Cup of Joe Photo

Confessions of a Disgruntled Awards Night Host

If you missed the awards night intro this year, you can see it here, right now. Well friends, Ron Dawson made me look like I could actually kinda act. Being in front of the camera is MUCH more difficult than being behind it. This video was so fun to do! I'd like to thank Ron (it was his idea) and his lovely wife Tasra, my favorite San Francisco brutha Brook Todd (You're money baby) and Skip Cohen and all the staff at WPPI for giving my the best two nights of my life hosting the awards night banquet:) I love all you guys, and I'm not just sayin' it because I want to host again. Oh and thanks also to what's her name...

Ingrid & I in Vegas

My lovely wife is awesome! She is so patient and understanding with me in Vegas. She actually dreads this convention because of the totally hectic pace, lack of sleep, smoke filled casinos and my ever changing plans. It's good to be home and I look forward to a return to quiet living. Ingrid is the foundation of everything I know is important. I'm truly blessed to have her as my wife and my best friend.

Coming home

WOW! What an incredible week it has been in Vegas. WPPI was better than ever! I'm so proud to be a part of such a wonderful, nuturing community of talented artists. It's 3:30 in the morning here, and I'm ready for some sleep. I'll be posting more about my experinces over the next several days. Until then, check out the portrait that Kate Benson did of me while I was mentoring her as the winner of the Thirst Relief bid.
I'll be home tonight. Cheers.

Robert Mapplethorpe

You're never going to get anywhere in life if you don't live up to your obligations. -Robert Mapplethorpe

Love him or hate him, he has an important point here. His comment reminds me of the "The Four Agreements". Two of the agreements are to "be impeccable with your word" and "always do your best". If you do what you promise to do and always do you best, you will go far in life and especially with those closest to you. These practices are making huge changes in my personal life. The journey is exciting, practice living up to your obligations.

Andrea & Benn Engagement

Andrea and Benn were so cute together. They had a great time with each other as I was shooting them. One of the critical elements of a successful portrait session, is that the clients be relaxed and comfortable with their photographer. It's easy for me to be excited and affirming while I'm shooting. As a result, the clients can enjoy the session, and the results show in their expressions. Enjoy!

The Long Tail

Chris Anderson is on to something here. I found this book fascinating. His research is fresh and interesting. He examines consumer trends capitalizing on countless niche markets as the web provides vastly greater choices for individuals to explore and purchase their preferences. Check out his blog too. A big shout out to David Jay for giving me this audio book. Thanks brother! You bless me.

Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly Wired editor Anderson declares the death of "common culture"—and insists that it's for the best. Why don't we all watch the same TV shows, like we used to? Because not long ago, "we had fewer alternatives to compete for our screen attention," he writes. Smash hits have existed largely because of scarcity: with a finite number of bookstore shelves and theaters and Wal-Mart CD racks, "it's only sensible to fill them with the titles that will sell best." Today, Web sites and online retailers offer seemingly infinite inventory, and the result is the "shattering of the mainstream into a zillion different cultural shards." These "countless niches" are market opportunities for those who cast a wide net and de-emphasize the search for blockbusters. It's a provocative analysis and almost certainly on target—though Anderson's assurances that these principles are equally applicable outside the media and entertainment industries are not entirely convincing. The book overuses its examples from Google, Rhapsody, iTunes, Amazon, Netflix and eBay, and it doesn't help that most of the charts of "Long Tail" curves look the same. But Anderson manages to explain a murky trend in clear language, giving entrepreneurs and the rest of us plenty to think about. (July) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Bookmarks Magazine
In The Long Tail, Chris Anderson offers a visionary look at the future of business and common culture. The long-tail phenomenon, he argues, will "re-shape our understanding of what people actually want to watch" (or read, etc.). While Anderson presents a fascinating idea backed by thoughtful (if repetitive) analysis, many critics questioned just how greatly the niche market will rework our common popular culture. Anderson convinced most reviewers in his discussion of Internet media sales, but his KitchenAid and Lego examples fell flat. A few pointed out that online markets constitute just 10 percent of U.S. retail, and brick-and-mortar stores will never disappear. Anderson's thesis came under a separate attack by Lee Gomes in his Wall Street Journal column. Anderson had defined the "98 Percent Rule" in his book to mean that no matter how much inventory is made available online, 98 percent of the items will sell at least once. Yet Gomes cited statistics that could indicate that, as the Web and Web services become more mainstream, the 98 Percent Rule may no longer apply: "Ecast [a music-streaming company] told me that now, with a much bigger inventory than when Mr. Anderson spoke to them two years ago, the quarterly no-play rate has risen from 2% to 12%. March data for the 1.1 million songs of Rhapsody, another streamer, shows a 22% no-play rate; another 19% got just one or two plays." If Anderson overreaches in his thesis, he has nonetheless written "one of those business books that, ironically, deserves more than a niche readership" (Houston Chronicle).

