"If you don't sacrifice for what you want, what you want becomes the sacrifice."
Unknown Author

In theory, the slow season is officially over and with April, business for most photographers starts to ramp up. As I was looking for a quote to share this morning the one above stood out and ties directly back to a couple of threads I was reading in one of the forums as well as two personal conversations with friends over the last few days.

It's a short post this morning, so please stay with me!

All the answers, along with the tools to help you build a stronger business and make 2019 your best year to date, are out there. But if you don't take advantage of them and make a sacrifice to get them, then the road to success becomes more difficult and a piece of your dream, at least in terms of a better business, becomes the sacrifice.

I know there are times when life gets in the way, but when an aspiring pro writes about a conference or workshop, "I wish I could go, but just don't have the time right now," or "I just can't afford it," growth and an opportunity to thrive are on the path to the slaughterhouse!

And there's my point - Nothing beats hands-on education especially at a convention/conference. ShutterFest is the next one up this month, followed by state and regional conventions, workshops like JB Sallee's, Photoshop World, and ClickCon in August. Then there are online programs, blogs to read, YouTube videos to watch and the list goes on and on. And there's new educational material out there all the time, like Tim Kelly's Master Photo Techniques, just recently launched.

If you want to thrive in the year ahead, then you have to invest time and sometimes money. A great skill set isn't just about capturing great images and creating stunning photographs - it's also about marketing, building your brand and continually raising the bar on your reputation. It's about a strong network and staying on top of consumer trends and new ways to present images.

You've got to invest in your future. And, when it comes to money, there's ALWAYS a way to pay for a conference. All it takes is learning one new technique, adding one new friend to your network, or figuring out a new way to market your business and the trip pays for itself! 

"If you don't build your dream someone else will hire you to build theirs!"
Tony Gaskins

Come on you guys - you know how to hold focus on your camera. Isn't it time you held focus on your dreams?

Over the years I've shared a few of Melody Beattie's more brilliant moments. I try and start each day with a little of her inspiration. This morning hit home and I want to share it with you.

Wishing everybody a Tuesday filled with moments that help keep a smile on your face! Check out Melody Beattie if you're interested in more inspiration. (This piece came from Journey to the Heart.) You need to feed your head and soul each day, just like breakfast!

We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give!
Sir Winston Churchill

​I've written a lot about the importance of community involvement over the years. It's so important to give back to your community, and being involved is one of the best ways to build brand awareness.  Here's how I stumbled upon a wonderful non-profit here in Sarasota.

We moved to Sarasota in 2011 to give my Dad a hand with my mother who was fighting the battle with Alzheimer's. That's when we discovered the Caregiver Resource Center, and we started attending the weekly support group for caregivers.

With our very first meeting, Dad started to change. He learned it was okay to be angry and feel frustrated; he learned he wasn't alone; and discovered it was okay to share everything he was feeling, something his generation was taught NOT to do.

My relationship with the Friendship Centers is going on eight years. And, Sheila's also involved, having volunteered repeatedly along the way. They're a seventeen-million dollar nonprofit providing support to thousands of people to thousands of people in south Florida.

I'm not writing to toot my own horn but reminding you how important it is to be involved in something in your community and the industry. I've heard so many photographers comment, "In my community, there aren't very many things to be involved in!" Seriously? There's a level of pain, frustration, and a place for photographers to lend a hand in EVERY community. Try these on for size:

Those are two of my favorite photo-centric organizations who are involved on a national level that will keep you engaged but let's move to the local level. Here are just a few ideas of resources to identify where you can help.

• Visit the Chamber of Commerce: In every community, non-profits are fighting to survive and help members of the community. Contact the Chamber of Commerce if you're having a hard time finding out who they are.
• Visit the Schools: Every school in the country is fighting for support. And, every time a funding bill doesn't pass in the community, the first things to get cut involve the arts. From the school paper to photography and music classes to the yearbook, they need help, and you've got the skill set to be a part of what they need most.
• Visit the Local Hospital: Living in Akron I remember trying to get Molly the Wonder Dog into the Puppy Brigade at Akron Children's Hospital. She passed every test until she had to sit still in front of a woman with a surgical mask. LOL - it scared her, and she cowered behind me. Check with your local hospital and see where you can help.
• National Non-Profits: From the Alzheimer's Association to the American Heart Association to the American Cancer Society to Big Brothers Big Sisters there's an organization in your area that needs help. 

Here's the bottom line - Jay Conrad Levinson, considered the father of guerrilla marketing put giving back to your community in the top ten things business owners need to do to build a stronger brand. Why?  Because people like buying products and services from companies they perceive as giving back. 

I know many of you are outside the US, but in every country and every community in the world, there are groups of people needing help. Your community, wherever you are, needs to see you as more than just another retailer. You're looking for your community to be good to you - so you need to be good to your community!

“You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.” 
Zig Ziglar

​The longer I'm in this industry, the more everyday occurrences remind me of things I’ve heard or learned over the years. After a lifetime in some aspect of photography from starting out making emulsions in a research lab at Polaroid right through to yesterday’s phone conversations, email threads, and forum discussions, the non-photography lessons are relatively few in comparison to everything else.
 
Take this past Monday night’s sunset for example. We were at friends for dinner on Long Boat Key. We hadn’t been there before and didn’t know they were right on the water.  While I’m usually not without a camera, with WPPI this week, I’d left everything at home, packed for the next day’s trip.  All I had was my cell phone, which honestly didn’t do too bad a job, at least for Internet viewing…so there’s lesson one from Monday night – practice what you preach and don’t get caught short without a real camera.
 
