Intro by Chamira Young

Not only is it a great idea to challenge ourselves as artists, but it plays a vital role in keeping us sharp for the long-term! For anyone looking for a much-needed creative boost, consider changing things up once and a while and trying something new in your photography practice.

​The good news is that deciding to step outside of your comfort zone doesn't have to be complicated. In fact, one great way is to experiment with a different lens than you're accustomed to in a given situation. In today's post, photographer Don Mammoser does just that!

Prior to heading on vacation to the Southern Caribbean with his family, he decided to switch things up. Instead of using a long lens while site-seeing, he decided to stick with the wide-angle Tamron 17-35mm F/2.8 Di wide-angle lens. It's a fantastic piece of glass, as Tamron never disappoints!

As you will see, getting out of your comfort zone is a great way to have fun and learn in the process! Check out the results he got below.

By Jenn Gidman
Images By Don Mammoser
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When Don Mammoser and his wife decided to head to Grenada for a 17-day vacation with their 10-month-old daughter, Don decided to pose a challenge for himself: Because he often takes his travel photos with longer lenses, this time around he decided to try to capture the bulk of his images with the Tamron 17-35mm F/2.8 Di wide-angle lens. "I wanted to see what I could come up with if I just left that one lens on my camera most of the time," he says. "I loved capturing the landscapes and island scenery, as well as some of the local flavor, with just the 17-35. Plus, because of its light weight and compact size, I was able to do much of my shooting handheld, which was really convenient when my wife, daughter, and I were just walking around playing tourist."

Read on for the backstory on each of the photos here that Don captured in this tropical multi-island paradise in the southern Caribbean:
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This photo was taken at Hillsborough Beach, on the island of Carriacou. We were staying at a resort just across the road, and we'd walk over to the beach every night when it was getting close to sunset. There are many people known as yachtees who own sailboats and cruise the Caribbean, and you'll often spot boats hanging out offshore from many of these beaches.

On this evening I was looking directly west, where the sun was going down behind those peaks and lighting up the clouds. I stopped down to 1/12th of a second, just to show a bit of the wave action. I also lined the image up so that I could capture the diagonal line of the surf meeting the shore heading up into those hills. Of course, to get that perspective, I had to get down on the ground and into the water a little—but the water was warm, I was wearing shorts and sandals, and my camera stayed dry, so it was all good.
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My wife, daughter, and I were taking a stroll along the beach at sunset, and I spotted this one well-positioned palm tree. I knew I wanted to make this a silhouette shot, but I decided to add a human element to it. I told my wife to stand out there and play with my daughter. They were just out there having fun, my daughter giggling the entire time.

I underexposed the photo a bit and shot at a fast shutter speed of 1/1000th of a second, because obviously they're both in motion a little as my wife lifts her up. I lined it up to make sure the tree had its own space and my family had their own space, so they didn't go up into the branches of the tree with their silhouettes.
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My wife, daughter, and I were taking a stroll along the beach at sunset, and I spotted this one well-positioned palm tree. I knew I wanted to make this a silhouette shot, but I decided to add a human element to it. I told my wife to stand out there and play with my daughter. They were just out there having fun, my daughter giggling the entire time.

I underexposed the photo a bit and shot at a fast shutter speed of 1/1000th of a second, because obviously they're both in motion a little as my wife lifts her up. I lined it up to make sure the tree had its own space and my family had their own space, so they didn't go up into the branches of the tree with their silhouettes.
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​Be sure to check out Tamron's events schedule. Their team is on the road with great programs/events throughout the entire year!

​What has four legs, four eyes, moves on six wheels and is jam-packed with energy, creativity, and fun education? I'm sure you guessed the answer. In just a few days, Suzette Allen and Jonny Yoshinaga are going to kick off an incredible adventure. It's a photographic tour, unlike anything any of us have experienced. Even better, there's an opportunity for so many of you to be involved.

Years ago, my good buddy Tony Corbell got me using the word "knucklehead." I use it as an expression of endearment, usually referencing somebody's incredible creativity, thought process, risk-taking, passion for life, or simply all of the above. Well, Suzette and Jonny are two of our favorite knuckleheads, and they're about to open their doors to everyone along their 13,000-mile teaching and sharing tour of the US.

Supported by a stellar team of outstanding sponsors, you can be sure there will be plenty of surprises along the way.

It all kicks off on September 6 at Bay Photo with ten programs in just September alone! Programs like this don't come along very often. As one of the sponsors, we couldn't be more proud to be a part of the craziness and fun this team is about to share coast to coast. Remember, "fun?" It's one of those words that's too often lost in business today, but we're all in this business because we love it!

The program schedule just for September is below. Click on any program date for more information. And,click on the road map or the banner above to follow their complete schedule. Tune in here for weekly updates, podcasts and posts every Bubble Trailer Tuesday!

by Skip Cohen
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It's Labor Day, and if you're living in the US. It started in 1882 in NYC and was later adopted by Congress in 1894 when Grover Cleveland signed the bill making it a national holiday. It's always the first Monday of September. When I was a kid, it always marked the end of summer with school typically starting the next day.

