You never know what you will see when on assignment. At first I thought I discovered a new species, a rainbow caterpillar. After consulting numerous taxonomic books realized that what I had actually found was Girlscoutis innovatum (common name, “clever Girl Scouts”)
What do you do when you get rained on? Innovate!…
A company is a team of people working together. The question is, “What are they working for?”
Every business owner would love knowing his or her team is working for the growth and enhancement of the company. Everyone has a position and a strategic role to play, whether it’s the bat boy or the captain.
Sometimes owners get caught up in the demands of running the business and aren’t able to express their gratitude as much as they would like. Team members may drift from working for growth and enhancement to simply working for the paycheck. The best companies are the ones where everyone feels valued and appreciated for what they contribute.
Here’s a question. How many owners keep a photo of their team on the wall in their office to remind them just what their company really is? If I had a boss that kept my photo on his or her wall I think I’d feel pretty special.
…
Each August the pilgrims pass through Frenchtown on their way to the American Czestochowa in Doylestown, PA. They start in Great Meadows, make their way across NJ and into PA. They cross the Delaware via the Frenchtown/Uhlerstown bridge, a narrow, steel truss bridge maintained by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission (DRJTBC). The DRJTBC loves images of its bridges being used and often give me the heads up when events like this are happening so I can 
get some images for its use.
The pilgrims are just regular folks walking with a purpose. When I photograph events like this, I’m like a bee, buzzing in and out grabbing shots. The cross bearer couldn’t have cared, less being totally focused on his walk.
I like this. Focus is everything. There are more than many distractions everywhere but when we can focus, life is clearer, sharper and more… well, in focus.
…
It’s Friday. It’s August. It’s still summer.
The boss is on vacation…. Have another mug of coffee.…
For some reason it always seem like I’m climbing ladders (or trees or fences or buildings) to get a little higher perspective on a shot. This was the perfect angle to get some zip-line photos for the Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey (GSHNJ) at Camp DeWitt. We didn’t have any trouble getting volunteers for this activity, one the kids’ favorites.
Shooting the camp activities for GSHNJ was fun and almost made me wish I was at camp myself. There is a special feelings at Girl Scout camps. There is an air of camaraderie and collaboration along with excitement and a lot of laughing. They never slow down and seem to enjoy every minute being with each other. THe love and support they show each other is inspiring and a model for all of us.
…
While on assignment shooting footage and stills at the Historic Red Mill in Clinton, NJ, I couldn’t help but marvel at the quality of craftsmanship and durability of the old iron gears. They operated for decades, endlessly turning in sync and enduring year after year. They was made right good!
It got me thinking about the word “gear” and how it can have such a positive connotation. There is nothing like having good gear, gearing up, getting into gear and getting in sync. I guess the key is to not grind ’em.…
Stuff we do today will reverberate in our future.
Back in 2004 Chris Anderson coined the phrase, The Long Tail, to describe how some products sell in small quantities over a long, long time outdoing big sellers that come and go. Like many business concepts, this one entered my brain, fermented, digested and morphed into a completely different interpretation from what it really means. (That’s OK, it’s my brain.)
I like to think of the long tail as a long term effect of things I do now, for better or worse. (ideally for better!)
Nothing ever quite goes away especially if you keep it active by feeding it over time. The photo above is a shot of Hunterdon County Administrator, Kevin Davis hanging one of my photos in the freeholders’ meeting room. This is a photo of one of the last covered bridges in NJ, located in Sergeantsville, Hunterdon County. The shot was originally commissioned back in 2011, as a cover shot for the Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce Directory. Six years later it emerges again.
So what I try to keep in mind is “What am I doing today?”…
Mushrooms are funny organisms. Most of the time they are invisible to us growing networks of mycelium below the ground, out of site.
It’s these networks that collect the nutrients and are the foundation of the plant. Mycelium are often symbiotic meaning they may both benefit their environments as well as derive benefits.
When conditions are ripe, they can suddenly burst forth in full fruit. But the fruiting is temporary. It’s the foundation that persist to fruit another day.…
Sometimes, I get to do personal photos for people to use for their dating site profiles. Having these photos done well is certainly not a bad idea. I love creating images that express people in a positive light.
I’ve browsed dating sites myself (just researching, of course) and many of the photos I’ve seen are pretty awful (and some are just plain scary). I’ve been tempted to send a message with photo tips, but figure that would just be insulting. I guess that when people decide to go on-line they root around for recent photos they may have and post the best ones. Or maybe they get out the ol’ cell phone and try a few selfies.
I’m sure that this approach is convenient but it is really not optimal. Dating sites are advertisements and you are your brand. Whether it’s a website, magazine ad or a dating profile, the first thing that people see are photos. If they are compelling then they will read the text. The whole intent is to send a positive message.
When I do shoots for dating sites, we do our best to keep it relaxed, playful and fun. That’s when personalities emerge. One of my clients told me he got so many interested responses he had to take down his profile. Another client reported she almost immediately began dating someone. (Makes me feel like I’m a match maker.)
So here are a few tips if you know someone doing the dating site thing.
- Make sure the photos are fun, happy and real. Use a mix of portraits and semi-candids.
- Make sure you have good quality images. Dark photos, blurry photos or photos that are too far away are essentially useless and subtract from your message.
- Don’t hide behind sunglasses or bury yourself in a crowd.
Branding an event is as important as branding your business. What’s it all about? How do you get people to attend? By having fun.
Every year, Frenchtown NJ, a Delaware River town and my home base, has an end of summer event call Riverfest. It is fun but was never especially distinctive. Two years ago some guys started dressing up like Vikings and created an event within the event called the Paper Boat Races. Kids make paper boats, drift them down the river and see which one wins. Simple and fun. The Vikings moderate it and all the spectators can see the race from the bridge.
Just by being fun, goofy and original, the Riverfest Vikings became a favorite part of the day for everyone. I am a big supporter of Frenchtown and thought it would be great to use the love of the Riverfest Vikings to brand the festival, so I got them together for a photoshoot. First some high school-style headshots in the studio then a group shot by the river. We used a green screen so we can clip and insert backgrounds later.
Once we got the shot down by the river it seemed like a great time to up the ante and spontaneously do a video. So I sent them into the river, gave them their lines and let them work their magic. It’s a short clip and the guys are hilarious. I think we’ve successfully branded the spirit of Riverfest.
…