But lesson two is a BIG one.
 
Years ago, I did a podcast with the late Mary Ellen Mark.  She’d been a nice friend going back to my Hasselblad days in the ’80s. She talked about why she loved shooting analog so much more than digital. As an example, she told me how she made her students cover up the LCD screen on their cameras to help them learn to wait for the “decisive moment.”
 
I’m paraphrasing a little, but this was her point,
 
“Shooting digitally photographers check to see if they got the shot and move on, but what if the real moment is yet to come? What if the emotion of grandma’s tears with a bride wasn’t at the hug, but seconds or minutes later?”
 
Last night’s sunset looked like it was going to be non-existent. It was all clouds and solid gray. Little by little the clouds started to break apart, and while we never got the kind of sunset that graces the covers of romantic novels, the sun found a spot to sneak through, and it was stunning, but only for a minute or two.  All I had to do was be patient and wait for it.

And here’s one more fun perspective. Having spent most of my life living inland, I love living near the ocean. Just about every vacation over the years was always near the water. I remember all those bittersweet moments when a vacation was about to come to an end, and we’d sneak in walk on the beach before packing, trying to make the most of the last night.
 
So, these days, whenever Sheila and I leave the beach one of us always says the same thing...“Hey, it’s not our last night!”

It's no good running a pig farm badly for thirty years while saying, 
"Really, I was meant to be a ballet dancer." By that time, pigs will be your style.
Quentin Crisp

The other day in the Facebook Wedding Photographers Forum in commenting about a post that was up, a photographer responded with..." wedding photographers are considered the bottom feeders of the business." Yes, I'm taking it out of context, but it doesn't change the nature of the comment.

Having worked with professional photographers for the last 30+ years, I've got a lot of friends on the wedding side of the business. And, while I'll admit I consider photographing weddings one of the very toughest specialties in imaging, it's anything but filled with "bottom feeders." Sure, it's the easiest of the photographic specialties to break into, but that's also because it's got the highest demand with a relatively stable need of 2.5 million weddings each year, just in the US alone.

Wedding photographers, working on a day when Bambi Cantrell has described as, "Logic doesn't reign as king!" they have very little control over the event they've been hired to photograph. They work in some of the most difficult lighting situations, often with unreasonable time constraints and stress. Yet, many of them capture stunning images, tell incredible stories and create the first family heirloom of a new family!

However, what really bothered me was the way a comment like this can be perceived, and I went off searching through the SCU archives, because I know I wrote about being happy with your career choice several years ago. So, if you read parts of this post in 2015, my apologies, but it's too much on point not to share again!
​
On a fairly regular basis I'll hear a photographer comment about the things they don't like about their career choice. It's always the same tone as they look back and say something like, "I really wanted to get into fashion, but..."

No matter how long or short a time you've been in business, there's always the opportunity to change paths. Nothing has to be forever. And for those of you who are already rolling your eyes and saying, "That's easy for you to say," I know exactly what I'm talking about.  I'm the guy who left a great job as President of Rangefinder/WPPI, because I was no longer happy in what I was doing. It wasn't easy, but had I stayed; it would have only been a matter of time until my heart just wasn't in it.

This year it will be ten years since I resigned from Rangefinder Publishing/WPPI and started my own company. It's been an amazing ride and continues to still have me jumping out of bed each day, smiling and filled with the curiosity of a kid on Christmas morning. Adapting isn't easy, but it's incredibly fulfilling. The industry is constantly changing; technology keeps expanding how we communicate and share images; and the world keeps getting smaller. I shared images in a spotlight post last week from Chad Pennington, who I caught up to while he was having lunch in Nigeria!  

If you're unhappy with what you're shooting, then you owe it to yourself to identify what's missing. That applies to everything you do, including what's going on in your life. Find the time to stare into space and ponder the meaning of life.

What works best for me is to find a quiet place in the house. We've got this one chair in the living room that's incredibly comfortable. I'll typically get a glass of wine, put on some of my favorite music and kick back for an hour or more to think about a specific task or project. The key here is uninterrupted thought. I might even have a small notebook close by to write down some ideas. At some point, I'll have ideas for a solution, and that's where Sheila comes in.

You need a sounding board, and ideally, it needs to be somebody who knows you better than you do! This is about trust, understanding, and expression. Often, some of the ideas in my head are good, and other times they're horrible, but Sheila's insight helps me focus. This approach works for the significant challenges, as well as the small ones...the key here is being honest with yourself and living by that line from Shakespeare,

                                                                     "To thine own self be true."

Remember, you can't create images that tug at people's heartstrings if your own heart isn't in it!

Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.
Roald Dahl

​I'm not sure what sparked my thought process this morning, but the magic of this industry is so much on my mind. This is a short post dedicated to magic - not the magic of love like the Lovin' Spoonful's song from 1965 for you old farts out there, but the magic of our industry.

The magic, when you have a career you love, is universal, but as a professional photographer, you've got the tools to truly be a magician. Think about it for just a second - What could be more magical than your ability to stop time, capture a memory and hand a client that moment in a tangible form for them to cherish forever?

Here's my point - all of us have days when the clouds roll in, and we can't find the silver lining. We get buried in the bullshit of running a business, dealing with the peaks and valleys in sales, paying bills, thinking about the year ahead, dealing with the competition, finding new clients and the list goes on and on. Plus, it's convention season, tax season and we're thinking about what we have to pay a government who's currently showing anything but professionalism and acting like adults.  We've all seen more maturity on elementary school playgrounds! 

