by Skip Cohen

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, but it's also Throwback Thursday. So I decided to combine the two and also give myself the day off tomorrow. That means I want to make sure I wish all of you a happy, healthy, and safe holiday TODAY!

Thanksgiving has always been one of my most favorite holidays. It's been a special time for family, and one of the best times was our first Thanksgiving in Florida. We moved down here in 2011. My Dad was coming up on ninety and dealing with my Mom's Alzheimer's.  We decided to give him a hand and move to Sarasota that October.

A couple of weeks later, just two weeks before Thanksgiving, Album Epoca hired me to come to Italy to record a short video about the importance of the wedding album. We accepted the invitation but wanted to be back in time for Mom and Dad's first Thanksgiving at our house in Florida. Nobody in their right mind makes a five-day trip to Italy, but the focus was on time with my folks too. We were back in time to put the turkey in the oven!

​Both of these grab shots are from Thanksgiving 2011.

My mother was always afraid of dogs. We had dogs when I was a kid, but always adopted an older dog, already trained, and Mom rarely went near them. But Molly the Wonder Dog stole her heart. 

Molly knew she was fragile. Those of you who have dogs know how they can sense something wrong, or you're not feeling well. Molly knew how to read Mom.

Thanksgiving dinner that night was our first holiday dinner outside. It was a beautiful night and perfect in every way. The memories from eleven years ago have never faded! Even Alzheimer's took a break that night, and Mom was so into the day.

I know that Thanksgiving is an American custom and many of you are outside the U.S., but that doesn't change my wish to everybody for a happy, healthy, and safe holiday. Remember, the memories you make this holiday season will be future throwbacks...and there's very little that beats a great look in your rearview mirror!

I'm so thankful for your support, feedback, and your friendships. As I've written so many times, the best thing about our industry has nothing to do with imaging directly but the great friendships that come out of everyone's love for the craft.

Happy Thanksgiving!

by Skip Cohen

It's Throwback Thursday, and if you've followed me for even the shortest time, you know it's one of my favorite days. It's not just about old photographs but the memories they bring with them.

The shot of the band above was the cover of the invitation we did for my Dad's 70th birthday party in 1992. Dad played trumpet throughout high school, in college in the University of Illinois marching band, and in WWll in one of the Army Air Corps bands. This shot was from Patrick Henry High School in Cleveland. I'm guessing it was around 1936.

But there's more to the fun of this image. It was 1992, and digital imaging was new to all of us. So I needed an expert to help with the artwork for the invitation. Hasselblad's Electronic Imaging Manager, (we didn't even call it digital imaging yet) Rudy Guttosch, had the skills to take the group portrait and remove the faces...all except Dad's. Later we created a new shot of the band and replaced them all, but with Dad's face, referring to him as our favorite one-man band.

And one more story this all brings back. Dad served in the Asia/Pacific in WWll. He was a navigator until a perforated eardrum grounded him to the tower. They were looking for musicians to volunteer one day, and Dad got excited. He figured he'd pull some light duty and pull out his trumpet. Well, not quite - he and the rest of the musicians spent two days moving pianos for an upcoming USO show, probably with Bob Hope!

Make the time each week to find at least one old photograph. Throwbacks are about the memories they bring back, and these days, we could all use a few more fun looks in the rearview mirror!

Happy Throwback Thursday!

by Skip Cohen

​I've used that quote above so many times over the years that I actually spoke with Jodi Picoult's publicist. I was hoping to convince her to join me on a podcast. Unfortunately, she was on a busy touring schedule and couldn't take the time, but at least I gave it a shot.

It's Throwback Thursday, and if you read Monday's post, this coming Halloween would be my Dad's 100th birthday. So while this is a Throwback post, it's more of a reminder about the value of photographs and your responsibility to give your clients the best with EVERY click of the shutter.

I pulled a few favorites out of my archives for the collage above: Dad's the little kid in the front around 1927, in basic training in North Dakota just before heading overseas (he's second from the bottom), me and Dad testing my Aunt Rose's Meyer lemons that she claimed were sweet, Dad with his favorite: onion rings, and winning best Halloween costume as Michelangelo's David in 2012.

