Randomness - Being Nice

Being Nice

Random acts of kindness rock!  The other day I bought something from a guy on Craigslist.  Although Craigslist might not be for everyone, it's definitely a good source for used equipment (here's more in-depth thoughts).  The most sketchy part about it is both the sellers and the buyers.  As a seller, you wonder who's going to show up to buy what you're selling, if they even bother to show up.  As a buyer, you have to wonder if the seller is going to still have the item when you show up.

The other day I found something on Craigslist that I'd been looking for for a while.  I emailed the seller, we set up a meeting and life was good.  Then I had to cancel, which I figured was the end of my chances.  I emailed him, let him know and offered to set up another meeting, but not until a few days later.  It was a long shot, but he said it would work for him!

When I finally met up, he was a really nice guy and we talked about photography for a while.  When I thanked him for being so flexible with me and the schedule, he just said that he'd want someone to do the same for him and I should pay it forward.  This really made my evening.  Here's a guy who had no idea if I was even going to show up, yet he worked with me and made it a good experience.  I'll definitely pay it forward and will encourage others to do the same.  It can really make a person feel good!

Randomness - Batteries

Batteries

It seems that our lives these days are controlled by batteries. Ever had your cell phone battery die? It feels like the end of the world! Don't even get me stared on laptops.

We rely on the batteries in our cell phones, laptops, cameras, remote controls, iPods... you name it, it probably has a battery that needs charged (and without which we cannot survive a day). I have a strict charging regimen for my camera gear. As I type this, I'm charging batteries for two different cameras, a bunch of AAs for my flash, my Epson P-3000, my cell phone and my laptop. I've also got backup batteries for items like light meters and microphones. After tonight's wedding, I'll come home and do it all over again before tomorrow's wedding.

We take so much time to charge the batteries for the items that make our lives easier, but we so often neglect recharging ourselves. Can I take an evening off? Probably not... I've got a few things to do. How about a weekend? Are you crazy? I've got waaaay to much to do. Vacation? Get real.

I know that Belinda and I have both been draining our batteries faster than they can recharge. This fall, after wedding and senior photo season, I think we're due for a little break. Where do you go to recharge?

Regularly Scheduled Programming

Oh my, it appears I've been a slacker.  It's not like I don't have a few good reasons.  I've been a pretty busy guy!  You understand, right?

Next week, you'll be returned to your regularly scheduled programming, er... blogging.  On the schedule for the next few months I've got at least 5 wedding posts, lots of high school seniors, a few family shoots, reviews of new tech toys, some randomness and I'm finally wrapping up my Better Photos... Now! series.  I might even sprinkle in a few events!

See you soon!

Randomness - Writing Stuff Down

Writing Stuff Down

If you're like most people I know, you write lists.  Maybe it's a to-do list, a grocery list, or just a list of things that are on your mind so that you don't forget them.  I do the same thing.  Some things, though, I never write down.  For me, goals and dreams typically remain in my head.  It's not that I don't have them... I just don't write them down.

I'm not sure what keeps me from writing them down.  Maybe it makes them more real when they're written down.  Maybe when they're written down someone else might see them.  Whatever the reason, I just don't do it.  Or, should I say, I never used to.

About a year ago I heard about the Day Zero Project.  Essentially, it's a project where you try to accomplish 101 goals in 1001 days.  The neat thing about it is that it's an entire community, so you can see how other people are doing on their goals and what kind of goals they have.  If you're having a hard time coming up with 101 goals you can even see what the most popular goals are!

On a whim, I decided to try to come up with 101 goals for myself.  It was tough, but I did it.  I worked on them, I tracked them and I made progress.  Then the site went down.  For good.  I hadn't written the goals anywhere else, so although I felt a sense of relief at not having the responsibility of finishing all 101 goals, I also felt a bit of disappointment knowing that I'd never see how well I did on my goals.

A strange thing happened, though.  I remembered a bunch of my goals... and I kept working on them.  Apparently most of my goals weren't really that important to me, but a few of them were.  You want to know what made them stick with me, what made them real goals instead of something that could be dismissed or forgotten about?  The fact that I wrote them down.