I don't know about schools where you live, but here in Sarasota, the kids have been back at school for the last 2-3 weeks. But, even seeing school buses and kids with backpacks every morning weeks ago, Labor Day still seems to mark the official end of summer. It's also morphed into a great excuse for family barbecues, a burger or hot dog off the grill and let's not forget the endless Labor Day car sales. What President's Day has become to mattress sales, Labor Day seems to be dominated by the auto industry!

Regardless of what the day means to you, most of us are off today. It's the perfect time to wish you a safe holiday weekend.

It's also the perfect time to think about the start of seasonality in professional photography. There's a lot of potential business coming up in the very near future: 

• Giving Back: From helping United Way campaigns in your community to being involved in activities around the school system, there is an endless list of events you can be a part of. For example, Friday night football games create an opportunity for volunteers to help the schools' Booster Clubs. And, yearbook and school newsletters need help to raise the bar on the images they're about to start capturing of events. Then there's a long list of fund-raisers usually taking place in every community.
• Homecoming events on both the high school and college-level create a potential need for professional portraiture.
• October brings fall seasonality with harvest-themed photography and Halloween. From pumpkin patches to costumes, there's an endless backdrop for children's photographers.
• November continues the harvest theme and Thanksgiving, creating more potential for "Day in the Life" sessions and demonstrating your expertise as a storyteller. 
• The December holidays, and gift-giving creates a need for classic family portraiture. Now is the time for you to get "Mom" to start thinking about a new family portrait.

As I got older, Labor Day became the end of summer because the grill got put away. Then I started putting on a parka and firing up the grill in the dead of winter. Today, living on the gulf coast of Florida, the grill's used 3-4 times a week, all year long. So for me, the timing of Labor Day marks the kick-off of seasonality for you as professional photographers. 
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It's the start of the home stretch of 2019 and an opportunity for your business to thrive not just survive. Are you ready?

Wishing everybody a terrific Labor Day. Stay safe and hopefully stay dry!

​As with everything I write on Sunday mornings, I'm off-track from the business and marketing of photography, but it's hardly a typical Sunday. It's been a bizarre week here in south Florida because of the hurricane. There were lines at the gas stations, shelves in a couple of markets were bare, and there was a quiet rolling fear of the unknown. My heart goes out to everyone in Dorian's new path, but you could hear a city-wide sigh of relief when the hurricane tracking model changed yesterday.

In the aftermath of the good news, we had a chance to relax a little. Sheila and I love watching college football and the first major upset of the season came with Georgia State beating Tennessee. Georgia State was without question the underdog. After the win, one of the sports commentators asked the coach if it was true he told his players the following:

It was such a great line that I wrote it down, so I could use it in this morning's post. Think about the power of that statement and how it applies to virtually everything we do. Examine the goals you have an artist to capture beautiful images, and as a business owner to exceed client expectations, and make yourself habit-forming. 

I meet so many photographers at conferences and online who, when business is slow to grow, they start to question their decision to be an artist. Great photographers don't happen overnight. Look at any photographers you admire, and you'll find they've never stopped learning or growing. 

Take it one step further - they've weathered so many different storms in their lives. But through every challenge, they've never stopped believing in themselves or their dreams. They've learned to listen to their hearts.

And there it is - my point this morning - you can't create images that tug at people's heartstrings if your own heart isn't in it! You know how to focus on your subjects, but don't back off from focusing on your dreams.

It's short and to the point this morning - photography and the respect and support your clients deserve requires you to believe in your skillset. If your skillset isn't there yet, then it's pretty simple - be patient and keep working on it. This is one business where you can't fake it 'till you make it.

Wishing everybody a terrific Sunday and one filled with family, friends, and time to appreciate everything you have in your life. And as always, it's a time for those eleven-second hugs with those people who believe most in you!

​Happy Sunday!

​by Skip Cohen

It's a new Fast Food Friday, and the "chefs" in the SCU Diner have whipped up another tremendous blue-plate special this week. Each week we've been presenting ideas to help you become a better business owner. Today's special is a little different. It plays on your abilities as an artist more than developing your business/operational skills.

This is one of those posts that's deeply anchored in me "shoulding" on myself. So, I'm suggesting you learn from a mistake I made so you can create new ones of your own! 

Here's the backstory: My Dad passed away almost four years ago and my Mom, two years before that. My grandparents died many years before that. At this point in my life, there's nobody left who knows any of our family history. I have lots of stories over the years, but what I don't have is a video collection of my folks telling us about their lives, both as a couple and individually. I wish I had those stories, and my grandparents' too.

Ancestry.com can trace my roots, but that's not what I want. I want video coverage of me just sitting with my folks and talking about our family and their lives. I want all the stories.

​I've referenced the Senior Friendship Centers here in Sarasota in several past posts. They're a nonprofit and each year deliver 200,000+ meals to hungry elders, provide health care to over 10,000 patients through their medical and dental clinics, provide adult daycare, and the list goes on and on. I couldn't more proud to be on their Board and support the way they give back to the community.

One of the programs they've been doing for the last few years, much more on the communication side, is called "My Journey." It's a recorded interview giving seniors the chance to talk about their lives and create a legacy recording for their children and grandchildren. 