But one of my most favorites is the one on the right. It was by Don Blair in the Hasselblad booth at IUSA in the mid-nineties. (You don't need a studio for outstanding portraiture!)

When I first saw the Polaroid proof (no digital back then), Dad was seated, and I was standing behind him. I hated the pose because my Dad was always the biggest guy in my life, and he looked small. So we switched places, and then Don put in his request for his signature thumbs-up shot.  

My Dad was always my best buddy, and while there are no words to describe how much I miss him, it's the photographs that fuel the memories and keep him right by my side. There's no sadness in today's post. Dad lived to 93 and passed away seven years ago, but what a great life he lived and what a unique role he played in mine.

Right now, I like to think he's hanging out with a bunch of old friends, including a few of mine. We recently lost Duncan MacNab, and I believe they're telling stories with Don Blair, Monte Zucker, Dean Collins, and so many more. They may no longer be with us, but their spirits and energy are around us every day - often thanks to the photos that bring back the memories.

Happy Throwback Thursday - Happy upcoming birthday to my Dad. I love ya and miss ya, buddy, but as you said to Mom just before she passed, "What a great run we had!"

by Skip Cohen

Yesterday I caught a post on Facebook that really hit home. Kay Eskridge shared images of her with her Dad. She wrote:

Tonight's visit included a father-daughter cruise around the complex. I kept one hand on his shoulder as we strolled the halls and at one point he reached up and held my hand. For a few moments all my problems left my mind and my heart took over as it filled with love and a sense of protection. Almost as if he KNEW I needed him and that the simple gesture was enough to bring back a sense of peace to my world. Even through the fog of his dementia he KNEW ... I will carry that gesture with me for the rest of my life.

Kay's post got me thinking about my mother's fight with Alzheimer's, which led me to today's post, parts of which I shared in another post many years ago.

The holidays are an incredibly challenging time of year for caregivers. I remember times with my mother when my Dad wanted to return to some of the holiday traditions, but he couldn't find the path. Frustrated because things had changed so much in his life with my mother's Alzheimer's, we had to create new "traditions" and ways to celebrate.

My wife Sheila and my mother had a special bond because of the trust Sheila had established with Mom. She never argued with her, corrected or contradicted anything Mom said. Instead, she just worked to appreciate the moment. That's Sheila with Mom in the image above at dinner one night at holiday time in 2011. In a lucid moment, Mom had a mini-panic attack when she realized how much things were changing. But, two minutes later, just because of the love Sheila shared, Mom was smiling and back on track, enjoying the evening.

The seven tips below were originally published in the Caregiver Resource Center's newsletter from the Senior Friendship Centers here in Sarasota. They were shared many years in the past, but there is no expiration date on ways to reduce stress! They are so crucial to helping caregivers through the holidays.

There was just one more point I want to add, because there are so many of you dealing with dementia with older members of your family. Remember you're not alone in your feelings, the anxiety of the holidays, or in dealing with the challenge of stress. But, most importantly, as a caregiver, you've got to put yourself first, especially with your health. You can't help your loved one if you're not caring for yourself.

Seven Tips to Reduce Holiday Stress for Caregivers

Put together a support network: Include family, friends, community agencies and service providers and get comfortable delegating.

Learn to say ”No:" ‘ No ’ as being self empowering to allow yourself and your care partner the ability to enjoy the holidays in a new way.

Don’t aim for perfection: Be flexible when you need to be and change your expectations to fit the current situation.

Maintain your health: Take care of yourself, take your medications and doctor appointments, exercise when you can and enjoy a moderate holiday menu.

Start your own traditions: Find an alternative way to ease your burdens; create new holiday traditions that respect your needs and your care partner’s needs.

Prepared for the unexpected: It’s the holidays and plans may change and probably will, so what to do?.... change it if you can and if you can’t, accept it and move on. There is so much we are no longer able to control.

Remember to breathe: Some deep breaths will help relieve stress and may help you to find the humor in some situations.

by Skip Cohen

​There are times when life simply gets in the way, and that's what has been happening over the last couple of weeks. In fact, I've missed Throwback Thursday more than once, and those who follow me regularly know how much I love old photographs.

