by Skip Cohen

​While truly great food photographers have always been hard to find, the demand for their services ramped up dramatically during the pandemic. Dine-in restaurants took a huge hit and had to offer carryout service to survive, but very few of them had photographs of the dishes on their menu.

There was also a secondary challenge - carryout wasn't the only demand. Outdoor seating became a necessity. Thousands of restaurants set up makeshift outdoor dining areas never anticipated for hosting guests - alleys, parking lots, sidewalks, and driveways became "patio" dining rooms, often with all the mood of a truck stop garage. An opportunity for exterior decorating using large photographs started to grow.

We've all eaten in those pop-up outdoor cafes - they always need improvements in ambiance. Often, just a few large prints placed on easels would brighten up the "room." They don't need to be of food, and could be of areas in the community like parks, buildings, and various events, for example.

How many restaurants are there? Asking that question, Google took me to a great website loaded with statistical data starting with an estimated 750,000 restaurants in the United States.

Webstaurantstore.com was loaded with great information. I was able to dig a lot deeper into the potential demand for photography. For example, in the U.S. survey data showed that 77% of consumers check out a restaurant's website before ordering online, and 82% of American restaurants use social media marketing.

Need a little support to build your skills in food photography? I pulled links for two great books on food photography by two artists who I deeply respect, Andrew Scrivani and Joe Glyda. Plus, there are forty-three articles on the Playpod blog about food photography. One of them by my good pal Bob Coates. Just click any of the thumbnails below for more information.

by Skip Cohen

I wanted to expand the concept from my headshot topic in yesterday's post.

​Kristen Jensen: I first met Kristen when I was working with Panasonic's LUMIX Ambassadors many years ago. While her key focus as a photographer has been image capture over the years, she's expanded her expertise to help professionals build their brand strategy. There's no doubt in my mind that she's one of the very best at assisting people to define and then build their brand.

​​​Going through Kristen's website, I wanted to share how portraits have helped build her own brand.  She's included a photograph of herself relevant to each topic on her website as she wears each "hat" important to her business. And under the heading of each specialty, are thumbnails of her work with clients.

Her three main points of focus in working with a client are as a photographer, videographer, and brand strategist. She's also included a photograph of herself related to blogging, and on her contact page, she's made it a point to be on the phone with her monitor loaded with images in the background, again reminding her viewers she's a photographer.

Terry Clark and Environmental Portraits: In his section, which is tied to his own workshops, Terry made it a point to share images that show him teaching.

When you look at many of Terry's portraits over the years, you see he's a master at environmental portraiture for his corporate clients. A portrait really does tell a story when it pulls in the environment of the subject—something so many of you need to do when considering your own headshot.

Over the years, I've shared a lot of Terry's work on this blog. He's a talented artist with an infectious passion for the craft. When you look at his images, it's very easy to not only understand what the subject does but also notice how their expressions are always relaxed—a testimonial to their interaction with their photographer.

I pulled a few screen shots of some of my favorites of Terry's, just to help make the point about how your own headshot might look, if you brought in the environment.

​Kristen and Terry are helping me make a point in today's post - take the time to get some headshots demonstrating who you are as a professional photographer. Let's clean up all the bad selfies, grab shots, and even pictures artists used of them when they were kids! Make your headshot one more example of your skills as a professional - not somebody's Uncle Harry!

by Skip Cohen

One of the most significant benefits of the Internet and social media is our ability to share things that move us. Last week, Ed Heaton on Facebook posted the piece below written by poet and author Donna Ashworth. So, whether you're a professional photographer or just a parent doing your best to document those moments that grow in poignancy as your kids age, NEVER slow down capturing those memories.  

On that note, there's nothing else to write—just read the piece below and cherish your very special role as a family historian!

by Skip Cohen

One of my favorite reasons for attending a conference is being able to meet and talk to a lot of artists at one location over a short amount of time. While at times it's almost like a comedy featuring speed dating, it's an incredible way to get a better sense of what's going on in the market.

One of the obvious challenges discussed over the last couple of days is dealing with competition. Everyone is looking for ways to stand out in their community and create products and services that are habit-forming for their target audience.