So, when any of these things happen, you've got to take a step back. Recognize the signs of what I call short-term burnout. Step away from the business. Find yourself a quiet place, a cup of coffee, a glass of wine or a cold beer and chill. Think about what brought you into this business in the first place and if you have to, force a smile - it'll relax your face and help change your perspective on the challenges you're facing.

And yes, it really is almost that easy! The tricky part is forcing yourself to step away and take the time to pat yourself on the back for everything you've accomplished so far! 

It's just a bad day - not a bad life!
Multiple Authors

"Don't anticipate life; meet it. When you try to anticipate, you're being an idiot,
because nobody's got the brain to outwit nature.
I'm talking here about patience, about believing in yourself.
I'm talking here about having courage to wait.
​You will get what you deserve.
Rod Steiger

Typical of most Sunday Morning Reflections, I start out thinking about things I've read over the past week and conversations I've had with various photographers. Often the idea behind a Reflections post begins with something that's come up during the past few days.

Maybe it's because it's the start of a new year or the slow season, but I've picked up on so many artists who are waiting for success. They act like any day now the Success Fairy is going to sprinkle magic dust on them and their images and reputation will skyrocket to the top!

So, they sit and wait. They don't do much promoting of their work; they're not practicing very much to raise their skill level and the longer it takes for "success," the more they blame everybody but the face in the mirror.

This is a tough industry to be in. It's incredibly competitive, and trends and styles seem to be constantly changing, and keeping up with technology isn't easy either. But, if you've got the passion, then most of you find ways to pull the reigns in on your frustration. You've already realized how much you love the craft, and know there's nothing else you'd rather be doing.

So, however, you define success, and we all have different goals, there are two common denominators to achievement  - believing in yourself and patience. I guess that's what drew me to today's opening quote. 

Always believe in yourself. No matter who's around you being negative or thrusting negative energy at you,
totally block it off. Because whatever you believe, you become.
Michael Jackson

Patience is not simply the ability to wait. 
It's how we behave while we're waiting.
Joyce Meyer

​There's my point this morning.  If there is a Success Fairy, she's only touching those hearts who believe in themselves and more often or not we think of her as "luck." But luck comes in all shapes and sizes and starts with being thankful for everything and everyone in our lives. The glass really is half full for all of us, as long as we stay focused on the prize, which is all about being happy.

Before technology brought auto-focus to us, we all focused our cameras manually. Looking through the lens we had to decide what we wanted sharpest in every image. And we played with depth of field to capture what was most important. Well, your career path and your life are no different...and there is no auto-focus.

Have fun being patient. Appreciate your growing skill set and everything you need to do to keep raising the bar on the quality of your work, business and relationships. And, all along the way, never give up on believing in yourself. 

Two of the significant lessons in my life I've seen proven over and again are: Everything happens for a reason, and everything always works out for the better.  That doesn't mean you can just kick back and wait - you've got to stay focused on your happiness and take those opportunities to grow whenever you can.  Just don't give up on your dreams!

Never give up on something you really want. 
It's difficult to wait, but more difficult to regret.
Unknown Author

And as always, I wish everybody a terrific day ahead. For those of you caught in the storm zones which seem to be nationwide...stay warm and dry, go for those eleven-second therapeutic hugs and most important of all, remind whoever you're hugging how much they mean in your life. Don't forget they believe in you just as much as you believe in yourself.

​Happy Sunday!

​Everyone in the "kitchen" at the SCU Diner is surprised that we still haven't run out of menu items for Fast Food Friday. However, if you think about how many different aspects there are in running a business, then it really shouldn't be that surprising.

Fast Food Friday blue plate specials aren't always quick meals, but they are nutritional and fortunately, with the government shut down we don't have to worry about dealing with the FDA!

​(Sorry, with the nonsense going on in Washington and thousands of people not getting paid while the members of Congress still draw their salaries, it's hard to not have a little sarcasm spill over into today's post. Sheila had a great idea the other night, suggesting every member of Congress also have their pay docked and be fined $20,000 a day.)

Okay, back to this week's special - I do not profess to be an expert on this dish, but it is one I'm cooking today, and it's all from the heart! Let's talk about things you can do to find balance. And, while "balance" is such an abused all-inclusive word, we're really talking about adjusting your priorities. 

Today's special is my own recipe. It's taken me years to perfect and ironically, most of what I learned I first heard from my grandmother but wasn't sharp enough to understand! I'm hoping you can learn from my mistakes so you can make new ones of your own.

We all wear multiple hats as business owners, parents, spouses, friends, and children, just to name a few. The challenge comes in remembering you've only got one head! And, while the buzz-word today is multi-tasking, you're still only one person.
​

• "To thine own self be true!" Shakespeare wrote it long before my grandmother said it, but here's the point, and I've said it numerous times before, you can't create images that tug at people's heartstrings if your own heart isn't in the game! Being happy in what you're doing for a living is a critical component in balancing your priorities.
• You're not alone! Whether you're married or single, you've got a family and friends who are important. You've got to make time for them. Share your frustrations with them. They're part of your life because they care about you, but they're not mind-readers. You've also got to be available to participate in their lives.
• Set a time to punch out! Pick a time of day when you shut off the business. While it takes practice, it is almost that easy. I shut off the ringer on my cell phone around 5:30 every day. I only take urgent calls in the evening, and I ALWAYS have dinner with Sheila. 
• Where's your no phone zone? We learned this one from Michele Celentano. Her kitchen, like most of our homes, is all about family and friendship. Even as a guest, you don't touch your cell phone in her kitchen. The kitchen is a NO PHONE ZONE.
• Do you get enough sleep, exercise, and nutrition? It's the Trifecta you need to win EVERY day. Your body is like a bank account - if you're short on sleep, don't get enough exercise and have lousy eating habits you're going to be overdrawn. For me it seems rest is the most critical.  Everyone is different - I need 7-8 hours to have the most positive energy.
• You need to laugh more and worry less! It's easy to say, but not so easy to do. This is where your family and friends play a role, but you've got to make the time to let them into your life!
• Learn to walk away! Recognize stress! It comes in all shapes and sizes, but there are times when you have to walk away to recharge. You might even have to start completely over, but a fresh start give you a new perspective on whatever the challenge might be.
• Listen to your heart! Trust your gut - Most of the time your gut instinct is telling you exactly what path to take.

