Chuck Vosburgh

New Resource for Photographers

2008-12-25T19:37:00.002-05:00

I'm moving to PhotographyIsEasy.com. Please stop by and check it out :)

Women in the Outdoors

2008-12-07T12:06:00.011-05:00

I just returned from the Women in the Outdoors event in the Ocala National Forest where I did Landscape Photography classes for the participants.

I didn't know what to expect when I arrived Friday but it turned out to be a very well organized event with lots of very nice people who love the outdoors. I was especially impressed with the number of Mothers and Daughters who came to spend the weekend together. The event lasts three days and as classes in archery, handguns, shotguns, canoeing, kayaking, outdoor cooking, fitness, fishing and many others and of course my landscape photography class.

The activities for after dinner Friday night included making duct tape purses, which actually turned out to be a lot of fun. I made a duct tape memory card holder since I have little use for a purse :) I never knew duct tape came in so many colors.

Saturday, I did four classes in a nice open air classroom and had time to get out and do some photography myself between classes.

This was very well organized, friendly and family oriented event and I'll definitely go back next time if they invite me. You can check out their programs by clicking here.

4 Things to ask yourself every day

2008-11-26T22:03:00.005-05:00

If you're a freelancer your life depends on being successful at your chosen profession. If you have a "regular job" these four questions apply to you also.

It seems that all the great truths in life are simple. I've always believed that if I get up every morning and go to work, be diligent and do what I'm supposed to do I'll always be okay. True enough, but there's more to it to be successful and not just okay. After 21 years of being self employed, it comes down to four simple questions.

Here's what you need to ask yourself every day:

1) What did I do to earn money today?
2) What did I do to get more business today?
3) What did I do to improve myself today?
4) What did I do to build goodwill and friendships today?

That's it, simple. If you can give a good answer to these four questions every day you'll not only be okay, you'll prosper.

This has to be done every day except weekends and you must make yourself accountable. I recommend putting it in writing. There's something about writing that makes things more real because it makes things measurable. It's even better if you have someone else who can hold you accountable. Here are mine for today:

1) What did I do to earn money today? I got caught up on my billing.
2) What did I do to get more business today? I went on a sales call.
3) What did I do to improve myself today? I read some blogs that pertain to my industry.
4) What did I do to build goodwill and friendships today? I called some of my best evangelists just to touch base and see how they're doing.

Sure, I don't have answers for all four every day, but I try to. I know the better and more often I can answer these the better off I'll be.

The answers to these four questions = food, shelter, clothes, etc.

I wish you well in your career!

Chuck Vosburgh

How are you making sure you stay on track? Tell us in the comments below:

Photoraphy is not a crime, dumbass!

2008-10-12T19:41:00.003-05:00

Friday night I was out shooting at the St Petersburg Shuffleboard Club with some of my closest friends and as usual, I couldn't go more than a couple hours without being hassled. It seems to be happening more frequently. Here how it went:

Some dude: "Hey, are you in charge of all these photographers?"
Me: "Um, Yeah I guess. Why do you ask?"
Some dude: Well isn't it kinda strange that there are a bunch of people around here taking pictures that I may be in and no one asked my permission?"
Me: "This is a public place and we have the permission of the management."
Some dude: "Well I don't want to be in any pictures without my permission."
Me (in my mind, not out loud): "Go home then and you won't be in any photos dumbass."
Me: "Hey we're just a bunch of photography students having a good time, alright?"
Some dude: Walks away muttering something...

It seems like people are getting more and more weird about cameras. I don't know if it's a change in our culture or if there are just more narcissistic idiots out there. This brings up the question "who can I shoot?" Here's a great resource for you on photographers rights written by a lawyer. Click here to get it.

First skateboards, now cameras. Gah!

Have you had anyone hassle you? Tell us about it in the comments:

Shooting handlebar to handlebar racing action

2008-10-05T14:33:00.005-05:00

Saturday night, I went to see my nephew race at the local BMX track and of course, I took some photos. I'm not accustomed to shooting sports, much less sports at night, so it was a great chance to experiment and learn.

Here's what I found worked best:
I had a flash on a monopod and had my assistant (sister) hold it over the fence as close to the track as possible. The flash was set at 1/2 power and I adjusted the exposure by having her move closer or further to the spot where I wanted to shoot he riders. I know, pretty low-tech, but it works and it's easy. The camera was at ISO400, f2.8 for 1/125 sec. at 200mm. That's it, easy. Try it out and write how it works in the comments below.

What's your exit strategy?

2008-09-17T21:08:00.003-05:00

I ask that question to people who ask me for advice on starting their creative business. It's a trick question. The response I really want is no answer at all. Here's why:

It's no secret that starting a business is hard. I've been self employed for a long time and I can tell you it stays hard, but the rewards are great. So what happens if your business falls on tough times, or worse yet, fails? How will you know when it's time to quit and go get a "real job"? Do you have a failure plan? It all boils down to guts and commitment. Here's a story to illustrate:

The story goes that when George Washington crossed the Potomac River, he ordered his men to burn the boats. He said "we're not going back". Washington knew that an easy way out undermines commitment when the going gets tough. Washington and his men were committed to win. It was the only way. Their only options were victory or death. I don't know if this is true or if it's just legend, but the point is important. Commitment takes guts.

Being self employed takes guts. It's your guts and commitment that will get you through when the going gets tough. No matter how tough it gets, you'll be tougher. Give it some thought. Are you 100% committed to your business? If you are, you are much more likely to succeed. If you aren't recommit yourself now.

You may think this sounds foolish. Please don't misunderstand, I'm not saying not to plan. Planning is vital to your success. Just make sure you are not spending your time on plans for failure. Put all of your effort into plans to succeed.

Make your plan, then burn the boats!

What kind of role has guts and commitment had in your business? Please share it with us in the comments.

Be right back...

2008-09-10T12:11:00.003-05:00

I've been busy helping one of my family members who has been under the weather. I'll be back to writing in a couple of days. In the mean time, I have a lot of new images on Flickr from the Photo Walk, Lighting Class and some new digital drawings. See you shortly :)

Photo Walk
Studio Lighting
Digital Drawing

Also, new classes start next week at The Arts Center, some are full but you can check 'em out here

Chainsaw Chuck

2008-09-04T15:25:00.002-05:00

My buddy Chainsaw Chuck stopped by my Studio Lighting Class at The Arts Center Thursday night for a few portraits. Chuck is a very talented illustrator and photographer and was more than happy to try anything we could think of.

For this image, I wanted to have a 30's kind of look and give him the look of great stature. So, in the spirit of old school lighting, I used a single bare bulb with a snoot on it. That's it.

Winner!

