Reflection............

September.  A time for review and a restart for many of us.  A transition to a new season.  A transition to a new school year.  A transition for our lives.

In our world, there are so many differences amongst people, yet so many similarities that we seem to forget in the heat of the moment.  As I walked our city's annual Labor Day parade yesterday, I was struck by the many people that were all along the route and although just looking at someone's exterior, one may see differences........I kept on focusing on how much we all had in common.  We were all going through some transitions and as well, preparations for what lay ahead.

Reflect on who we are, what we believe in, what we stand for and what we can all do together.  We can do so much if we just support each other and work together.  This is a transition that I would like many of us to consider..........respect others and recognize our similarities, rather than seeing the many differences.

http://www.rascona.com

Take me back to the Summer days as a kid...............

How can any of us not long for the days of Summer as a kiddo?  I mean, C'mon.  You got to hang out with friends, eat tons of ice cream, ride banana seat bikes around all day and into the evening, catch fireflies, go to camp and play kick the can..........so, so simple and fun.

Funny thing about remembering all of that good stuff as a kid?  Those great memories jump right to the front of my mind when I see other kids - today - enjoying the same things.  I loved this shoot that Heath did.  We got to do all of those "basic" things.  Play in the sprinkler, blow bubbles, create artistic masterpieces with sidewalk chalk, eat ice cream, popsicles and watermelon till it was coming out of our ears.  Life was good!   It was a great production crew and although it was work, it was a fun day that got us a lot of great images.  Everyone walked away happy.

That's what we aim for each day.  Walk away happy.  Communicate well.  Meet or exceed expectations.  Have fun and make sure that you enjoy every moment.  It IS work, but work can and should be fun too.

Eat well.  Live happy.

www.heathrobbins.com

It's not about me. It's about us.

It really doesn't matter if we are siblings or family.  To me, there always has seemed to be a responsibility to help each other and overall, mankind.  We all have struggles, we all have needs.  Some needs are greater than others.  Some days provide more challenge than others.  Yet, with each of those challenges and obstacles - we need to persevere.  We persevere by helping and lending a hand to those in need.

I believe that is one reason I like what I get to do for work.  Maybe that sounds odd, but I like to help a group come together for a purpose and make things work.  I like being a part of the fabric or glue.  It's not about me.  It's about us.  Different people that come together for a purpose.

Today is Giving Tuesday.  I really like the premiss of today.  It makes people think and hopefully act, although I really would like all to remember that giving each day can make all of us better and can make our world a little better.  So, hopefully you give to something today and as well, start a trend and think of someone else each day.  What a beautiful concept - working together.

So - think about it.  It's really not just about one, it's about all of us.

www.rascona.com

Letting in all happen........or making it look that way

Do you remember the days of just letting it all go and enjoying the moment, not a care in the world?  Some days, don't you wish for it?  Okay - most days I wish for it, but then I remember - I'm a planner, a producer, an organizer.  In this role - we make it happen for others and make it look "easy".   And so that's how shoots happen that look flawless. 

These young girls were great on set and embodied all the fun that Summer can hold.  So, casting was spot on.  The crew was all that we wanted and so much more.  Styling and propping hit the mark - exactly - and the location, that worked too.  Boom, it all happened and the marks were hit.  Success.

It's all the little pieces that need to come into play, boxes that need to be checked off with care.  Crossing the T's and dotting the I's.

Seamless.

And that's what we do.

www.heathrobbins.com

Blessed.......

Each day - we are blessed by just being able to wake up, put our feet on the ground, look up to the sky and know the beauty of the world around us.

This innocent little boy starts his day in prayer.  In his best school shirt. Eager for the day ahead and yet not knowing what lies outside his immediate realm.  This shot by Rodney Rascona in Ethiopia, for Food for the Hungry - shows how we should take a moment to really consider how fortunate many of us are.  Say a little prayer of thanks.  We deal with many trials and tribulations, but many pale in comparison to his day with his HIV positive mother who are supported through loving volunteers for medicine and food.

We are blessed.

www.rascona.com

Get out there...........

There is just something special about the Summer.  A time to get out there and enjoy all that we have around us.  Yes, of course - we all have to work, but we certainly need to take time to have fun too.  It's all part of life.  Work hard, play hard.