Gambling

I find the timing of this story amusing. Quite funny actually. I'm a Catholic who, just this past Thursday, took my Grandma and my God father (who is a Catholic Deacon) out to Harrahs in San Diego to play slot machines. I am not at all into gambling. It's not the slightest temptation for me. My grandma, who is one of the most devout Christians I know, likes to play slots. Good for her, it's her entertainment. I prefer shopping at Louis Vuitton. (That actually might be a sin.) Anyway, I'll be pondering this story further as I drive out to Vegas today. Cheers.

Conservative Roman Catholic bishops in the Philippines were not amused when three nuns were photographed playing slot machines and blackjack at a gaming fair in Manila.

The church, which frowns on all forms of gambling, launched an inquiry and says the nuns could face sanctions from the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines if found to have sinned.

Archbishop Oscar Cruz told local radio Tuesday that he has ordered an investigation and will take "steps on the sisters' actions."

Cruz said the church "strictly prohibits men of the cloth... including nuns ... from gambling."

Cruz said the church recently defrocked a parish priest who was caught gambling in a provincial casino.

He described as "shameful" photographs and television footage showing nuns playing blackjack and trying out slot machines at the launch of a Gaming Expo in Manila.

Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. spokesman, Edward King, described the incident as "innocent."

"The sisters are innocent of the ways and means of the world. I'm not saying they are saints."

He said the nuns "played without money" and denied the nuns were tricked into playing blackjack and using the slot machines.

Banner Banner

I designed my first banner for a wedding coordinator friend of mine. Sheryal Rozelle of Unique Elegance has created a very large Indian and Southeast Asian Bridal Show for Southern California. It's going to take place this Sunday. Since I'll be heading to Vegas, this is the first year I couldn't participate as a vendor, so I made her a banner. Check it out, it's 31 x79 inches. Totally cool for promotions. I'm certain I'll be making more. Check them out here.

Henri Cartier-Bresson

To take photographs means to recognize - simultaneously and within a fraction of a second - both the fact itself and the rigorous organization of visually perceived forms that give it meaning. It is putting one's head, one's eye and one's heart on the same axis. Henri Cartier-Bresson

This is a movie that should not be missed! Enjoy every moment.

Volunteers Needed

I need 8 photographers who enjoy their daily "cup of joe" to help me spread the good news of my blog at the WPPI convention. I have thousands of postcards introducing the blog (and some exciting new surprises). Be the first to know! I will meet with the willing Evangelists on Sunday at 5 pm at Paris and give each person a stack to distribute. Drinks are on me and the top 3 promoters will receive rewards. Details to be discussed on Sunday.

Interested?

Send me an email and tell me who you are why you'd like to participate. Please send asap to becky@joephoto.com. We will contact you on Friday with the specific details. I'm looking for enthusiasm and passion! I'm an equal opportunity...well...you get the picture. Let the games begin. Cheers!

Awards Night

One week from tonight, WPPI will be holding it's Awards Night Celebration. Sadly, I will not be hosting it this year. I know, I know, I had fun while it lasted. I really enjoyed the stage, and the spotlight, of course. These images of Skip and I were a classic moment I'll always remember. They were sent to me by Wayne Wallace after the convention last year. Thanks Wayne! Does anyone remember why Skip is wearing my Prada glasses? Bonus points if you do.

