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"Happy Birthday Nick...AKA "Nicky, Nicky, Nicky!"

5/22/2025

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

Jodie Picoult 
by Skip Cohen

As I sat down to search for material for my favorite day of the week, Throwback Thursday, my good buddy Nick Vedros came up in my Facebook notifications because it's his birthday today. Nick shared the shots above in 2010 and 2011. Well, they deserve to be shared again. 


The big shot on the right is Nick and Dean Collins...Nick and Dean were the very best of friends, and the "Nicky, Nicky, Nicky" line was Dean's way of greeting Nick whenever he saw him. It included a long sigh and Dean shaking his head in recognition of the greatest practical joke ever pulled, in this case, Nick on Dean. It wasn't until years later I learned the backstory. (Sorry, it's "R" rated, but just trust me, it was a classic.)

The two smaller pictures are from the Blue Man Group in NYC one night in the 90s. Nick invited me to join them, and it's one of my favorite memories. And now that the Blue Man Group is no longer playing, it's become an even greater classic.

But today's post isn't just about my own fun walk down Memory Lane. It's about great friendships, the ones that stand the test of time, even when some of the friends have passed. Dean passed away twenty years ago this past February. At least a few times a month, I think about our friendship and how much I miss catching up with him.

Over the years, I've promised to stop using that quote by Jodie Picoult, but it's the best one ever shared about throwback photographs.

And to the birthday boy himself today...Nick buddy, you've enriched my life and created your own unique chapter of adventures. I'm a better photographer for having hung out with you at so many events. And being on the road with you was always a kick! From a friendship I cherish, to all the laughs, and pride I have at being able to say, "Yeah, I know Vedro," what a trip it continues to be!

At least thirty years ago, Nick was doing a program somewhere around Phoenix. In the back of the room, the legendary Don Blair was listening and furiously taking notes. Most of you never knew Don, but he was one of the finest portrait artists in the world. At that point, he had taught hundreds, if not thousands, of classes focusing on lighting and posing. 

"What are you doing? You know all this stuff," I asked. Don just shook his head and said, "Are you kidding me? This guy is unbelievable and I have all these new ideas I want to try!'

So, from Don Blair to knuckleheads like me, other friends, and thousands of artists and photographers, Nick, you've been an influence. From your creativity to the way you prioritize friendships and everything in between, the industry is better today because you're in it!

​Happy Birthday, Buddy!
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Business Breakthroughs for Photographers: Part XVI

5/19/2025

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At the end it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished.
It’s about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better.
It’s about what you’ve given back.

Denzel Washington
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by Skip Cohen

In any business today, you need to stay focused on everything you can do to break through the noise and chaos in everyone's lives. One of the best ways to stay on your target audience's radar is to be involved in your community.

Jay Conrad Levinson, better known as the father of Guerrilla Marketing, in a presentation I attended many years ago, listed "being involved in your community" as one of the top 100 things guerrilla marketers needed to do, and for a good reason. Simply put, people like to do business with companies they perceive as giving back. If you want your community to be good to you, you have to be good to your community.

Spring seasonality is coming to a close next month, but that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of business opportunities all summer and right into year-end. But you need to keep being noticed as more than just a talented artist. You want to be perceived as somebody who gives back to the community. 

From local events to national nonprofits, every community has an organization that needs help! The best thing about help is that it can be defined in so many different ways—from financial support to your skills to just jumping in as a "worker-bee."

  • Get involved with a local fund-raiser. Whether it involves your camera or not doesn't matter. You need to be involved, and your community needs to know you're not just another retailer or service provider but an active supporter.
  • Look for local events: For example, what's coming up in your community that's a fund-raising event?  
  • Get to know the president of the PTA for any of the schools. How about portraits instead of a bake sale to raise money this year? What events are they sponsoring that might need to be documented?
  • Every high school sports team, band, yearbook, and chorus is looking for new ways to raise money, and you've got the gear and the know-how.  How about working with them to create a new idea for fund-raising beyond hot dog sales at the games?
  • Not every show of support needs to involve photography. Even if you're just helping the Boosters Club at a refreshment stand selling hotdogs, the key is to be out there in the community.
  • Visit your local Chamber of Commerce and find out what's happening in the community. There's always a United Way Campaign in the fall, but what other events occur as we head into the summer, fall and winter months?
  • Sometimes, helping to raise money directly is about using your skill set as a photojournalist to boost awareness. Document various events in the community, and then provide the management of those events, the local paper, and websites with your images. Remember, nobody can do it better than you!
  • Use your blog and social media presence. With every event there's an opportunity to share the experience and increase awareness for far more than just your involvement. Tell the story of the organization and their events.  Include links back to their home page. It's great content and helps to demonstrate your commitment. Whether you blog or, for example, post on a Facebook page, by sharing information about various nonprofits, you're becoming an ambassador for that organization. 
  • Publish an event calendar. This is an easy way to become a community clearinghouse for nonprofits in the area, and it shows your commitment.
  • I have at least three favorite organizations I work with, and they're national in their reach. First, I've written about my involvement in support of Alzheimer's research, and especially Alzheimer's Walks, which are taking place nationwide. Check out Alz.org, Second, on a very local level, are the Senior Friendship Centers in Sarasota. I've been involved in so many different ways, from fund-raising to managing their blog and doing a podcast series to being on their Board for many years. Third, Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep is always looking for more photographers and support. While it takes a very special artist to get involved in helping a family who's just lost a child, every photographer I've ever met has described being a part of such an intimate and emotional event as life-changing.​

None of what I'm sharing today is a new topic to share on the SCU blog. No act of support is too small—the key is being involved. I'm not sure there's anything more rewarding or powerful in building your brand. You want to be recognized in your community as a person/company who believes in giving back and can walk the talk!