This pic is a little mix of both working and playing.  Eric - as many of you know is a very capable shooter, stills and fishing and a lot lot in between.  He has a passion for the outside and often charters boats taking people out to enjoy fishing and then not only is he the Captain, but he's a documenter of the experience.  He knows the angles, he captures the experience and the emotions.

What a great way to combine passions........work hard, play hard and enjoy life!

www.erickulin.com

www.sanpshotcharters.net

Hope ~ I speak for the trees..........

A sign of Summer, dare I say?  I'm hopeful.

Not hopeful for dandelions, but hopeful for days outside.  Days for shooting on locations locally and making some awesome things happen for clients where we don't necessarily need to travel.  Yes, of course, there will be plenty of days in the studio, that's a given......but days outside, anywhere are wonderful to me.  I feel blessed to be a part of this big blue marble.

Our WORLD is beautiful.  I love the beauty of nature and here we are, challenging our society to have the WORLD do it without the USA's support.  Well, that will not be me.  I stand and speak for the trees.........Unless someone like YOU cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better.  It's not.  ~  The Lorax.

So - enjoy our world and please, have a voice..........we always seem to find it to use in our industry anyway.  Now is the time.  Celebrate and save our beautiful world.

www.erickulin.com

Haitians.........beautiful humans, like you and me.

Rodney Rascona has spent a lot of time in Haiti - focusing on the people.  What a rich country, in tradition, in family, yet by far - the most destitute country in the Americas.  Nearly 60 percent of Haitians live on less than $2.42 per day........could you live on that little?

Currently, our Homeland Security Secretary is considering the expulsion en masse of some 50,000 Haitians that are now living legally in the United Stated.  Think about that.  This land of 10.4 million that is still reeling from the huge earthquake in 2010, the ongoing cholera epidemic and an incredibly devastating hurricane that swept the island only last Fall, may need to deal with a huge influx of humans that it will not be able to handle.

Rodney covers these humanitarian issues.  He covers them on the ground, where they live day in and day out.  Gets to know the people and shows the reality, the truth and beauty of who they are......exactly like you and me.

www.rascona.com

Take a moment. No, really.

Taking a moment to simply drink in all of the good around us.

So life does certainly throw all of us curve balls and with all of the stuff coming at us, it can often begin to feel quite overwhelming.  That said - we somehow have to find a way to rise above it.  For most of us, that can certainly be a challenge.  Loads of pressure, time sensitivity - everything coming at you with high expectations, no room for error and not a lot of time for reflection built in.

Reflection is exactly what you need.  You need to give yourself some time and room.

Why?  Because in the end, if you don't reflect as you are going along, then why are you really doing anything at all?  Take a few minutes to sip the tea or coffee, linger a bit longer on the taste of that muffin and look out the window and see the beauty around you.  You really will be more productive in the end if you really take stock in all of the goodness, YOUR goodness.

A close friend of mine and I were in touch this morning.  She had recently experienced a huge loss and we spent a few minutes together, not that either of us didn't have plenty on our check list of "things to get done today."  Yet - we took the time.  It was necessary.  That set me on the right path of the day - taking time for her, for us and reestablishing how important she is to me and hopefully showing some support for her, when she needs a little love and lift.  Life is important, don't get bogged down by so much of the other stuff that you can't see all of the value that's right before us.

It may be time for another cup, enjoy.

Eat well.  Live happy.

www.heathrobbins.com

So, DO something about it!!!

What to do?  Do SOMETHING!  And that is what many of us are doing.  We will not stand by watching as the world is changing and that can be quite empowering.

As Advertising professionals journalists, we have the power to report, document and inform people and their lives.  Thank goodness for that.

Rodney Rascona is an example of that - he has worked tirelessly over 17+ years in the oddest of place to bring the harsh realities of lives to light.  I had the pleasure of originally meeting Rodney when he shot for Volkswagen - shooting cars all over the place, in incredible locations at the twilight hours for the golden light was what was necessary.  It was an incredible experience where I learned a lot and a thrill was to be had for the long hours, hard work and beautiful finished product that made us all smile upon completion.  That all said, the work that makes me the proudest of Rodney, is the work he's done under the radar, in many ways.  Traveling in 2004 to document the Southeast Asia Tsunami, the hours spent capturing inner beauty of the Haitians after hit by an earthquake, the Ethiopian famine, women fighting for their rights in the Congo and many, many NGO projects, too many to name.