Well, here's one—have you checked out Bella Albums? I'm a huge fan because of the infinite combinations of paper, cover materials, including leather, linen, and metal, sizes, colors, choice of fonts, and embossing. Combine all of those ingredients with storytelling, and you've got an unbeatable finished product. Looking to stand out from your competitors? Check out Marathon's Bella Albums.

And yes, I'm aware that I'm writing a mini-infomercial, but this is about ways for you to thrive, not just survive. You've got to do something different to make each presentation stand out. An album tells a story that only you can make unique.

Thanks to technology, there are so many different applications for an album today. For example, why not create an album after a "day-in-the-life" shoot of a family, child, or even pet? As a photographer, nobody has the tools to tell the story better than you, and a small album can develop into an annual series that covers the life of your subject.

Summer is quickly coming to a close, and soon, you'll be into fall and winter seasonality. Now is the time to think about unique products/services for the last quarter of the year. From back-to-school to Halloween, fall, and into the December holidays, it's time to put together a few outstanding promotions to bring 2024 sales to an exciting close.

And if you're not ready to start thinking about fall sales, remember, procrastination is NOT a marketing strategy to build your business!

by Skip Cohen

Remember the old Westerns? At some point, there often was a "new sheriff in town." He was always one of the good guys, and everyone was excited that he was there to clean things up!  Well, whether you like old westerns or not, when it comes to print competition - there's a NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN!

Meet the AIBP's (Association of International Boudoir Photographers) new Visionary Awards.

The AIBP Visionary Awards are an inspirational and educational photography competition open to all professionals, novices, and hobbyists who photograph boudoir. All entrants have the opportunity to work toward the AIBP Artistry Excellence degree as a Member of AIBP.

I'm a huge fan of image competitions, which all started with entering my first print in a WPPI competition in the 90s. I became addicted to the process—it's one of the best educational experiences in imaging. Why? Listening to the feedback from the judges, combined with seeing the styles of other artists, along with lighting, posing and composition, helped me raise the bar on my own skill set. 
​
Building this new image competition from both the participants' and judges' perspectives, the Visionary Awards start with two broad categories: commissioned and uncommissioned work. With eleven different award sub-categories, AIBP's goal is to make sure images compete against similar photos. 

They've assembled a stellar cast of judges to date that includes Lindsay Adler, Gary Hill, Jacqueline Tobin, Rhea Berkley Lewis, Andrew Hiorth, Cate Scaglione, Hiram Trillo, and Shawn Black. Combined with the support of a solid group of sponsors, these new awards have the potential to elevate the experience of competing from previous competitions. Click on any picture or banner in this post for more information!

And to the AIBP team - Congrats! It's going to be a kick watching this competition grow, along with the skills of your members!​

“We are all storytellers. We all live in a network of stories.
There isn’t a stronger connection between people than storytelling.” 
Jimmy Neil Smith

by Skip Cohen

Whether it's your stories, a family member's, or a client's - creating a book is an incredible product. Think about it for a second - you're a storyteller with an outstanding skill set in photography. A book allows you to capture the best of both worlds: photography and storytelling.

Now, think about the impact a unique book would have on a client.  Everyone is looking for new products and services to offer their audience. Yet, so often, you forget about some of the tools you have right at your fingertips, just a click of your mouse away.

While an album of images is a great way to tell a story, a book allows you to tell the story with text and in any size or shape you want. If you don't want to start offering it as a regular part of your business, then start by just creating a book about your family. Just do a draft of the story and then drop in photographs that fit with the theme.

I've done at least three books over the years; the first was about the start of the relationship with my wife, Sheila; the second was the story of the Honor Flight trip with WWII veterans I took my Dad on; and the third, the story of where we've lived over the years. All three told the stories in ways that just photographs alone could never do.

I can only imagine the reaction of a client receiving a book that was their story and told in a way that only you, as their photographer, could tell.  Part of the fun of a project like this is pulling together the images for the story. With a book, you've got the ability to combine your best photos with grab-shots and then the appropriate copy. Since a picture's worth a thousand words, you don't have to write a lot. Because it's all from your heart, you'll be surprised at how it all flows together, as well as how easy it can be.

While today's post is an infomercial for Marathon Press, the concept couldn't be more sound. You want your work to be different. You want your clients talking about working with you and your skill set. What better way than with a book that sits on their coffee table you produced?