So, here's what works for me and it's taken me years to perfect it, and I'm still work in progress. I have a morning routine:

1. I start with checking my email and responding when necessary. The best advice in business I was ever given was to handle each piece of paper only once. Okay, so that was before the Internet, but the logic is the same. I read my email, make a decision, answer it and move on.
2. Next comes reading something that's inspirational. Melody Beattie is my favorite author lately. In the same way, many of you need that first cup of coffee; I need to feed my brain with something outside photography.
3. It's time for a walk! I'm an early riser, usually starting at 6:30. Around 7:30 Sheila and I take our morning walk. We walk for thirty minutes around the neighborhood. While the exercise is essential, it also gives us time to talk about the day ahead along with anything else on our minds.
4. Molly the Wonder Dog is next in the routine. Molly is let out, and I always go out with her. Then she's brushed, played with for a few minutes and fed. If you're a pet owner you already understand that special bond and how it adds to a sense of balance, even when things are most chaotic.
5. Time to open the "store:" Whether it's writing new posts, phone calls or thinking through what's on the agenda for the day, I'm officially into work.
6. Breakfast or brunch comes next, most often between 9:30 and 10:00.  I love to cook and we take turns, but Sheila and I ALWAYS have breakfast together. This is the equivalent of morning recess when I was a kid.  
7. Back to work for the day: I have a standing desk and another I can sit at, but I try and find a balance between the two. At any age, you should not be sitting for too long!  I'll work most of the day, head out for any errands or appointments and we'll grab something light for lunch early afternoon.

Obviously, there are phone calls and interruptions throughout the day, along with scheduled conference calls, appointments, etc. but at the end of the day, usually around 5:30 everything shuts down, and it's family time. Sheila and I have dinner together and then move to the TV for our favorite shows, a fast run through the news and maybe a movie. 

Our day typically ends around 10:00 PM watching a rerun of Friends. Why? Because the news used to be the last thing we watched and it's become so depressing we needed to laugh before going to sleep. I think back to my folks always watching the 11:00 PM news before going to bed. Well, these days it's all nightmare material, so we finish the day watching something entertaining.

That's our routine, but it only works if there's a lot of open, honest communication. Both of us have learned to share the challenges in our life, our aspirations, and disappointments. We've learned to trust each other and for example, when I'm off balance and too focused on a business challenge we talk it out. We're both work in progress and it's not always smooth sailing. But there's also that great quote about calm seas not making skilled sailors! 

Most important of all, take the time to be thankful. So many of you are obsessed with finding success, but you've never taken the time to think through what that really means. For me, it's about waking up with a smile on my face every morning. 

We've worked together to find balance. We're like a medieval castle.  We think of our home as surrounded by a moat. When the enemies are clamoring at the gate, we recognize when we need to help each other and pull up the draw bridge.

​One of the things that's surprised me over the years is how often somebody talks about something they're going through, and I'm feeling the same thing. Then there have been comments from many of you about posts I've written, especially on Sunday mornings, when many of you have responded you're feeling the same way. 

I'm not about to take up your time getting philosophical about life, but the reality is we all go through similar challenges, doubts, aspirations and even moments of glory. This morning is a perfect example:

Last night I was taking Sheila through our travel plans for February and WPPI. I made a comment about dreading the airport if the government remains in shutdown mode. Sheila responded by reminding me to stop being negative and think positive about the upcoming trip.

This morning I checked in for my daily dose of inspiration from Melody Beattie and the title was, "See How Happy You Are." She went on to write about not wasting energy on negative visualizations, but use our creative powers to think about positive events in our lives. She finished with: 

Since starting the SCU blog six years ago this week, we've shared a few thousand posts about ways for you to build a stronger business, fine-tune your skill set and exceed client expectations. But, there's that old line about you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. There are still too many of you who waste time overwhelmed by the challenges in being a small business owner and an artist. Instead of patting yourself on the back for what you've accomplished and following a path of positive visualization, you freeze up, procrastinate and tread water.

It's January and the start of the "slow season" for most of you. Take the time to follow Melody Beattie's advice - pay attention to your happiness. Throw pessimism out the window and remember that the glass is half full with new technology, new customers, new skills and an industry loaded with people who are here to help you grow - one of them being me! Use this time to experiment with different aspects of imaging and business. And, remember: Growth only happens outside your comfort zone!

Happy Hump Day and Happy Anniversary SCU! 

I woke up this morning and went through the usual Sunday morning routine of thinking about something to write about. Several times in the last few days I've looked around my office and our home, doing these little inventories of life like we all do, and said to Sheila, "How did we get here?"  Then wandering through Facebook a lot of friends seem to be playing the "Ten Year Game," putting up their first headshot for Facebook with today's.

