We can't always control the timing of our plans, but we can have fun along the way.
Friends don't care if the project is finished; they just want to be a part of the magic of life.
Look at things from a new perspective. Laugh. Be grateful you're where you are at this moment.
Don't worry about trying to hurry the future along. Look for the joy in life now.

​​Melody Beattie

by Skip Cohen

​Part of the fun of writing Sunday Morning Reflections is simply heading into any topic that moves me at the moment. Well, I just spent almost an hour staring at my computer and thinking. Along the way, there was plenty of procrastination as the pups wandered into my office to play. I got down on the floor to participate in the pure joy of a let's-abuse-Dad moment.

That's when it hit me, how downright awful the last year has been, but how proud I am that we made it through it all. And while it's still not over, we got our first vaccine shot, got out yesterday to the mall, and did a few errands. It was a day of just routine chores, but it was part of Melody Beattie's "magic of life."

Two days ago, we met a neighbor for the first time. We've been waving and nodding to each other for years but never actually talked directly. We were out for a walk, and so was he and his wife. It was great to finally meet him, and as we walked away, I looked at Sheila and said, "Oh my God, we shook hands."

Just go with me on this. Think about the last year and the level of isolation we've all been through. Even though we immediately grabbed the hand-sanitizer when we got home, we'd shaken somebody's hand! It was terrific and seems so damn stupid to write about.

Here's my point - all we've got is RIGHT NOW. It's this very moment in time we need to appreciate. We can't do anything about the mistakes we made yesterday, and spending time wishing we could turn back the clock only wastes the energy we could use to live today to its fullest. I still love looking in my rearview mirror, but only to give me the energy to create more memories.

Two of our honorary "kids" sent us the picture of Sheila and me above. It was an all-u-can-eat snow crab night at a restaurant in Sarasota. The four of us were out together. It was two years ago, and it helps set the tone for today - Smiling more and bitching less.

There's so much we all took for granted before the pandemic. Now is the time to appreciate the pure joy of the littlest things - from a handshake to just a run to the market. Like everyone else, I know I've wasted time wishing things were different. I miss friends, family, and freedom - but as it all slowly starts to come back, I'm not going to waste a minute not smiling.

Wishing everybody a Sunday filled with time to feel great and appreciate the moment - right now!

You can dream a little dream or you can live a little dream.
I'd rather live it, 'cause dreamers always chase but never get it."
​
"No Regrets," Aesop Rock

Happy Sunday or Monday if you're on the  other side of the world. Wherever you are don't waste time on yesterday and tomorrow isn't here yet. Just savor today!

by Skip Cohen

A few months back, Sheila and I got in the habit of each picking a motivational writer and, over breakfast, reading a short thought for the day. While it's not something I ever thought I'd enjoy doing, it's terrific. It gives us a daily anchor, especially through the last year of being somewhat isolated.

This morning, Melody Beattie really hit home, tying into something I've noticed repeatedly with many of you over the last few months.

"There is always someone else to take the fall if our plans don't work out: "I would have been more successful, but the economy was slow this year." "Well, that sounds nice, but my therapist says that I should avoid too much stress." "I wanted to do that, but my husband didn't like the idea."

What a frightening prospect it is to take your life into your own hands, to decide whether or not you will accept full responsibility for all of your actions and choices.
 
What an amazing - and sometimes terrifying - freedom complete responsibility for actions brings! Sometimes we make mistakes. Sometimes we stumble and fall. But oh, the feeling when ou finally get it right, when you decide to take that step and it works! That when you discover that those fragile butterfly winds on your back are not there just for ornamentation. You can Fly!

Take charge of your life. Take responsibility for your actions. Ultimately no one chooses what you will do but you, anyway. Enjoy the freedom. You've had it all along."

​And here's my point: I'm tired of photographers who blame everything on the pandemic. I'm not suggesting business hasn't changed, or for that matter, that revenue didn't disappear. But I'm seeing so many artists who continued to build relationships with their clients, offered support during the toughest of times, and worked to expand their skill set. Now, as things slowly change and we get back a little normalcy, they're in the perfect position to bring back some of the last year's business.

Hunkering down is about your health - NOT about your business! And there's time now to rebuild and regain the momentum you had before the pandemic.

by Skip Cohen

​Sunday Morning Reflections has become a significant part of my routine. What I write about is often as much for my benefit as I hope it helps you.

This past week I've been struggling with the pandemic. While I've got this reputation of being the industry cheerleader, and many good things are going on, there are times when it's hard to focus. Like so many of you, I miss time with friends, and I miss the freedom to go out anywhere I want. Zoom, Facetime, Skype - they're all great for keeping in contact, but they don't keep us in touch. 