The shot above is probably around the time my grandparents got engaged. It would have been taken around 1910. The second image is a few years later. But the fun of Throwback Thursday is in the hunt! I've got an album of old photographs and haven't shared the image above previously.

I pretty much grew up in my grandparents' house. They lived two miles away, but by the time I came along, they were obviously older. While there was no question they loved each other, the look on my grandmother's face above says it all! And finding old photographs brings back so many great memories of growing up around the two of them.

​One of the best marketing tools you have is Throwback Thursday posts - whether on your blog or anywhere on social media. Use old photographs to help remind Mom that it's time for a new family portrait. Why "Mom?" Because women make 98% of the decisions to hire a professional photographer in the portrait/social categories. It's not very often that any portrait artist has received a call from "Dad" about doing a new family portrait.

And in your own family - remember the old expression, "the shoemaker's children always need shoes?" Don't be a shoemaker! Be your family's historian. Use the upcoming holiday season to sort through old photographs and get the backstories, while older family members are still around. My grandparents and parents are long since gone, and I can only guess about the timing, location, and often identifying who's in the photograph!

It all comes back to Jodi Picoult's quote about photographs, which I've shared a few dozen times over the years:

by Skip Cohen

Throwback Thursday doesn't have to be exclusive to old photographs and memories. Sometimes they can tie into great concepts - things that never change but remind us how to run a better business.

The two images below are at least twenty years old and are thanks to Bambi Cantrell. With bridal fairs and wedding expos getting back into swing, many of you will be exhibiting in the months ahead. So, with the help of two very small low-res images, I want to remind you how to set up your booth.

The image on the left is a photographer in his booth at a bridal fair. The image on the right was Bambi's at the time. And while it looks expensive, those are painted cheap hollow wood doors with crown molding in the back. Put together with a few pieces of stylized furniture and fresh flowers, and you've got the perfect exhibit. ​

​But there's more to think about:
​

• When Bambi talked about this in a presentation, she always made it a point to remind you to make the booth a place attendees wanted to come into. Don't block them with tables or yourself, for that matter.
• Bambi loved using image boxes to show her work. Rather than have just a few albums that a few brides and mothers were going to "hog," prints in an image box could be easily shared.
• While prints on easels are nice, they don't plant the seeds for ideas on display. If you're going to show big prints, then matte, frame, and display them in a way, people might do in their homes. It's rare anybody has prints on easels!

And here's one more tip from my buddy Bryan Caporicci. I've shared this before, I don't know if he still does this, but I love the idea! Working bridal fairs, he'd hand a future bride a floppy disk and say, "Take this home and look at some of my work." Brides today have never even seen a floppy, let alone know what to do with it. He made it a point to talk about the importance of prints and the wedding album.

Michele Celentano took a similar position. You'll find her "I Believe" message just a click away. It's all about prints. I'm not saying to hold back those digital files from clients who want to share them in cyberspace - just don't forget the importance of printed work.

So, I'm celebrating Throwback Thursday with timeless advice from three well-respected artists and good friends. There is not expiration date on great marketing ideas!

​Happy Throwback Thursday

​​It's Throwback Thursday, and here's an old favorite, all thanks to one of the industry's most favorite people, Helen Yancy.
 
I was never much of a fan of the watercolor look in images. Going back almost twenty years ago, they just weren't my style. Well, they weren't until I got one of the most beautiful gifts from Helen! My grandson was only two or three years old, and we were on the Cape. The images on the right are what I sent her.
 
Talking to her about the joys of being a grandparent, she had asked me to send her a couple of prints. A few weeks later, at WPPI '04, she presented me with an oversized print of the image above - printed on beautiful paper, matted and framed.
 
This print became one of my most cherished memories for several reasons. First, it was created by a wonderful friend. Helen's a special person, and I feel blessed to have her in my life.

Second, it's proof of Jodi Picoult's quote about photographs, which I've shared so many times before.

"This is what I like about photographs. They're proof that once, even if just for a heartbeat, everything was perfect."

And third, things happen over the years that you never see coming. My kids and grandchildren haven't been a part of my life for many years. The reasons no longer matter, but being estranged from family members who were once my primary focus puts old photographs at maximum value.  My grandson's in college now, but that doesn't change how wonderful the trip down Memory Lane can be.
 