2008-08-27T20:43:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to Joan Miller winner of the St Petersburg photo walk. After deliberating over 274 images, this beautiful image was chosen as the winner.

Click here to see all 274 of them.

Scott Kelby's Worldwide Photo Walk had over 8,000 photographers in nearly 300 cities around the world. There were about 70 here in St. Petersburg. Click here to see the Photo Walk site.

Scott Kelby on Being a Good Student

2008-08-21T10:14:00.002-05:00

Scott wrote a great article about being a good student in his blog today. Check it out...

Lindsey the Substitute Model

2008-08-21T09:57:00.005-05:00

In this week's studio lighting class our scheduled model had to cancel on short notice and Lindsey was kind enough to fill in and as usual, she was perfect. If you've followed this blog or attended any of my lighting classes, you've seen Lindsey.

This was a great opportunity to get more in depth with a basic, works-every-time lighting configuration and a little scrounging around the studio produced some nice props for us all to use.

Thanks to Lindsey and all the students for a great class!

Walk around downtown St Petersburg

2008-08-12T22:51:00.003-05:00

Tonight I took my digital photo class for a little walk around downtown St. Petersburg and these are my three favorites. I always enjoy getting out to just shoot for fun with no expectations. I usually see some interesting things and tonight was no exception.

It's not unusual for someone to question what we're shooting, why and who we are and tonight was no exception. Usually it's a overzealous security guard, bu this time was a first for me. A homeless person wanted to know what we were shooting and even demanded proof that we weren't photographing him! I sent him on his way without allowing him to review my images as politely as possible as he threatened to call the police.

Of course all I could think of were smart-ass comments, but I kept them to myself. Everyone in my group had fun and got a good story!

More of Wendy

2008-08-11T14:00:00.002-05:00

Here are some more images of Wendy. The settings and lighting are the same.

Color or Black and White?

2008-08-07T22:38:00.003-05:00

Color or black and white? I say yes. Thanks to the Black and White Adjustment Layer in Photoshop CS3, you can have it both ways. The Black and White Adjustment Layer also has presets for common filters used in traditional black and white photography. In this case I used the red filter. The model is Wendy Sommers and this image was taken in my Studio Lighting class at The Arts Center in St Petersburg Florida.

So tell me what you think, color or black and white?

Why photographers should try drawing

2008-08-02T13:35:00.003-05:00

"I thought you were a photographer". I hear that a lot when people find out I also enjoy drawing and painting. They're a more related than you may think, in fact they're complimentary skills. If you're thinking this doesn't apply to you because you can't draw, keep reading...

Here's how drawing helps you become a better photographer: It makes you really look at things and examine them carefully. It helps you find the hidden beauty that's all around us. It stimulates creativity to work outside your comfort zone and causes you to grow as an artist. It helps you to understand how light works. It's fun, and you'll meet some nice people. Also, being a photographer makes you better at drawing for the same reasons.

I know what you're thinking... Try it anyway. It's not about the finished drawing, it's about artistic growth and honing your powers of observation. The Arts Center has a lot of great classes to help you get started, and every Saturday from 9:30 to Noon they have open drawing studio on the third floor. It's just five bucks if you're a member, and six if you're not.

The two drawings above came from this morning at open studio. One is drawn in Photoshop and the other was drawn in Adobe Illustrator. I used a Wacom tablet for both. There's no rule that says you have to draw on paper :)

Tell us what you think in the comments.

Floral photography

2008-07-22T11:57:00.003-05:00

Photographing florals is lots of fun and if you haven't tried it I suggest you do. I did this image during the weekend as a fun project. The key is to get a perfect specimen. I went to my friend Jeff at Seminole Florist and he let me go in the cooler and find the perfect ones. Most florists won't let you do that. If you go to Seminole Florist just tell them you're a photographer and they'll take good care of you.

For this shot, I used a large soft box behind and slightly above the subject. I controlled the shadows on the front with two white reflectors. Simple and effective. Controlling the shadows for a nice soft light is vital to an image like this.

Have you done any florals? Let us know about it in the comments!

another simple lighting setup

2008-07-12T09:49:00.002-05:00

This week, Jennifer from my Photoshop class was kind enough to model for us in lighting class. Everyone loved her! Thanks to Jennifer for a great job.

In this image, strobes were used set at 100 w.sec each and 1 reflector. It's a very simple configuration to set up and doesn't require much equipment at all. One of the big advantages to using studio strobes instead of flashes is that they're much faster, which allows you and your subject to be more spontaneous.

I really like to help

2008-07-08T07:30:00.003-05:00

If you've been to one of my classes or presentations, you probably know I really enjoy teaching. I get a lot out of it, and my favorite is seeing people grow as artists. I got this note yesterday from a good friend and talented colleague and it made my day!

Hi Chuck,

I've been waiting since last year to try your tips that you emailed on how to take good photos of fireworks. Thanks to you I was able to take photos of fireworks! Here's a sample of the results.

Thanks for your your expertise and for your willingness to share with others! :-)

Danette

Danette is a very talented photographer, check out her work here.

I wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for some talented people teaching me and I'm glad to be part of the process. Thanks to: Mike Klatka, Bob Kitten, Mike O'Berry, Bill Castleman, Scott Kelby and Russ Hargett just to name a few.

Fill Flash Fun

2008-07-07T08:40:00.004-05:00

A couple nights ago, I had my buddy Scott stop by so some of my students and I could photograph him using fill flash. The trick to using fill flash is to use manual mode, expose for the background and bring in just enough fill flash (set on manual) to illuminate the subject. Just be careful not to blow out your highlights. The best thing about using a fill flash is that you can control the exposure of the background and the subject separately. Give it a try!

What creative ways do you use your flash?

Photographing fireworks

2008-07-02T10:00:00.004-05:00

I was going to write a nice article on how to photograph fireworks, but my colleague Scott Kelby wrote one and I couldn't have done it any better, so here's the link to his excellent article click here

While you're there, take a look around, it's a great blog. His is one of the few blogs I read every day.

I hope you have a great holiday!

20 ways to promote your website

2008-07-01T09:02:00.003-05:00

I just posted a new article on WebSitesThatKickButt.com and thought I'd share it with you:

20 Ways to Promote Your Web Site

1. Comment on other people’s blogs
2. Add your own blog
3. Write articles for industry blogs and forums
4. Participate in forums
5. Add your own forum
6. Add a photo album
7. Add surveys
8. Create a monthly newsletter or e-magazine
9. Creative use of auto-responders
10. Add a FAQ section
11. Ask for reciprocal links to related sites
12. Win some awards and honors
13. Send out press releases
14. Announce your e-grand opening
15. Analyze your logs
16. Banner ads
17. Printable coupons
18. Start an affiliate program
19. Create contests
20. Shameless plugs on your blog... Call Chuck Vosburgh at 727 319-2800

There are lots of ways to get more traffic to your site. Do you have any you'd like to share?