He has done it all and captured these folks sometimes in their harshest hours, but with dignity.

So, here's my call to action for all of us.  We MUST find a way to live out our passion, while helping others.  Find your calling and make it happen.

You can find out more about Rodney and his incredible work, stills and videos:
http://beakstreetbugle.com/articles/view/565/dont-moan-organise

And Rodney's website:
www.rascona.com

Stepping out of your comfort zone...............

Life is not about walking a straight line, I mean - you can.........but is that the best way to experience life?  Probably not.  

Part of being involved in this crazy, creative Industry - photography, advertising, editorial, publishing, marketing, etc - it's kind of always being ready for whatever is being thrown at you and not letting things really shake you.

So, a straight line is not normally how things work........it's more about ducking when something comes barreling at you unexpectedly, it's making a shoot work when the talent isn't exactly "into it", making a situation turn from disastrous to sensational and somehow finding a silver lining when things kind of look bleak.

Yes, this month seemed to me to be pretty bleak, but letting things stay that way really isn't an option.  I need to (and possibly you too) need to pick myself up by my boot straps and get back on the horse and not be thrown by the unexpected.  Make lemonade out of lemons......and step out of my expected comfort zone and see what is out there.

There are a bunch of people that I run into in daily life that do this all the time - you may be one of them and I feel like many of the photographers that I work with, tend to have that kind of approach to life.  Deal with it and make it work.  So don't expect to follow a straight line........jump in or jump off - find a different way of approaching things.  It MAY just be refreshing.

www.tophercox.com

A Helping Hand.

A helping hand.

We all could use one from time to time.

Many locales are being ravaged by a hurricane as I type this and on a daily basis there are needs throughout the world.  Rodney has had a chance to lend a hand on a number of projects.  Working on behalf of great clients and impactful projects, such as Global Relief, Red Dirt Road, UNF-GACC, Black Inside, Somalian Exile, The Indian Tsunami, as well as The Pink Door - Haiti.

Our hope is that in our own way - we can lend a hand and be there to help.  Projects that have teeth and that are looking for partners to tell a story, you have found a home.  Rodney can pull together a team that can provide you with the right catalyst to bring your project to fruition with heart and soul.

It will be time again to lend a helping hand and we will be there.

May we all find a way to be there to help.

www.rascona.com

What's the story?

Do you ever hang out in places - whether doing work, having a cup of coffee or just waiting for someone and you make up stories about the people you are seeing?  Maybe it is just me, but I like to think that many of us, especially in the creative end of the business - make up these incredible stories about what is going on with this person, who they are meeting, where they have been.  

Ironically, as I thought about this more and more - I realized the correlation between creative minds creating imaginary stories and photography visionaries creating stories with their images - especially still photographers.  One image needs to capture a lot of information - so that the person viewing it can see the details and get it.  I love that!  It's kind of what makes me want to do, what I do each day.  Create a story in one shot (okay - sometimes maybe a few more images than that - but you know what I mean).

So, here's an image.  Joshua shot it......there is a story behind it.

What's the story you think it should tell?

www.joshuaweinfeld.com

Something new...........

Ah, putting together a new book.  It takes SO long and is very hard to do.  I'm sure many of you creatives know exactly what I am talking about when I say that.  Lots of long hours struggling to make choices and edits - yet when it is done and people get to look at it and you share your work, it is all worth it.

I was thrilled to meet with Joshua a few weeks ago when I was out in Los Angeles.  It was more of a culmination of many back and forth emails, skype visits and phone calls - resulting in a fantastic book and some pretty incredible imagery.  Some of it I was familiar with and some was entirely new and exciting work that sends a chill up your spine.

Can't wait to share and can not wait to meet many of you in person because BOY does it look good.  Congrats Joshua!

Want to see the work?  Give me a call.

www.joshuaweinfeld.com

Joshua............LIVE

Yep.  It's LIVE.

We are excited because Joshua has spent a ton of time pulling together a new site.  It calls for a few minutes of your time and yes, may be partial, but I SO think it is worth it.