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Looking Back, Alzheimer's and Hunting for Happiness

5/18/2025

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Happiness is finding joy wherever you can.
Unknown
by Skip Cohen

​In the last few months, if you've followed me for even the shortest time, you've probably noticed me writing more about my work supporting Alzheimer's patients and their caregivers.  Having lost so many family members to the disease, it's a topic near and dear to my heart.

It's Sunday, and Reflections is consistently about something other than business and, most of the time, more personal than my regular posts. Well, when I read the quote above, all I could think about was a comment my Dad made when dealing with my mother's last couple of years with Alzheimer's.

"I'm going to hang onto every moment of joy we get, squeeze the damn juice out of it, bottle it, and save it for the bad days."  

And Dad did just that...he hung on to every moment where, as we used to describe it, the sun came out from behind the clouds, when my mother was back to being herself, even if just for a few minutes. He was angry, frustrated, and sad so often - he was losing his best girl after 60+ years, and there was nothing he could do to slow things down.

Fast forward twelve years later, and technology is slowly catching up on the disease. There are treatments now available that, if Alzheimer's is caught early enough, they slow it down. There's no cure, but there is a giant speed bump being created by infusion drugs like Kisunla. As a result, the word "hope" is becoming a part of the Alzheimer's vocabulary.  And along with hope, joy is a little less elusive.

And there's my point—it's an expression we've all heard so many times over the years: life is only what you make it. You can complain that roses have thorns or rejoice that thorns have roses. It's all in your perspective. In spite of the chaos in the world and the insanity of what we read, hear, and see happening, the quality of your life is still mostly dependent on you.

Wishing everybody a day ahead filled with joy, smiles, and time with family and friends you love the most. For us, we've got good friends coming over for this afternoon, and I'm already anticipating that wonderful ache you get in your gut from laughing too much. Don't forget those eleven-second hugs with the people most important to you—they're the ones that help you keep things in perspective and focus on joy.

And to my best buddy and wife, Sheila, who helps me stay focused on the joy in our lives...
Everything changed the day he figured out
there was exactly enough time for the important things in his life.

The Story People
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A  70s Throwback With Audio

5/15/2025

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by Skip Cohen

Suggestion: To get in the mood for this throwback, hit play on the YouTube link below before you read today's post...and turn up the volume.

It's Throwback Thursday, my favorite day of the week. This is a different kind of throwback post. It's not a photo throwback but audio together with a sampler collection of items as I turn back the clock.

It started with "Alexa." We've got several of them in the house. As a result, music is always playing, and yesterday, I felt like turning back the clock. "Alexa, play Crosby, Stills and Nash!" For the rest of the afternoon, she played nothing but their songs.

CSN appeared on the music scene with their first album in 1969. Yeah, I'm an old fart, but this is classic, and the fun of Throwback Thursday is the way throwbacks take you on a trip back down Memory Lane. For a stretch yesterday, I found myself thinking back to the 70s. I started with my wardrobe of platform shoes and bell bottoms to my afro and wide-collared shirts. Then came other artists like Richie Havens, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, and Iron Butterfly---there was no stopping the memories. 

As I was writing today's post I started thinking about food and drinks. Whatever happened to Cold Duck, Harvey Wallbangers, and a Tequilla Sunrises? A Big Mac with fries was under a dollar! A large pizza was under $5.00 at Pizza Hut. Fondue was the hot dish, and everybody had a fondue pot. The list goes on and on.

There's a quote from Alfred Lord Tennyson that I've shared many times: "I am a part of all that I have met." Well, think back on your own trip down Memory Lane and all those little experiences that added to your life back whenever—not the big events, but the little things that are like the seasoning that goes into a good meal.

Happy Throwback Thursday! 

PS And for all you old farts - feel free to add any classic memories that I missed.
​
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Working Hard but Playing Harder!

5/14/2025

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A.I. image from Adobe Stock
The death rate for people who play it safe and for people who live boldly is the same: 100%
Patti Dighi

Seriousness is overrated. If you want to achieve more without runing your life,
​the first step is to approach your work with a sense of play.

Ali Abdaaf
by Skip Cohen

It's Hump Day, and whatever I post, I like to keep it short. I ran across the two quotes above this morning, and they hit on a topic I've tried to live by for most of my adult life. Remember, I'm still a work in progress, so I haven't always gotten it right.

When I look back on different aspects of my career, the most significant and rewarding jobs/projects have always had an element of work-hard-play-hard. From those jobs have come incredible friendships and a network build on trust with some amazing people. The only thing I'll add to the sentiment of the two quotes today, is that there are so many of you whom I've met and talked with who are simply over-focused on the challenges in life.  As I've written before, you can't create images that tug at people's heartstrings if your own heart isn't totally in it!

I'm not suggesting you take anything too lightly - but now and then, ease up a little and focus on what YOU need. What puts a smile on your face and makes your heart soar, even just a little bit? Who are the people in your life you wish you connected with more often? Who gets those eleven-second hugs I always write about on Sundays?

Happy Hump Day...and here's one more thought that ties in with today's theme...
You were born an original. Don't die a copy.
John Mason
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Business Breakthroughs for Photographers: Part XV

5/12/2025

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"Do not listen with the intent to reply, but with the intent to understand."
Anonymous
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by Skip Cohen

I started this series with the hope that these ideas would help you break through the marketing chaos. Think about all the noise in our lives and how much we ignore before a business finally gets our attention. This is the fifteenth chapter in the series, and it's so appropriate for the potential sales activity in the market, especially this time of year.

Part of the excitement of seasonality is that it opens the door for new clients. However, converting a potential client into a loyal customer takes skills beyond the quality of your work, pricing, and diversity of your skills. Success is about relationship building, and a key component is truly listening to your clients.