Two flashes can go a long way

2008-06-27T07:52:00.003-05:00

You can get good studio lighting results with one or two flashes and a remote. Here's a simple setup that uses two flashes set at the same power and triggered by a transmitter on the camera.

These are from our flash lighting lesson in last night's Creative Lighting Class at The Arts Center. If I had to pick one thing that most people have difficulty with, it's using a flash. The easiest way to master using your flash is to get lots of hands on experience with it.

Got any good flash tips? Write them in the comments below...

Rain rain go away

2008-06-25T12:51:00.005-05:00

Yesterday evening was photo field trip night for my Intro to Digital Photo Class at The Arts Center and the weather was a little inclement to say the least. We all waited in our cars until it let up, but it really didn't completely stop. I'm glad that everyone stayed and made the best of it. In fact, I saw some amazing shots! It just goes to show, no matter where you are and what the conditions are, there are good shots to be had if you keep your eyes and mind open.

So, next time it rains, grab your camera!

Also, I'm going to try something new. Whenever I can, I'll add the specs of the images I post. Here are the specs for this one:

Have you ever shot in bad weather? Tell us about it in the comments below...

The easiest lighting set up of them all

2008-06-20T10:56:00.005-05:00

This is from our creative lighting class last night at The Arts Center in St. Petersburg. It's a simple window light and a single reflector. I'm a big fan of buying lots and lots of equipment, but this just goes to show that you can get good results with a very simple set up once you know how. A big thank you to our model Lacey!

Adding a copyright symbol to your photos

2008-06-19T11:05:00.002-05:00

Embossed Copyright Symbol on a Photo -

Here's an easy way to add a big 'ol embossed copyright symbol to your image to keep people from using it without your permission.

Free computer desk for the first caller

2008-05-28T10:10:00.004-05:00

I have a steel frame glass top computer desk free to whoever will come get it. It's like new, two pieces, each 40" x 26" and can be side by side or "L" shaped. Grey steel, clear glass top. Call me here at the studio 727 319-2800 if you want it.

Why I think everyone should be self employed at least once

2008-05-28T08:34:00.002-05:00

I think everyone should be self employed at least once in their life. It would change our world for the better. Let me explain...

I visited a business yesterday and the person who was supposed to be there to help me was too busy talking to her boyfriend on her cell phone to help. It's not just her, I've been there many times and had similar experiences with other people. In fact, it's not just that store either. It's an epidemic and I know I don't have to convince you that it has become an obstacle to prosperity in our country.

The problem, in my opinion, is in understanding. Most people have no idea where their pay check comes from. Over time the disconnect between what we do and what we eat has grown. I hope I'm not sounding like my parents here, but it's true.

You just don't get it until you start signing the other side of the check. If you're self employed, you get it. No work, no food. Just that simple. What if we all worked like our next meal depends on it? Well, it does. What if we treated every customer like they just bought us lunch? They did. What if finding new ways to serve our customers is the difference between surviving and starving? It kinda is.

So, how do you feel about work now? I'm glad I have it and I hope you are too. So, let's go back to work and do it like our lives depend on it. No one remembers average. Nobody respects good enough.

How did you learn the value of work? Write it in the comments please.

How to deal with rejection

2008-05-27T07:48:00.003-05:00

One of the toughest things about being a professional creative person is the rejection that is part of the business. After all, your work is very personal, and in our culture we're conditioned to connect who we are with what we do, especially if you're a man. So here are a few things to consider next time you are faced with criticism:

1: Leadership attracts criticism, therefore the price of leadership is criticism.
2: In the case of fine art (as opposed to commercial art), you didn't make it for them. You made it for you.
3: In the case of commercial art, you're just providing a service, so do your job the best you can and collect your money. It's not personal, it's work. Use that money to do something great.
4: The critic may be a dumb-ass.
5: Some people believe that they could easily do the same thing, but they have better things to do with their time. See #4.
6: Other people could do it, but you did, and you should be congratulated for it.
7: 90% of success is showing up.
8: People's pride often gets in the way. Your success reminds them of their personal failures, and they may be jealous of you.
9: Most people really aren't qualified to judge your work.
10: Comparing yourself to others is not wise.

So there you go. Don't let anyone discourage you. Stay the course and keep growing. Speaking of growth, I can recommend some great classes ;) click here

How do you deal with rejection? Share in the comments please...

More Dinosaurs

2008-05-20T22:34:00.008-05:00

These are my favorites from Saturday's trip to Dinosaur World.

Dinosaur World field trip

2008-05-17T22:47:00.003-05:00

Went to Dinosaur World today for a fun photo field trip and boy was it fun! Thanks to everyone who joined me, it was great to see all of you and meet some of your spouses and kids. I haven't been getting out and doing fun projects enough lately and it really felt good to just go, have a good time and experiment. This shot is one of my experiments. I was chatting with Randy Van Duinen, who is a great photographer about HDR and he was kind enough to share some of his techniques with me. I used one of his suggestions to make this over the top, overprocessed HDR image. It was just what I had in mind, a cheezy Florida post card look. Thanks Randy! You can check out his work by clicking here.

I have a lot of good images to go through and experiment with. Fresh air, nice people, beautiful location and some nice images = a great day. I hope your weekend was as fun as mine :)

If you have any shots from Dinosaur World, post them!

What a great way to earn a living!

2008-05-15T16:28:00.003-05:00

Today was one of those days that I thought "I can't believe I'm actually getting paid to do this". Yeah, some days are hard, but how many people get paid to go to a beautiful location and shoot some really beautiful landscaping. Not many.

If you're thinking about "going pro" get a plan together now. Life is too short to do a job you hate.

Do you have a goal? What are you doing to get closer to that goal?

I'm Certified!

2008-05-15T08:14:00.002-05:00

Big news!

I just got word this morning that I passed my video taped assessment and am now a Comp TIA CTT+ (Certified Technical Trainer). It's a big step for me and I owe a big thank you to all the people who volunteered to attend my test class.

More HDR fun at a historic site

2008-05-07T23:14:00.004-05:00

These images are of the Seminole Civic Club's building, except for the last one which is another building next door. It's a historic building that won't be here much longer. The building is so badly damaged by termites and age that it can't be saved, so I thought I'd get out and shoot some photos of it before it's too late.
This was a perfect chance to use HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography because the building is under a huge oak tree and shaded all the time. I shot a lot of this place, and these are a few of my faves from my little field trip.
These images are made of three shots each; one exposed normal, one two stops underexposed and one two stops overexposed. The images were processed using Photomatix and final adjustments were made in Photoshop CS3. This method gives a much larger tonal range than could be captured in one exposure. Questions or comments? Put 'em in the comments below...