Last of Joshua Tree

These represent the last of my favorites from the Joshua Tree shoot last week. It's very interesting to me that as I keep going back to the originals, I'll spot images that I had previously overlooked. The artist in me wants to continually manipulate my favorites. I loose all sense of time while in Photoshop. However, the reality is that - Photography is also my Business. It provides my family and I a terrific life. For most of my life, I've focused on the my art, and done well in business. For the past year, I've immersed myself in business ideas to expand the reach and impact of my art. I love my "job". It's exciting to pour energy into my passion. These photo field trips are building up a library of images I will make available as fine art prints in galleries and on the web. How will you turn your passion into profit? If you cannot do that, photography will just be a hobby. Enjoy.

Wild At Heart

Last Sunday, a friend at church recommended this book to me. Two years earlier, Mike Colon told me about this book while we were waiting in the surf for a wave. I logged the info back then, and acted on it now. (There is a great lesson to learn here. Often, it takes more than one exposure to information to act upon it. Consider the implications for your business or personal life. Our brand identity should be seen by our potential clients in many places and talked about by many sources within our industries to be the most effective. On a personal level, I know how many times my wife will "remind" me to take out the trash or repair something that is broken. Repeat exposure works.)

I downloaded the audio book last Sunday night and listened to it from start to finish on Monday. It rocked my world. I was secretly yearning for this confirmation about a man's need for adventure and playfulness. The authors words encouraged my heart as I listened. One statement the author made strongly validated the path set forth before me - the road less travelled actually. I am being invited into deeper substance and purpose in my life. I strongly believe that when you are prepared to receive a blessing, a blessing will come. Often, it's not what you expect.

The reason I spend so much time recommending books (every Monday) is because they can change your life in powerful ways... if you read them. So if you're ready for a change, perhaps you should start by reading this book! Enjoy!

Editorial Reviews Amazon.com If Christian men are going to change from a pitiful, wimpy bunch of "really nice guys" to men who are made in the image of God, they must reexamine their preconceptions about who God is and recover their true "wild" hearts, writes bestselling author John Eldredge in Wild at Heart: Discovering a Life of Passion, Freedom, and Adventure. Eldredge throws down the gauntlet--men are bored; they fear risk, they refuse to pay attention to their deepest desires. He challenges Christian men to return to authentic masculinity without resorting to a "macho man" mentality. Men often seek validation in venues such as work, or in the conquest of women, Eldredge observes. He urges men to take time out and come to grips with the "secret longings" of their hearts. Although the book succeeds best in its slant toward a male audience, it also strives to help women understand the implications of authentic masculinity in their relationships with men. Eldredge frames the book around his outdoor experiences and appealing anecdotes about his family, sprinkling the text with touches of humor and overlying everything with heartfelt passion. Even as he mixes eclectic ideas about masculinity from popular movies such as Braveheart with classic words from Oswald Chambers, and lyrics from the Dixie Chicks with stories from the Bible, he points to only one answer for men searching for their true wildness of heart. Writes Eldredge, "The only way to live in this adventure ... with all its danger and unpredictability and immensely high stakes ... is in an ongoing, intimate relationship with God." --Cindy Crosby

Book Description
God designed men to be dangerous, says John Eldredge. Simply look at the dreams and desires written in the heart of every boy: To be a hero, to be a warrior, to live a life of adventure and risk. Sadly, most men abandon those dreams and desires-aided by a Christianity that feels like nothing more than pressure to be a "nice guy." It is no wonder that many men avoid church, and those who go are often passive and bored to death. In this provocative book, Eldredge gives women a look inside the true heart of a man and gives men permission to be what God designed them to be-dangerous, passionate, alive, and free.

Free to Soar

I have long believed that my destiny is to soar. If I were to be any animal, it would be an Eagle or perhaps a Hawk. I admire how they stretch out their wings and glide on the currents of the wind. Without the wind, birds have to stay in the air by flapping their wings. The wind helps them to soar. Perhaps you can be that wind to someone in your life that needs a little help getting off the ground.

Free to Soar by: Wayne B. Lynn, Life, Free To Soar

One windy spring day, I observed young people having fun using the wind to fly their kites. Multicolored creations of varying shapes and sizes filled the skies like beautiful birds darting and dancing in the heady atmosphere above the earth. As the strong winds gusted against the kites, a string kept them in check.