One of the top complaints of new couples after the wedding is that often; the photographer doesn't meet their mindset with the finished photographs, video, and album. And the reason most often relates to listening skills. So, here are a few suggestions:

  • You've got two ears and one mouth - listen twice as much as you talk! The original quote is modified from a Greek philosopher, Epictetus, who died almost two thousand years ago. Learning to listen is hardly a new topic! 
  • Ask questions with more than one purpose. For example, Bambi Cantrell talks about asking the bride who made her gown. The answer gives her an idea of what she's spending and her style - more contemporary or traditional.
  • Build the relationship. We live in a texting and email world, and I often feel the art of conversation has been lost. Ask the couple how they met. Encourage them to share some of the funny experiences they've had together. Find out what they love about each other, their families, and their friends.
  • Show them samples of your work. I'm always surprised when I hear about a photographer who doesn't have sample albums to share. All it takes is a call to your lab to make a duplicate album from a previous wedding or two. A great album isn't just about the images but the way the story is told. Are you a good storyteller?
  • Whenever possible, do an engagement session. While it provides additional value to your pricing, the real benefit is getting to know the couple. A good engagement shoot helps establish your credibility so that on the wedding day, you're a recognized friend during a time when "logic doesn't reign as king!"​

Your strongest marketing tools, which I've written about before, are building trust and relationships. This applies to every specialty within photography, including commercial, boudoir, family, children, maternity, and the list goes on and on. It all starts with your listening skills!

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Mother's Day 2025 - A Short Look Back

5/11/2025

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"Mother's hold their children's hands for awhile, but their hearts forever!
Anonymous

by Skip Cohen

​There's something that happens as you get older, and holidays like Mother's Day come up on the calendar long after your mother has passed away. We lost my mother in 2013 after a seven-year battle with Alzheimer's. The older I get, the more I appreciate things I learned from my her and the more I cherish Mom's humor, her incredible style, and love for my Dad and our family. There are so many memories.

Mother's Day is no longer sad. It's not so much about missing her, but a time that's more of a tribute. It's a long walk down Memory Lane, and looking back with plenty of smiles and a whole lot of love.
 
Mom lost the battle with Alzheimer's, but even near the end, she still had moments when everything came together. I remember getting over to hospice early one morning by myself, two days before she passed away. I walked in and said, "Hey, Mom, you look great today!"  Her response was, "Why shouldn't I?"

Sheila and I are blessed living in Florida, and it's all thanks to Mom. In October 2011, Sheila could take early retirement from her job, and I could go anywhere I had a computer. My Dad was 89 and needed help. So, for the first time since I graduated high school, I was able to live close to my folks. It's become one of the very best decisions we've ever made.

And while Alzheimer's took Mom from us, she became the stimulus and foundation for projects I'm working on today. Working with the Memory Care Clinic, we recently held the first Memory Care Pioneers get-together. We had 120 people in attendance. The core group of attendees were Alzheimer's patients on the new infusion treatments, and they were there with their caregivers to celebrate HOPE. "Hope" is a word that's never been in the Alzheimer's vocabulary. (I wrote about the event in early April--here's the link.)

To all of you Moms out there who inspire all of us, Happy Mother's Day and thank you for your service. And to my own Mother...I miss you, Mom. We talk about you all the time. I think about you most often when I'm cooking, and over the years, Sheila's heard story after story of things I learned from you—even the tough lessons. Knowing how much you loved a view of the water, any water, you're in our hearts any time we're near the ocean.

Wishing all of you a terrific day ahead. Send your Mom a virtual hug if she's outside your house, and if she's with you right now, cherish her presence. Then, go for one of those good old eleven-second hugs I always write about.

​Happy Mother's Day!
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Seasonality in Professional Photography: Time to Wake Up!

5/9/2025

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by Skip Cohen

​It's been a crazy week regarding special projects, eating up the clock, and finding time to post. It was so busy that I even missed my favorite day of the week...Throwback Thursday. I'm writing today as a reminder that we're down to the wire, and if you missed doing anything for the first "race in the trifecta," Mother's Day in the US this weekend, you've still got graduation and Father's Day over the next five weeks!  

Too many of you still consider active marketing something you only need to do when business is slow. You procrastinate and wait for your ship to come in, but when it does, you find yourself at the airport! I'm here to remind you that it's time to wake up and aggressively go after Spring Seasonality!
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I use a lot of Adobe Stock photography, especially when trying to illustrate a point. So, I went to my download library and pulled four favorites from the archives.  Each image makes a point.

If you missed promoting your services and products for Mother's Day, crank up the volume and aggressively target family/graduate portraiture and Dad's for Father's Day. Based on the clock ticking down, I'd go after Father's Day, which is five weeks away. 

Think about it—most dads are missing an updated family portrait. Even more apparent is the target buyer—it's MOM! Women make 98% of the purchase decisions to hire a professional photographer in the portrait/social category. Plus, for most families with young children, Mom makes the choice regarding "What should we get Dad for Father's Day?"

  • Direct Mail:​ More active than ever, snail mail is back with a vengeance. Think about how much email you toss, never even bothering to take a look at what it was. A well-designed postcard, especially if you bring in 1-2 additional partners, is cost-efficient and expands your reach...and it gets through the noise better than social media.
  • Social Media: I'm a fan of direct mail, but you have to weave a web around your target, and reaching Mom, who's usually active in social media needs to recognize your presence. Facebook is a great resource for reaching moms, but you have to be selective and find the forums where moms hang out.
  • Cross-promotions: Look for partnerships in your community to cross-promote and share the cost of direct mail and social media. For example, how about a partnership between a sporting goods store and a photographer or a restaurant or event venue and a photographer? 
  • Regular Promotions: Years ago, children's photographer Vicki Taufer used to do an annual calendar with a different portrait theme every month. As a working pro today, regardless of your specialty, there's no excuse not to put together a new promotion for at least each quarter of the year. Each one doesn't have to be a show-stopper, but it does have to be strong enough to get the attention of your target audience.