Polaroid film is gone but not forgotten

2008-04-25T16:11:00.002-05:00

I've always loved Polaroids because there are so many things you can do with them. It was a sad day when Polaroid announced that they would stop producing Polaroid film. Of course where there's a will there's a way, so I scanned an actual Polaroid transfer and made a Photoshop mask so it can easily be applied to any image.

You can download the file by clicking here. The instructions are on the file.

Try it and show me how it turned out!

Three Sure Fire Ways to Kick Start your Creativity

2008-04-24T09:45:00.002-05:00

Being creative on demand is probably the scariest part of being a creative professional, but it's more of a method than a mystery. Here are my three proven ways to kick start your creativity:

1: Take a different Route. You probably have grooves in the road from your driveway to your place of business. Take a different route as often as you can.

2: Buy three magazine that you're not especially interested in and look at the pictures. You need to see new stuff.

3: Talk to someone new. You need to hear new things.

Creativity is mostly based on relational thinking. Everything you've ever seen, heard or felt is stored in a massive database in your brain and all of it has potential for creative solutions. So, get more stuff in your brain and you'll be more creative.

How do you get creative? Write your thoughts in the comments.

24 hours without a computer

2008-04-16T10:54:00.003-05:00

Could you do it? I know for sure I can. I think.

This is a very interesting experiment that raises some deep questions about our reliance (and maybe even addiction) on computers. Here's what their press release had to say:

Shutdown Day is back with a bang! More than 1.6 million people worldwide participated in Shutdown Day last year... and this year there's a crazy global Flash Mob too! A massive global experiment to spread awareness about the pitfalls of excessive use and abuse of computers and Internet.

It is obvious that without computers we would find our life extremely difficult, maybe even impossible. If they disappeared for just one day, would we be able to cope?

Be part of one of the biggest global experiments ever to take place on the Internet. The idea behind Shutdown Day is to find out how many people can go without a computer for one whole day, and what will happen if we all participate!

Shutdown your computer on 03 May 2008 and find out!

http://www.shutdownday.org/

So, what do you think? Please add your comments.

2008-04-14T15:46:00.004-05:00

One more from Silver River

2008-04-14T14:32:00.003-05:00

Here's one more HDR image from Silver River State Park this weekend.

HDR Cracker Shack

2008-04-13T19:19:00.002-05:00

Shot this nice HDR (high dynamic range) image at Silver River State Park yesterday. I've been doing a lot of work with HDR lately and plan to have a class in it sometime this summer.

The concept is simple, shoot 3-5 images at different exposures and combine them into one shot. That way, there are no blown out highlights, and no clogged up shadows. This shot would have been impossible any other way.

Tracking monkeys on the river

2008-04-12T09:08:00.002-05:00

I'm writing this from Silver River State Park, home of the only tribe of free roaming monkeys in the US. These monkeys number in the hundreds, but are somewhat of a mystery. You'll find no mention of them anywhere in printed tourist info, and the park rangers are forbidden from talking about them by the state. Of course, that makes me want to find out more...

We did some preliminary exploration yesterday and gathered some bits and pieces of information. Today, we're heading out for a more comprehensive search. Then it will be nap time. I'll let you know what we find :)

I passed my exam!

2008-04-09T16:26:00.002-05:00

Big news... I took my Comp TIA CTT+ (certified technical trainer) written exam today and passed by a big margin! The next step is to make a 20 minute video for review by a panel of experts. Then I'm in.

Yay!

Maybe we won't all starve after all

2008-04-08T18:26:00.004-05:00

There's supposedly a recession or worse coming and I am not going to participate in it. Nope, averages don't apply to me and I firmly believe that we all have the creativity we need to prosper no matter what our circumstances are.

Here's today's silver lining:

Today the Associated Press reported that online spending is expected to increase 17% in the next year. That's the same year where hard times are predicted in almost every other sector. I know, I'm biased because I do web sites, but this is from credible research and not just someone's opinion. E commerce is the one bright spot in a sea of gloom.

So how does this effect you? Maybe it doesn't. Maybe it should.

What are you going to do? This is no time to cut back, it's time to ramp it up! You don't want to be like everyone else, do you? I didn't think so. If you don't have a plan, make one.

Don't listen to all the bad news. It doesn't apply to you.

There's an article in Smart Money about me. No, really.

2008-04-03T13:51:00.004-05:00

I'm one step closer to fame... A few weeks ago a writer from Smart Money called me for an interview. I thought it was a practical joke at first, but nope, it was for real. I wrote about my tax audit experience on freelanceswitch.com and the writer saw it and called. You can read the article by clicking here.

New way to do black and white conversions

2008-03-28T12:35:00.004-05:00

If you have an older copy of my video tutorial CD, Black and White Done Right, here's an update for CS3 using the new Black and White Adjustment Layer.

Everything I need to know about business I learned riding a dirt bike

2008-03-27T09:13:00.005-05:00

Last week I ran into the guy who got me interested in riding and racing dirt bikes. His name is Larry and I learned a lot from him. I hadn't seen him in years, and it got me thinking that everything I know that's important in business (and life in general) I learned on a dirt bike. I know, crazy. Stick with me though... Here are my top ten universal lessons learned on a dirt bike:

1. No matter how slowly you're going, if you're moving forward you'll eventually get there.
2. You have to slow down to go faster.
3. When you get in trouble, give it more gas.
4. If you don't fall down occasionally you're not trying hard enough.
5. Going uphill takes a lot of effort, going downhill takes none.
6. Let the course beat people.
7. Don't look at anything you don't want to hit. Look as far ahead as you can see.
8. Keep your front wheel pointed the way you want to go.
9. Just showing up is better than most people do.
10. No matter how hard it gets, it's still more fun than most people will ever see.

I know what you're wondering, and yes, I did break a couple bones. Bones grow back. Now here's my bonus lesson:

11. No trophy is worth getting injured for.

Thanks, Larry!

More students done good...

2008-03-25T15:05:00.003-05:00

It always thrills me to hear about people who I've helped excelling in their career, and this week I have two:

The first one is Tammy Austin. She just had one of her photographs not only accepted to a show, but also chosen as the image for the show posters! I'll let her tell it...

Hi Chuck:

Well, I went to Colorado and saw my image of the Gerbera Daisy in an exhibit at The Center for Fine Art Photography. It was so exciting and I am still in disbelief. The website is www.c4fap.org On the left is the online exhibit- you have to scroll down to see mine. They ended up using my image in their advertisement for the center's gallery opening. So, I have a copy of the poster- now I need a class in making a portfolio...Wish I still lived there so I could take your classes...