As I sat down to write this morning, I struggled with needing to simply hug a friend. One of those big bear hugs, or bro-hugs, or the hugs I used to write about - long hugs lasting at least eleven seconds and proven to be therapeutic!

Stuck for a topic without sounding like a pandemic victim and whiner, I turned to Melody Beattie. Today, November 22, she wrote a piece called The Magic of Gratitude and Acceptance. Here's an excerpt:

Gratitude and acceptance are two magic tricks available to us in recovery. No matter who we are, where we are, or what we have gratitude and acceptance work. We may eventually become so happy that we realize our present circumstances are good. Or we master our present circumstances and then move forward into the next of set of circumstances.

If we become stuck, miserable, feeling trapped and hopeless, try gratitude and acceptance.

Once again, Beattie came through - and remember, she wrote this in 1990, but the message is timeless. And while you might think it's a little too simple and even trite - we all need a reminder of where to set focus when a camera isn't in our hands!

So, I had a choice - I could remain stuck, miserable, and trapped or look around me and take a big breath of appreciation. It's going to be a strange Thanksgiving this year, but even the pandemic can't take away the gratitude I feel for the life I have, Sheila, my family, friends, two very special puppies, and all of you. That means I have no choice but the winning combination of acceptance and gratitude. 

And regardless of how spiritual you may or may not be, Melody's close was so relevant:

Today, God, help me let go of my resistance. Help me know the pain of a circumstance will stop hurting so much if I accept it. I will practice the basics of gratitude and acceptance in my life and for all my present circumstances.

We're all struggling with variations of the same circumstances - leaving us two great options, accepting the challenges in our lives and gratitude for everyone and everything that will get us through this.

Wishing everybody a great day ahead and a pre-Thanksgiving week that helps you stay focused on everything you have in your life instead of what's just beyond your reach. 

Happy Sunday or Monday if you're on the other side of the world.

by Skip Cohen
​
It's Sunday morning, and I'm definitely not in my usual mode of being off the topic of photography.  

The pandemic has changed everything in our lives and not for the better. But it's also created some unique leadership opportunities in creativity and support to your clients and community. I know it's been an ugly year for virtually every business, but I also know there are ideas out there to help you get back on track and jumpstart your business.

ClickCon Nation kicks off today with an all-star cast, but more important than the educators/speakers is the timing and the topics. For example, I'm doing a program at 10:15 CST called "My Business Has Disappeared, Now What?" In one hour, I'm going to pack in 2-3 hours of material - one after another of things photographers can be doing RIGHT NOW to capture the seasonality in business. 

​And check out the company I'm with below.

The program is FREE - all you have to do is download the ClickCon Nation app, and you're in. I know this doesn't apply to everybody, but there are too many of you who have been crying the blues over the decline in business and not doing anything about it.

Remember that line of "God helps those who help themselves?"  Well, regardless of what you believe spiritually, there's so much help in this industry. But you've got to make the first move - open your mind and join us!

Wishing everybody a day filled with ideas and opportunities to be a leader in creativity and business. The year isn't over yet. As I've written so many times in the last nine months - hunkering down is about your health - NOT about your business.

by Skip Cohen

​As my day got started today, I was determined to write about anything but the election results, which will go on for the next few days. So, I decided to finish a post I started a month ago that was sitting in my draft folder.

While I hate writing about anything to do with the pandemic, at the same time, it's the new norm we all deal with. Like everyone, I have good days and bad. I miss time with friends and the freedom to simply go wherever we want, whenever we want.

But there is something that's helping Sheila and me through all the challenges: making a conscious effort to do something fun, even if it's only for a short break.

I've written before about the two new members of the family, Lucy, and Belle. They've been with us for a year. Their crate's now gone, and they have almost full run of the house. They've been instrumental in keeping us focused on staying optimistic. And while the first ninety days were horrible, they're now fully into life with "Mom" and "Dad."

Combining two passions, the pups, and photography, I decided to have a little fun in the water. Lucy's a Mini-Goldendoodle, and loving the water is in her gene pool. Belle's a Havanese and can swim, but she's the princess and prefers to be a spectator.

I set up my LUMIX G9 on a Platypod Max and started shooting video. These were still frames from the video. The video itself was pretty dull and pointed out my need to develop better editing and cinematographer skills. (Click on any of the thumbnails below for more info on my gear setup.)