​Here's the bottom line today - This year has enormous potential, even in these bizarre times, and you're in a service minimally impacted by tariffs and politics. Don't miss the opportunity to finish the year feeling like the two kids below!
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Business Breakthroughs for Photographers: Part XIV

5/5/2025

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“Give them quality. That’s the best kind of advertising” 
 Milton Hershey
by Skip Cohen

Ever think about the impression you make when a potential client walks through the door...of your website?

A future client wandering through cyberspace is like shopping for your mother's birthday present. You know you need to get her something, but you don't know what. The solution is to wander through the stores in the mall looking for ideas. So many of you don't realize your website is one of those stores.

In the United States, an estimated 273 million people, or about 80.4% of the population, shop online.This number is projected to increase to almost 289.91 million by 2027. (Google A.I.) 

When people come to your site, are they walking through Nordstroms, where everything is easy to find and nicely displayed, or is your site the equivalent of Macy's the day after Christmas? Your website needs to be an experience and have a look and feel that connects with the shopper.

Fine-Tuning Your Website
​Make it a Great "Shopping" Experience

Here are some suggestions to help you beef up your website:
​
  • Make your site easy to navigate! Don't bury important information where people can't find it. 
  • Show things in logical order. Hook your client on your images first, then the "about" section, then information and how to contact you, etc.
  • Don't overload them with images!  You don't need hundreds of photographs, but you do need to show only your very best work. 
  • Be consistent with the look and feel of your site and your blog--even though they serve two different purposes, you still need continuity in the design and feel of both. And for those of you in the portrait/social specialties, your target audience is female, and most of the time, "Mom." I've seen both male and female photographers go overboard with too much of a high-tech look.
  • Let your site show your personality.
  • Don't bury clients in policies that might scare them away. For example, your policies on deposits and refunds should be discussed in the contract. They don't belong on your website.
  • Stay away from hard-to-read, artsy-fartsy fonts. 
  • Be careful with reverse-type. Reverse-type is fine, but if it's a page, you hope your client will download and print, then make it black type on a white background. The average client has a $59 printer at best, and trying to print an all-black page with white type is going to leave them with nothing more than a soggy sheet of paper!
  • Keep it short where you do have text and proofread everything you put on your site. Plus, read it out loud several times and have a friend or family member check it over as well. Ask them to tell you what you just wrote to make sure it's being understood. Check out grammarly.com to raise the bar on everything you put in print.
  • Be careful what you show in pricing. Not everybody agrees with me on this one - I don't think photographers should show their prices. I like having a statement like, "Wedding coverage starting at ___________," or "Portrait sessions starting at ______________," but just listing your prices doesn't begin to give you a chance to sell yourself and what makes you the best choice.
  • There's no such thing as too much contact information. Most importantly, give people a phone number and email address. Many of you use email response templates, which are an excellent addition, but they don't help if you take too long to answer!​

As you review your site, remember that it is about the products and services you sell, while your blog is about what's in your heart. Having them both show the right appeal and compelling content is what creates two of my favorite original Internet marketing words: "sticky pages." Your goal is to create a site so sticky that people don't want to leave and share it with all their friends. Make yourself habit-forming and always exceed expectations.
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Estrangement and Looking Forward

5/4/2025

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by Skip Cohen

Sunday Morning Reflections is never about business. It's often my time to get personal or, at the very least, write about something hopefully relevant outside of anyone's career path. This morning, being estranged from my kids is on my mind—not about the sadness or pain over the years, but about learning to simply accept it. 

There's that old line about life not being a dress rehearsal. Something interesting happens as you get older—you simply try your best to waste less and less time. So, I recently took one more shot at trying to break through the walls and had no choice but to accept the response when the effort had no results.

With Sheila's help, we've built a great life. There's no time for regrets, looking back, or "shoulding" on myself. One of Sheila's favorite expressions is "Don't "should" on yourself", and it accomplishes nothing to sit and throw a pity party for yours truly.

My life is full of some pretty amazing people and friends who have become family. Blood isn't always thicker than water, but I'm a work in progress doing my best to walk the talk. The serenity prayer comes to mind, and it's so appropriate.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

I remember my Dad appreciating this when he was dealing with Mom's Alzheimer's. He'd look for those moments of joy when Mom would come out from behind the clouds and hang onto them for all those days when she'd disappear.

From Sheila and wonderful friends to two pups and projects I'm involved in that make a difference, I feel blessed. Do I wish things were different with my kids? Absolutely, but I can't change how they feel or what they believe.

The bottom line is simply that I'm not the first to ever be estranged from family members and certainly won't be the last. I'm not making light of the challenge; I'm only accepting that until forgiveness is a two-way street, I can choose sadness or take the time to appreciate everything that's right in my life.

"A major issue with estrangement is that it really is a two-fold forgiveness journey. It's never just one side's fault … so there's an absolute necessity to forgive oneself for all and any parental failures, and it's also necessary to totally forgive the offspring for all and any nasty experiences of being cancelled, ghosted, e-blanked, ignored, rejected, avoided at Christmas and Father's Day, the toxicity, angst, and all the other painful words that come to mind." Roger Macdonald Andrew

Wishing everybody a day ahead filled with things that make your heart soar. If you're dealing with estrangement, don't let the sadness hold you back from looking forward. Maintaining hope and optimism is never a fool's errand until it pushes whatever makes you happy back into the shadows. This is where those eleven-second hugs come into play with the people who love and support you the most.