Way to go Tammy!

My second one this week is Elise Schriner. Elise has works hard to excel in her photography and now she's getting professional projects commeasurate to her talent. Take a look at some of her work at her web site.

I'm very happy to have a small part in people's success and I'm glad to see these two being recognized.

Blogs, SEO and back to Blogspot

2008-03-23T10:29:00.003-05:00

I moved my blog to my own web site ProTechniques.com several months ago to make it more convenient for me to post and archive. Since then, technology has changed an having a separate blog for the purposes of search engine optimization has become important. Optimizing is an art in itself and is constantly changing, so I'm changing along with it. If your business depends on being found I recommend you do the same.

If you'd like to know more about search engine optimization, just ask. I'll be happy to tell you all about it. It really works, and in my experience, it's been a very good investment of my time and effort.

So, I'm back on Blogspot! Please bookmark this page or subscribe to my RSS feed.

Tool or time waster? You decide.

2007-08-15T09:22:00.000-05:00

This is sure to keep you amused for hours, or at least a few minutes. Check out the Idea Generator

It's genius!

Portraits with one light

2007-08-06T13:09:00.001-05:00

This is a shot of my buddy Dave Eicher from last week's studio lighting class. The assignment was to use one light with no modifiers. It never ceases to amaze me what can be done with one simple bulb. This was shot with one light with a snoot on it, and one reflector. I love the simplicity and it just goes to show you don't always need a truck load of equipment to get the job done.

I really want - no, make that NEED my own plane

2007-08-06T12:57:00.000-05:00

I've somehow survived in business this long without my own plane, but now I've had enough. I think a Gulfstream V would suit my needs just fine. I figure if I can sell just 9,000 photoshop tutorial videos a month I'm set!

Great idea, but...

2007-08-03T11:03:00.000-05:00

This is by far the most unusual solution to lighting I've ever seen. Dorky looking, but genius!
read about it

Never thought I'd be excited about a battery holder...

2007-08-02T10:45:00.001-05:00

I ran across this product and it's such a great idea, I don't know why no one ever thought of it before. Keeps your batteries organized, you can take 'em out with one hand, and you can put the used ones in upside down so you know they're dead. Amazing. Here's where you can get them:
Tools Aviation

Boy, July went by quickly!

2007-08-02T10:36:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it's August already! In july I went on vacation to Linville Falls North Carolina for some beautiful scenery, hiking, quality time with Patty and lots of naps. Since I've been back, I've been extra busy with work, both classes and commercial work. Web sites mostly.

Above is an image from my Thursday night Studio Lighting class. I have a real nice group and will post more later.

Things that make you wonder

2007-06-29T08:33:00.001-05:00

Saw this old school chopper in front of a new age meditation yoga place on Central Avenue in St Pete. I can't imagine a biker in a yoga class.

Lighting Class

2007-06-22T09:03:00.000-05:00

Here's an image from last night's lighting class at The Arts Center. I have a very talented group of people and I'm having a lot of fun working with them!

This is day five of my information fast (no newspaper, online news or watching the news) and I almost gave in this morning, but held fast. It's been very hard to break my routine for this experiment, but I've had more time to do things this week - a lot more time. Also, I'm not using up any of my valuable brain cells on stuff that really doesn't matter. So, I'm convinced. This weekend I'll decide how to work it into my life without being fanatical about it.

Hope you have a great weekend!

An Information Fast

2007-06-18T10:27:00.000-05:00

I'm trying something drastic this week. No news for a week. No internet info, TV, radio, newspaper, nothing. I'm wondering how much of my brain is being used up by things that are irrelevent, unimportant and beyond my control? I also wonder how much time I waste every week consuming information that doesn't get me closer to my goals, edify me, or make my life better in some way?

Being informed seems important, but the more I think about it, the vast majority of it isn't. If there's something I need to know, I can find out, but otherwise it probably doesn't matter anyway.

Today is the first day and what I've learned so far is that It's very hard. It's like an addiction to wasting time on unimportant stuff. Think you're tough enough to do it? Give it a try. I've already got more done today than I usually do.

My work sucks and everyone else's is great. Am I up to this?

2007-06-15T10:33:00.000-05:00

Of course that's a rhetorical question, but one that at least a few student ask (well, maybe not in those exact words) at the beginning of each session. Maybe you feel that way, but you haven't said anything...

Here's my response to one person's question. I think there are lots of people who need to hear this:

I understand how you feel. A lot of students have felt the same way at first, but I've always found that we all have a tendency to overestimate others skills and underestimate our own. Let me assure you that you're not the only one in the class that has the same concerns. It's normal and I can help you. It's true, there are a few people in the class with a great deal of experience and talent, but the majority are just like you.

I'd be happy to meet with you before class and help you with your questions. I have a simple way of explaining exposure and how to apply it. If you're not able to meet before class, we can arrange some other time. I also want you to know that you're not required to show your work to anyone, even me if you don't want to. I do encourage it, but I'll never put anyone in the position of being uncomfortable.

I think the biggest obstacle to learning as an adult is that we don't want to appear less than competent in front of others. It's just human nature, and our culture cultivates it as well. Believe me, everyone in your class, including me has the same feelings.

As a humorous sidelight, I recently I attended a class for professional photographers taught by a very famous photographer. He was tough. Real tough. I found myself cowering in the back hoping not to be called on! After all, I'm a pro, pretty well known and how would it look if I didn't know the right answer!? Somewhere in the back of my mind I just knew that people would be laughing at me if not out loud, at least to themselves. The truth is, that's been a life-long struggle for me, and it is for any other artist I've known well enough to discuss these things with. I'm sure it's the case with most everyone else too.

You're doing the right thing. Growth is always hard, but the rewards are great.

Makes my office look pretty lame

2007-06-14T10:55:00.000-05:00

I saw this image of someone's office and got me thinking about my own office here in the barn. Not that it's bad, I'm just ready for aq change. I've been wanting to renovate it for some time, but since I want to make all the furniture myself, it's kinda slow going. I finally have my workshop furniture built and will start the barn next. Ran into one great idea that I'm going to implement first... Drawers under each stair step. Genius. I don't know why I've never seen that before! It's gonna be great.