Happy Throwback Thursday!

PS: I just discovered I shared this in a shorter version throwback post seven years ago, but I'm going to run it again anyway - just the post from the past makes it a throwback!

Everyone thinks they have the best dog...
and none of them are wrong.
W.R. Puche

by Skip Cohen

It's Throwback Thursday, and I'm having fun thinking about the pups in my life. The two images above are thanks to my good buddy Robert Vanelli, created four years ago. Molly joined the family as a pup and was by my side for thirteen years. She was relentless in her pursuit of tennis balls, although at eight weeks, there wasn't an ounce of curiosity in her eyes!

We lost Molly to liver cancer a few months after Vanelli photographed me an Molly. Anybody who's ever lost a pet knows the gut-wrenching loss you feel. So these two portraits became incredibly important to me during that time. I'd find myself talking to them, as if Molly was still by my side.

But I'm not here to mourn the loss of Molly but remind you of the value of every photograph you capture. Nine months later, Lucy and Belle came into our lives. I had never had smaller dogs, but these two immediately filled my heart. They kept us sane during the pandemic and immediately became a part of the family, filling every day with chuckles.

​You learn something when you lose a pet - the capacity your heart has to make room for more. It doesn't happen overnight, but time does eventually heal the hole in your heart. Lucy and Belle immediately sensed the need for pups in our house!

As you go into this year's holiday season, remember the hierarchy of why people hire a professional photographer. In the portrait/social categories it goes brides, babies, and pets, which came out of a Kodak survey at least twenty-five years ago.  I don't believe it's ever changed. During the pandemic, brides probably moved to the number three spot, and pets and babies fought it out for the top - but overall, pets have never slowed down in their importance as part of the demand for imaging.

I still miss Molly now and then, but it's always with a smile on my face. Thanks to all the photographs, I've got one memory after another I can literally hold in my hand. But the journey never ends, as new images are created daily. Looking at photos from the first day we met the pups right through to being in the pool last weekend, the pipeline of memory-makers never stops flowing.

​Happy Throwback Thursday!

by Skip Cohen

I left Polaroid for Hasselblad in 1987, so this has to be around '85-86. It's the US marketing and sales support team, photographed in Polaroid's costume studio, then at Quincy Market in Boston. And if I shared it years ago, I don't remember, but that doesn't change its throwback status. And yes, that's me in the middle in the back...LOL

Nothing beats the smiles photographs like this bring back - and while the scan leaves a little to be desired, it's one of the few SX-70 shots that hasn't cracked over the years. 

As I've written so many times in the past, half the fun of Thursdays is the hunt for old photographs, followed by wondering whatever happened to a lot of old friends! If you're not already in the habit of looking for old photographs and memories on Thursdays, it's time to start. It's a perfect way to remember the incredible career path we all chose coming into imaging!

Happy Throwback Thursday!

by Skip Cohen

It's Throwback Thursday, and fortunately for me, the day's fun is all about memories and not the quality of what's being shared. I recently found a sheet of contact prints, but I have no idea who has the original negatives. But, just the fact that the images were captured on Kodak 160 VC medium format film is in itself a great memory.

They were also shot with Hasselblad. There's a great story about one of our competitors back in the 80s. One of Hasselblad's signatures is the two notches on the left side of the print frame. Well another medium format camera company had a new product catalog or brochure with images printed full frame. What they missed was the photographer they hired shot the whole thing on Hasselblad! Notches were on all the images and they needed to scrap the piece and start over.

For ten years, thanks to Duncan MacNab in Bozeman, a couple dozen of us visited Yellowstone in the dead of winter for the annual snowmobile trip. And considering that I'm posting this while sitting outside in Florida during one of the hottest days of the year, it seems so appropriate. 

The image at the top right is part of the Hasselblad team that year - Karen Hart, Bob Thompson, Bob Nunn, Al Zimmerman, and me. For those too young to remember film, these were on a page of twelve prints — my apology for the very tired scanner and the quality of the prints themselves. I have no idea where this sheet came from, and it's hardly been stored properly.