I love the concept, but to take it a step further, ALL of you can do something similar. And, you have the gear and the skills to do this in more depth than a recording. You've got the ability to create a family video with virtually whatever level of sophistication you want. 

​This has so much potential to capture memories, starting with your own family. Don't wait until everybody is gone to say, "I should have taken the time!" Plus, there's an outstanding side product here as something for your client base. 

A year or two before my Dad passed away, Bambi Cantrell spent some time doing a short video of Dad taking a look back. It's a great service/product idea to pitch your clients as something new for the holidays. Take advantage of all the family time coming up. Use your blog to write about it and share, obviously with permission, some of those stories.
 
This is especially important If you've got grandparents or great grandparents alive. Make it a point to get time with them and capture those stories. Ask them questions about their childhood and growing up. Have fun with questions about the kind of kids they were; things they did in school; specific friends, pets, and places they visited. The list of information it would be fun to have and share is virtually unlimited.

​Don't make the mistake I did - Take the time to become your family's historian. You never want to be looking back and wishing you'd captured/created a video about your roots!

by Skip Cohen

Sometimes the magic of Throwback Thursday comes in the hunt! A month ago, I stumbled across a box in storage, and it was packed to the top with disks, most of them not marked. Every couple of weeks, I take it down off the shelf and pull 4-6 disks to review. Well, this morning I hit the motherlode! 

The year is 2005, and it's WPPI. It was always too busy during the show to kick back and have a few drinks with friends. Plus, with so much going on I couldn't risk a hangover in the morning...but on the last night, all bets were off!

For some reason, no matter where the show was held, that last night was ALWAYS at Red Square the vodka bar at Mandalay Bay. For an absurd amount, when you bought a bottle, you could have a drink in the walk-in cooler toasting whatever made you smile, while wearing Russian attire and joined by a bust of Stalin covered in mock bird crap! 

Throwback Thursday photographs ALWAYS have a story - In honor of everyone's good friend Julianne Kost, we picked a bottle of vodka called "Tall Blonde." We paid $350 for it, and 6-8 of us went into the cooler to make a toast. A week later, my buddy Bob Rose, in the white hat in the back, saw it in the liquor concession at Rochester Airport for $14!

Whether you share your throwbacks on your blog, or enjoy privacy on your trip down Memory Lane, make it a habit on Thursdays to search for old photographs. You'll never be disappointed with their ability to throw you into the time-machine.

What you'll find is a fun change from the usual work you need to get done. You'll also be reminded of the importance of photography and capturing memories. Even a couple of blurry grab-shots serve a purpose in the fun of looking back at those priceless moments in our lives.

​And, to whoever gave me a disk marked "Red Square" in the spring of 2005 - thank you!

There's an incredible amount of helpful content on the WestcottU site. And it's all FREE.

It's "Wednesdays with Westcott," and I found the perfect piece of inspiration and support for a lot of you! Scrolling through, I found a topic that speaks to the help, so many of you need - product lighting. Now, before you roll your eyes, and suggest I don't know what I'm talking about because you don't do product shots and you're not a filmmaker.

Let's use wedding photographers as an example. I love going through the list of specialties to find out what everyone in each of my workshops is doing. When I ask about tabletop work, there are almost no hands that ever go up. Yet, wedding photographers have the toughest of all table-shots to get - the wedding take. And, what if the bride is using her great-grandmother's engraved cake knife and she wants the detail?

Then there are those of you who like to share product shots on your blogs as both still images and video. For example, coming up to this year's holiday season, you want to show a new frame line, albums or presentation boxes from a company like PhotoFlashDrive. (Note, I love their products to completely upgrade your client presentations!) You need to show these products with the same professional look you're working hard to achieve in all your work.

This video was inspired by seeing how some of our favorite content creators have been using Flex LED mats in their production workflows. Whether doing an unboxing or creating a cooking channel, compact Flex light are awesome for creating a professional set even in the tightest of spaces. For this setup, we used a few Flex LED lights along with a variety of modifiers to create multiple lighting setups for a standard tabletop b-roll shoot. But before we got started, there were a few things we needed to prepare…

1. We made sure the products that we were featuring were as clean as possible.
2. We made sure the environment we were shooting in was as clean as possible.
3. We picked a tabletop that was visually appealing, without dents or stratches.
4. We picked a background that wasn’t distracting. If you can’t find a simple wall, consider bringing in a fabric or paper backdrop.

After we got our environment ready, it was time to begin placing our lights. When shooting tabletop b-roll, there were a few questions we had to keep in mind while setting up.

1. How are the products are going to cast shadows on our tables surface and on the other products?
2. Will short lighting or broad lighting look better on the object?
3. Do we want natural and motivated lighting or more colorful and cinematic lighting?

​These things will typically be determined by the products that you’re shooting. If the items are extremely shiny, dark, or reflective, you’ll need to be aware of reflections as well. Shooting with a monitor is extremely helpful in this case, allowing you to see the finer details. Here, we were shooting on an A7III with HLG2 into an Atomos recorder using Kit and Gamma Assist.

Don't forget everything you buy, when connecting to any product from an SCU blog post or through the door to Westcott below puts 10% of your purchases in the funding for Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep. As a Westcott affiliate, SCU keeps no commission but for the rest of this year, directs it to one of the industry's most recognized nonprofits.