500 Gb Hard Drive for what!?

2007-06-12T07:20:00.000-05:00

Just in case you're interested... I just got an e-mail from one of my vendors about a LaCie 500Gb external hard drive for $119.94. Here's the link:
500 Gb Hard Drive

Personal projects

2007-06-11T08:09:00.000-05:00

I spent the weekend finishing up some shop furniture and it reminded me that I never added a personal projects page to my site. I started it and I'll finish it up and put some pics of my new shop sometime this week. It feels good to do some manual labor every now and then. Here's a link to the page in progress personal projects

Long week, but exciting

2007-06-07T21:16:00.000-05:00

Just finished my last class for the week and I'm really stoked about this session! My Monday Photoshop class filled up, so I added another one Wednesday night and that one filled up too! Tuesday Digital photo is nearly full and tonight's creative lighting class set a new record attendance. It's great to see the tremendous amount of interest in digital and the enthusiasm of the people in the classes really fuels my own creative spirit.

The word educate comes from the Greek word, educare (probably spelled wrong) which means to lead. I really take that seriously and it motivates me to excel in my work. Nice how things in life work together, huh?

Back in class

2007-06-05T10:32:00.001-05:00

The summer session started last night and it's great to be back in the classroom with a bunch of enthusiastic artists! My Monday group for this session is a very nice group and I'm looking forward to meeting the rest of my groups as the week progresses.

I've been building more furniture for the shop and have a sore back and arms to prove it, so I'm working on easy work today doing some fine art reproductions for a colleague. I think 4x8x3/4 plywood is getting heavier or I'm getting weaker.... must be heavier ;) There's just something about making something with my own hands that gives me a lot of satisfaction.

New classes start today!

2007-06-04T15:23:00.000-05:00

Today is the first day of the new session at The Arts Center and I can't wait to get started! There were so many people signed up for Photoshop that we had to add another class on Wed nights. All my other classes enrollments are looking very good too. Working nights is a drag sometimes, but the people's enthusiasm for Photoshop more than makes up for it!

During my 2 week break from classes I got rested up, so the people coming tonight better look out!

Do you think the new CS3 icons are lame?

2007-05-21T09:38:00.000-05:00

A lot of people do. I found a great set of alternative icons here: the site

Report from Dave Cross Class

2007-05-19T10:40:00.000-05:00

I'm sitting in Dave Cross class right now at The Digital Technology Center and while he's helping the students, I though I'd write what a great instructor he is and show you what I did in the morning session of his class. I really like attending classes, because I always learn something and it's a good reminder of how hard it is to sit and pay attention all day :)

I do like dogs

2007-05-17T10:57:00.000-05:00

One of my photographs of Patty's dog Lucy is in this month's issue of The New Barker magazine. Also a good friend and colleague, Danette Morse is featured her web site
She's an excellent pet photogrpaher.

I've been remiss in posting lately, just been too busy here at work. I'll get back on it next week.

A good excuse to stay in the office

2007-05-11T09:59:00.000-05:00

My part of Florida has a lot of smoke today, and when I say a lot, I mean A LOT! It's from the wildfires in the northern part of the state and it actually blocks out the sun like a dense fog. So, I'm staying in. Good opportunity to learn more of the new features of CS3.

I'll be a judge

2007-05-03T07:16:00.000-05:00

I'm happy to have been chosen as a judge for the SPOT annual pet photo contest. This year, over 400 photographs were submitted! I'm looking forward to seeing them. If you'd like to see the images that are up for consideration, go to spotusa.org.

Black and White and someone famous

2007-05-02T15:07:00.001-05:00

I did my Black and White Done Right workshop this morning at The Digital Technology Center and Clyde Butcher was in attendance! Clyde has been to my classes before along with his wife and daughter, but it was a real honor to have a well known master attending my class. On my way home, I thought about all the great people I've had the opportunity to meet while teaching. Some famous, one or two infamous and lots of really nice people in between. I can't beleive how lucky I am to be able to earn a living doing what I do!

Black and White and someone famous

2007-05-02T15:07:00.000-05:00

Saturday update

2007-04-21T15:52:00.000-05:00

I spent all day yesterday at The Digital Technology Center in Sarasota teaching my Photoshop for Photographers workshop to a very nice group of people. When I got back there was a package from Adobe at my front door. My new CS3! I thought, but alas, it was only the books. Hopefully the software will follow Monday. In the mean time, I have a lot to read. The stack of books for the new Creative Suite is 12" thick! No joke.

I've also been learning a new shopping cart application that looks promising for small to medium sized businesses. I'll be implementing it on my own site first to test it thouroughly before I start recommending it to clients. So far, it looks great!

A load of laundry just finished, so it's off to do some folding... I hope you're having a great weekend!

Getting some balance

2007-04-18T09:45:00.000-05:00

For the past couple months I've been on a quest for balance in my life. Having enough time for God, work, family, excercise and all the other important things often get eclipsed by work. If you've seen me recently, you probably noticed that I have put on a few pounds in the past several months. I always have a good excuse to skip the gym, and when I do go, I know I'm not working to my full potential, and it shows in my lack of results. Last week, I saw a program that looks interesting. It's called Primal Strength Camp www.primalstrengthcamps.com/toughguys.htm It's outdoors and uses sand bags, tires and other objects instead of weights. Looks like a fun way to work out!

I went for the first time yesterday and found out real quick what kind of shape I've gotten into. The instructor was very helpful and motivating and the other guys are very nice. I got the feeling that Elliott, the instructor sincerely cares about helping people get better. It was hard, real hard, and somewhat humiliating. I've been contemplating if I should go back, after all it was really hard for me and I have lots of good excuses, but I need to do something drastic. So I'm going back tomorrow, and besides, I'm not a quitter.

I guess my point is that if you're a creative professional, it's extra easy to get out of shape. Sooner or later we all have to do something or face serious health consequences as we get older.

My fitness goal for the next class: not to puke. I'll keep you posted.

CS3 is shipping!

2007-04-17T13:32:00.001-05:00

Hooray! CS3 started shipping! I can't wait for the UPS guy to drop mine off. I think I'll be spending a lot of time gazing out the window watching and waiting...

I already know Photoshop CS3 is well worth the upgrade and I'm sure I'll find that Illustrator, InDesign and Dreamweaver will be also. Did I mention that I can't wait?

The joy of getting your hands dirty

2007-04-14T14:06:00.000-05:00

This morning I returned to open figure drawing studio at The Arts Center after almost a year away from drawing on a regular basis. I forgot how fun it is, even though my skills are rusty to say the least, it just felt good to get my hands dirty and do some good old fashioned artwork. All my old friends were still there, and it was great to get back! I think the thing I like best about it is that it doesn't really matter if my work is good, it's all just for fun and self improvement.

If you're interested in going, and I do recommend it whatever your skill level (even if it's REALLY bad). Here's the info:
Open figure drawing studio
9:30-Noon every Saturday
3rd floor
http://theartscenter.org
Let me know you're coming and I'll save you a good spot.