Happy Sunday...or Monday if you're on the other side of the world.
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Industry Icons: When They Were Seniors - Round V

5/1/2025

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There is a certain part of all of us that lives outside of time.
Perhaps we become aware of our age only at exceptional moments and most of the time we are ageless.

Milan Kundera

Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.

Henry Ford

by Skip Cohen

​Knowing just about all of these "grads" like I do, it's obvious that we've all been focused on continuing to learn and create our entire lives. I chose those two quotes above because they say so much about everyone, the quest to keep learning, and in turn becoming ageless!

Well, it's May and we're into graduation season. What better way to celebrate than sharing senior shots from some of the most respected artists and educators in imaging? What a kick it's been as the SCU archives grow to forty-nine seniors captured in the "way-back machine."

From the top left: Glen Clark, Michael Taylor, Rick Ferro, Kristi Wolverton (college), Steve Rosenbaum, Dave Doeppel, Jennifer Rutledge, Rick Friedman, Scott Kelby, and Eddie Tapp.

If you missed any of the last four posts in the series, they're all below. If a few more industry icons come through, I might have enough for one more post next week. And, if you want to send me yours, just do it through an IM on Facebook, or to my email.

​In the meantime, enjoy the walk down Memory Lane...
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From top left: Gary Box, Chuck Arlund, Michele Celentano, Vanelli, David Beckam, Kevin Gilligan, Gustavo Fernandez, Bruce Hudson, Joe Buissink, Dawn Davis, Joy Vertz, Judy Host, Matt Meiers, Bryan Caporicci, Melanie Anderson.
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From top left: Vicki Taufer, Fran Reisner, Bruce Berg, Nick Vedros, Bambi Cantrell, Yervant, Seth Resnick, George Varanakis.
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From top left: Sarah Petty, Cate Scaglione, Sherry Hagerman, Helen Yancy, Bob Coates, Bert Behnke, Dane Sanders, Jesse Feyereisen.
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From top left: Ralph Romaguera, Bobbi Lane, Skip Cohen, Cindy Harter Sims, Roberto Valenzuela, Kenny Kim, Brent Watkins, Lori Nordstrom

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Marketing to seniors continues to be big business, but to be successful, it also requires a different skill set from when so many of us were seniors. A great senior session is about connecting with the subject, capturing their personality, and combining it with maximum creativity. If you're interested in the senior market, the first thing you need to do is ensure you've got the skill set, not just with your camera. You also need great communication skills and the ability to build a relationship with your subject.

Remember, for many seniors, this may be their first time working with a professional photographer. They're as nervous about getting a portrait done as they are in dealing with some of their 
own self-esteem issues. That means your listening and conversational skills must be as good as your understanding of exposure, composition, and lighting!

Marathon Press is an SCU sponsor, but my relationship with them grew out of respect for everything they do for the industry. It's a friendship that's gone on for over thirty years, going to be back to the first book I co-authored with Don Blair. Through the end of this month, they've got a special on foil treatment of grad cards. Click on either banner for more information.

Meanwhile, congratulations to the class of 2025 and all the outstanding artists pushing the creative envelope in capturing their personalities!

Happy Throwback Thursday!

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Click for more info
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Business Breakthroughs for Photographers: Part XIII

4/30/2025

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Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success. 
Henry Ford 
by Skip Cohen

I started the SCU blog in 2013 with one goal in mind: helping artists build a stronger business. Over the years, usually in late winter, I've done several different series to help photographers break through the chaos and noise to reach their target audience.

This current series, Business Breakthroughs, started at the end of January. I've covered so many key topics, but today's is one of my favorites because it sets the stage for so many artists to stop acting like lone wolves! Partnerships are the answer to so many challenges in growing your business, brand, and recognition in your community.

​Stop thinking you have to always fly solo with every great idea!
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This is one of those topics that requires no explanation - so, like a cookbook, let's go right to each component!
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  • Direct Mail is as strong as ever, especially when you consider how much email we NEVER read. Snail mail can still get you through the noise and be noticed. I've shared this concept before - design an over-sized postcard and bring in two other partners. For example, a wedding photographer, a florist, and a limo company - each get 1/3 of the card and share the cost for the mailer and postage. A boudoir photographer could partner with a lingerie shop and makeup artist or spa. But here are the real benefits - all three partners get the advantage of each other's reach; each partner becomes an ambassador for all three entities, and your cost is reduced by 1/3 of what it would be if you were a solo act! (Note: Need help designing your mailer? Call Marathon Press!)
  • Sharing Gear: I'm not talking about your day-in-day-out camera gear, but the more exotic things you need to grow your business. A large format printer, exotic lens or lighting equipment are all high ticket items - why not split the cost and share the use with a colleague?
  • Studio/Office Space: There's nothing wrong with working out of your home. In fact, with fifty percent of professional photographers being part-time, most of them have a home office. However, depending on your goals, especially for a studio, partnerships with other photographers might get you to the space you need much faster. Again, sharing the costs gets you a level of business development that might be years away from you being able to support on your own.
  • Exhibit/Gallery Space: My good buddy Kevin A. Gilligan is a member of the South Bay Artists Collective in Hermosa Beach, CA. Twenty different artists share the space, exhibit time and the costs with some incredible benefits: They inspire each other's creativity; they share expenses; they get increased exposure through each other's exhibits; they motivate each other, and they benefit from everyone's network! 
  • Community Events: A few years back, I shared a guest post by Bruce Berg, the Lane County Children's Contest. It's been going on for over forty years with three competing photographers launching a children's photo contest during the first quarter of each year - the slow season! And Bruce was very open about the revenue the contest brought in at a time when most markets experience the slowest income of the year.