Westcott never slows down on their efforts to help photographers raise the bar on their skill set and capture the very best in imaging. And, their YouTube channel is packed with great content plus a never-ending flow of inspiration on the WestcottU site!

by Skip Cohen

​If you've followed my posts for the last year or so, then the name Robert Vanelli won't be new to you. Attend just about any convention, and you'll find him walking the trade show, teaching or networking. He's a powerhouse and certainly not new to SCU. We've shared several of his images, and our adventures together have been highlighted in several blog posts.

He's an author, educator, podcaster, filmmaker, photographer and a good friend to so many of us in the industry. He's also one of those people who you meet, and a few months later you can't remember when he WASN'T in your life!  "Vanelli" needs to be on your radar. Click on his image above to link to his website, and if you're looking for his podcasts and articles, they're at Photofocus.com - just a click away.

Recently he was shooting with Tamron's SP 35mm lens. When I saw the image above, I knew it had to be shared on Tamron Tuesday.  He captured the image with a Nikon D810, the Tamron 35mm F/1.8 Di VC US lens. The exposure triad was f6.3 @ 1/50 ISO 800. It was all natural light and shot in aperture priority.
 
The model is Amber Intelisano, photographed at Tank America in Melbourne, Florida.

Tamron never slows down in the quality of their manufacturing and today is making some of the very finest optics in imaging! See the entire product line with a visit to the Tamron dealer nearest you.

​It's Marketing Monday and the perfect time to remind you of one of the greatest self-destruct actions you can create: SHOWING MEDIOCRE/BAD IMAGES on your website and blog.

While there are a few thoughts in today's post out of the archives, there are still too many of you who just don't get it! Your galleries aren't about how much you can photograph, but how good you are as an artist. 

Just for a second, pretend to be a business owner outside your own career. Would you expect to be successful selling inferior products? A dry cleaner couldn't survive with clients returning things only partially clean. A gas station wouldn't make it, short-changing customers with "almost a gallon" measurements. Your favorite restaurant wouldn't survive long with lousy food. I can see the tag line now, "Only a small chance you'll get sick!" 

It doesn't matter what the product or service; people have to believe you're the best. With photography, they get a sneak preview by visiting your online galleries. That's why you've got them - to show people what you can do! Knowing then how important your galleries are, why are some of you still not cleaning them up? Why show an image you wouldn't buy yourself?

Then there's the other extreme; showing images that aren't yours! Fortunately, it's happening less and less these days, but it's a madness that needs to stop. If it's not your work, then don't show it!

And one more level of madness that comes out of workshops and conferences - using images you've taken in a workshop. I'm not against working with models to build your portfolio. I'm also not against taking things you've learned in a workshop and creating new images for your galleries and portfolio. What I am against is using that shot you got as you stood behind the instructor, while he/she was teaching. You piggy-backed off of somebody else's expertise. It's not your work, even if you did click the shutter.

There's only one way to build your business, and it's all about building your skill set. It's about directing your passion for imaging into your quest for quality. So, here's a suggestion for your galleries. 

Take the time to review your website. Look at the images you're showing. Every photograph should be a "wow" print. That means if this was the only image you could show, you'd get hired!

This is a career field based on quality: Quality in your images, your relationships with your clients and the way you do business. Don't let yourself get caught up in the argument about showing lots of pictures just to fill up space. If an image isn't good enough, don't show it. Make visiting your galleries a great experience!
 
Vince Lombardi said it best, 

"The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor." 

Make your commitment to excellence and never compromise!

Cusi Taylor is a Panasonic LUMIX Ambassador and since it's "Mirrorless Monday," I was wandering through cyberspace when I came across this image. She wrote:

This composite was made using several images taken with both the GX8 and the G9 - my two favorite Lumix bodies. I love doing creative things with my photography!

(The Comicare volunteer goes by AZ_Spiderman on Instagram, if you'd like to see more of him in action!)

As much as "Mirrorless Monday" posts are about gear, they're also about raising awareness for community events. This photograph is of a Comicare volunteer, and up until this morning, I hadn't heard of Comicare.
Cusi also wrote:

Comicare is a group of volunteer cosplayers here in Arizona who collect donated comic books and deliver them (while in full costume) to kids in the hospital. It is a fantastic organization.

If you've followed me for even the shortest amount of time you know I'm a big fan of giving back to the community. I love it when photography and giving back combine forces and create an increased awareness of events, organizations, or simply people helping people. Find out more about Comicare with a click on the banner below.

Interested in finding out more about two of Cusi's favorite cameras? Just click on either thumbnail above. And, check out Cusi and the rest of the LUMIX Ambassador team. They're one of the most diverse groups of artists and educators in photography, and they're all just a click away!

Image copyright Will Cadena. All rights reserved.

When I started this series, it was to introduce you to some of the most talented and passionate artists in contemporary photography. However, with today's post, we're adding to that goal and introducing you to a wonderful nonprofit organization as well, HeartsApart.org.

Will Cadena is in the spotlight, and our growing friendship is a testimonial to social media and the importance of attending conferences. He's no stranger to SCU, and as a Westcott Pro, I shared one of his videos at the beginning of this month. Will needs to be on your radar. Just click the image above to link to his website.