Instead of blowing away with the wind, they arose against it to achieve great heights. They shook and pulled, but the restraining string and the cumbersome tail kept them in tow, facing upward and against the wind. As the kites struggled and trembled against the string, they seemed to say, "Let me go! Let me go! I want to be free!" They soared beautifully even as they fought the imposed restriction of the string. Finally, one of the kites succeeded in breaking loose. "Free at last" it seemed to say. "Free to fly with the wind."

Yet freedom from restraint simply put it at the mercy of an unsympathetic breeze. It fluttered ungracefully to the ground and landed in a tangled mass of weeds and string against a dead bush. "Free at last" free to lie powerless in the dirt, to be blown helplessly along the ground, and to lodge lifeless against the first obstruction.

How much like kites we sometimes are. The Lord gives us adversity and restrictions, rules to follow from which we can grow and gain strength. Restraint is a necessary counterpart to the winds of opposition. Some of us tug at the rules so hard that we never soar to reach the heights we might have obtained. We keep part of the commandment and (pardon the pun) never rise high enough to get our tails off the ground.

Let us each rise to the great heights God has in store for us, recognizing that some of the restraints that we may chafe under are actually the steadying force that helps us ascend and achieve.

More from "The Tree"

Photo field trips are fun! These are from an abandoned mine shaft. What textures! Enjoy!

Joshua Tree Images

Yesterday, (on three hours of sleep) I went out to Joshua Tree for the first time. My super fabulous friend Becker was the tour guide [b]ecause he's been out there many times over the years shooting killer images. We decided last week that we needed to schedule trips like these for ourselves to connect with nature, creativity, and each other. We shot for about 3 hours in the desert, had lunch, drove the 300 mile round trip journey and I got back to my house around 6 pm. What a blast! I tweaked a few images from my first downloaded card, but I'm tired now (and looking forward to sleeping well tonight), so I'll post more images through the weekend. Enjoy!

Sleeplessness

The last 2 nights, I've had trouble falling asleep. This is very unusual for me. I usually hit the pillow, take 3 breathes and I'm out. So last night I got up and started reading quotes. Reading helps me to relax. I came across this one and knew I had to post it for today. It's 2:27 am. Now I'm going back to bed. Sweet dreams.

If you can't sleep, then get up and do something instead of lying there worrying. It's the worry that gets you, not the lack of sleep. - Dale Carnegie

WPPI Joe Photo Pics

I've been attending WPPI for the last 8 years. I've learned so much and been so inspired by the extraordinary photographers that have shared their art and their businesses with others. This year I'll be attending as many programs as I can. I've listed some of my favorites. I hope to see you all there. Cheers.

Monday
KEVIN KUBOTA & DOUG GORDON
Best of the Best—50 Trade Secrets That Will Change Your Business
Las Vegas Rooms 4-7
8:30-10:30 a.m.
Doug Gordon is known for his beautiful imagery and amazing business sense. With a studio that photographs over 900 weddings a year and franchise studios exploding nationwide, Doug knows a thing or two about making a great living at photography. Kevin Kubota runs a low-volume couture studio with intimate customer service and powerful emotional imagery at the core of his business. He has successfully trained thousands of photographers in the ways of digital efficiency and artistry. Together, Kevin and Doug have compiled 50 of their best ideas, tools, concepts and techniques that have contributed to their success. You can apply these secrets today and turn your business around or take it through the roof! Sponsored by Eventpix.

MARCUS BELL
The Art of Presentation: At the Heart of Your Business
Platinum Room
4:30-6:30 p.m.
Marcus has shown how “Shooting From the Heart” helps clients connect with their wedding photos. Now learn how to present these images to clients and create fantastic, unique products they will love to buy. In 2006, Marcus’ studio, Studio Impressions, was named #1 studio in Australia by a panel of 50 of industry leaders. During this seminar, Marcus reveals his secrets for becoming the top studio in the country, including the tools and techniques he uses to make his studio great. Learn the secrets that will transform the way you think about professional photography. Sponsored by Photodex.