​But here's the fun thing about doing a mini-project like this - it captured a moment I cherish. It's even more relevant as a reminder of the importance imaging plays in our lives, even when it's DIY. Lucy's enthusiasm and trust with "Dad" and Belle's contentment to be a bystander pretty much says it all about their love for the water. Lucy is in, the minute I say "Jump," while Belle races up and down the sides of the pool following Lucy, but won't go into the water.  

Here's part of my point today: One of the most respected physicians in Sarasota, at a Zoom meeting I was on, the other day, gave us a little pandemic insight, which I'm paraphrasing.

It's not going away, and the best prediction of a vaccine is now in the Spring. There's a spike predicted in new cases in Florida as the snowbirds come back and bring more than just their suntan lotion. And we were all advised to get our flu shots and follow the rules of wearing a mask and physical distancing.

There's no light switch about to be flipped to end the nightmare of the pandemic, but there is a switch you can turn on and off whenever you need a break from adjusting to the new norm: DO SOMETHING FUN!

Walk away from the business you're working so hard to maintain and do something that makes you smile. It might be a phone call to a friend you miss, taking a walk, looking through old photographs, or taking your camera gear and shooting just for you. If you take the time, you'll find the list is endless, even with the appropriate restrictions.

There are two great Zig Ziglar quotes that fit right now:

If you want to beat the pandemic, don't give up on your dreams. Make time for things you love doing - things that make you smile. Use those core members of your network who you know you best for support, and keep your attitude at high altitude!

​Happy Wednesday!

by Skip Cohen

This post is a combination of a thanks and an observation about one of the things I love most about being in this industry. It's about how connected we are to each other, and like the six degrees of Kevin Bacon game, yesterday's post was pretty remarkable.

It was Throwback Thursday, and I shared an article from Hasselblad's newsletter in 1987 about Dean Collins. Over the next 24 hours, sixty-four people would comment on Facebook and share their thoughts about Dean.  

This is a short post today - here's my point:

I miss Dean a lot. Whenever there's an industry challenge, I think about my old buddy and what he'd say or be doing right now. In 2005, just a few weeks before he passed away, Nick Vedros and I drove down to spend some time with him. His spirit was incredible, and we actually believed he was going to win his battle with cancer.

When I shared the post yesterday, I had no idea how uplifting everyone's comments would be. Each comment brought back a memory and a smile. I was reminded of the reason I've loved this industry and been in it so long - it's the people! As sappy as it sounds, it's the way we're all connected, and the love we all share for the craft and watching each other's backs and the support.

There are no words to describe how much I've grown to miss conventions and contact with so many of you, but the challenges of the pandemic disappeared just a little bit yesterday as Dean pulled us together for some great memories.

So, thank you to all of you who commented and put one of our best in the spotlight again. And to Dean - we sure do miss you, buddy!

You only find out who's swimming naked when the tide goes out.
Warren Buffet

by Skip Cohen

​It's a typical Sunday, and as usual, I'm stepping away from marketing and business, but staying focused on something I've noticed over the last seven months of being hunkered down. 

It all starts with one of my favorite quotes above. While there are still a handful of idiots who think Covid-19 is a hoax, most of us recognized early on the necessary changes we had to make in our lives to ride out the crisis. (I'm trying hard to make today's post about believing in yourself and NOT the pandemic.)

I've been surprised by people I respect and have looked up to, who, when the pandemic hit, were "swimming naked." They hit the panic button and withdrew. From not knowing what to do about their business and disappearing, to not having the self-confidence they've always displayed in public. They stopped believing in themselves because so little they've done in the past prepared them for the new way they had to do business.

I'm not suggesting seeing revenue streams dry up isn't a reason to panic. But I think about my buddies Joe and JP Elario. Besides being great photographers and two friends I cherish, their business was almost exclusively weddings and events. But when things turned upside down, JP starting doing Face Time portraits and found a new revenue stream. I wrote about it a couple of months ago.

And that brings me right to my point - the pandemic has changed everything in our lives, but when it comes to business, you have to listen to your heart and not lose your ability to believe in yourself. The pandemic has created some unique opportunities for artists to demonstrate their communication skills and their ability to keep building relationships.

Hunkering down is about your health, NOT your business. You have to keep in touch with your target audience. When this crisis is over, and it will be eventually, people will remember you for the support you shared, by merely being present.

Wishing everybody a Sunday where you kick back and listen to your heart for the day. Take a little time to inventory your internal assets - not your camera gear, but all those great ingredients that make you unique. And as sappy as it sounds, your day will go the way the corners of your mouth turn, Winston Churchill.

Happy Sunday, everybody - do your best to make it a fun one!

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. ​