The bottom line? Stop thinking you have to do everything alone. Your greatest marketing tool involves relationship building. Strategic partnerships are one of the very best, most efficient, and effective ways for you to grow your business! And you're still early enough in the year to design some spectacular cross-promotions with 2-3 partners to make 2025 one of your very best years yet!
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A Photography Book That Belongs on Your Bookshelf

4/29/2025

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by Skip Cohen

It's time for everyone to get to know Tom Alvarez. Tom's a good buddy who has a passion for the craft that's pretty spectacular. He's an artist, photographer, educator, writer, great Dad, husband, and a good friend. We first met a few months before Covid hit. At the time, Tom was teaching photography at the Imagine School in Northport, Florida, and we had started talking online. 

He was passionate about exposing his students to as much as he could in the world of imaging, even though most of them had never held a real camera and were shooting with their phones. Thanks to a few industry friends, I was able to secure a dozen discontinued point-and-shoot cameras. Well, the pandemic hit, and I was never able to fulfill my offer to speak to his kids about a future in imaging. 

The best part of this industry isn't about imaging but the friendships that come from everyone's love for the craft. Even though he was no longer teaching, the friendship continued, and we'd get together for lunch a few times a year. He called me one day a year or so ago and asked my opinion about a book about backgrounds.

Being an author is not a new role for Tom. His diversity as an artist covers a long list of skills, including his first book, How to Create Action, Fantasy, and Adventure Comics, almost 30 years ago. While so many people want to write their own book, it takes not only understanding the topic but also discipline and, no pun intended, FOCUS.
 
We're all familiar with the concept of "behind the scenes" (BTS). The BTS of any image is literally the background, and less obvious is the original vision of the artist.  The image might start with the subject, but the power of an artist's concept depends on the background. The impact of the final image is often entirely dependent on the background, including what kind of backdrop, lighting, composition, and depth of field have been chosen.  Your background is the foundation of your BTS. It's the not-so-secret ingredient that sets the mood in any image.
 
If a picture really is worth a thousand words, then your choice of background sets the mood for at least the first few "chapters." A simple change in the background completely changes everything about the subject and what we feel when we view an image.

Last month, Tom's dream of a book about backgrounds became a reality. It's now available on Amazon.  Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro and need a few refresher reminders, it's a book with wide appeal. Just click on the cover shot to the right. Tom's statement in his conclusion says it all:

With over thirty years of photography and teaching under my belt, I have always aspired to help others improve their art, and that has led me to the creation of this book. If any of my readers simply move thier angle just a small amount to get a better "shot," well, then I have done my job as a photography instructor.

Meet my buddy, Tom Alvarez!

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Putting More "Life in Your Years"

4/27/2025

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It's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. 
Abraham Lincoln
PictureMe, Duncan and Bob - a truly great friendship
by Skip Cohen

Sunday Morning Reflections are ALWAYS off the topic of business and marketing. However, the same thing happens almost every Sunday morning: I sit down at my computer, rarely knowing what I'm going to write about, and then, like a lightbulb going off over the head of a cartoon character, something relevant hits me.

That quote above took me on a trip of reflection. I can't deny I've seen a change in my energy level as I get older. I creak for ten minutes when I wake up in the morning, but nothing changes in my outlook for the day ahead..."the life in my years." Life just keeps getting better, as I do my best to take time to smell the roses. Life is pretty remarkable, from things Sheila and I do together to time with the pups, working in the butterfly garden, to time with new neighbors or old friends.

While my energy level is slowing down a little, my smile time is going up. My appreciation for close friends, keeping in touch, and feeling at peace is always on the rise. Even Facebook, which most of us have a love-hate relationship with, is proving better and better as a tool for keeping in touch with friends on the other side of the world. 

Life is simply what you make it, and while I've heard that expression hundreds of times, it's so true. We all know too many "Chicken Littles" who are so preoccupied that the sky is falling they miss the pure joy of everything around them. 

Here's my point—stop procrastinating your life away! If there's something you miss doing, someone you miss talking to, or some place you haven't been to in a long time, MAKE A CHANGE! Life is too short to have regrets.

A few days before my good buddy Duncan MacNab passed away, he said, I've got no regrets because I did it all. Everyone who knew Duncan knows how much he treasured life, his family, and his friends. He lived life to the fullest.

If you're waking up every day feeling like something is missing, take some time, kick back, chill, and think through what you need. What will it take to make you smile more every morning?

The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up.
Paul Valéry
Wishing everybody a day ahead that's filled with smiles, peace and the ability to focus on getting more life into your years. Go for those eleven-second therapeutic hugs I always write about with those people you cherish the most. What do you need to make your dreams reality?

Happy Sunday...or Monday on the other side of the world.
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Industry Icons: When They Were Seniors - Round IV

4/24/2025

3 Comments

 
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We didn't realize we were making memories.
We just knew we were having fun.

Anon
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by Skip Cohen

​Throwback Thursday is my favorite day of the week, and between my archives and new material, I'm jumping into the time machine for one more round of well-respected professional photographers when they were seniors. Not everyone had access to their formal senior headshot, but all the images are from that time in everyone's life when they were launched into adulthood.

From top left: Gary Box, Chuck Arlund, Michele Celentano, Vanelli, David Beckham, Kevin Gilligan, Gustavo Fernandez, Bruce Hudson, Joe Buissink, Dawn Davis, Joy Vertz, Judy Host, Matt Meiers, Bryan Caporicci, Melanie Anderson.

In last week's post I included both my senior headshot with my Mom's. Here's mine with my Dad's, thirty years apart. At the time, hand-coloring was the rage.

Senior photography continues to be one of the fastest-growing specialties and has never slowed down in terms of popularity and recognition. It's a special time in everyone's life, and that awkward time as we all headed into independence. Yet, we were still very much tied to our families and homes, but ggraduation has always been a celebration.