JB & DEETTE SALLEE
Weddings From the Big D
Las Vegas Rooms 1-3
4:30-6:30 p.m.
In Dallas, Texas, there's big hair, big weddings and big competition. Award-winning photographers JB & DeEtte will share with you how, in three short years, they have become two of the most sought-after wedding photographers in their area. They will discuss wedding packages, pricing, destination weddings and how they market themselves so they can hand-select their couples. They will share award-winning album designs and tips on albums that will blow your clients away. Get ready for some action-packed slide shows and information that will pump you up for your next wedding! Sponsored by Miller's Professional Imaging, Kambara, Collages.net.

TUESDAY

MATTHEW JORDAN SMITH
Shooting Your Passion Into Profit
Platinum Room
8:30-10:30 a.m.
Join celebrity/beauty photographer Matthew Jordan Smith as he shares the secrets on shooting what you love for maximum profit. This class will change the way you approach every photo shoot. There will be special attention to lighting techniques for different skin tones and an in-depth look at using the right lighting equipment for different effects. Sponsored by Eastman Kodak.

GIORGIO KARAYIANNIS
Portraiture: Images Beyond Your Dreams
Gold Room
8:30-10:30 a.m.
Do you remember your first amazing image? How soon after that did you create your new one? How and what can you do to consistently produce brilliant work and enjoy the story behind each subject? Learn to be aware and use the abundance of opportunity around you to create portrait art pieces that inspire everyone. Improve your image and use it to increase your profitability. Make it a habit to choose a course of achievement and fulfilment in a fun and exhilarating way. Don’t dream your image, create it.

JOSE VILLA
Film: The New Avant Garde in Weddings
Bronze Rooms 3-4
8:30-10:30 a.m.
At 25, Jose Villa is all film all the time! Learn how Jose's fine art weddings have kept him ahead of the competition. Jose has traveled all over the world creating wedding magic for his high-end clients. He shoots more than 60 weddings a year around the world. He will discuss what brides are saying about film, and why they love the look. He will share how his workflow has granted him time to enjoy life by having a great relationship with his lab. Sponsored by Fujifilm.

JOE BUISSINK
Unlock the Artist in You
Platinum Room
4:30-6:30 p.m.
Come on board for this one-of-a-kind workshop with Joe Buissink. This wedding photographer to the stars will help you find and unlock your passion and direct it in such a manner that you will see and feel everything differently at a wedding. The class is not about film or digital—use either. Joe’s class is about who we are when we go to the wedding and what we can do to see more. It’s about why we do what we do and where we take it once we tap into our passion. Sponsored by Canon.

DAVID JAY
Creating Freedom
Las Vegas Rooms 1-3
4:30-6:30 p.m.
David Jay will cover the latest techniques and technology used to create word-of-mouth and “word-of-mouse” marketing that is essential to success in business today. Jay will also share his “3 hours of power” post-wedding workflow and show how he's able to go from download to upload in under three hours through a streamlined and highly automated digital workflow. Sponsored by Pictage.

CHRIS LALONDE
Welcome to My World
Pacific Ballroom
4:30-6:30 p.m.
Come in to Christian Lalonde's world. Chris will talk about the many facets of his work, from commercial to wedding photography. You will get to see an in-depth look into how he thinks and how he creates his images. Find out about his lighting techniques as well as some Photoshop tips and tricks that have been extremely successful in his work. And if you know all this already, come anyway and see how he gets his hair the way it is!

MICHELE CELENTANO
Redefining Success in the Circle of Life
Gold Room
7:30-9:30 p.m.
After 15 years of photographing only weddings, Michele built a brand new portrait studio from the ground up. Take an incredible personal journey of growth and renewal and find out why 15 years of wedding experience did not prepare Michele for the amazing growth of her new portrait studio. She will share what it took to start, survive, grow and become a near overnight success in the Phoenix Metropolitan area. She will share with you the mistakes, triumphs, pains and joys, and show you what it takes to redefine and grow a new studio. Get excited and be prepared for a high-energy, entertaining and inspiring program that will leave you wanting more. Sponsored by Canon.