Grab a coffee or your favorite libation and peruse.  Fun stuff and an adventure at every turn.  It's pretty much just like Joshua.  Fun. Driven. Passionate. Adventurer.

If you have some feedback.  We're all ears.

www.joshuaweinfeld.com

It's all in the Details.

What a majestic shot!  So many subtleties happening everywhere you look.

Ironic to see this right at this moment in time, as so much of our life seems a bit of a blur.  Yet if we take a moment and really study the details, there is so much more to it.  Don't you think?  I believe that is one of the reasons that I love being a part of the creative process because for all of the hurry up and rush - that often happens, there is a HUGE amount of beauty, just need to peel open the onion and check out the layers.

Creativity is really keeping your mind open, pushing the boundaries, seeing things in a different way, taking risks, checking out all options and sometimes thinking out of the box.  We all could use a little bit more of this in our every day life.  Details are massively important - not just broad sweeping thoughts and approaches.  We need depth and texture, insight and communications, friendship and support.

Joshua and many of the photographers that I work with, strive each day for expanding the boundaries.  Thinking out of the box.  Finding the details and highlighting them appropriately.  Working collaboratively and communicating all along the way.  I am lucky - what a great group of people to work with each and every day.  It's all in the details!

www.joshuaweinfeld.com

It goes on.

With so much going on in the world, I feel like I am constantly trying to make sense of it all.  Many times, I can't make all of the pieces come together to "make sense."

Recently, I had a quote that popped up that actually spoke to me:

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life:  it goes on." ~ Robert Frost

It spoke to me because I realized that everything does NOT make sense.  It happens.  I need to adjust and move forward as positively as I can.  So, as I approach each day, each work assignment, each issue - I try and take it one step at a time.  Don't get overwhelmed and make more of something than is needed.  Take in that moment and make it count.

Each issue needs appropriate attention.  Each project that we work on, that is our focus.  Give time to make it the best it can be and don't over think it.  It will all fall in place.

It goes on.

www.tophercox.com

Light and Bright..........

Pure joy.

Keeping things light and bright and sharing all the goodness.  This image really captures the moment and all that exudes as she is singing deep from her soul.  I love when imagery can shout out that raw emotion and capture the true feeling.

I hope that within each day, as we face our normal schedule and busy lifestyles, that we take time to let it all hang out and enjoy the moments.  Last week was a very busy production with a number of challenges, yet there were bright spots throughout the experience.  People that I had the chance to collaborate with that were phenomenal, locations that we shot that were incredible little diamonds in the rough, weather than happened to support our exact needs and issues that tried to rear their crazy little heads were re-routed into positive opportunities.  All in all, we made the best out of what was around us and celebrated.

Keeping things on track for making the best out of all situations.  Topher used this opportunity for good.  His project was to work on a great video, he walked away with so much more than simply producing an incredible video project........he walked away with great creative product and a tighter respect for the many people he work with.  A fruitful experience for all, focused on the good stuff.

Life lived well!

www.tophercox.com

Summer Fridays......make it count.

Summer Friday.  

We have so few left for this "Summer."  That said, isn't a Summer Friday all about enjoyment, making the most of your time, something special - like a bonus for getting all of your work done and done well, before you head to your "pleasure."

It's kind of like planning appropriately and truly fulfilling expectations, right?

I like the notion of doing your job and doing it thoroughly because there really doesn't seem to be a reason to ever do something half-assed.  Seriously.  Does anyone actually begin something and say, "hey, I just don't feel like it today - think I'll do everything just 80% because that's a pretty good percentage?"  I don't think so.  Simply drives me crazy.  Do something.  Do it well and give it your all or just don't do it.

Summer Fridays, every day - they're a bonus...........make the most out of everything you do and have.  It's all a blessing.  Make it count.

www.jasonevansimagery.com

Balance

Balance.

Each day, it's all about finding the right way to approach life. 

Work, family, friends, fun.  Lots of pressures and many pleasures, but can you make the pressure more pleasurable?  Of course.  

As I mentioned in a recent blog post, it is all about your choices and approach.  Finding your balance could be as simple as how you decide you want to approach your life.   Surround yourself with like-minded people.  Make a cognitive decision to work with people that hold the same morals and ethics.  Foster the right opportunities to put yourself in the right place so great things can happen.

Choose to find balance.

www.tophercox.com