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Senior photography today is much more focused on storytelling and different presentations of their images. For example, I'm using the shot from Marathon Press again to show just one aspect of what's available today, grad cards. There was no such thing as grad cards years ago. The wallet-size shots in the packages our parents bought were the most popular. That's what we all shared. 

​Marathon has 75 different Grad Card Design Collections.​ I grabbed the screen shot below to share a small taste of the variety of what you have to choose from. And, their free gold foil on 5x7 cards is going on until May 31.

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Click on any sample above to view the entire collection.
Marketing to seniors, if done right, can be an incredibly rewarding part of your business. But don't underestimate the skills required to be successful. It requires a different skill set than when so many of us were seniors.

You need great communication skills. Success today is all about relationship-building, connecting with the subject, capturing their personality, and combining it with maximum creativity. Sure, understanding lighting, posing, and composition is a necessity, but telling the story of a senior today is such a strong part of imaging. It's well beyond just knowing when to click the shutter.

Meanwhile, congrats to the class of 2025, and a BIG thanks to everyone who's been sending me their senior shots, regardless of how far back they go!

​Happy Throwback Thursday!
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A Hump Day Message: Making Self-Care a Priority

4/23/2025

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Never forget how to take care of yourself because others won't forget how to use you.
Unknown
by Skip Cohen

​It's Hump Day, and I try it keep it relatively light, but depending on your state of mind, today's topic could be just a quiet reminder or a critical point to help you focus.

Now and then, I share a point from Lou Mitchell's book, Mastering Positive Thinking. A few days ago, he shared the quote above and then went on to write:

Self-care is not a luxury but a necessity. In a world where demands and expectations are constant, and burnout is one of the most prevalent illnesses, it's easy to prioritize others' needs over our own. However, neglecting self-care can leave us vulnerable to being taken advantage of, as people often remember how to use our strengths and resources for their benefit. Learning to say no to preserve yourself is key.

The world is nuts right now. From pissing off Mother Nature to the economy to the political arena, we're flooded with fake news from all sides. On any given day, most of us are fighting off some level of anxiety over the future. With the exception of the weather report, we don't know what to believe. 

At the same time, it's so easy to forget about self-care and help friends and worthy causes, putting our own needs on the back burner. I'm not suggesting anybody become selfish, but being just a little self-centered isn't a bad thing. Caregivers for family members with Alzheimer's learn early on that they can't take care of their loved one if they're not taking care of themselves first. It's no different than a flight attendant speech reminding you that if you're flying with a child, put on your oxygen mask before putting on your kid's.

Lou Mitchell went on to write: Are you taking adequate care of yourself, or are you constantly catering to others' needs? What boundaries can you set to ensure you prioritize your well-being? How can you integrate self-care practices into your daily routine to maintain a healthy balance?

And there's my point - you need to set some boundaries. For me, one area that needs my attention is what I read. I've stopped scrolling through all the bullshit on Facebook. There's one post after another that's fake news, and it's from all sides, as more and more people think their opinion is the only one. Sheila and I have even developed our own technique for watching the news - we pre-record and can get through Lester Holt and David Muir, both 30-minute news broadcasts, in less than 15 minutes!

This doesn't mean we accept the craziness in the world; it's just that our own sanity comes before allowing us to get upset over reports that are yet to be proven true! So, whether it's more sleep, exercise, eating better, setting boundaries on input to your life, or just taking time to smell the roses - you know how to hold focus with you camera, but what about YOU?

Wishing everybody a day when you can focus on what you need most!

​Happy Hump Day!
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"Someday" is NOT a Day of the Week!*

4/21/2025

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by Skip Cohen

We're into Spring seasonality, but there are still too many of you who instead of taking action to build your business, are waiting for the sales or marketing fairy to come in and sprinkle success dust on your career! The result is endless procrastination, and soon it'll be too late to have any serious positive impact...so, STOP PROCRASTINATING!

Since starting this blog in 2013, I've done several series of posts to help small business owners, primarily photographers/videographers, build a stronger business. This current series, Business Breakthroughs, started at the end of January. There have been twelve different topics. From ending procrastination to keeping negative people out of your life, and everything in between, I've covered so many significant challenges you face.

The biggest challenge for every business is breaking through the noise—the chaos in your target audience's lives that distracts them from recognizing the importance of your role in the community. Many of you forget your value as a magician, helping people capture intangible moments and turning them into memories that last a lifetime!

Below are twelve links to past Business Breakthroughs. Spring seasonality is on your doorstep, with Mother's Day, prom season, graduation, and Father's Day all coming up over the next two months. All along the way, there will be opportunities for you to grow your business and increase revenue...but I can only help with ideas. 

You're the only one who can build your business and turn 2025 into one of your most successful years as an artist. Each banner below links to the original article. Think about where you need to fine-tune and then attack the challenge.

I have a few more topics to share, but if you're stuck and need more help, you know where to find me!

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*Quote by Janet Dailey
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Brothers, Butterflies and a Peaceful Sunday Morning

4/20/2025

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by Skip Cohen

As we added more plants to our butterfly garden yesterday, I knew exactly what I wanted to share this morning. Remember, on Sundays, I always jump the tracks and wander miles away from business and marketing topics. It's my time to get a little more personal.

We've all had to deal with loss; whether it's family or friends, it's all part of life. Twenty-eight years ago, my wife lost two brothers in a car accident. Thirty days later, she lost another brother in a road rage incident in Chandler, Arizona. When we built the butterfly garden eight years ago, three monoliths were added to the water feature. It occurred to me that it was a perfect memorial to her three brothers. They were all killed before I came into the family, but that doesn't change feeling like I knew and loved them, thanks to Sheila's stories.

Almost three years ago, she lost another brother, and last fall, "Uncle" Randy, her last living brother, died of a brain aneurysm. She went off in search of a fitting addition to the garden and found it at Toscano, a sculpture manufacturer. Adding the two boys completed the garden, but nature had one more surprise for us. 