In their 50,000 square ft. warehouse, the Marathon team is ready to tackle your project, and their staff is available to help all along the way! For more information, click on the banner above or call 1-800-228-0629. 

by Skip Cohen

Five years ago, I ran a series of weekly tips to help you run a more successful business. Wandering through my archives this morning, it hit me that this post from that series is even more relevant today. We live in a world that's become so polarized over virtually any topic, and the quote above, by Steve Jobs, is right on target.

Let's get rid of the "Negators" in our life. Just in case you don't understand how I'm using the word, it's my favorite word for all those people who tell us why we can't or shouldn't do something! They're the ultimate right-fighters, sure that their opinion is the only one with any accuracy. They seem to live for the opportunity to wait for you to fail so they can proclaim they saw it coming! 

I'm staying away from all the issues we face today outside of business and focusing on imaging.  Photography is an art form often misunderstood, especially by family members and friends. They don't understand your passion. They assume you're going to starve in the process. They may never have seen your work and question whether or not you're good enough. They don't understand why you can't just go out and get a "real job"!  Sound familiar?

On the old GoingPro podcasts, Scott Bourne and I talked a lot about surrounding yourself with people with positive attitudes. You need to block out the "Negators." It's not out of Greek mythology, but it should be. Negators are people who are so unhappy in their own lives; their only joy in life is screwing with yours!

The result is most often serious damage to your self-confidence. So, let's come up with a few things to help you stay focused, pun intended, and give you a little reinforcement. You know how to focus your camera, but do you know how to hold the focus on your career path?

• 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. If you don't see a difference, you're in trouble, but most of you will see growth in how you compose and expose today. As you get more experienced, there should be some serious changes in lighting, composition, depth of field, and creativity.
• Roberto Valenzuela once suggested a terrific tool for practicing the craft on a GoingPro podcast. 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 attend the judging at the next convention, where it's open to the public. Listen to what the judges are saying about each print. Use their suggestions as guidance for your own work.
• Find yourself a supportive forum. There are so many social media groups within photography, and while you'll occasionally run across a troll who doesn't like the images you share, just remember, "Beauty is in the eyes of the checkbook holder!"
• 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 good comfort in knowing your peers share some of the same concerns and frustrations. 
• Surround yourself with positive people. Hopefully, the "Negators" in your life will come around sooner or later, 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.
• 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.
• 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!

​
We're out of the "slow season," and Spring seasonality is just about over. You've got the best part of the year ahead of you. It's time to really dig into your journey. And if you need a little help from one of the industry's biggest cheerleaders - you know where to find me!

by Skip Cohen

​If you've followed me for even the shortest time, you know I'm a big fan of great workshops. Your education to keep building your skillset should never slow down. Coming up in June and July are four terrific workshops with two of the industry's most respected educators...Bobbi Lane and Lee Varis.

Yes, I'm a little prejudiced because they're two of my best friends - but they became good friends out of respect for all of us working together and my admiration for their style and how they give back to the community. If music were playing in the background right now, it would be Carly Simon singing "Nobody Does It Better."

The first program is right around the corner on June 6, but all four are listed below—just click on any one of them to link to Bobbi and Lee's workshop site. All four are in the greater Boston area and are perfect for helping you fine-tune your creativity and raise the bar on your images.

by Skip Cohen

​At least thirty years ago, I had the honor of presenting Bev Walden with a Hasselblad when she won a Kodak Gallery Award. It was a fantastic moment because her work was incredible, and the award was so well deserved. That first meeting became the foundation for a terrific friendship based on my respect for Bev and Tim Walden as artists, marketing experts, and incredibly passionate photographers. They're simply great people...and educators.

Bev recently emailed me about two programs they have coming up on June 3 and June 10. Both should be no-brainers, regardless of your specialty.

Following the two of them over the years, I've learned so much, especially how they look at a portrait. I remember Tim talking about the final "product." It's not a portrait but a family heirloom to be handed down to future generations. And it's not just the finished quality of the print but the experience!

There are two not-so-secret ingredients to Bev and Tim Walden's success and reputation: their passion for the craft and their quest for the ultimate quality every time they click the shutter. From babies to families to seniors, to black-and-white vs. color, each portrait is unique, continuing to build the Walden brand as one of the finest portrait studios in imaging!

Check out both of these programs coming up. Click on each program for more information.