We were both teaching at ClickCon August 5-7.  That's where we had a chance to meet in person, but I also got to watch him teach on the trade show floor in the Westcott booth. *Poof* and there it is, one of the most significant reasons to attend workshops, conferences and conventions - it's how you build your network; meeting other artists. Watching Will work you couldn't help but recognize his passion for the craft!

Now, let's go one step further - the importance of giving back. I've got a particular soft spot for anything dealing with the military, but regardless, the connection and respect we should all share is without question. I've shared the link back to HeartsApart.org many times in the past, but here it is again. Just click on their banner at the bottom of the page.

Regardless of what nonprofit you choose to support, it's important to give back. Will comments about how important that is in the podcast. 

"Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth."
Muhammad Ali

Meanwhile, a big thanks to Westcott for the unofficial introduction to Will through WestcottU; ClickCon for creating a venue where I could meet Will along with hundreds of other photographers; and HeartsApart.org for helping our servicemen and women stay connected to what they're fighting for - their families and our freedom.

Technology never slows down, especially when it comes to communication. Texting is growing at an incredible rate and with it your ability to reach potential clients faster, and often with the information they're looking for.  Texting technology is expanding your ability as a professional photographer to build relationships with more potential customers, your current base of clients and increase revenue. 

​It's Sunday morning and if you've followed me for even the shortest amount of time you know "Reflections" is all about going off-track from business, marketing and technique. I love that time you've allowed me to take to share what's bouncing around in my head, no matter what the topic.

This morning I'm in one of those how-did-I-get-here moments. Every day we're given choices of doors to walk through. Each door comes in the form of emails, phone calls, text messages, forum threads on Facebook with other photographers and conferences/workshops we can attend. 

If I look back on my life, it's always been without very much direction. I've never known what I wanted to be when I grew up. When I was a kid, if you asked me, I thought it was clever to say "Peter Pan" and never grow up. We all have to grow up - but that doesn't mean we can't have fun in the process. My vote is walk through every door you can find time to open, and you'll be amazed at where each new path takes you!

Here's are some examples:

• I hadn't talked with Gareth Rockliffe for a couple of years. We lost track of each other. Over a couple of days, my name kept popping up on his screen. He told me he thought it was destiny to give me a call. With his help, we relaunched "Beyond Techniques," and we're working on another project together.
• Kevin Kuster came into my life because he was a keynote speaker at ClickCon. He and I talked one day when I called him after he shared a nice comment on Facebook about something I was doing.
• Paolo Cascio came to one of my programs at ClickCon...I ran his video about the survivors of the USS Arizona earlier this week and have talked to him a couple of times since then. 
• Will Cadena and I are trying to connect for a podcast this weekend. It's just a short one, but again, it's thanks to Westcott and ClickCon for actually being able to meet and talk for a minute.
• Suzette Allen and husband Jonny will launch the 13,000 mile, Ms. Bubble Trailer Tour in a few weeks. While Suzette and I have known each other for years, it's pretty much thanks to Panasonic, the four of us have become such good friends.
• "Vanelli" and I met thanks to being at a Skylum dinner together at PhotoShop World almost two years ago. We knew each other, but the friendship really kicked off when we both decided it was time to do lunch together instead of just talking about.
• Last but not least, on the list is Kevin A. Gilligan - we met online because of Tamron. However, we finally met in person when we hit Los Angeles for a few days following WPPI this year.

Here's my point - we all have a choice to make every day - be involved or be a couch potato, or I suppose more accurately put - an office/studio potato. You can't grow as an artist or for that matter a member of the human race if you don't get out of the house! 

You need to attend every event you possibly can. Build your network of associates and friends. You never know when that person you're talking to on the elevator needs a little help or is going to help you. You need to be at every conference you possibly can attend: PPE in New York, IUSA in Nashville, SYNC in Florida, WPPI in Las Vegas, PhotoShop World in Orlando and Las Vegas, ShutterFest in St. Louis and ClickCon in Chicago. (Note: 2020 dates are not announced yet for all of these shows.) Then there are state and regional shows all year long.  

And, for those of you who think you can't afford to go to so many shows - you can't afford NOT to! With each conference you attend you're going to experience a growth spurt and you never know what door might open next.

If over the next twelve months, you met new people at each conference and took at least one class outside your comfort zone - think about how much you'd raise the bar on your skillset. As your skillset and network grow - your life changes. It becomes richer and opportunities you never thought about become a part of your life.

So, how did I get here? It's a long list of events and great people. I wake up smiling every morning, never knowing what the day ahead is going to bring. In that group of great people are all of you, my readership. As I've written dozens of times in the past - the best thing about this industry is the friendships. The second best thing is where those friendships have the potential to take us.

Wishing everybody a terrific Sunday. I hope the day is one of peace, love, and friendships. Go for those eleven-second hugs and take a minute to think about the people most important to you - how did they come into your life?

Happy Sunday or Monday if you're hanging out on the other side of the planet!