If this doesn't make you cut up your credit cards, nothing will

2007-04-09T11:36:00.000-05:00

Recently the interest rate on all my credit cards increased by A LOT and none of them would change it. Im talking a range of between 21% and 29% APR! I checked my credit score and it hasn't changed, and it's very good. My broker friend explained how this is legal:

Evidently, at some point I got notice from them and in the fine print was a clause that said if I was late on any credit card payment, my rate would go up. Even if it's not their card. She went on... If you have a Rooms to Go or any of the other "no interste until whatever" loans and you're late on a payment, even one day, guess what happens.

I could go on and on about how that's morally wrong and should be against the law, but I won't. I agreed to it fair and square. On my original agreement, it says they can change the terms of the agreement as long as they notify me in advance. Doh!

I cut up my cards some time ago and am paying them off. I wish I had known this earlier, it would have saved me a lot of money.

Ok, I'm done with my rant. Back to work.

I love being home on weekends!

2007-03-31T13:55:00.000-05:00

This is my first weekend home in I don't know how long and I'm just loving it! I've been on a mission to get my mansion cleaned up, and I'm taking a break from scrubbing right now. Yes, I clean my own house. Well, that is unless Patty takes pity on me and cleans it for me, which happens pretty regularly. I'm on spring break next week and don't have any plans other than to enjoy the beautiful weather and do a minimal amount of work.

Thursday was the last night of the session for my studio lighting class and I'm very proud of the artistic progress eveyone made. One of my images from Thursday is above. The model's name is Meagan and I shot her in class, then added the background back here in the studio.

Also, got some foil stamping equipment that was my Dad's. Looking foward to experimenting with it. I suspect everything I own will be foil stamped soon. I'll let you know...

Well, back to cleaning!

New classes

2007-03-28T12:25:00.000-05:00

This week marks the end of another session. I've really had some nice, talented people this session and I'm fortunate to have the opportunity to be a part of their artistic growth. I have a new slate of classes starting up in 2 weeks. Visit http://protechniques.com for details.

Glad to know it's not just me

2007-03-27T15:17:00.000-05:00

I've been watching the live webcast of the announcement of the new Adobe Creative Suite CS3, and from what I've seen so far, it's just incredible! They always manage to come up with some new stuff that I never thought would be possible in my lifetime.

So, you may wonder, why am I writing this while it's on? They had a technical problem mid-presentation and the video feed went down not only for the web, but also for the live presentation. I've always speculated that the number of people watching was directly related to the chance of having technical problems and I think this proves it once and for all. If it can happen to Adobe during their biggest event in two years, it can happen to anyone. My heart goes out to the guys on stage who had to think quickly on their feet. I've been there myself, once with almost 400 people watching, and it's pretty scary to say the least. Those two guys really earned their pay today.

Right now, we're on an impromptu five minute break and I have to start getting ready for class tonight. I've seen enough though, I'm convinced and I CAN'T WAIT to get my copy of the new creative suite!

PS: here's a link to the presentation: http://www.adobe.com/products/creativesuite/launchevent/webcast/

A little distraction

2007-03-23T15:16:00.000-05:00

I've been working hard on a lot of images lately and today I just needed a break. I'm also having a bad allergy day so it's hard to concentrate. I've been working on this illustration a little bit at a time and I made major progress on it today. It's all done in Adobe Illustrator. I'd welcome your comments.

Looking forward to a fun weekend!

Back to work

2007-03-20T15:38:00.000-05:00

I'm back at work full time now and it sure feels good to get back to normal. In last week's lighting class, I did some of my best images of Rebecca Anderson ever. My favorite is posted here. It took 2 days, but now I can see my desk! My focus this week is to get caught up on my jobs, phone calls and e-mails. In my spare time, I've been posting more images on http://photosig.com

Saying goodbye

2007-03-13T07:00:00.000-05:00

My Dad passed away this weekend. It was as good a passing as I can imagine; peacefully with his family at his side. I'm glad because he had more than his fair share of suffering, especially in the last year of his life. And most importantly of all, he knew where he was going when he died, and so did I and most of my family. Knowing for sure where you're going when you die brings a lot of comfort not only to yourself, but also to those who care about you and also beleive God.

A while back, one of the times it looked like he would die, he told me what he believed at the age of ten. 1: He beleived that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. 2: He beleived that the wages of sin is death and eternity in hell. 3: He beleived that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us to pay the price for our sins. In short, he put his trust in Christ paying the price for his sins, a price that he could never pay himself, no matter how much good he did in his life. That gave him peace, and it's what gives me peace because I beleive it too.

Do you know for sure where you're going when you die? Would you want to know for sure? It's written down and you can read it for yourself. Take a look at this:

Am I Going to Heaven?

Check below what you think is necessary
to get you to heaven.

❏ Obeying the Ten Commandments
❏ Doing your best
❏ Living a good life
❏ Good works
❏ Trying to obey the Golden Rule
❏ Tithing, or giving money to the church
❏ Church membership or attendance
❏ Prayers
❏ Water baptism
❏ Holy communion
❏ Born of Christian parents
❏ Confirmation
❏ Penance

Now see below how you scored on the test.

Explanation

    If you checked one or more of the above items, you failed the test. Don’t feel badly though, most people do fail. Most are to some degree “religious”, but religions are nothing more than man-made attempts to reach God.

   The real answer to how to get to Heaven is not found in some religious system or by man’s self-righteousness. God has declared that “there is none righteous, no not one” (Romans 3:10) “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Further, God’s Word teaches that sin is a very serious matter. II Thessalonians 1:9 tells of “everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord”. Anyone who is not found written in the book of life will be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15).

    What can you do about your sin problem? Can you clean up your life, do good works and hope that in the end your good works will outweigh your bad works? NO! Salvation does not come to those who work for it, but to those who cease from their own works, placing their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 4:5 makes that point abundantly clear. “To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” In Ephesians 2:8&9, it is declared “For by grace are ye saved through faith: and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast.”

    The issue is not what you can do for God, but what He has done for you.” But God commendeth His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8). “He hath made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, Who knew no sin ; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (II Corinthians 5:21). You have no righteousness of your own. To have eternal life you must have the righteousness of Christ (see Romans 3:26).

    What then is your responsibility? God has given you a free will to either accept or reject what He has done for you. To have God’s righteousness you must believe that “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that He was buried; and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (I Corinthians 15:3,4).