And nothing beats the value of great education when there's also a discount when you bundle both classes. 

by Skip Cohen

In the spring of 2016, I was teaching a class at Shutterfest, and nobody knew who Mary Ellen Mark was! I couldn't do anything about new photographers, not knowing who the icons of the past were. Still, I wanted to do something to help everybody recognize the work of the contemporary movers and shakers in imaging.

We did over 130+ mini-podcasts featuring a favorite image of some of the most respected artists in photography. I stopped the series to take a break in 2021 and recently decided to bring it back. "Why?" is about great artists and their favorite images. Each featured artist is helping to set the pace not only in their area of expertise but also in marketing, business, and education. What better way for you to meet them than through one of their favorite images and their explanation of why it's special?

Shawn Black joined me this week, helping me jumpstart the series. He's a remarkable artist. While his image is one of his favorites from Couture Black, his luxury boudoir and portrait brand, I'm not sure there's anything Shawn can't photograph.  He's photographed weddings, is a writer, educator, and President of the Association of International Boudoir Photographers. He's also a husband, dad, friend and is admired by so many of us in the industry.

Whether boudoir is part of your business or not, Shawn's explanation of the portrait above is worth listening to. It's a great way to get to know an artist who should be on your radar. Check out more of his boudoir work with a click to his Instagram page. And more information on AIBP is just a click away.

​by Skip Cohen

It's graduation season, and I'm always amazed by what kids graduating today have for their senior portrait versus when I was a kid. (This is where Scott Bourne would make a crack about Matthew Brady doing my senior shot!) Every senior headshot was the same: black and white and boring. There was no capture of anyone's personality, and it was not something you'd share except with wallet-size photos. But the excitement of graduating and starting a new chapter in your life was the same.

Well, today, whether you're a full-time senior photographer or portrait artist, graduation season is a time for creativity and exceeding client expectations. 

To start, think about what kids have gone through to make it to graduation today. They all had to deal with the pandemic, worrying or more tragically dealing with school shootings, politics, and simply watching the world run amuck! Graduation becomes even more special and a time of pride and celebration.

Yes, I'm essentially doing a post that's an infomercial, but if you've followed my blog over the years, I don't share anything that doesn't make sense to help you grow your business or your skill set. If you're hoping to go after the senior market and beyond to graduation, then let's get you the very best products.

I'm a big fan of grad cards, and Marathon's offering them on a BOGO program right now, with half off. That gives you an advantage in decreasing costs and increasing margins. And you've got so much to choose from. When you click on the banner below, you can check out the program for yourself. There are 64 different basic templates, and within each collection, tools to enhance your creativity abound! I've included a screenshot of the first twelve below.

Here's my point - everyone is looking for ways to grow their business and increase revenue. Grad cards are a way to produce something special and secure your role in helping students and families celebrate what's typically the first major achievement of so many of today's kids.

​Check out Marathon's program with a click on the banner below!

by Skip Cohen

Last week I shared a post and video about Marathon's Bella Album line. At a time when everybody is working hard to make their work unique and create excitement with their clients, it's a perfect solution to exceeding expectations.

Well, here's one more: book publishing. Again, you're looking to set yourself apart from your competitors with presentations that are different. 

I'm a big fan of books, whether one-of-a-kind or dozens of copies. I've done several over the years for my wife and each time they exceeded expectations.

One of the skills most of you possess is storytelling. Creating a book in my opinion has so much more impact than just an album. You can add copy, create a unique layout, and design a cover that makes your publication look like it's off the shelf at Barnes & Noble.

Here's one more benefit - we're a word of mouth industry. Think about the impact a personalized book will have on a client. Now, think about how many people a happy client is going to show their book to.

And a book is perfect as a fundraiser for a nonprofit. Many of you are involved with various charities who are always looking for unique ways to raise money and awareness. I'm thinking of community non-profits, pet adoption centers, and events that deserve to have their story told by a professional storyteller.

This is a product that has huge potential to help establish your reputation as a leader in your community. You're not just another vendor, but a master in storytelling!

"Leadership is the capacity to translate a vision into reality."
Warren Bennis.

by Skip Cohen

It's Marketing Monday, and I usually post something about business and marketing, but things don't always go as planned. 