Well, it suddenly hit me, in one of those OMG-cartoon-character-moments with the imaginary lightbulb going off above my head it's ten years ago this April I resigned from Rangefinder Publishing and WPPI to head out on my own. Why I left is no longer relevant. I look back on that time in my life as one of those "Ah-Ha" moments when I made the right decision. I'm grateful to so many people who helped me realize the dream of my own business; stuck by me through some scary times and all along the way became a part of the fabric of my life - which seems to be a never-ending tapestry that's always changing.

Rather than take a nostalgic look back, I'm more excited about looking forward. After all, through several thousand posts over the last ten years, I've shared just about everything that's happened in my life. It's more fun to look ahead and here are handful of examples:

• If you didn't read the post two months ago, I resigned from my consulting role with Excire Inc effective December 31, 2018. While it came with a lofty title of "president." It was draining trying to get them to understand how different the US photographic market is from Germany.  
• Chamira Young is getting more involved with SCU. She's a remarkable photographer with a level of creativity, enthusiasm, and diversity in her skill set second to none. Stay tuned because we're going to be making some significant changes here in the blog, adding a new podcast and finding new ways to help you build a stronger business.
• I'm back to speaking and teaching more in 2019. The year kicked off this past week joining Scott Kelby on The Grid; I'll be presenting in the Panasonic booth at WPPI; teaching at ShutterFest in April; teaching at ClickCon in August and SCU is working together to bring you more helpful content from educational resources like The SLR Lounge.
• Mirrorless technology and Panasonic's family of LUMIX cameras have entirely revitalized my love for life with a camera in my hands. I'm shooting more than ever before, and every day I'm learning another lesson I missed along the way, too often in "P" mode. And, with Skylum's Luminar 3 I'm doing more in post-processing. I'm reminded with every click of the shutter that growth only happens outside your comfort zone.

In looking ahead, there's one last major point that's changing, which started a year or two ago. As I look back, it has a lot to do with aging and time. I'm at a point in my life where I realize every day how fast the hands on the clock are spinning. It has a lot to do with looking at your life and seeing less time ahead than the decades behind.

I want to waste less time in the new year. I'm tired of not getting quality time with good friends. I'm tired of people I care about being out of touch. A couple of weeks ago I got a call from Claude Jodoin, which he referred to as his "annual catch up to Skip" call. It was great, as we covered what's going on in both of our lives, talked a little about the past, our old buddy Dean Collins always comes up, and just reminded each other we're both still passionate about the craft and our friendship.
 
And there you have it - It's time to make my point. While I love looking in that rearview mirror and the comparisons everybody is doing on Facebook with their headshots - it's more fun to think about what your next ten years are going to be like, starting with 2019. What do you want to do this year to make it different than last year? How are you going to find more time for friends, stay focused on growing your business and bring more quality into your life? What's truly important to you this morning?

Wishing everybody a day ahead filled with optimism and time to appreciate where you're going in the new year more than where you've been. Hug those special people in your life for the full therapeutic eleven-seconds and remember they're a key to your goals for the future. Take the time to appreciate how shallow life would be without them, and then focus on how important they are going forward.

We can't stop time or even slow it down, but we all can create more impact and a life that adds more smiles and laughs than frowns and tears. There's a great line Dr. Phil is credited for, "Would you rather be happy or right?" In this new year, it's more important for me to go bounding out of bed in the morning with a smile on my face than a frown and thinking about the stress of the day ahead. While stress is inevitable as a business owner, you can still work in a stress-free zone as long as you stay focused on things that make you happy.

Anybody want to join me?

Ten years from now you'll laugh about whatever's stressing you out today. So why not laugh now?
Tony Robbins

Wishing everybody a terrific Sunday...or Monday if you're on the other side of the world!

With my first post of 2018, I talked about Melody Beattie and shared one of her inspirational moments. Getting back into feeding my brain (and heart) every morning with one of Melody's reflections is proving to be one of the best new years resolutions I've made in a long time.

We all live such stressful lives. While we don't always have control over the causes, we do have the ability to control how we deal with the challenges. You need to feed your brain and heart every morning with something outside your business.

I'm only going to share one of her daily reflections now and then, but click on the link to her books on Amazon and start adding them to your own library. You won't be disappointed.

by Melody Beattie
​
Remember to Be Happy

The sign hangs on the wall of a bagel shop: "Don't forget to be happy!"

Sometimes we get so bogged down in dealing with feelings, issues, problems - the realities and details of our lives - we forget to be happy. Often happiness can be ours if we just remember to be happy.

Joy is a choice - a deliberate, conscious choice. That choice is available to us each day. Our joy isn't controlled by others or by outward circumstances. Joy comes from a deeper place, a place of security within ourselves. It's an attitude, not a transitory emotion.

Six years ago my good buddy, Scott Bourne shared this little gem here on the SCU site. It was one of our first posts. It originally ran on Photofocus.com. The timing for a short "vitamin" like this couldn't be better. It's the first quarter and as you think about your goals for the year ahead never compromise on the quality of the services you provide.

At one of the best programs I've ever heard Scott present, or anybody for that matter, he talked about the responsibility we all have as "High Priests of Memory Protection". Every client deserves the the best images you can capture. The only way you can get to that level is to never stop learning, never stop experimenting and keep taking those "photographic leaps" Scott refers to.  

by Scott Bourne

The great and prolific photographer Garry Winogrand used to say you should be risking failure every time you raise your camera to your eye. By that he meant if the scene looks familiar to you, you’ve probably already taken a similar photograph, so try something new. It may not work, but when it does it can take you to the next level. I find that I have to push myself all the time because I lapse into familiar habits: shooting from eye level, same lens to subject distance or comfort zone, don’t move around enough or shoot enough variety.