    Your response to the gospel should be as we read of the Ephesians: “In Whom (the Lord Jesus Christ) ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in Whom also after that ye believed , ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13) This seal is a guarantee that your salvation is eternal – you can never lose it. (see Ephesians 1:14, 4:30, II Corinthians 1:22)

    At this very moment you have the responsibility of making a decision. If you are convinced by God’s Word, you can be saved right now: Simply make the decision in your heart to trust completely and exclusively in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ as the total payment to God for your sins. The moment you do, God will forgive you all your sins and save you from spending eternity in the Lake of Fire.

    The choice is now up to you... What did you decide? If you trusted Christ today, or if you have any questions, please contact us. We are eager to share more with you from God’s Word.

If you'd like to chat about this, or anything else, let me know and I promise I won't preach at you ;)

The down side to being self employed

2007-03-07T22:47:00.000-05:00

I've been out of the office a lot lately as my Dad passes through the final stage of his life. It's been very difficult trying to balance the needs of the people who make it possible for me to buy groceries with the needs of my family. Everyone has been great though, and if you're one of them, thank you. One of the benefits of using me for your work is that I personally do the work. Problem is, when I'm not here for whatever reason, it just doesn't get done as quickly.

It's a matter of priorities, do I hand it off to a freelancer and hope it'll be right? In my 20 years of business, I've learned the hard way that's not the way to go. I've always tried to find a good balance between the biblical concept of priorities being God, family, work and the responsibility I have to the people who count on me.

I really don't have a point to this, but one thing I know is I have some very good, kind clients. I'm thankful for all of you.

By the way, if you're interested in exactly what has given me real peace with my Dad's passing, ask me and I'll be happy to tell you. It's probably not what you think it is...

The alphabet challenge

2007-03-05T14:41:00.000-05:00

If you'd like to participate in the alphabet challenge, start shooting things that look like letters and e-mail them to me. So far five people have taken up the challenge and I'll be putting up a web page so we can see each other's progress. It looks like I'm currently in last place with my one letter "c", although I don't qualify for any prizes, just the fun of it :) The prize for the first person to finish the alphabet is any class I teach at the arts center for free. Second place is a free training video, and everyone else gets respect and props.

How do I get more hours?

2007-03-05T14:28:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking about my flash a lot lately. I've always avoided it and though of it as a last resort for light, but I'm reconsidering. There seems to be a trend in traveling light (no pun intended) and I've been seeing some great results from just one or two flashes and some imagination. I'll keep you posted.

And now for the news: I'm excited about The Finn Gallery in St Petersburg, they're going to stock my work! Specifically, they'll stock my old florida in black and white series, florida landscapes series and abstract florida series. I'll be in good company, the gallery currently shows the work of just one artist, P. Buckley Moss. The owner of the gallery, Tim has been a commercial client for a number of years and he's by far the best gallery owner I've ever come across.

Also had a very exciting weekend... At church, our regular Pastor was scheduled to be out of town, then his replacement was called away unexpectedly Thursday, so I got to be the preacher this week! It went well and was a lot easier than the last one, which was my first time at the lectern. I gotta say, teaching Photoshop is much easier for me, but I'm glad to have the opportunity to grow. Also, it seems like no matter how much or how little time I have to prepare, they always turn out okay. Not to say that I would ever not bother to prepare of course. That would be waaaay too much stress.

Studio Lighting Class in St Petersburg

2007-02-27T16:24:00.000-05:00

Thursday's studio lighting class at The Arts Center in St Pete was a very nice evening with a small group. I stopped at the flower store on the way and found these nice lillies to use as a still life. They're shot with a single light with a soft box and a reflector. That's it. Who says you can't get good results without a lot of equipment. Next week we'll have a model to shoot and I'm sure it'll be a fun time for evryone.

Yes, I have a dinosaur in my yard

2007-02-21T09:33:00.000-05:00

A topic of conversation in class was my dinosaur. Most of the class didn't believe I actually had one, so here's a picture. His name is Greenie and he used to work at a Sinclair gas station somewhere out west. He likes it here.

The blessing of work

2007-02-21T09:13:00.000-05:00

I'm looking forward to starting my studio lighting class tomorrow night at The Arts Center. I have a very small group (4) signed up and they are all good people who are great to work with. I plan on taking advantage of the small group to do some more challenging work than we can usually do with a full class. I have some projects in mind and will post them when they're done. One of the students, Shauna has volunteered to model for an illustration I'm doing for an upcoming magazine article. I think it'll be a really fun project!

And now for some philosophising... The blessing of work has become the burden of work lately. I'm very fortunate to have plenty of work, but when family emergencies arise, it's time to make some hard decisions about priorities. My Dad's been near death for a while now and as his final days drag on, I've been spending more time with my Mom to help her though this difficult time. I've never expected clients to understand or care about my personal circumstances, but balancing the two has been challenging these past few weeks. Our business culture is in direct opposition to what I believe is the correct order; God, family, work. That's not to say that I'll ever break a commitment or fail to do my very best. It's just that some times are easier than others.

I'm so glad to be able to be an independednt creative professional. Some days are hard, but I wouldn't trade it for anyhting else.

Back on my book

2007-02-20T07:51:00.000-05:00

I met with a friend yesterday who's a financial planner. One thing that came out of our duscussion was that I really need to get serious about finishing my book about how to earn a living as a creative porofessional. He's going to help me with some of the chapters that deal with risk management and exit strategy. I have several chaters roughed out already, so all I have to do is the work.

I've been overwhelmed lately with the amount of work that's out there and eve more so with the amount of work I have to do myself. It's all a matter of time management and there's a real shortage of qualified creative pros in this area. I'm doing my part to make more! :)

Saturday ramblings

2007-02-17T12:01:00.000-05:00

It's a beautiful but cold Saturday morning here and although I had big plans to get a lot done this weekend, I really don't feel like working. I just finished up six weeks of a very heavy teaching schedule and I just feel like I need to rest.

One thing I would like to get started on soon is a set of cabinets for the studio. I saw the idea in a magazine for a set of cabinets on wheels; each of them about six feet tall and two feet deep and four feet wide. The idea is that they all would be positioned against the wall sideways and to access the contents, you would pull one of the cabinets out to and roll it back into its place when done getting the stuff out. It looks at a genius use of space. I also have plans to build a permanently installed desk here in the studio similar to the one I built in my shop and design it specifically to accommodate all the wiring cables that I have to deal with your the studio. But today is not the day to get started on that.

Ok, I'm gonna try this

2007-02-17T11:50:00.000-05:00

In the past I thought that blogs were pretty stupid. I mean nobody ever reads these things, right? Recently it occurred to me that actually spend a lot of time reading other people's logs, and rather enjoy a knowing what's going on their lives. I don't mean famous people either, just people I know in the industry and friends who live don't get to talk to very often.

So I'm going to try this and see if I have time to keep up on it, and decide in a couple of months if it's beneficial. I'd welcome your comments.