In January 2018 we kicked off the year with a great podcast series, sharing insight into the business and marketing of photography with some of the most respected artists in the world. The sponsor for the series, while liking the concept, decided they wanted to do something different on their own in 2019, and the series was put on the back-burner.

Working together with my co-host Chamira Young, we decided recently it was time to bring back the series and "Beyond Technique" is off the back-burner.  And the heats turned up to HIGH with great guests and insights that go well beyond the business of photography.

This week Kevin Kuster joined us with some incredible insight into how his career has progressed and the importance of giving back. "Watt's of Love" is changing people's lives, and in the process Kevin Kuster's ability to be a phenomenal storyteller is in the spotlight.  As I said in my intro on the podcast - "He's changing the world one light at a time!"

by Skip Cohen 

In February last year, I had an idea - a weekly series to help you fine-tune your business and marketing skills. I chose to write them fresh each week to give you content that was based on things I had noticed during the previous week. Well, here we are eighteen months later, and I think I've only missed two to three Fridays in the series. 

There's a never-ending flow of topics all thanks to interactions I have with so many of you throughout the week via the Internet, phone and here and there in person. Each post in the series has hit on a topic most of you need to pay more attention to.

As I've written many times in the past, as right-brain artists, so many of you ignore the operational and marketing side of the business. Well, there are no Success Fairies who are going to come into your business in the middle of the night and boost sales, clients, or revenue. It's strictly up to you! Take a scroll through all the past "blue-plate" specials from the SCU Diner, and you'll find ideas to help you thrive in 2019 and not just survive!

The chefs in the kitchen today have put together an incredibly filling lunch special, critical to your success - the care and feeding of your network!

I hate quoting politicians, but Hillary Clinton gets credit for the "It takes a village" line. Your network is one of your most valuable tools for success. Sadly, too many of you meet somebody, talk for a few minutes, exchange business cards or transmit data to each other and then *poof* you do nothing to keep in touch! ​

​I know it sounds hokey, but the analogy here is no different than a plant in your home. It needs water, light, fertilizer, and a pot big enough so it can grow. Your network is no different. There are so many ways to keep in touch and invest the necessary time to build relationships.

Building relationships is your greatest marketing tool! And as Scott Stratten says in his book "UnMarketing," stop marketing and start engaging!

• Define levels in your network: Whether you physically sketch this out or not, think of your network looking like a target. You're at the center, and the smallest first ring is those people you trust the most. It's going to be made up of family and your very closest friends. Then move out from there. The next ring will be friends and associates who you feel comfortable talking to regularly and might even see often. The next ring might be people you've met, friends of friends and with skillsets that compliment yours. Another ring might be only vendors and staff from the companies whose products and services you use.
• Each ring of your network has three qualifiers: confidentiality, expertise, and reach. For example, your innermost circle is based almost entirely on confidentiality. It's probably made up of loved ones and your closest friends. As you move out into your network, each qualifier changes.

​Now let's hit a few ideas to help you care for your network!

• Connect at conventions/workshops: 
  • Never eat a meal or drink alone!
  • Plan time to get together in advance
  • Get grab-shots you can use for blog posts later
    
• Be active in FB forums/groups
• Join the local photographer's guild or PPA affiliate
  
• Retweet and share each other's tweets and posts
• Track birthdays, anniversaries, events in each other's lives - I love Facebook for this, and the birthday list is my first stop every morning. 
  • Linkedin helps keep track of business anniversaries and job changes - stay involved!
• PICK UP THE PHONE: What a concept - the telephone! Seriously, keeping in touch through social media is excellent, but there are times when a phone call is going to set the stage for an even stronger relationship. I'm not suggesting you call everybody in your network all the time, just when something special has been shared, or you want to thank somebody for their support.
• Organize a networking luncheon in your community: This is a few rings out from the center of your networking and would include any vendor working on hitting the same target you are. A wedding photographer might invite florists, wedding planners, venue managers, caterers, bridal salons, tux shops, entertainment managers, travel agents, etc. Find a simple place like a diner with a private or semi-private room and just talk about the community. You'll be amazed at how much you'll find you can do together.
• Share content for your blogs: You don't have to write everything yourself, but you do need to be consistent and if you're not posting at least twice a week, same day, same time, then stop blogging. Sharing content with another member of your network helps you create great content to share with your readers and both of you benefit.

A strong network needs to be more than just a fully loaded roll-a-dex. (I admit it - I'm an old fart and proud of it! Right about now there are too many of you who don't know what a roll-a-dex is/was. Before cell phones and email addresses, it's how we kept track of everybody in our networks!)
 
I'm right back to where I started this post, "It takes a village!" So, give your village the support it needs and be there to help people in your network because they're going to your best resource when you need help! 

If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others.
African Proverb

It's the first anniversary of my first Performance EXT Metal print! It's been outside in the sun, heat, and rain for a solid year. It's been bumped by friends with backpacks and even knocked off the wall a couple of times, and it hasn't shown one sign of aging or fading. (Note: what might look like fading in the photograph above is strictly the reflection of furniture and the frame of the pool cage.)

And besides loving Bay Photo's products and quality, there's a more significant reason for me to be sharing this today. All of you are looking for ways to make your work different. You're looking for ways to be a stronger competitor and always in need of products that are different. 