But that doesn't change the love I have every Thursday for the "hunt." So whether you share old images on your blog or social media pages or just enjoy the backstories you remember looking at them, take the time to do your own search. 

Think about it - where would we be without imaging?

​Happy Throwback Thursday!

by Skip Cohen

It's Throwback Thursday, and the only person in the shot above I recognize is my grandfather, the second one on the left. He was born in 1899, so this photo would be around 1920 - just over a hundred years ago. But there's a more significant point to make with this morning's Throwback.

First, it's a postcard, printed on heavier stock but printed with a mailing template on the back. It's old school, but in a completely digital world, I love the concept. Second, my grandfather passed away almost forty years ago - there's nobody alive anymore to tell me who these guys were or why they were together. But, it's obvious there was a friendship. It's also an excellent argument for establishing a Legacy program for your clients.

Earlier this week, I started a new series, "Sound Advice." The concept is based on what I hope is the benefit of giving you audio marketing snippets to help you build a more substantial business. I've got one goal - to help make 2022 your best year yet! Today's topic is about using Throwback Thursday as a marketing tool. 

by Skip Cohen

​Sometimes being out for a "scroll" in cyberspace leads to some truly fun discoveries. "Fun" is one of those words too often lost in business today. It's buried underneath the barrage of stress from dozens of things we all worry about. Yet, we're all responsible for finding the balance between productivity, success, and fun without stress dragging us down.

Meet Jim Graham, who many of you probably know already. He posted the image above on July 4 on his Facebook page with the comment:

Within minutes of seeing this image I called Jim. We spent the next hour sharing stories about artists we both know and this crazy industry we love dearly. In the process I asked for permission to share this image on Throwback Thursday, but with a unique purpose in mind. And Jim offered to share a little of the backstory below.

"At Rest" - Made 16 November 2009 

I’d been traveling to Nantucket since 1974. In this case I’d gone on island for the first time during the fall. It was a very opportune choice as instead of green there was color everywhere. I’d gone out to Madaket in hopes of catching a sunset. As the season was really over, most of the boats had been hauled in. I was left with only a few in the water leading me to a minimalistic approach thinking pure composition and color.  

I was also reminded of the Nantucket painter  Robert Stark, Jr. Many times he painted his nautical scenes with dark blue skies and a red unfurled sail. The image that presented itself was the opposite in every way.

Revisiting work over the years offers so many opportunities. New applications have added editing advantages that simply weren’t there when the original image was made. You simply don’t know what you’ll discover. Additionally, as I print my work, both printers, inks, and papers have evolved. All allow both the image and my creative instincts to continually evolve.

Nikon D3X, Nikkor 70-200mm 
​1/160 @ F/2.8 200 ISO

Printed in 3 sizes, in editions of 25 on Moab Somerset Museum Rag

​Here's my point. I share an image with a backstory every Thursday. In part, it's because searching for old photographs reminds me of the value of what we do as an industry. The memories that old images bring back recharge my battery, put a smile on my face, and lift my spirit a little higher.

But the other reason behind sharing old photographs is to remind you to head out on your own safari to hunt for old images, with two benefits. First, share them as a marketing tool to remind clients it's time for a new family portrait or headshot. Second, talking with Jim reminded me of the common denominator we all share - a passion for creativity and capturing memories.

Trust me on this one - take thirty minutes and go back to a file of images you captured at least ten years ago - the older, the better. Find an image you love or one that completely missed the mark - it doesn't matter. Now, think about the way you photograph today. Think about the technology you're using now versus what you had back then. Savor the backstories those images bring out - and simply appreciate the career path you chose when you decided to be a photographer.

Remember the tagline for Oldsmobile years back? "It's not your father's Oldsmobile!" Well, your eyes, heart, and skill set today aren't the same either, but you can't appreciate the journey until you realize how far you've come.

  “When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor.
It’s to enjoy each step along the way.”
Wayne Dyer, 

For most of us we've become so obsessed with building a business, and getting to that place on the floor, that we missed the beauty of each step in the process!