When you write something down it becomes real.  It ceases to exist as just a thought and takes on a life of it's own.  It doesn't mean it's going to happen, but it does give it a better chance of happening.

If you want to start a list of your own, I just noticed that the Day Zero Project site is back online.  My list of 101 goals is even still there!  Now that I've had a few months without it, though, I'm not sure if I want to use it.  I know what my real goals are and I'm working towards them every day.

Randomness - Who's Right?

Who's Right?

I could hear the disgust in his voice.  "No cheese?"  "No, just the lunchmeat."  "Okaaayyy."  (that's how I spell OK when it's said with a fair amount of uncertainty... just an FYI)

I decided to stop by a different store the other day on my way home.  Normally, I buy some lunchmeat from the deli counter and get asked if I want cheese.  I usually say no.  No big deal.  I guess the new deli guy finds it quite offensive to have to even ask if you want cheese, let alone even consider a sandwich without it.  He didn't say so, but I could tell just by the sound of his voice that the thought of a cheese-less sandwich made him lose his appetite.

This got me to thinking about the old saying that "the customer is always right".  While that's certainly up for debate, when you provide a service or sell a product, you might not share the same tastes or needs as your customers, but they're the ones spending their money so you might want to give them what they ask for.

Now, as someone who creates for a living, there are a few different things at play here.  First, I should be attracting clients who like my style, which will keep any conflicts of interest to a minimum.  Second, there is my "artistic integrity", or things that I will or won't put my name on.  Third, there are the wants and needs of my clients.  Put them all together and you can see where there might be some problems from time to time.

Just as a sandwich maker might shudder at the thought of a cheese-less sandwich, I might shudder at the thought of taking a photo of a shirtless guy with a mustache and a mullet... in a seductive pose.  But, just as the sandwich maker might not like the sandwich he's making, he's not paying for it and he's not eating it.  If I had a photo session that was going great and Mr. Mustache said, "Hey, just one more photo.", I don't think I'd argue.  I'd snap the photo, give it to him with the rest of the photos he orders and move on.

Although your personal tastes might not perfectly match those of your clients, they're still your clients.  Treat them with respect and give them what they want (within reason, of course).  In the end, everyone will be happy.

Randomness - The Future

The Future

No one knows what their future holds.  No one can control where they end up.  There's no menu from which you can choose your destiny and no secret formula to get you where you want to be.

Today, or tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, a chance encounter might change your future.  It might have happened yesterday and you just don't know it yet.  Again, you don't have any control over when these things happen.

What you do have control over is your chances of success (or failure).  Although you can't control where you ultimately end up, you can control your direction by choosing which path you decide to take.  Although you can't control all of your encounters or what happens afterwards, you can control the frequency and quality of your encounters.

Every day you have the opportunity to give your destiny gentle nudges in the direction you want it to go. By getting out and meeting new people, you nudge it.  By nurturing your contacts, you nudge it.  By creating and contributing and participating and communicating, you nudge it.

Nothing is a sure thing.  No one can be 100% certain of what their future holds.  But, by knowing where you want to end up and heading in that direction you'll get close.  Sure, you might get sidetracked or even completely turned around for a while, but if you keep moving, keep looking forward, each step you take will get you closer to your goal and hopefully the people you've met along the way will help get you where you want to go.

Randomness - Random Things Photographers Do

Random Things Photographers Do

I'm normally a pretty reserved person, but put someone in front of me and a camera in my hand and I become a different person.  There's something about the need for creation that trumps the need for preserving my dignity.  Need an example?

The other day I was playing with my Polaroid SX-70.  I was trying some new film and wanted to shoot a photo at night.  We were down the by Denver Art Museum and I knew it was going to be a long exposure, so I placed the camera on the ground.  In order to see what I was taking a picture of, I had to lay on the ground as well.  So, down I went.  After composing the photo I pressed the shutter button and waited... and waited... and waited.  I think it was a 15-second exposure.  And I was laying flat on my stomach.  On the ground.  With people walking by.  Normal me would be saying, "Get up!  Everyone thinks you're weird!"  Photographer me says, "They'd better not get in my way.  This is going to be a great photo."  I'm not sure if it was a great photo, but I like it.  See it here.