While outside with the pups this morning, I discovered a Monarch chrysalis ready to hatch. They start out green and almost entirely opaque. As they get closer to emerging, the chrysalis becomes clear, and you can see the Monarch's wings tightly folded inside. I grabbed a Platypod, an extra light, a few accessories for setup, and my phone.  

​Expecting the butterfly to emerge "any minute" turned out to be almost three hours. Then, the process of emerging was close to 25 minutes until the wings were completely extended. To share this mini-miracle of life, I edited the video below to just the first two minutes.

​But my point today isn't really about this new "member of the family," but the fun I had playing with video editing for the first time. I'm not about to suggest that I'm any kind of expert, but the thrill of doing a little editing, including dropping in music, is the best example of what I love about this industry.

There's that old line: Without change, there'd be no butterflies. Well, maybe my point today is that you can teach an old dog new tricks! 

First, all of this was shot on my iPhone 14. Second, the Platypod gear gave me exactly what I needed. Third, while I was set up to add in a light, by the time the butterfly emerged, the sun was completely out, and it wasn't needed. Last but not least, was the experience of doing some video editing.

Remember, my skillset is about helping you with marketing and business, not capture and post-production. But I loved starting to learn something I haven't done before. So, the next time you cringe over learning something new and think you can skate by without growing - think again. We're an industry constantly changing, and technology never slows down. 

​What a kick!

Note: Please click to enlarge full screen

by Skip Cohen

​​It’s a new year, and everyone is searching for new products and ways to exceed client expectations. That’s one of the biggest reasons to attend every possible convention. At IUSA, a few weeks ago, I spent time in the Marathon booth and was blown away by the quality and extent of their Bella Album line.
 
The video below pretty much says it all. And while you’ll never hear me suggest I know what I’m doing with video production – that doesn’t change my excitement over Bella Albums. Check out Marathon, and then give them a call. While the video is better at showing the product than just a static image, it doesn’t begin to demonstrate the variety of covers, papers, and their ability to emboss.

by Skip Cohen

​Most of you know I do not make a living as a professional photographer. My passion has always been the educational side of the industry, with a strong focus on marketing and business. However, I'll match my love for clicking the shutter with anybody. The truth is, having hung out with so many professional photographers over the years, I know more than I let on.

Here's my Hump Day point - I'm blown away by the quality I'm getting with my iPhone 14 Pro. There doesn't seem to be very much my phone can't handle. I still love having a full camera in my hands, but I also can't deny the fun of always knowing I can capture an image with just my phone.

A NEW Necessity for Your Gear: Put the quality of the phone together with Platypod's new Grip for smartphones and two other members of the family, the Handle and the eXtreme, and there's not a whole lot of challenges in capturing an image I can't handle.

The image below was a grab shot a few weeks ago. It was just a fun day with good friends - and it's also right out of the can. We were on the observation deck of Benderson Rowing Park, watching the races. There was nothing on the deck to set the phone on, but the top of the railing was perfect, even though it was slanted.

​Using the Grip, Handle, and eXtreme, I had my setup in seconds. Then, I used it to photograph the rowers from above looking back out on the water.

by Skip Cohen

​I grew up with a handful of my Dad's grainy, underexposed, silent movies, which later were replaced with hundreds of Ektachrome slides. While I laugh about all his clicks of the shutter, family slide night was always a kick. Those slides and the movies captured memory-making moments that are priceless.

Technology never slows down, and today, all of you have the ability to become filmmakers. It's right there at your fingertips, and thanks to companies like Tamron, you've got optics that bring top-notch quality to the table. Well, it's Tamron Tuesday, and I grabbed two completely different videos from Tamron's YouTube channel. Both were captured with Tamron's new ultra-wide angle 17-50mm lens.

Charley Voorhis is no stranger to SCU; I've featured a number of his videos. If you're at a convention where he's teaching/speaking, make it a point to introduce yourself. I don't know @AUXOUT, the artist featured in the second video, but I like the way he toured Seoul and the mix of still images with the new lens.

They're both relatively short but don't just watch them for the content, but the style and technique of each artist. Then, think about your style and what skills you need to raise the bar on the quality of your own video work. From a personal marketing video to video holiday cards for your clients to ongoing components in the services you offer - you need to understand the art of storytelling as a filmmaker.