P.S. And to Jim - thanks for you help on this post. As I've written dozens of times - the best thing about this industry isn't really about photography, but the friendships that come out of everyone's love for the craft!

by Skip Cohen

This is going to be a different kind of Throwback Thursday post. I love hunting for old photographs. So this morning, when I went off searching for something to share, I ran across the images here. I might have even shared one of them a few years back.  They're from 2012, and while they still make me smile, they also bring back pain and sadness. But that doesn't mean they're not special moments to be cherished.

Sheila and I moved to Sarasota in the fall of 2011. I could live anywhere my computer could plug in, and Sheila was able to take early retirement from Akron Children's Hospital. My Dad was caring for my mother, who was fighting Alzheimer's. For the first time in my life, I could be where my folks were, and Sheila was willing to join me.

My Mom met Sheila a couple of years before Alzheimer's tightened its grasp. They hit it off immediately, and no matter how much of Mom's memory would be attacked over the next few years, she locked in on Sheila. In later years, she'd tell people she and Sheila had done volunteer work together and known each other since they were kids. The story's accuracy didn't matter - it was the love Sheila felt for Mom and how my mother lit up every time Sheila came into the room.

My mother passed away in 2013, but we had almost three years with her before that. And there are no words to describe how precious those memories have become.

The images above were from Mom's birthday in February 2012. At some point during dessert, she had a moment of clarity and grew incredibly sad. Sheila hugged her, and Mom said, "What's going to happen to all my things!" Sheila responded with the assurance that we loved her things and would take care of them. Seconds later, Mom was relaxed - the crisis had passed - replaced by one of Mom's favorites, pineapple upside-down cake.

But my point isn't so much the memories right now but a suggestion to many of you who are living the same nightmare. Alzheimer's is a horrible disease that robs you of your loved ones as you watch. And while feeling helpless is natural, you don't have to do it alone. 

My Dad and I joined the Caregiver Support Group here in Sarasota, part of the Senior Friendship Centers. Every Thursday morning, we'd head off to group, and Dad would join in the conversation circle as husbands, wives, and adult children shared their frustration. For my Dad's generation, expressing your innermost feelings and sadness was something you just didn't do. Yet, he opened up, participated, and through the group, learned new ways to cope.

So, two suggestions today...

First, if you know somebody who's losing a loved one to Alzheimer's, encourage them to get into a support group. One call to a senior center or the Alzheimer's Association, and you'll be on your way to finding them a little help. Second, pick up "The 36-Hour Day." The book was so helpful to me in understanding what was going on and learning how to better cope with Mom's illness. (Click on the thumbnail for more info on Amazon.com)

We lost the battle, but those last years gave us moments we still cherish today. And on those days when, as we used to say, the sun peeked out from behind the clouds, my Dad would say, "I'm going to take every moment like this and squeeze all the joy out of it and savor it!"

Just because a Throwback Thursday photograph isn't filled with laughter - doesn't mean it isn't chocked full of love. ​

"I am a part of all that I have met."
Alfred Lord Tennyson

by Skip Cohen

There are so many different things I love about Throwback Thursday. While it starts with the fun of the hunt for old images, it finishes with the backstories and memories of so many incredible friendships over the years.

In 2009, after resigning from Rangefinder Publishing and WPPI, with help from a whole lot of great friends, I launched Skip's Summer School. It ran for five summers, three in Las Vegas and two outside Chicago. The collage of the 2013 faculty above was created by Resource Magazine, which in 2013 was giving away four scholarships to the program.

The challenge of doing a program like this each summer became incredibly labor-intensive. And with so many online programs getting started back then, along with other workshops, 2013 was the program's last year. We then expanded the SCU blog with a stronger online presence, guest posts and podcasts.

I consider myself one of the luckiest guys in the industry, with a journey that's never slowed down. All along the way, I've worked with some of the most talented artists in the world.  I've grown because of them; their patience, style, and individual contribution to our industry, as well as my life, can't be measured.

Have some fun today! Whether you share a throwback in a blog post or not doesn't matter. Find an old photograph that brings back great memories, and then take some time to enjoy the moment. 

My opening quote, by Alfred Lord Tennyson, above says it all. We're all connected, and everybody we meet becomes a thread in the fabric that makes us who we are!