I'm pretty proud of my sunset image from Nokomis Beach. Having a print like this outside makes it a conversation piece. Now, think about all your clients - everybody has a porch, patio or lanai.

Justin and Mary Marantz refer to that one incredibly unique image they always try and get at a wedding as "Shooting for the silver frame." Well, I'm suggesting with each family sitting you consider shooting for an outdoor print. In terms of your own images, how about a print on your back porch from that last vacation? Photography doesn't have to be exclusive to the indoor environment!

Need to see more prints and learn more about Performance EXT Metal prints? Suzzette Allen and husband Jonny are about to hit the road for an educational tour that's going to top the charts in programming and Bay Photo is a partner. Just click on the link below for more information: so that you can catch up to them during their travels.  

​I've written a lot over the years about being one of the luckiest guys in the industry. Part of that feeling comes from the talented friends I have who are some of the most skilled artists in the world.

Helen Yancy created the image above, and we're rolling back the clock to around 2002. It's my grandson and me on a beach in New England, and the water was cold. What better gift to get your grandson than his first wetsuit? I was never big on the watercolor look - that was until Helen took a 4x6 CVS print and turned into one of my most favorite pieces of art. Matted and framed it became a never-ending favorite in our home for many years.

The second image is by Bambi Cantrell and would have been around 2003. We were living in California when Bambi spent some time photographing my family. I found this 4x6 tucked between the pages of a book recently, which points out my need to do a better job of practicing what I preach. Photographs are everywhere and I need to get organized.

​I have no excuse, except to point out that being in the industry with so many friends who have captured images of my life over the years, plus my own images - they're everywhere! Pull any box out of storage, regardless of what it says on the outside, and odds are you'll find a couple of stray photographs.

Sadly, I'm not close to my kids these days, but that doesn't change the value of the great memories and the fun of taking a stroll down Memory Lane. But there's another sidebar here...the importance of printing images. Both were initially captured on film and without these prints who knows where my memories would be stashed!

Six years ago Michele Celentano wrote "I Believe," and shared it with everybody at Skip's Summer School, that year in Chicago. Consider this a bonus this morning in a sort of triple throwback as I share Michele's "I Believe" statement together with two of my favorite old photographs. And, she's given all of you the rights to plagiarize away and use it with your own client presentations.

Why? First, because she's Michele Celentano and that's what she does. LOL Second, and more important is the need for everyone to educate their clients on the importance of printed images. While some of you will think I'm an alarmist, the truth is we have no idea what technology is going to do to our ability to look at photographs in the future. 

​Happy Throwback Thursday!

by Skip Cohen 

It's "Wednesdays with Westcott," and I love the creativity/inspiration shared non-stop on Westcott's YouTube channel and on the WestcottU website. This one I particularly like because it's tied in a DIY level of creativity, and gives you complete control over the results depending on the textures you add to the plexiglass and the way you set up your lights.

Westcott never slows down in their efforts to help you raise the bar on the quality of your images. In this under two-minute video they take you through each step in the process, planting the seed for an infinite number of ways you can change the look of your portraits, starting with a piece of plexiglass. Just click on the banner below to watch the video. 

And remember, everything you purchase through the SCU Gateway to Westcott's website helps one of the industry's most respected non-profits, Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep. SCU is a Westcott affiliate but we do not keep the 10% commission - it's all going to NILMDTS through the end of this year.

​So, need lighting gear or accessories? Check out Westcott's extensive product line through the door below!

I'm a big believer in the role fate plays in this industry. We all share a love for various aspects of the craft and as our paths cross, we grow, fed by each other's enthusiasm and love for imaging, people and memories. I've shared one of my favorite quotes many times over the years:

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

​Everybody we meet and talk with becomes a part of who we are. That's the story behind my growing friendship with Paolo Cascio. We met at ClickCon earlier this month when he sat in on my "Midnight Madness" class. We talked briefly that night and just seemed to hit it off. His passion for the craft is infectious. He's one of those people who the minute he starts talking about photography; you know you want to hang out with him.

Yesterday we caught up to each other for a long phone conversation about a project he's working on. He wants to capture the stories of the remaining survivors of the USS Arizona, which was sunk at Pearl Harbor, taking with it almost half of the fatalities that horrible day. With my Dad being a member of "the greatest generation," and serving in the Asia/Pacific, the events at Pearl Harbor are what pulled him and thousands of others into the war.

I wanted to share Paolo's story because it hits on so many important topics. First, the friendship that's kicked off for the two of us is a perfect example of why you should attend every possible conference you can work into your schedule. You never know what's going to come out of a chance meeting and talking with somebody new. 

Second, most of you are developing your skillset to be more than just photographers - you're working to be artists and storytellers. There's a difference between capturing images and learning how to put them together to tell a story. And, there's even more skill involved in developing a story people want to watch, talk about, or listen to.

Third, no matter what your specialty in photography is, special projects are critical to your growth and creativity. You need to pick up your camera now and then for something other than paying your mortgage. You need to capture images you're passionate about just to feed your soul. It sounds a little exaggerated, but it's the best way to keep your flame of passion for the craft on high! 