CLIFF MAUTNER
Survival of the Fittest
Silver Room
7:30-9:30 p.m.
In this oversaturated field of wedding photography, it's never been more crucial to make yourself stand out from the crowd. The essential balance of image making, people skills and networking is the key to survival. Cliff Mautner's career in photography spans 25 years. From photojournalist to commercial photographer to wedding and portrait photographer, Cliff's evolution has been the main ingredient in his success. Cliff will share his no-nonsense, common-sense marketing style, along with his insight on what it takes to produce images that stand out in the unpredictable world of wedding photography when encountering myriad conditions. He'll also share his thoughts on what he sees, and more importantly what he feels, while making images that enable him to book 55–60 weddings each and every year. Sponsored by Nikon.

JOHN SOLANO
Step Up Your Photo Game
Platinum Room
7:30-9:30 p.m.
What are celebrity and high-end Beverly Hills clients looking for? John Solano will show you. Join him as he demonstrates his unique approach to fulfilling his clients' needs with perceived value and, of course, great images. Sponsored by Nikon.

WEDNESDAY
ALISHA & BROOK TODD
An Affair With Luxury Weddings
Platinum Room
8:30-10:30 a.m.
Extravagant. Opulent. From the designer dress to the exotic wedding locale, the weddings of the affluent are what we all seek to photograph. The question is: How do you make the jump? From low-budget at the beginning of their career to luxury weddings, Alisha and Brook will share how they made the transition in only a short time. When their images appeared on Oprah’s talk show, she called the Todds “fabulous photographers capturing every moment.” Sponsored by Eastman Kodak.

THURSDAY
JAY MAISEL
Light, Gesture, Color and New Works
Bally's Event Center
9:00-11:00 a.m.
Light, gesture and color form the basis of all of Jay Maisel’s images. These, coupled with an awareness of figure-ground relationship or photographic optical illusions, constitute half of the presentation. Jay will show you why and how images challenge perception. You do not always see what you think you see. Jay will also show new work on several different themes. Sponsored by SanDisk.

If you can still get into a Master Class or two, I HIGHLY recommend the following for your consideration;

CALVIN HAYES
Recharging Your Battery

PARKER PFISTER & RYAN JOSEPH
Who Am I and Where Am I Going?

MARK CAFIERO & JIM KENNEDY
Customer Culture and the Reality of Reaching Your Full Market Potential

CLAUDIA KRONENBERG
From the Ground Up

DAVID BECKSTEAD
Compositional Commando

CHARLES & JENNIFER MARING
PhotoExpressionism

JEFF & JULIA WOODS
Sleeping With Your Business Partner!?

Old Stuff and Textures

There is so much great stuff to photograph, there's hardly enough time... We're all leading very busy lives. I make the time to to shoot for myself. You'll have to do the same. Schedule it on your calendar. Pick one day a month and experiment. You'll be happy you did.

Adventure Capitalist

I actually came across this book while looking for something else to read. The title intrigued me, so I read the summary. I loved the idea of traveling the world on a grand adventure. Jim Rogers has now done it twice, and wrote his observations twice too. In this book he not only explains the many challenges they faced traveling through 116 countries and the people that they encountered along the way, but he discusses his views of the varied economic markets and the opportunities (or warnings) they represent. This book totally inspired me to do more traveling and photograph the world. Check out Jim's website for more info. Enjoy!

From Publishers Weekly
Financier Rogers retired at 37 and motorcycled around the world, turning the trip into the book Investment Biker, a hybrid of business advice and travelogue. That journey, however, failed to squelch his wanderlust. Instead of enjoying his sedate life teaching finance, Rogers decided to take his fiancée and a souped-up Mercedes on a frighteningly intense road trip: three years, 116 countries and 152,000 miles. Like the car that plowed through snow, mud, sand and highways on every continent, Rogers's memoir of the journey is its own breed. Although Rogers writes, far too briefly, of life-changing events like getting married and hearing of his father's death, the book has an uncommon level of detachment. Also, even though Rogers shares investment advice and observations about the planet's political economies, his thoughts are too general to serve as business lessons. The result is an adventure tale without heart and a finance book without teeth. Rogers tries to make up for this by describing experiences like eating fried silkworms and watching prostitutes caught in the world's sex trade. Mainly, though, he chronicles prosaic details, like taking car ferries and talking to border guards, and then riffs on politics, money, immigration and culture.