Happy Throwback Thursday!

by Skip Cohen​

The fun of Throwback Thursday is mainly in the hunt for old photographs, but it's also how they renew old friendships and keep great memories alive. Today's post is definitely a moment-that-mattered story, but a phone call triggered it, and then I went hunting for a photograph!

Meet my "little brother," Michael LeBlanc. Although, in all honesty, while I think we're about the same age, I have no idea at this time who's older. We met at Polaroid years before this picture was taken. We were both in Consumer Services and focused on helping maintain Polaroid's cutting-edge support for its customers. 

The photograph was taken 35 years ago this week at my going-away party when I left Polaroid to join Hasselblad. I was with the company for 17 1/2 years, and the party they threw for me was itself a "moment that mattered."

My Polaroid background came up in a conversation last week with a photographer asking about Platypod products. That got me thinking about old friends from those days, and I still had Michael's cell phone number from ten years ago. An hour of laughs and walking down Memory Lane later, the friendship was back, alive and well - almost as if we left off with a comma when we last spoke. So I went looking through a box of old Polaroid prints until I found this one.

A year or so early, I don't remember why, but we were having a drink together in the bar at the Hyatt in Cambridge. The bartender mixed up our drinks, giving him my martini and me his bourbon. When the bartender apologized, he said, "Sorry guys, you look so much alike!" We then explained that we had the same mother but different fathers and were actually brothers. Finally, after half an hour of both of us keeping a straight face, the bartender bought it.

About eight years later, I was in Cambridge and went to Mike's office at Polaroid unannounced. He was in a meeting, and I asked his secretary to interrupt, and please tell him his brother was here. She refused and wouldn't accept I was really his brother.

​I went around her, opened his door, and said, "Hey, little brother!" His response was something like, "Mom's upset you haven't talked to her this week." Well, his secretary hit the panic button. She was so apologetic about not believing me. To this day, I have no idea if Mike ever told her the truth.

And that brings me right to my point this Throwback Thursday. Nothing beats old friendships, and the power of imaging makes them that much better. Photographs are like great seasoning and the way it enhances the flavor of a good steak. Those old photographs turn memories into tangible moments from our past and make life richer!

Throwback Thursday is an outstanding marketing tool to remind your clients that it's time for a new family portrait. But it's also the perfect vehicle to help you remember why you got into this business in the first place. For me, every old photograph and the stories that go with each one recharge my battery. They simply make me smile.

​What a kick to love this industry like I do!

And to my little brother - looking forward to catching up LIVE later this year!

by Skip Cohen

I almost missed Throwback Thursday. I knew the general area of where to look for images, but after going through three backup drives, I'd almost given up. Then I struck gold!

There are too many of you who didn't know Monte Zucker, but it's thanks to the trails he blazed in the industry that shows like WPPI (WPI when it started) exist today. And the standards he set for classic portraiture is responsible for so many of our greatest portrait artists today.

Monte passed away in 2007, but somewhere before a slide show was put together, most likely by Clay Blackmore. Well, I found a bunch of those images in a folder a few minutes ago. 

​While I always write about the fun of the hunt - there's a much greater reason related to searching for throwbacks - it's the pure joy the memories bring back. I know the image above was at WPPI and it was all the "Lifetime Achievement" recipients attending that year. It would have been in the early 90s. 

The rest below go back a whole lot of years more...if you were there or can share anything about them, feel free to comment.

I've used it dozens of times, but Jodi Picoult's quote is still the very best...

by Skip Cohen
 
As I've written so many times in the past, I've made Throwback Thursday part of my weekly routine. And while there have been a few times when I got too busy and missed sharing an image in a blog post, that doesn't change the way old photographs remind me of the role our industry plays in the world.

I'm somewhere around ten or so in this image with Mom on the diving board. When I was a kid, my Dad struggled to manage his own business, and we didn't take any big vacations. However, living in Northeast Ohio, Erie, PA, was just a short drive away. So at least once a summer, we'd head over to Presque Isle, PA, for the weekend. This one trip was pretty special because a college kid name Andy was the lifeguard and taught me how to swim. I laugh about being afraid of the water back then because the ocean, in my adult years, along with scuba-diving became such an important part of my life.

But there's so much more to an image like this than just the memories of the event at the time. My folks have long since passed away, but this throwback takes me right back to memories that make me smile.