Other things I've done include standing on just about anything that's convenient just to be a little taller, including chairs, benches, walls, handrails.  I've even climbed a chain-link fence and held on with one hand while holding the camera with my other hand!  Climbing into bushes to get a better shot?  Done it.  Stand in the street and hope I don't get hit by oncoming traffic?  Done that too.  Walk backwards down a rocky dirt hiking trail in the foothills while photographing a couple?  Yup.

Don't even get me started on making noises.  Whether it's getting the attention of a young child, a pet or just a group of people, I'm always amazed at the noises I make.  Hand gestures?  Leg gestures?  Jump around full-body gestures?  While making noises?  Been there, done that.  At least no one ever takes photos of me doing this stuff.

So, what have you done for your profession that you wouldn't normally do in your daily life?

Randomness - Criticism

Criticism

The other day I was talking to a fellow photographer and I asked her if she'd seen a recent photo shoot that I'd done.  She said that she had and I asked her what she thought.  She said, "Can I be honest?"

Those are words that you never really want to hear.  When you create something, you want people to like it.  It's easy to sit back and listen to people say how wonderful you are and how much they like your work.  It's not nearly as easy to hear people criticize your work or tell you what they don't like about it.  But you know what?  Sometimes it's necessary to get a little criticism.

She went on to tell me that there was nothing wrong with the photos.  They looked great.  It's just that when you have a great location with an attractive person and good lighting, it's not that hard to get photos that look great.  She was expecting more from me.  Not from my camera, not from my lenses, not from the models, not from the location, but from me.  She said I played it too safe.

The more I thought about it, the more I agree with her.  Sure, your average person might not know where to start with a studio full of lighting equipment and a DSLR, so of course most people are going to be happy and impressed with the photos.  They're not something that just anyone can make.  But what about other photographers?  Once you move past the basics of lighting and posing and apertures and shutter speeds, what makes one photographer different from any other?  There is no one specific thing, but there is always something, and she was telling me that I didn't let my something shine through.

It would have been easy to say, "Thanks for your input," and then go on about my business thinking, "Since everyone else liked the photos, what does she know?"  But really, when someone who you consider a friend and trust as a colleague puts themselves on the line to give you some criticism, you'd better listen, because that's not an easy thing to do.  It turns out that, while I might not agree with her 100%, I still learned something from her criticism.  Actually, after letting it sink in, I learned a lot.

I learned that although it might be easy to make good photos, it's not that easy to make good photos that only you can make.  I learned that instead of making photos that appeal to a few more people, maybe I should try making photos that appeal to a few less people.  One final thing, and probably the most important thing that I learned was that this photographer, this friend decided to take a chance and let me know what she thinks because she believes in me and wants to see me succeed.  I couldn't have asked for a better compliment than that.

Randomness - Habits

Habits

It amazes me at how hard it is to break a habit. I'm not talking about an addiction, like smoking. I'm talking about a simple habit, something so insignificant, yet so ingrained, that changing it is a monumental task. What's the habit I'm currently trying to break? Looking at a clock.

Maybe it's more accurate to say I'm trying to stop looking where a clock used to be. A few months ago we did some remodeling to our kitchen, part of which involved removing a clock from the wall. No big deal, right? Tell that to my brain. Every time I walk through the kitchen, I glance up at where the clock used to hang. Every time I'm doing dishes and want to see what time it is, I glance up at an empty wall. It's not there any more. I realize what I'm doing as soon as I do it, but for some reason I just can't stop.

Which leads me to my next point. Habits are hard to break, so doesn't it make sense to develop good habits? If a habit like looking at a clock is so hard to break, you'd better believe that I'm going to try to create some good habits whenever I get a chance. I'm not just talking about turning off my phone before going into a movie theater or flossing before bedtime (both of which are great habits, by the way). No, I'm talking about business habits, about communication and workflow, about best practices.

I'm trying to record business expenses as soon as they occur. I'm trying to reply to emails as soon as possible. I'm trying to write a thank you note within 24 hours of a photo shoot. I'm trying to upload photos and charge my batteries as soon as I get home from a photo shoot. In short, I'm trying to make all of the necessary aspects of the business into habits so I can focus on the bigger things without worrying about whether or not I charged my batteries and uploaded my memory cards. I know how hard it is to break a habit. That's why I'm trying to make habits I won't have to break.

