by successfulbob | charity photography, photography education
Let’s talk about raising your profile in the community. Many times you can do that by helping out various charities and/or fundraising using your photography skills. I don’t recommend doing this work for that reason only but a higher profile can be a by-product of supporting charities that you believe in.
Here’s an example of a recent shoot and blog post that I did for the Red Rock Rotary Club of Sedona. Make sure that you send an invoice for the work you do for the full amount. Then zero balance the total so that the value of the work you do is properly recognized. If you don’t let them know they will have their own thoughts on the value of your work.
by successfulbob | photography, photography education, success education
I’m a big fan of Roy Williams and the Monday Morning Memo. In this memo he writes about a word I see in many photographers’ descriptions of why they decided to get into the business. And, also why I feel so many don’t make it… Is this you?
The Follow-Your-Passion Myth
One of the books I’ll write someday is a collection of true stories gathered from extremely successful people.
My business as an advertising consultant and seminar speaker has put me face-to-face with many of the brightest stars in the entrepreneurial sky. And rarely do I miss the opportunity to ask them,
“Can you recall that fateful moment when you chose the fork in the road that led you to where you are today? How did you first get into this business?”
Never – not once – has a successful person said to me, “I followed my passion.”
But this is the answer you will hear again and again from people who are serving time in prison.
The world is full of rich people who are not, and never were, successful. People who stole the money, inherited the money, married the money, won the money in the stock market or in the lottery, cheated others out of the money or were awarded the money in court, do not qualify as “successful” in my admittedly subjective opinion.
The “Follow-Your-Passion” myth is pervasive because successful people are usually passionate. But those people would have been passionate about whatever they chose to do.
Their jobs don’t give them passion.
They give passion to their jobs.
The same is true in successful marriages.
Moon-eyed dreamers who say, “I just can’t find my passion” always act like I kicked their puppy when I tell them that passion is not a magical ether that can be located and tapped into. Passion is the shrapnel that flies from a three-way collision of determination, commitment and action.
While we’re at it, let’s pull the mask off a couple of other myths:
(1.) Passion doesn’t always manifest itself as happiness. Passion is also behind deep grief. (2.) Passion isn’t always confident. Worry is misguided passion, fearful passion, but it is passion nonetheless.
Don’t do what you’re passionate about.
Be passionate about what you do.
Don’t follow your passion.
Let your passion follow you.
Passion is created when determination and commitment are joined by the nitroglycerin of action. Leonardo da Vinci said it 480 years ago and he said it in Italian. Here is the clearest translation:
“People of accomplishment rarely sit back and let things happen to them. They go out and happen to things.”
Listen to Leonardo.
Go out and happen to something.
When we hear the laughter and the dancing,
the crying and the grief, we will know the shrapnel is flying.
Roy H. Williams
I highly recommend you subscribe to the Monday Morning Memo. A great way to start your week… get a taste of Roy here in this weeks Rabbit Hole… (It’s a place where, well, you have to spend time there to understand it. Click on the image of each page to drill down further and further)
by successfulbob | photography, photography - art quote, photography education
While I wouldn’t trade my time in the darkroom for anything I do appreciate that my darkroom has come into the light via my computer.
Today’s quote from John Sexton about the magic of trying to pull a print and the frustration & fun that lies therein is something that I now experience in working to create my fine art photo pieces in the computer. The difference is I have many more tools available at my beck and call… and the ability to repeat a print much easier. In the past I remember trying to pull a print like one I had already made and with the vagaries of dodging and burning and shifting chemistry making it near impossible to duplicate the exact tones.
Is this a good thing? It’s definitely different but I believe so. The idea is to get the image that is pre-visualized onto a media to share with others. We now have the tools to touch every single tone in an image giving us the ability to really make a print sing! I saw a quote from Ansel Adams in his auto-biography that he wished he could be around in 20 years (published in 1984) to see what others could get from his negatives via electronic means. It wouldn’t be the electronics but the operator that would be making the difference. He said that the images wouldn’t be like his but that people might very well get more from his negatives than he could in the darkroom.
I enjoy the challenge of sharing my imagery… no matter the way it is eventually created. The result is what counts, not the way in which it is achieved.
“For me the printing process is part of the magic of photography. It’s that magic that can be exciting, disappointing, rewarding and frustrating all in the same few moments in the darkroom.” John Sexton
by successfulbob | Lumix GX7, Lumix Lounge, musician photography, photography
Had a great time listening to and photographing ‘Link’ Linkin the swingin’ clarinet player. He put on a great show. Entertaining, fun and a wonderful musician. I was amazed at some of the notes he was able to play and hold. A real treat! It was part of Sound Bites Grill Show Lounge Series where you can have dinner and a show experience.
‘Link’ Linkin wailin’ away at the Sound Bites Grill in Sedona, Arizona
Link’s image was captured with the Panasonic Lumix GX7. A camera that I am really enjoying. It’s making photography fun again!
by successfulbob | Lumix GX7, Lumix Lounge, panorama
On my trip to Salt Lake City, Utah I was heading to a museum to look at art… It wasn’t open til noon and I went to the Red Butte Garden Arboretum to kill some time… And didn’t leave until it was time to head to the airport. I spent the time with nature’s art instead. What a beautiful space. On the campus of the University of Utah and the gardens are absolutely beautiful. I was fortunate that this late in the season there were still blooms available for viewing. This Botanical Garden and Arboretum is over 100 acres with trails into the foothills and along a wonderful creek. The garden areas are well tended and numerous. I kept thinking I had been to all the display gardens and every time I rounded a corner there was another pleasant visual surprise.
Here are some panoramic images I was able to create with in-camera stitching from the Panasonic Lumix GX7… I’ll share some of the other photos in a later post.