For those of you headed to IUSA, WPPI, or dozens of regional, state, and local conferences next year, take a few classes that relate to filmmaking. Everyone has the technology, but not necessarily the skillset. You need to grow this aspect of the craft just like you did with still-imaging. 

Remember, growth only happens outside your comfort zone!

by Skip Cohen

​I started this series to share short ideas that seemed to fit into the middle of the week scenario. Plus, I love the shot of the camels! 

Well, it's Hump Day* and the perfect time to hit on one of the biggest benefits of attending workshops, conferences, and conventions - they help you recharge your battery!

Yesterday, I presented a two-hour program to a passionate group of pet photographers, thanks to the Hair of the Dog Accademy founder, Nicole Begley. Over the last few weeks, I spent a lot of time pulling information about one of the biggest challenges in business - finding new customers and expanding your reach.

But my point today isn't about marketing and promotion but a side benefit of attending a conference like this: it recharges your battery!

I'm always writing about taking a break and recognizing the signs of burnout, but God forbid I should practice what I preach! I didn't realize how much I needed a recharge myself. Throughout my presentation, I felt like the Energizer Rabbit. There were just over 200 people in the program, and their energy, comments, and questions reminded me of how much I appreciate the true entrepreneurial spirit of so many artists. 

From the attendee comments, the enthusiasm was infectious, not just in my program but in two other programs I was able to attend by Anne Thomas on Storytelling and Zoe Hiljemark on The Power of PR. The energy I felt yesterday was spread throughout the attendees. Plus, something unique happens at small conferences like this - everybody supports each other, working towards a common goal to find new ways to grow.

So, to Nicole Begley, thank you for the invite and for sharing your Hair of the Dog family. To the attendees, what a kick getting to "mee" so many of you. As I've already said and written - you know where to find me if I can ever help. And to all of you, my readers - as you lay out your calendar for 2024, pay attention to the dates of local workshops, conferences, and national conventions - just like our phones when the battery's low, we all need a recharge now and then. You should attend every possible program you can, whether LIVE or online.

Nothing beats hanging out with people in our industry. The energy is incredible, and sometimes, it's just what you need to revitalize your spirit and passion for the craft.

by Skip Cohen

After posting at least six days a week for the last ten years, missing the previous few days has felt strange. But the reason is a kick and points to a topic I've written a lot about over the years - special projects.

I'm honored and excited to be teaching at the Hair of the Dog Online Summit next week. Over the last month or two, since being asked, I've been pulling material for my program, and it was finally time to put it all together. From sharing the experiences/ideas of friends and associates to new material I've pulled together, it will be a jam-packed presentation with plenty of "low-hanging fruit" attendees can start to implement almost immediately.

And there are bonuses from some of the speakers when you purchase an All-Access registration. For example, I'll be holding an online bonus program on November 7 as a follow-up to my presentation. The whole idea is to help attendees stay focused on marketing and growing their business right through the holiday season.

But there's another aspect to the Summit that makes it special - I've worked with Nicole Begley, the founder, in the past. She's talented and totally focused on the goal for the two-day event - helping artists raise the bar on the skills. Plus, it's a fundraiser for the Hair of the Dog Conservation fund.

by Skip Cohen

​I'm sticking with my "clean up" theme until I run out of things to suggest. Too many of you never think about how the photographs you capture, especially portraits, might be of value later on.

How often have we all worked on something and, whether rushed or exhausted, said to ourselves, "That's good enough?" We've all done it, and maybe it's acceptable when you're fixing something at home, but when it comes to a client, only your best is good enough.

In 2016, Bob Coates shared one of his favorite portraits with me, "Randy," shown on the right. I hope you listen to the short podcast with the photograph, but here's the summary. Randy was struck by a car and died two to three weeks after capturing the images. Bob's portrait was one of the last photographs ever taken of him.

One more major example, and it's so timely following the anniversary of 9/11 this week. Remember the tragedy and the photographs posted as people searched for lost family members and friends. Because so many of the victims were relatively young, there were hundreds of professional portraits, usually bridal or college, even high school senior shots. 

Throughout the industry, there are stories from professional photographers who captured the last images taken of a specific subject. 

Here's my point - NEVER compromise on the quality of an image. Your clients trust you to capture the best photos, and you owe them your full attention. You never know how important today's photographs are going to be tomorrow!