We have no excuse for not taking photographic chances with digital, it doesn’t cost extra and there’s nothing to lose and extraordinary pictures to gain. So take a look at your stuff, if you’re seeing a lack of variety and similar photographs, grab your camera and take a photographic leap….

​Whenever the holiday falls on a Tuesday or later like it did this week, it's always a strange, yet terrific time of year.  Many of you are still on vacation. Those of you who are back at work are recovering from the holiday surge in business, and might even have a few last minute orders and loose ends to wrap up.

Technically this is the first Fast Food Friday episode of the new year, but we're going to keep it light and give you a little time to kick back and chill.  We're working on lots of great content for 2019, and a few new directions and guest "chefs" to join us in the kitchen of the SCU Diner. ​

Meanwhile, if you missed last week's wrap-up, it includes the links to all forty "blue-plate specials" in the SCU Diner, starting last February. From your website to your blog to relationship building and customer service, there's not very much we missed in ideas to help you build a stronger business. Take a scroll through last week's post with a click on the banner below. And, if you think there's something we missed, let us know!

​I started this series because so many of you are right-brained artists who need left-brain support. Your skill set depends on the creative juices flowing from the right side of your brain, but your survival as a business is thanks to the left side!

While some experts believe the right brain - left brain theory is a myth, it's still a great metaphor. At least in part, it explains the differences in discipline some of us have in various areas of business. 

Click on the illustration on the left to connect to a website I stumbled across called "The Brain Made Simple." It's not my intention to turn today's post into a lesson on how our brain works, but this site does do a nice job of explaining the left and right side functions.


In the meantime next week brings business back into full swing, but you need a fully charged battery to hit the ground running and start building a solid foundation for the new year ahead. Take today and the weekend to kick back a little. Reflect on last year; catch up on your reading; relax and even enjoy a few of the past Fast Food Fridays in those areas where you need the most help.

Most important of all, get your mindset in line with your heart and your passion for the craft. You can't create images that tug on people's heartstrings if your own heart isn't in it!

​My wife, Sheila introduced me to Melody Beattie many years ago, and while I know you're not supposed to share your resolutions for the new year, one of mine is just getting back to reading her inspirations every morning instead of when I'm feeling stressed. 

This morning's post is especially appropriate for all of us. It's a new year and an opportunity to refocus on everything necessary in our lives, starting with the beginning.

Any of Melody's books are terrific, but this one I've found particularly good.  Here's how she kicks off the new year and I'm betting ALL of you can identify with her wisdom.

We'll be back to tomorrow with content relevant to photography and marketing, but today's a day best focused on a great beginning.

​Happy New Year!

Beginnings can be delicate or explosive. they can start almost invisibly or arrive with a big bang. Beginnings hold the promise of a new lessons to be learned, new territory to be explored, and old lessons to be recalled, practiced, and appreciated. Beginnings hold ambiguity, promise, fear, and hope.

Don't let the lessons, the experiences of the past, dampen your enthusiasm for beginnings. Just because it's been hard doesn't mean it will always be that difficult. Don't let the heartbreaks of the past cause you to become cynical, close you off to life's magic and promise. Open yourself wide to all that the universe has to say.

Let yourself begin anew. Pack your bags. Choose carefully what you bring, because packing is an important ritual. Take along some humility and the lessons of the past. Toss in some curiosity and excitement about what you haven't yet learned. Say your good-byes to those you're leaving behind. Don't worry who you will meet or where you will go. the way has been prepared. The people you are to meet will be expecting you. A new journey has begun let it b e magical. Let it unfold.

​Every Sunday I go off track from the business of photography. I write whatever's on my mind and I'm always surprised when what seems like a boring topic that could put a rock to sleep seems to hit home with so many of you. Well, today's one of those mornings, because it's been a pretty fantastic run of just feeling great about life and being happy.

Being "happy" and content with your life isn't something that happens on its own. Happiness runs in waves, but as I've gotten older, I'm finally realizing the timing between waves is up to me. 

Happiness is letting go of what you think your life is supposed to look like.
Unknown Author

​So here I sit this morning pounding away on the computer with this stupid smile on my face, just because I'm happy. That doesn't mean everything is perfect in my life, only that I've learned to appreciate all the good stuff and moved the bad stuff outside! 

Over the years as Sheila and I battled the naysayers in our lives, we started to think of our home as a castle with a moat around it. And, when the sadness and stress from somebody ugly got inside, we'd accuse each other of leaving the drawbridge down for too long. There's a great comment I read once about dealing with challenges in life - "grow through what you go through." Well, that's exactly what we learned to do.

As I write today's post, I hardly have a perfect life. However, I do have a perfect way of appreciating it. The "Negators" can't make it in if I don't let them. The door is always open when they learn to behave with love instead of anger and fear. 
 
I'm just going to start to wrap this up with a terrific quote that covers it all:

Life is too short to wake up with regrets.
So love the people who treat you right.Forget about those who don't.
Believe everything happens for a reason.
If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it.
Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would most likely be worth it.
Paulo Coelho

​The year is rapidly coming to a close, and December is always the perfect time of year to be grateful for the smiles in your life. Just like a squirrel putting acorns away for the winter, cherish the people you care about most and build a stash of memories you can draw from when your happiness is challenged by the baggage people and events leave on your doorstep. Appreciate the now - this very moment in time when, with a smile on your face, you feel like you could take on the world.

I get that it sounds sappy and hokey, but it works. Your life is never going to be perfect, but that doesn't mean it's not a great life and filled with incredible opportunities that can make you smile both inside and out.