Randomness - Conversations, Part II

Conversations, Part II

Before I went to college, I didn't talk much.  It's not that I didn't have anything to say.  It's just that I didn't say it to very many people.  I had a close group of friends that I could hang out with and talk to, but I rarely initiated conversations with anyone.  Things changed in college.

In college I opened up.  I started raising my hand in class.  I initiated conversations and said more than 5 words at a time. I joined a band, got up on stage and danced and sang.  People who knew me from high school couldn't believe it.  Sometimes, neither could I, but it was a change that stuck.  I don't always talk a lot.  Sometimes I find it's best to sit back and listen to what other people are saying.  Other times, though, it's good to have a conversation.

Opportunities begin with conversation.  A few months ago, I was photographing an event and met Kimothy and Tess, who also happen to be photographers (Love•n•Joy Photography).  We had a nice conversation, went our separate ways and continued to enjoy our evenings.  The next day I received an email asking if I'd consider helping them shoot weddings during the summer.  They also asked if I'd take their portrait.  That portrait session led to another conversation, in which we mentioned some personal photo shoots we were planning.  Now we're planning a pretty big bridal fashion shoot together.  Without that initial conversation we would not currently be making plans together for next week, next month or even next year.

It's often said that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.  Sometimes that first step is a smile, a "Hello" and a conversation.  Once you take that step, be prepared and open for opportunities to present themselves.  You never know where that first step is going to lead you.

In case you're wondering why this is "Conversations, Part II", you can read my first post on conversations here.

Randomness - Marketing Advice (From A Fortune Cookie)

Advice comes from many places. Sometimes they're sources you'd expect. Other times, not so much.

Take today for instance. This fortune cookie had been sitting on our coffee table for a few days. I finally decided to eat it. Inside, I found the message "Nobody can be exactly like you."

While this might be obvious, when applied to your marketing efforts, to your business and even to your life, imagine how powerful this statement is! Nobody can be exactly like you. Who you are is unique and if you offer yourself to your clients and to the people in your life, you can give them something that no one else can give them: you!

If you've read a few marketing books (at least marketing books for photographers), this isn't a new concept. I've seen it mentioned in almost every book I've read. Sometimes it's nice just to be reminded when you least expect it!

Randomness - Belonging

Belonging

I've always wanted to belong. Maybe I've never said anything, but one thing I know is that I've never wanted people to know that I'm an outsider. It's not that I'm afraid of feeling left out. I'm OK being by myself and doing things on my own. It's just that when I'm around a group of people, I'd rather be "in" than "out".

Lately I've been finding myself in more situations where I feel like I belong. Most recently, my wife and I went with a group of friends on a weekend snowshoeing adventure to Vagabond Ranch. This required a drive deep into the Colorado Rockies and a 3.6 mile hike/ski/snowshoe up to the cabin where we spent the weekend. We knew a few of the people who were on the trip, but we were just meeting a few of the others for the first time. Fortunately, we all got along great and had a wonderful weekend.

It would have been very easy to spend a weekend with 11 people and form little cliques. Instead, we all sat around and talked like we'd known each other for a lot longer than 24 hours. Some of us were avid hikers while some were skiers. Some of us were photographers while others were just married to photographers. Regardless, we all found something to talk about. By the end of the trip, we all belonged. No one was an outcast or an outsider. It felt great.

Thinking back, I've always wanted to belong. As far back as I can remember, I've tried to get along with everyone. Although I was a self-proclaimed band-geek (12 years of saxophone!), I always got along with the jocks, the preps, the gangsters and the nerds (and almost any other middle or high-school cliche group you can think of). If I couldn't get along with someone it really bothered me.

Whenever we went out of town, I always felt my confidence slip a little. When you're in school, you get to know people and build up relationships over the years. As much as I might be able to identify with a city or a local group of people, I could never be one of them. Regardless, I'd do my best to not be a tourist and try to fit in. To this day, I still have a hard time pulling out a map in public and asking for directions (thank you smart phones with GPS!). Although I know I'll never see the people again, I hate letting people know that I'm not a local.