I hope you'll watch this video about Paolo's journey. Anton Lorimer is no stranger to SCU and the way he's worked with SmugMug Films to tell Paolo's story is remarkable.  Pay close attention to Paolo's narrative; the images and video clips chosen, and especially the way it all comes together in a project that's become a big part of Paolo's heart. 

And to Paolo and SmugMug Films - thanks making this story available and even better - my Dad passed away four years ago. Thanks for the smile you're putting on his face right now, telling a piece of his story.

Images copyright Voortex Productions. All rights reserved.

“Two or three things I know for sure, and one of them is that to go on living I have to tell stories,
​that stories are the one sure way I know to touch the heart and change the world.”
Dorothy Allison

by Skip Cohen
 
I love starting each Tamron Recipe with a quote that points out some unique characteristic of our "Chef." Well, it only took a few minutes to find a statement that describes Chef Charley Voorhis. He's a passionate storyteller, explorer, and adventurer. He's always focused on finding ways to expand the viewer's understanding of a subject via his filmmaking and still images. And, like the quote above he touches our hearts and changes the world one frame at a time.

A few weeks ago, I was able to sit in on one of Charley's workshops at ClickCon in Chicago. As he talked about the essential elements of a story, I couldn't help but notice that distinctive look you see on an artist's face when they're in the groove. Talking about filmmaking is all part of Charley's persona, and as an educator, he's entirely focused on the importance of the power of a great story when told in a film.

The short video below about Charley's company, Voortex Productions, says it all...
                                                             
​                                                             "We believe in the power of stories!"

​Besides his love for imaging and storytelling, another quality immediately comes out in any conversation with Charley - he's a team player. While the videos he shares are deeply rooted in his visions, it's his crew that helps him turn them into reality. Together they've written some of the best stories in imaging!

And check out the entire Tamron family of outstanding glass with a visit to your Authorized USA Dealer. Just click on the banner above to find the dealer nearest you!

While most of the work shared in the Voortex Productions portfolio are video projects and campaigns, their Instagram and Facebook pages show more about their diversity and expertise. I pulled a few of my favorite still images, but check out their videos and pay close attention to the way they tell each client's story! Click on any image below to visit Voortex Productions.

All images copyright Voortex Productions. All rights reserved.

​It's Marketing Monday and while the topic might seem more appropriate for a photographer just getting started, the challenge of "analysis paralysis" hits all of us at different times, and for various reasons! New technology, keeping up with the trends in social media and consumer communication can be just as overwhelming to a veteran in business as they are to a rookie!

There's a growing, incredibly active new Facebook community following the successful launch of ClickCon in Chicago this month. The excitement combined with a perpetual state of "where-the-hell-do-I-start syndrome is definitely bogging a few of you down. In fact, after every conference, people seem to get stressed over how much they need to learn or change.

At the same time, there are a lot of confused artists who simply don't know where to start. And, instead of jumping in with both feet, they're caught in the confusion of what to do next. They procrastinate, and all the excitement of what they learned at the conference gets put in that imaginary shoebox of ideas and kicked under the bed!

It's time to put an end to analysis paralysis and take action. It's not that difficult if you follow my lead:
​

• Start by Making a List: Personally, I think every small business owner should have a whiteboard. Yeah, I know I'm challenging all the tech weenies out there who want me to put things on my computer or in my phone. Sorry, I'm a visual guy and having my "to do" list in front of me all day every day in my office is the only way I stay on course! So, however you store the information, make a list of each class you took at the conference and the key things you learned.
• Low-hanging Fruit: by definition, it's fruit that's easy to pick. By business interpretation, it's things you can quickly and easily implement. You've got to isolate short-term and long-term activities.
• Long-term Projects: Everything that's NOT low-hanging fruit is in this category. But even things you need to improve long-term have benefits. So, categorize the long-term items by their benefit to your bottom line and growth.
• Time to Get in the Groove: You're only one person, and you can't do it all at once. Start with the low-hanging fruit that's easiest for you to implement. For example, if you were in any of my programs at ClickCon, maybe it's time to update your headshot, bio or galleries. 
• Develop a Routine: I've got a specific routine I go through every day and it rarely changes. Develop a schedule so you can check email, phone messages etc. first thing and then find time EVERY day to work on your list, one item at a time.

​Here's my point this morning...stop procrastinating, because the longer you ponder on where you should start, the more you're letting the stress of change build a wall between you and your dreams!

​There is no "Success Fairy" who's going to come in the middle of the night, put a little magic under your pillow, and raise the bar on your skill set. You're the only one who can focus on what steps to take next.

"If you wait for all the lights to turn green, you'll never get started on your journey!"
Zig Ziglar

When I was asked to speak at ClickCon months ago, I suggested doing something a little different. For everyone who was in any of my programs, I'm doing a follow-up online on September 9 at 8:00 - 9:00 PM CST. How to access will be announced in the "ClickCon Social" forum on Facebook.

​And, if we need to go longer, I'll be there. My goal is to help you stay on point on things you need to do to grow your business, but I'm also going to touch on a new topic - becoming your own publicity machine. Stay tuned to the Facebook ClickCon Social group for information as we get closer.

And, if this goes well and there's interest, we'll looking at opening it up to everyone and expanding on the topic list.