Make it a great Sunday. Go for those eleven-second hugs I've written about for years and make it a day filled with memories that will become daily vitamins when times are tough. And, from me this beautiful Sunday morning, thank you for your support, your inspiration and your contribution to the smile on my face right now!

Happy Sunday!

Be Happy!
Not because everything is perfect.
But, because you choose to focus on the perfect moments.
Author Unknown

Six years ago I did a two-day program on marketing and business for Creative Live. I’ve often referred to it as “the most fun I don’t ever want to do again!” The amount of work and the number of slides to teach marketing as an online program bordered on overwhelming. Remember, it’s not the same as being able to step away from your slides and explain lighting, work with a model and demonstrate a point with the results. 

Still, it was a fantastic experience, but the best part of the event had little to do with marketing and business, but the friendships that came out of my live audience. Three great friendships came out of that event, Sherry Hagerman, Carlos Zamora, and Jared Burns. Yesterday Jared posted this on Facebook referring to it as celebrating Independence Day.

“Five years ago I was working in corporate America for a lesser known aerospace company who was very proud of their work/life balance values. During my time, several members of management stated I was one of the best employees to ever fill that role with specific remarks about dependability, organization, and innovation. Six months in, my wife was hit as a pedestrian by a drunk driver.

Notifying my superiors, I left work 1 hour early to take care of my family. It broke my perfect 6-month attendance record and management told me I was not eligible for a raise as a result. That moment revealed their true values when it came to work/life balance.

A year into my employment, we had agreed on a review to talk about my future path and development in the company. Management refused repeatedly to meet for the review. At that point, it was clear I needed to make my own way.”

Jared gave his notice and left on December 9, 2014, to start a full-time career in photography. There are a couple of points that come to mind this morning, all thanks to his post:
​

• Jared didn't just leap into photography. He attended every possible workshop he could. He practiced, and he surrounded himself with positive people who watched his back and added a very special ingredient to his dream - their friendship. 
• If there's one lesson that's been consistent throughout my career, it's that things always work out for the better. I remember having a conversation with Jared around 2010. His dream was to be a professional photographer, FULL-TIME, but he also had the responsibility of a family. Working for corporate America, he had benefits and stability. The timing wasn't right then for him to take the risk of a career change.
• There's that old expression, "It takes a village." Well, Jared had a village of supporters behind him. And, the Mayor of that village was his wife, Beth. She's his number one fan and was there to support him, and they made the career change together.  So often we take on the stress of new directions thinking we're alone when our best supporters are right there with us.

Last year I caught up to Jared and Beth for lunch at WPPI. It was a kick to meet her finally. A few minutes later Sherry Hagerman came by and joined us. It was one of those moments that to anyone else would seem like four people having a rushed slice of pizza on the run at a convention. But for me, it was unique and memory-making because it was part of what I love most about our industry.

Here's my last point, and I've said it a few hundred times over the years. The best thing about this industry has NOTHING to do with photography, but the friendships that come out of everyone's love for the craft. Jared and I crossed paths in Seattle at Creative Live and as hokey as it might sound, nobody could be prouder of what he's accomplished as an artist. Even better are the friendships we share and wondering what the future holds for all of us!

A few years back I started a series of blog posts I called "Nick's Pics." Like so many different projects with good intentions, things got busy. While Nick and I have never lost touch in our close to thirty-year friendship, sharing his favorite picks from cyberspace slipped through the cracks.

Nick Vedros is all about creativity. You never know what he's going to find on the Internet that will get your wheels turning.  What I love most about so much of what he shares, is they're constant reminders of the world outside our door that's firmly rooted in imaging. It's so easy to have day after day go by with the only thing you think about being your own business. 

Well, Nick is back in the SCU stream, and sent me this short video yesterday, and I loved his choice for a morning dose of creativity. Here's a lesson in concept, design, photography, and artists who loved the creative process involved in album covers.

It's part of the Earworm series on YouTube.  Shared on the Vox channel, they've done an incredible job telling the backstory behind the great jazz albums of the '50s and '60s, starting with the image on the right. It doesn't matter whether or not you're a jazz lover, this is about one aspect of the history of great design elements. 

As you watch and listen to the story, think about your own work.

What if you took a few of your favorite images and like the way the Earworm team has told the story, you told yours? What if you took several images and shared the skills involved in capturing and creating the photograph? What if you talked about the artists you've been influenced by? What if you shared how and why an image was cropped to tell your story, and at the same time demonstrated your skillset in capturing great photographs?

And, even if you hate my idea of applying some of the storytelling techniques used in this video to your own work, just appreciate the design elements and how each album was created with a particular look that became the signature look described by Vox/Earworm on YouTube as:

Nick is a perpetual student of imaging, art and design. He's no stranger to SCU sharing a number of great posts over the years and joining me for an episode of "Why?" in 2017.

Take the time to watch the video whether you're a jazz fan or not...What a kick!

If you imagine less, less will be what you undoubtedly deserve. 
Do what you love, and don't stop until you get what you love. 
Work as hard as you can, imagine immensities, don't compromise, and don't waste time. 
Start now. Not 20 years from now, not two weeks from now. Now.
Debbie Millman

It's that time of year when, even though you're busy and into the seasonality of the fourth quarter, you're still able to find those isolated moments when you think about the future. It doesn't matter if you're day-dreaming and thinking a few months or a few years ahead. There's a new year coming up and as hokey as it sounds, it's guaranteed to be filled with wonder!
 