Recently I've been getting involved in more and more groups and organizations that make me feel like I belong. CRAVE Denver is a great example. From my first social event, I've been treated like one of the ladies (it's a group for women business owners). A while back I went to a Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce luncheon and, once again, I was warmly welcomed by everyone I met and felt a sense of belonging.

It's not that I want to be like Norm from Cheers. I'm happy to go someplace where not everybody knows my name. It's just nice to know that there are places where people do know my name and are happy to see me when I stop by.

Randomness - Conversation

Conversation

Sometimes I try to have a conversation with Belinda that, before I ever open my mouth, I know will end up with Belinda thinking I am just a little bit crazier than she did before the conversation started. Take the other night for example. We were driving along and my mind started to wander to something that I had been thinking about the other day. I won't bore you with the details (like I did Belinda), but let's just say it involved apertures, shutter speeds, f-stops and math. Yeah, sounds like a great conversation, doesn't it?

They usually start out like this: "So, the other day I was thinking... wait, you remember the last time we talked about the relationship between apertures and shutter speeds, right? Kind of? OK, well..."

So, why do I start these conversations in the first place? I think I just want to get them out of my head. You know how when you say something out loud, like a person's name who you've just met, it's supposed to help you remember it? I think it's the same with these crazy conversations, but instead of helping me to remember, it helps me to think through any little details that I'm still not sure about. It also helps to run things by Belinda since she's super smart and isn't afraid to challenge my ideas (or just flat out tell me I'm wrong).

I think she's come to expect these kinds of things from me, because she actually gets into the conversations once in a while. While it would be really easy for her to just nod her head and say "Uh huh. Yeah. Sounds good to me. Good job figuring that out.", she doesn't! She asks questions, she gets clarification and she remembers what we talk about! Does this mean that she cares? Not necessarily. Does it mean she cares about me? Yes it does!

Randomness - The Right Tool For The Right Job

The Right Tool For The Right Job

I've always been a big proponent of using the right tool for the right job. For example, sometimes you can get away with using a hacksaw, which is made for cutting metal, to saw through a piece of wood. It's going to take you longer and make you work harder, but you can do it. If you decide to cut a bunch of wood, though, you're going to be wishing you had the right saw to do it.

Recently, I was reminded of this phrase by not following it. I finally got around to painting our front door. I made a quick check of the supplies I had, figured out what I needed, headed to Home Depot and came home with a gallon of paint. I already had rollers, paint trays, drop cloths... pretty much everything else I needed. Unfortunately, painting a smooth fiberglass door is a lot different from painting a textured wall. The rollers I had gave the door an interesting texture. Unfortunately, we didn't want a textured door, so I grabbed a brush to smooth out the texture. That gave me some nice brush marks. Since I'd already started, I figured I'd finish the first coat and then go get the right tools for the next coat.

A few days later I picked up some foam rollers that are made specifically for doors. They lay down a nice smooth coat of paint, they fit all the little nooks and crannies of the door and they make the job so much easier. As I was painting, I wondered how much easier it would have been to start with one of those rollers. Instead of the 3-4 coats I'm looking at now (to get rid of the brush marks), I could have been done in two.

It's the same with photography. Photographing sports is a lot different from photographing a wedding which is a lot different from creating a portrait. They all need different lenses, different lighting and maybe even different camera bodies. They use different techniques and different skill sets. Who do you think is going to be a more successful football photographer: The person who has a knowledge of football, knows where the action is going to take place and brings just the necessary equipment or the person with the most expensive camera and 10 lenses who doesn't know much about football?

Every time I try something new, I'm painfully reminded of how much practice goes into mastering one particular area of photography. Whether it's sports, food, people or a wedding, every job is different. My toolbox is nowhere near full, which means that from time to time I have to do things the hard way. Just like cutting wood with a hacksaw, I get the job done, but I wouldn't want to do it that way every time. Fortunately, each new job seems to be getting a little easier. Anyone have a door that needs painted?

Randomness - Networking

Networking

I'm not sure why, but it seems like lately I've been getting a little better at networking. Yes, it was one of my 2010 resolutions, so I'd better be making some progress, right? Well, I finally feel like I'm getting there.