That's "Randy" lying down in the back. For the last two weeks, we've had monarch butterflies throughout the backyard, all attracted to the Stuckeys-like big buffet of a few dozen milkweed plants. While the caterpillars continue to feast, it's a never-ending cycle of finding a new chrysalis almost every day. Last night, Sheila spotted a new one hanging from "Randy's" ear.

The garden isn't as lush as it will be in a few more weeks, but it's lush with memories, love, and peace. I found an appropriate plaque online that says it all:
Those we love don't go away. They walk beside us every day.
​Unseen, unheard, but always near, still loved, still missed, and always dear.
Having a garden like this has become a true labor of love for both of us. It's far more than just about butterflies; it's about turning the challenges of life we both share into something filled with color and beauty. And while the only brother-in-law I ever knew was Randy, it doesn't change my love for the energy of their spirits, thanks to photographs and Sheila's stories. As each new flower blooms, it's another visual tribute.

Wishing everybody a Happy Easter and a day filled with peace, love and new memories to add to your stash to cherish in the future. It's a day for those eleven-second therapeutic hugs I always write about, and in the process of a long hug, think about how much richer your life is thanks to the person you've got your arms around!

Happy Sunday...or Monday on the other side of the world.
Butterflies are nature’s angels. They remind us what a gift it is to be alive.
Robyn Nola
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A Photography Workshop That Should NOT be Missed!

4/18/2025

3 Comments

 
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May the stars whisper dreams into your heart and ignite your soul with the fire of possibility.
Unknown
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by Skip Cohen

Every now and then, a workshop comes along that should be on everyone's bucket list. Night sky photography in Sedona with Bob Coates should be on yours!

Bob and I have been friends for over twenty years. That friendship came out of my incredible respect for his skill set and creativity as an artist. Plus, I've learned so much just hanging out with him! We're both passionate about imaging, but Bob's love for education and helping photographers raise the bar on their skills is the "gold standard" in photography. 

... Sedona's clear skies and stunning landscapes make it one of the best places in the U.S. to capture the Milky Way in all its glory. Bob takes full advantage of the region's natural beauty, guiding participants through the process of shooting the stars, moon, and galaxies above.

In these workshops, Bob shares a wealth of knowledge about the technical side of night photography—how to capture long exposures, properly set up a camera for star trails, and fine-tune your settings to get the best results. He teaches about composition, how to use foreground elements like the iconic red rocks of Sedona to create a sense of depth, and how to work with lighting to enhance your shots. Once you've captured your images processing files is covered in depth.

Trust me - you'll never be disappointed in a program with Bob. It won't just be a trip under the night skies but an adventure you'll never forget. 
​

Check out the short video below, then click on any image in today's post for more information. ​

Images copyright Bob Coates. All rights reserved.
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3 Comments

Industry Icons...When They Were Seniors: Round 3

4/17/2025

1 Comment

 
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by Skip Cohen

It's my favorite day of the week, Throwback Thursday. Jumping into the time machine, here's one more round of well-respected industry leaders returning to their high school days or shortly after. And I still have a few more to share in the weeks ahead. Not everyone had access to their formal senior headshot, but that doesn't take away the fun of sharing these old images.

From the top left, Vicki Taufer, Fran Reisner, Bruce Berg, Nick Vedros, Bambi Cantrell, Yervant Zanazanian, Seth Resnick and George Varanakis. I've also got a BIG apology for mixing up Ralph Romaguera and Eddie Tapp in a previous post. That's Ralph on the left and Eddie on the right.

Besides the fun of looking back at what friends looked like so many years ago, the collection of images from these past posts shows the changes in trends, not just from black & white to color, but often in posing. Today's senior photographers are capturing not just a headshot but the subject's personality, often shooting several different styles/settings, ranging from the more conservative shot that "Mom" wants to capture to the hobbies and interests of the subject. 

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Ralph Romaguera, Eddie Tapp, and I are all close to the same age. Senior shots back then were usually done in a studio or the school, in black and white, with guys in white shirts, ties, and jackets and girls in nice blouses or sweaters, but nothing that captured anybody's personality. The pictures were delivered in one package with an 8x10, 5x7s, and a bunch of wallet-size photographs, which we all shared with each other.

For years, nothing really changed in the style of posing or lighting from when my mother was a senior! That's me and Mom, twenty-three years apart, and looking at a page from her yearbook, it could easily be swapped with a page in mine!

Today's seniors have photographs that tell their stories and different presentations. For example, Marathon Press is in one of its busiest seasons of the year right now with grad cards. There was no such thing as grad cards years ago. Graduating was still a big deal as we headed toward the next phase of our lives and adulthood, but we didn't have access to the technology that seniors have today.

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Click to learn more about Marathon's program for Seniors

​​Yes, Marathon is a sponsor of SCU, but I shared the screenshot from their website because it demonstrates the incredible difference between what's available to seniors today and what was available to seniors so many years ago.

Marketing to seniors is big business, but to be successful, it also requires a different skill set from when so many of us were seniors. A great senior session is about connecting with the subject, capturing their personality, and combining it with maximum creativity. 
If you're interested in the senior market, the first thing you need to do is ensure you've got the skill set, not just with your camera. You also need great communication skills and the ability to build a relationship with your subject.

Remember, for many seniors, this may be their first time working with a professional photographer. They're as nervous about getting a portrait done as they are in dealing with some of their own self-esteem issues. That means your listening and conversational skills must be as good as your understanding of exposure, composition, and lighting!

Meanwhile, congratulations to the class of 2025 and all the outstanding artists pushing the creative envelope in capturing their personalities!

Happy Throwback Thursday!
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