch with your clients and the needs of your community.   ​
 
Joe McNally joined us yesterday for day 5 of the Lunch Bunch. The YouTube video is below. He shared a lot of great insight into the impact the pandemic has had on our lives and thoughts on taking advantage of the downtime. 

There was a lot of additional content shared at yesterday's "lunch." Rather than just giving you the links, I decided to give you a screenshot of where the link is taking you. Each banner below is a live link, making it even easier for you to get to each resource. Just click any banner to visit the website we were sharing.

Last but not least are all you fans who became attendees this week. As I've said every day - we'll get through this, but in the meantime, keep sharing your ideas, stay healthy, and "Be careful out there!"

Join us for lunch on Wednesday, April 1, at 2:00 pm for the next​ f64 Lunch Bunch. The link to join is below, and I can promise you some fun surprises. Remember "fun?" It's a word that's been a little lost for all of us lately, but together we can get it back!

by Skip Cohen

"Group f/64 was a group founded by seven 20th-century San Francisco Bay Area photographers who shared a common photographic style characterized by sharply focused and carefully framed images..." Wikipedia

Like the characteristics of the great f/64 photographers in the early 1900s, we started the f64 Lunch Bunch to help with ideas to sharpen the focus on your business and establish a stronger framework for the future. We've got only one goal - to plant a few seeds to help you grow during this challenging downtime. 

We're all in this together. We have no choice but to shelter in place, but that doesn't mean shelter in place from your business, raising the bar on your skillset, building marketing plans for the near future, or helping your community. 

Jen Rozenbaum joined us yesterday for day 3 of the Lunch Bunch. The YouTube video is below. You'll immediately understand what makes Jen's style of teaching and especially her outlook on life so incredible. She shared a lot of great insight to help you fine-tune your skillset during downtime, stay involved in your community, and be prepared to hit the ground running when this is over.

​by Skip Cohen

Yesterday during the f64 Lunch Bunch, the topic of depression and anxiety came up. Everyone is feeling it, some far more than others. For me, my emotions up until recently have been a rollercoaster surpassing the highs and lows of any ride Disney ever created. While I still have moments of anxiety, they're getting farther and farther apart, like speed bumps in a quiet neighborhood.

Well, here's my recipe...
​

• Every day starts with music. We've got five Alexas in the house all programmed to the "Everywhere" group. Sheila's found some wonderful soft, smooth jazz that comes on right after we bring the puppies in at 7:00 am and it's on all day.
• My first stop in my office is wandering through my imaging files. I scroll back a few years and just take ten minutes or so, looking at old photographs.
• The next stop is email, just to see if there's anything urgent pending; then a look at my calendar for the day; then, my white-board to see what projects are in the pipeline.
• Around 9:00 am, we go out for our morning walk around the neighborhood. 
• Right after breakfast together, one of Melody Beattie's books come out, and we'll read whatever her message is for that specific day. You've got to feed your brain and soul - not just your stomach.
• After breakfast, the day is off and running with whatever's on my agenda.

The rest of the day is a repeat of short conversations with Sheila, time with the puppies, short breaks whenever I need to step away from what I'm working on. Sprinkled here and there are phone calls with friends, especially people I haven't caught up to recently. Some calls are long catch-ups, others just short to see how a friend is holding up. 

And, when I do feel overly concerned, I'll call a friend to calm me down. Who I call is directly related to the topic stirring up my anxious gene! For example, "Dr. T," in addition to being the inventor and founder of Platypod, is a full-time pediatrician in New Jersey and has become a very good friend. Being in the medical profession, he's on the frontline of the most accurate information. Plus, he's one of those people who has a personality build on a foundation of staying calm.

Throughout the day I catch up on my reading. Our son sent me an article this morning that's worth sharing. "COVID-19: interesting data from Korea and from the Diamond Princess." I'm just sharing one paragraph that helps make the point.

But the Diamond Princess cruise ship offers an interesting insight. It had nearly 4,000 people on board—many of them in risk groups. (Somebody who used to perform aboard cruise ships quipped that passengers are mostly "the newlywed and the nearly dead" ;)) You'd expect these packed together on a ship in quarantine to be all infecting each others. And yet...4,061 passengers and crew were examined, on board what effectively became an unintentional virus incubator. Only 712 contracted the virus (about 17.5%), of which 334 asymptomatic (8.2% of the total), leaving 378 (9.3% of the total) ill. Only 7 people died (1.85% of those ill, or 0.17% of all passengers and crew examined), all of them age 70 or older. (Remember, the passenger population is skewed toward the elderly.)

And that brings me to one of the most important ingredients to staying calm - stop being obsessed with the news! Sheila and I stopped watching most of the news years ago. We'd record World News with David Muir and then fast forward through everything political because none of us will ever know the truth. Now with the news being all about Covid-19, that fast forward button is getting worn out. 

We're paying attention and following all the various directives from the health organizations. We're staying home and only going out when absolutely necessary. We wash our hands regularly and even packages from Amazon get opened outside. One of my best friends wrote:

Let's get on the other side of this pandemic together... And hopefully we are collectively more wise and ready for the next one. And not listening to the paid doctors of MSNBC as much as the CDC folks who dedicate their lives to solving these problems.  

And one last ingredient - get out with your camera! Regardless off your business focus, we've all missed Spring! Looking for a moment of tranquility? Nothing beats a camera in your hands. And for those of you who think my sunset shot above was easy, after all, I live in Florida near the ocean, think again. That's Lake Erie in my home town of Painesville, Ohio, a couple of years ago.

We'll all get through this if we just stay focused. Our lives, the stock market, and the future will reset. It won't be easy, but when did anything worth having come easy?