Take, for instance, last night. I've been working with CRAVE Denver, a guidebook and network for local women-owned businesses, doing photo shoots for their upcoming book. Because CRAVE isn't just about a book, but about building networks, there are occasional parties where all of the women in the book have a chance to meet each other. I was asked to take some photos at last night's event. It turns out the only other guy around was the DJ/dance instructor. Let me tell you, these events are amazing! No, I'm not just saying that because I'm the only guy in a room full of women. What's amazing is the way these women network.

As I made my way through the crowd last night taking photos and meeting local business owners, one thing kept coming up in conversation. The atmosphere and attitudes were all about helping each other. No one was snobby, no one was mean... everyone was so nice! If there were two people who did the same thing, they were talking to each other as friends, not as competitors. This couldn't have been more clear than with my fellow photographers.

I would guess that there were at least 10 different photographers at the event last night. What really struck me was how we all felt comfortable with each other. We weren't comparing how many shoots we'd done this year. We weren't seeing who had the cooler business cards. We weren't talking gear to see who had the biggest lens or most expensive camera. None of that. Instead, we talked about what we shoot, who we know and how we might be able to help each other. We actually networked!

As Belinda and I were driving home, I mentioned to her how nice it was to talk to other photographers and not get into a competition over who has the best gear. There was hardly even any mention of Canon vs. Nikon! Let me tell you, that's a minor miracle. With that many photographers in the same room I'm surprised we didn't break off into cliques based on camera manufacturer, secretly talking trash and giving the other groups dirty looks.

Of course, Belinda wasn't surprised. She says that's the way women's networking events work. It's not about who has the best, or the most, or the whatever. It's about "how can we help each other." I like it! It's so refreshing. I walked away from the event last night feeling very positive and energized. I made quite a few good connections that I hope will blossom into fruitful working relationships. I'm aware that meeting people is the easy part of networking. The hard part comes in maintaining contact and keeping the connections alive. Something tells me the people I met last night will be able to teach me a thing or two about doing that as well.

Randomness - Salad

Salad

Salad isn't something that you normally get really excited about. Sometimes, though, salads are fun.

Belinda and I always look forward to our salads. I don't think it's because we really love salad (OK, Belinda does but I don't... it wouldn't be my choice for my last meal), but we really love salad nights. A salad is something we make together. It represents teamwork. It's always different, depending on which veggies we got in our vegetable share. It's also one of the few things Belinda helps me prepare.

If I'm grilling meat or making soup, she's nowhere to be found. But, as soon as I pull out a head of lettuce and some carrots, she's in the kitchen, putting on an apron and kicking me out of the way! Never argue with a woman with a knife in one hand and a salad spinner in the other.

I love cooking, so it's no big deal that Belinda doesn't usually help me cook. Long ago, we determined our kitchen was a "one-butt kitchen". If there's more than one person in there trying to cook, that's one butt too many. Somehow, though, we make it work when it's time for salad, which is a good thing. I don't think a salad I made by myself would taste nearly as good.

Randomness - Telemarketers

Telemarketers

I got a phone call from a telemarketer the other day. It kind of caught me off guard, as I don't know the last time I got a call like that. It's been years. So, she just dove in and started telling me how great Comcast Digital Cable is. She must have talked for a solid minute before saying, "So let's go ahead and get you signed up." I kindly told her I wasn't interested, which launched her into telling me all about the great channels they offer, "so let's go ahead and get you signed up." When I said thanks, not interested, we don't watch TV she asked what type of movies we like to watch and started rambling off a list of movie genres. I finally just said I was not interested, said goodbye and hung up.

I hate being rude, but come on! That's some high-pressure sales. OK, maybe not used-car sales high-pressure, but still intense, like drinking from the proverbial fire hose. Even when you want to stop you can't!

It got me thinking about my retail days. I never pushed anything on anyone. I was Mr. Nice Guy. I helped the customer, I informed them, I made suggestions, but ultimately it was their decision and their money. Treat people how you'd want to be treated. If I go out to buy something, I'm much more likely to purchase something from someone who treats me with respect and answers my questions than someone who pushes a product on me and can't wait to close the sale.