So often many of us share the same challenge - we set our goals too low, making them too achievable. I remember a line from years back that went, "If you shoot for the stars you'll at least get to the top of the trees, but shoot for the top of the trees and you won't get off the ground!"

You're never too old to set another goal, or to dream a new dream.
C. S. Lewis

​Goal setting is so important, and there are far more prolific writers than me who have shared their wisdom on the subject, but here's the short and sweet way I look at goals. You need a destination whenever you're going somewhere. That destination can always change along the way, but you still need to know the direction in which you're about to travel and then savor each part of the journey.

Follow your dreams. They know the way!
Author Unknown

Sorry to use this quote again, but it's my favorite quote about photography!
​
"This is what I like about photographs.
They're proof that once, even if just for a heartbeat, everything was perfect."
Jodi Picoult

In October of 2011, we moved to Sarasota. The primary reason was to help my folks. My Dad was 89 and taking care of my mother who was a few years into her battle with Alzheimer's. Since graduation from high school I'd always lived in another part of the country, and while we talked regularly and saw each other several times a year, I was never "next door."

Moving to Florida was one of the best things I've ever done. It gave me and my folks quality time, and even with Mom's Alzheimer's, there were plenty of special moments. It's a horrible disease that, like a burglar in the night, robs you of your loved ones.  But, Dad used to say, "I'm going to squeeze every drop of joy out of whatever's left," and he stayed focused on every moment when the disease would take a break and Mom's personality came shining through.

Today, Halloween would be Dad's 96th birthday. When I was a kid the poor guy never had a decent birthday, always interrupted by trick or treaters, including me headed out in search of trick or treat candy. It was ironic, since back then he was in the wholesale candy and tobacco business. I had access to an entire warehouse of candy, but nothing was sweeter than what I got in my bag every Halloween.

Just to say I miss the guy would be a colossal  understatement. The incredible memories along with knowing he and Mom are watching over us keep them in our hearts all the time. 

Over the last years of his life, I talked Dad into writing two blog posts for me.  I paid him a dollar for each of them, agreeing to write off the allowance he still owed me from when I was 12! LOL One of the posts I shared on Father's Day and the other I pulled out of the archives this morning.  

Dad was part of the greatest generation, and there's a lot of wisdom in what he wrote below. As much as business has changed with social media, the power of the Internet making the world smaller and technology giving us the ability to reach thousands of people - the basics of good business and how we treat each other NEVER changes.

Happy Halloween and Happy Birthday Pop!

If you follow me on a regular basis, you noticed I posted very little on the SCU blog last week. That's because I was at PhotoPlus Expo in NYC, and it was quite a show. Although somewhat scaled down and a little smaller than past years, it still had a good feel. It was especially good to take advantage of one of the most important reasons all of you should attend as many conventions/conferences as possible - networking.

This isn't just about building your network, but touching base with people already on your "team." A good network is only as strong as the time you put into its care and feeding!  During the week I caught up to old friends and new ones. I often asked, "So, what's new?" or "How's business this year?" The answers were all over the place.

I was surprised by the number of people with a common theme. There are so many of you frustrated because your business isn't growing as fast as you'd hoped, and you haven't hit your stride yet. Chasing dreams is exhausting, especially when you don't realize how much progress you really might be making. 

It's the perfect topic for Marketing Monday - sharing a few key things I've learned in my almost-an-old-fart life's experiences:

1) Everything always works out for the better! It sounds trite, but I've seen it happen over and over again. Just when you think it's the darkest day of your life, the sun comes out. Just trust this concept! The key is not to give up, and I'm reminded of a quote by Ross Perot:

2) A watched pot never boils!  Okay, I threw that in for my grandmother's sake. In today's terms, it merely means stop looking so hard. You're looking for success and recognition, and it'll all come in time. Just keep working at expanding your skill set and never compromise on quality.

3) You're judged by the company you keep!  There she is again, Grandma Alice, who used that expression all the time. In today's terms, it means hanging out with people who can help you grow. I've worked with and for a few people over the years who loved to be intimidating. They managed by being bullies, but I learned the most from those managers who encouraged me to challenge their decisions. The same goes for my friends, who challenge me every day. 

If you're a tennis player, you know your game gets better when you play with somebody better than you.  Photography and business are the same way - surround yourself with people who are trying new things, have confidence and are willing to give you advice, even when it contradicts what you're about to do.

4) A stitch in time saves nine! One more from my grandmother and I'll let her rest. She used to scream at me because of the holes in my socks as a kid. Since she was the only one in the family who sewed, her efforts often involved "rebuilding" a sock rather than just fixing a hole. Yeah, this is when you realize I'm an old guy, because today you just throw them out and buy a new pair, but here's how that applies to business.

When you run into a problem, address it at the time, don't procrastinate, especially with customer service issues. Not calling a client back who's upset comes up most often. When a customer doesn't hear back from you, things immediately start getting out of proportion. You don't always need to have an immediate answer, just let them know you're listening. Often all it takes is three short sentences, "I understand you're unhappy. Well the buck stops here. How can I help?"

5) Never believe your own press releases. It's the ego bus, and there areafew too many people on it lately. Remember, you pass the same people on the way down that you passed on the way up!

6) Anything is possible! All it takes is hard work and a great support team. Look at some of the things you're doing right now. You're probably involved in projects or techniques today you never believed you could do just a few years ago.

We're part of a fantastic industry with incredible photographers, terrific manufacturers/vendors, and many genuinely approachable icons, but you've got to talk to them to get their feedback. You've got to share your ideas to develop new ones and most important of all, you've got to be patient and don't slow down!

Wishing everybody a terrific Monday and the start of a new week!