What Will Matter

Happy Sunday friends. Ah, my day of rest. May you enjoy peace and rest from whatever burdens you today. I was given this story to consider. Perhaps it's for you too.

What Will Matter by: Michael Josephson - Founder of the Josephson Institute of Ethics

Ready or not, some day it will all come to an end.

There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days. All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten will pass to someone else.

Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance. It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed.

Your grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear. So too, your hopes, ambitions, plans and to do lists will expire.

The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.

It won't matter where you came from or what side of the tracks you lived on at the end.

It won't matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant. Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.

So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?

What will matter is not what you bought but what you built, not what you got but what you gave.

What will matter is not your success but your significance.

What will matter is not what you learned but what you taught.

What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage, or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.

What will matter is not your competence but your character.

What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you're gone.

What will matter is not your memories but the memories that live in those who loved you.

What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.

Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident. It's not a matter of circumstance but of choice.

Choose to live a life that matters.

Before and After Mountains Images

The process of refining the final image is incorporated into my workflow procedures. For the blog, I pick my favorites right away and then I tweak them. The "before and after" category is the most viewed on the blog. Here's a few more to look at and be inspired. Have a great weekend!

More Mountain Images

I have really, really enjoyed shooting and tweaking landscape images recently. What fun. I'll show some "Before and After" images this weekend. Stay tuned.

On the Streets

I came across this image a few days ago while cleaning up my desktop folders. I was stoked to revisit this shot. I remember the moment clearly. This man lived on the streets and suffered from mental illness, though he seemed quite at peace. With his Bible and shoes in hand, he wandered around until he paused at this street corner and began talking. Within a few minutes he was gone, but I had captured some dramatic shots while he lingered. The streets are a fantastic way to stretch your skills and document what many people pass by without noticing.

WPPI Mentor Fundraiser for Thirst Relief

Ladies and gentleman, your attention please. There is an extraordinary group of photographers who are all donating their time for Thirst Relief to raise money for cleaner drinking water around the world (and to teach you all that they know in 90 minutes). This is how it works. The highest bidder gets the knowledge, (and the bonus of doing something good in the world). This is an incredible opportunity! There are less than 2 days left to bid. Perhaps it's like ebay, and everyone waits till the end to bid, or perhaps not that many people know about it. If you're attending WPPI this year, this will be your only opportunity to ask me questions and hear me ramble. Better yet, it's one on one, just for you. I'm pumped up and looking forward to sharing my art and business knowledge with you. Who wants my time? Make your bids today. Bid on me here. See ya in Vegas!

More Mountain Favs

I found that as I was tweaking images from my trip last week, many of the subjects I photographed came in a series of three. How fun. I'd like to share two of these series with you. I shot these with a homemade lens Parker made. Totally cool huh? I also shot these RAW with a Mark II (also very fun). It seems as though I'm moving into a totally new phase. The fine art photography is contagious. Have an awesome day!!

Zag

This is an awesome little book with some great challenges for businesses about the way many of us approach marketing in the same familiar direction. The author proposes that to really make your mark in an over saturated market, you must "zag" while everyone else is content to "zip". I read the entire book, highlighted the best points, and wrote notes in the margins in the time it took me to fly round trip to Asheville, North Carolina. If your current marketing (relationship) is failing to keep clients, why not try something radically different. Have fun and make your mark, ZAG.

Review “You already know that this book has the best title of any marketing book in a generation. What you don’t know is the details of the Intrusiveness Death Spiral and what to do about it. This little book ought to help. A lot.” —SETH GODIN, AUTHOR OF SMALL IS THE NEW BIG

“Here’s a practical field guide on how to create and grow a world-class brand, so no more excuses—read it now and start zagging.”
—KIP KNIGHT, MARKETING VICE PRESIDENT, EBAY

“The revolution needs passion, imagination, and a dangerous handbook. Here
it is, born in the trenches yet written with enough verve and imagination to get you out of them—fast.”
—BRIAN COLLINS, EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR, OGILVY & MATHER WORLDWIDE