So, how do I apply this experience to my business? First, I have to start selling something. Sure, I offer prints and products, but I don't actively sell them. I try to let them sell themselves, but without any kind of sales meeting, it's pretty hard. That's all going to change in 2011. I'll hold sales sessions, but they won't really be about selling something. They'll be about getting feedback, figuring out what people want and showing them what their options are. No pressure, no expectations, just information and examples. The last thing my customers want to hear is, "So let's go ahead and get you signed up."

Randomness - A Teaser From Atlanta

Atlanta

I'm currently sitting in a hotel room in Atlanta. Before flying out here, I picked up a book, The Zen Of Social Media Marketing by Shama Hyder Kabani, at the library. I pretty much read the entire book on the plane and took copious amounts of notes.

You'll hear a lot more about this book in the future. I'm hoping I'll be able to write something like, "I read this book 3 months ago and it completely changed my business. I don't know how I ever survived without it!", but we'll just have to wait and see. Regardless, it's a pretty amazing read and I'd recommend it to any business owner, even if you don't know the first thing about My Face or Tweety.

Also, I just want to say this: Atlanta, you are hot and muggy, but I can manage. Please be nice to me during my photo shoots. This photographer isn't used to the humidity!

Randomness - Kitchens

Kitchens

Ever notice that when you're at a party, or at home with family during the holidays, or even just over at a friend's house, you almost always end up standing around talking in the kitchen? It doesn't matter if the kitchen is the smallest room in the house, it's hot, and all of the food is sitting in another room, everyone will end up hanging out in there.

Well, add another time to the list that you end up standing around the kitchen talking: When you visit a food photographer's studio! I recently had the pleasure of visiting Souders Studios. I'll have to tell you more about that trip some other time (hint: it was amazing!), but for now I want to focus on this kitchen thing.

During the tour, I saw a very nice client lounge area, a fun meeting room and an outdoor patio. Where do you think we ended up standing around talking? Yup, the kitchen. Not that I'm complaining! It was a really nice kitchen. It just occurred to me that evening that you just can't get away from the fact that if you're going to have a conversation and there's a kitchen anywhere close to you, somehow the conversation will end up taking place in the kitchen.

OK, I feel like there's some sort of joke about alphabet soup here (you know... words, talking, food, kitchens), but I've got nothing.

Randomness - Efficiency

Efficiency

As I've said in the past, I subscribe to a lot of magazines. At the moment, I have so many magazines, I'm actually stressing out about reading them all. I wonder what kind of information is sitting there, just waiting for me to read it. Will it be out of date or irrellevent by the time I get around to picking up that magazine? Is there something that I totally need to know about that through some strange twist of fate never found its way onto the internet? I doubt it. But I still want to read them before they get too old.

While I was watching the Creativelive broadcast of Jasmine Star , something she said struck me as quite insightful and important. She was talking about how she made a decision early on in her career to outsource her photo editing. Because there's only one of her and she'd rather be taking photos than editing them, she decided it was worth it to her to spend money paying someone else to edit her photos, while at the same time she was out making more money taking more photos.

I didn't have my epiphany at that moment. I just thought, "Makes sense," and kept watching. Later that evening, though, when I was reading a magazine and came across an article about a large format printer or something like that, it struck me. I. Don't. Care. I don't care about large format printers. I don't use them, I don't plan on using them, I don't need to read an article about them. Sure, someday I might care about them. When that happens, there will be new ones on the market and I can read about them then.

Then I started flipping through the articles in the magazine and found a few more that just did not apply to me. Review of a new Canon lens? I shoot Nikon. Next! Aperture techniques? I use PCs and Lightroom. Next!

It was so liberating to not feel like I have to read something just because it's in a magazine! I was done with that magazine in record time. I don't feel like I missed anything. I don't feel guilty. I feel like I was just given 30 minutes to do something else I enjoy more than reading articles about gear that I don't care about and am not considering purchasing in the near future. Instead of reading an article out of some obligation to a magazine that cost me $10, I should instead be using a camera and lens that cost me a whole lot more than $10. Or I should be editing photos from a recent photo shoot so that I can make some money. Or I should type a blog post telling you all about my epiphany. Yeah, that sounds good.