​One memory that it brought back was my Dad's first 35mm camera. My uncle was in the army and had been based in Europe in the early 50s. So, in addition to coming home with a new TR3, he got Dad a "real" camera. Along with Kodak film and a Bell and Howell projector, that camera changed our lives. Dad would shoot more slides every trip, and then weeks later, after swinging by Gray Drug to pick up his slides, we'd all be together laughing over the memories.

The camera was an Agfa with a fixed lens, but it had the best accessory ever invented to that point - a mechanical self-timer. Suddenly Dad could be in the photograph, thanks to any car, table, chair, or fence post close by. He'd hit the timer and then run as we'd all listen for the gears' quiet grinding and the shutter's click. He'd make it most of the time, but now and then, the camera would catch him halfway to posing.

Dad's first real camera became my first camera in later years. And in searching for images on the Internet, I couldn't find the exact model, but the shot above is about the same vintage.

And that brings me right to my point with today's Throwback Thursday post - whether you share images with family and friends or not, take the time to appreciate your roots in photography. At the same time, recognize the incredible role we all share to help people keep capturing memories! It's a big responsibility, and while the image I'm sharing today is just a grab shot, it doesn't change the value of a quick trip in the time machine.

Happy Throwback Thursday!

by Skip Cohen

The fun of Throwback Thursday is always in the hunt, combined with the memories old photographs bring back.

In 2009, after a somewhat stormy resignation with Rangefinder Magazine/WPPI, I started Skip's Summer School. It continued through the summer of 2013 and was responsible for some incredible friendships that are alive and well today. The initial concept was based on programming with several speakers each day and everyone attending the same programs.

We started out in Las Vegas at the MGM, who because of the recession, pretty much gave us the hotel. Prior to the pandemic, it was one of their slowest summers in history. We used one of their big ballrooms, which was set up with charging stations and WiFi, allowing people to stay in touch with their business and at the same time enjoy a great list of talented speakers. But as time went on, the request for hands-on shooting became more important. The program morphed into a hybrid of hands-on with general sessions for all attendees in the mornings and evenings.

At the Chicago conference in 2012, the group above was Michele Celentano's (4th in the front row) hands-on portrait class.​ Held at the DoubleTree in OakBrook, I look back at it being one of the best in the series. And while I've lost touch with many of the attendees, a lot of them are still active in the Skip's Summer School forum, started by good buddy, Brent Watkins, on Facebook.

As things slowly return to a level of normalcy, take advantage of every workshop or conference you can attend. For example, ClickCon is coming up in a couple of weeks in Chicago. Very little beats the surge of energy and creativity that comes with being together with other artists and focused on your growth and education.

Meanwhile, whether you like to share images on Throwback Thursday or not, take the time to enjoy the hunt. Find an old photograph and then just stare at it for a little while! Let the memories of the "good old days" do their work to counter the stress we've all lived through over the last few years.

Nothing beats hands-on education to build your skillset. But, remember, growth only occurs outside your comfort zone!

by Skip Cohen

I recently ran across a small stack of Life Magazines I picked up years ago. The date on the one I was looking at was December 20, 1968, and the real fun was looking at the ads. I went through it page by page, and the ad above was the only real photography ad! Polaroid's budget for print media, must have been severely limited because this was only a 1/4 page B&W ad - while the cigarette and liquor companies all dominated with full-page color ads.

I don't know how many of you remember the Swinger, but this was the BIG Swinger and dominated camera sales for a long time, giving Polaroid some of their most profitable years. I remember joining the company in 1970, and they had an employee bonus program for profit-sharing. But, sadly, you had to be employed for approximately 3 1/2 years to be fully vested.

By the time my shares were worth anything, the glory days everyone had talked about were long over. But the mystique of what Swinger sales did for everyone's annual earnings became a legend. Even a $2.0/hour employee on the production line, who was fully vested, had a sizable bonus check. That legend kept everyone excited year after year back then. It was similar to the 40-foot putt you once made that kept you in golf!

I found one of the original television commercials on YouTube featuring Ali MacGraw. It was a definite classic, and it's true - back then, everybody had a Polaroid!

Happy Throwback Thursday!