“A big idea surrounded by 17 practical steps and presented in a delightful style. The presentation alone is worth the price of the book.”
—DAVID A. AAKER, VICE CHAIRMAN, PROPHET, AUTHOR OF BRAND PORTFOLIO STRATEGY

“Awesome book—even better than THE BRAND GAP. It arrived at my desk like a familiar but new friend.”
—ROD SWANSON, DIRECTOR OF BRAND INTEGRATION, ELECTRONIC ARTS

“There are two strategy choices: Do what everyone else is doing, only better, cheaper, or faster. Or do something different and truly distinctive. Marty Neumeier offers essential insights into how to do the latter.”
—PROF. RON SANCHEZ, COPENHAGEN BUSINESS SCHOOL, CO-AUTHOR OF THE NEW STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

"ZAG is the new GPS for marketers. Clear, crisp directions for building strong brands and keeping them fresh and relevant. Read it before your competition does and stay one zag ahead.”
—GARY ELLIOTT, VP BRAND MARKETING, HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY

“Never has one author jammed so many good ideas into so few pages as Marty Neumeier has.”
—AL RIES, AUTHOR OF THE ORIGIN OF BRANDS

"It is part manifesto, part practical handbook, and you can read it between LaGuardia and Logan.”
—BUSINESSWEEK

Book Description
"When everybody zigs, zag," says author Marty Neumeier in this fresh view of brand strategy. ZAG follows the ultra-clear "whiteboard overview" style of Neumeier's first book, THE BRAND GAP, but drills deeper into the question of how brands can harness the power of differentiation. The author argues that in an extremely cluttered marketplace, traditional differentiation is no longer enough—today companies need “radical differentiation” to create lasting value for their shareholders and customers. In an entertaining 3-hour read you’ll learn:

- why me-too brands are doomed to fail
- how to "read" customer feedback on new products and messages
- the 17 steps for designing “difference” into your brand
- how to turn your brand’s “onliness” into a “trueline” to drive synergy
- the secrets of naming products, services, and companies
- the four deadly dangers faced by brand portfolios
- how to “stretch” your brand without breaking it
- how to succeed at all three stages of the competition cycle

For a quick peek inside ZAG, go to www.zagbook.com.

Church in Nature

The last couple of days of shooting in the mountains have been a spiritual experience for me. Many times we enjoyed the peace and calm of Nature. I often sensed God in these moments. Perhaps today you can spend some time amidst the beauty of the creation we enjoy on earth. While you're there, create a few images. Blessings!

Sometimes I do get to places just when God's ready to have somebody click the shutter. -Ansel Adams

Mountains

Yesterday, Parker, his wife Missy, and I went to the mountains and shot and hiked for hours on very little sleep. Today, we're going to shoot sunrise images early this morning (so I'm going to get some sleep).
I'll be posting images when I get back to Cali next week. Until then, I'll give you a couple of teasers from yesterday. Enjoy.

Take a moment to reflect

Parker and I are heading to the mountains today. I'll have landscape photos to share tomorrow. It's late and it's been raining all day in North Carolina, so we've just been chillin' all day (Thursday). I've received so many great emails from the Ice Cream Sundae entry, I thought I'd share another inspirational story I found online. Enjoy!

If you have a little bit of time today, shoot a few images to nourish the artist within you.

Maybe God wants us to meet a few wrong people before meeting the right one so that when we finally meet the right person, we will know how to be grateful for that gift.

When the door of happiness closes, another opens, but often times we look so long at the closed door that we don't see the one which has been opened for us.

The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.

It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.

Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they'll love you back! Don't expect love in return; just wait for it to grow in their heart but if it doesn't, be content it grew in yours.

It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone, an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone, but it takes a lifetime to forget someone.

Don't go for looks; they can deceive. Don't go for wealth; even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright.

Find the one that makes your heart smile. There are moments in life when you miss someone so much that you just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them for real!

Dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go; be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do.

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, enough hope to make you happy.

Always put yourself in others' shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, it probably hurts the other person, too.

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.

Happiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched, and those who have tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives.

Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss and ends with a tear.

The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past, you can't go on well in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so that when you die, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

Parker J Grand Opening

Good morning everyone!! Last night was so killer. Parker J had his grand opening and it was a smashing success. Enjoy the photos!!