Watching for open doors

2020 was a year that none of us will soon forget, and 2021 is providing open doors and opportunities.  Challenges can be negative or positive, but how we approach each issue speaks to our thoughts about outcomes.  I am CHOOSING to find the positive.  I would encourage all of you to CHOOSE to find the positive and the open door.  Jim Flynn sent through this image to me and immediately I was drawn to it.  It feels like it is filled with symbols.  A black & white image helping me to keep focus.  Gates that are open for a new journey to begin.  No one is evident because the choice is ours to make, alone and once we make our decision then our supporters will come out of the woodwork.

So here is to positivity, open doors, working hard and looking for opportunities.  I look forward to all of the collaborations that are ahead, so let's get going!

www.jimflynnphoto.com

Taboo conversations.............

Mental health. 

It's an issue that no one really likes to speak about, but we all are dealing with issues to some extent.  The pressures of our daily lives.  The triggers that can set us off.  The highs and lows and all the range that is in between.  I wish that I knew how to handle it all.  We all wish that we knew the right way to deal with everything that gets thrown at us, but we don't.  We all try and "act" like we have it together because if we didn't act like it, then people would actually know the real truth.

Mental Health. 

We all need support. 

We all need people to listen.  

We all need to not be fearful to ask for help and to be heard.

This is a small taste of a project that Rodney Rascona worked on.  Powerful.

www.rascona.com

Traditions that bring us together................

Every year it seems tougher and tougher to get the kids together.  Schedules are packed.  Activities are boundless.  Lives are very full.  Gatherings around the table are special, whether with family or friends and that is one of the wonderful pleasure of holidays, such as Easter or Passover.  The tradition of dying eggs is one that I always look forward to, even if it doesn't start until 9 or 10 pm the night before Easter.  There is such an art to it and it allows for self-expression, creativity and plain old fun!

Heath and the studio decided to have some fun with the age-old tradition.  Amy gathered up some creative ideas and then worked to create some gems with Mark assisting.  I wanted to share what wonderful beauty can be created when working as a team.  Traditions that can be lovely each time they are done.......they are never the same and can often bring new experiences.

www.heathrobbins.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

Let them eat cake!!

What a fun shoot this was..........so much inspiration from every single aspect, from the baker, visionary and inspiration, to the food stylists creations, to the prop stylists sets and surfaces and as well, the creativity and perspective of the photographer.  Each set was so cleverly thought of to compliment the cake and to create an scene that would pull every view in - and it did!

We had to worry about the inside and outside representation AND we got to taste along the way.  Seriously, it was one of the yummiest jobs to be a part of, creating, baking and tasting.  Yum!

Simply beauty to ornate decorations.  Little bits and pieces of candies and cookies, food coloring, chocolate used in ways you had never envisioned and it all came together.

More fun to be had on our next project..........wonder what that will be?

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

Full of Hope..........

Each day, there seems to be a new challenge that we face, yet I realize more and more - my challenges are so minimal compared to others.  The last few years - Rodney's photography has been laser sharp, focused on human beings, their struggles, their lives and each person's hope for a brighter future.  Today and each day, I try to appreciate the blessings in my life and to focus on being full of hope.  Positive.  Looking for solutions.

Grateful for my life and those that surround me, in work, in life.

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

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

A day to celebrate women.

International Women's Day.

A day to celebrate the women in our lives and all over the world.  

We are a part of everything.  We are a part of the fabric that makes the world sing. 

We are proud.  We are strong.  We will overcome.  We will resist.  We will be loud.  We will be proud.  We will collaborate.  We will be inclusive.  We will work hard.  

We will expect nothing, but the best and accept nothing less.

Rodney's world has always focused on a can do approach for all.  

Justice. Humility. Equality. Pride.

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

Happy New Year???

It's the last hurrah of Summer, Labor Day weekend!  Hard to believe that the Summer has come and is almost gone.  How did that happen?  Each year - I always think that this is, once again, a time of rebirth.........enjoying the past and jumping full-fledged into a new year.

So, Happy New Year!

Okay - may seem odd to some of you, but many of us aren't beholden to the calendar year - but think of our year by "school year" or "sports season."  So here we are,......beginning again.

I love this time of the year - thinking about all of the fun things to come work wise and being able to make more plans to see my Industry friends who will be in the office, creatively planning things.......collaboration, here we come!

Heath recently had a chance to plan some fun while capturing some awesome Summer fun. 

Lucky Guy!

www.heathrobbins.com

Are you in or are you out?

Aren't we always looking to be included?  I don't know a lot of people that truly are "okay" if something is going on and they are not included.  It's like Civil Rights - we are all to be afforded the same rights - no matter what.  That's pretty powerful.

We are ALL supposed to be welcomed and included.

Nature is one place that are all welcome.  In some cases, it is harder to jump in and be involved if one is dealing with a disability, yet there are ways to work around or conquer that obstacle.  Life is filled with obstacles.  Photography is filled with challenges.  Each day normally presents a certain amount of trials and it is all in how you handle working through those situations that determine the outcome.

The outcome, if approached correctly, can be fantastic.  Include all voices and perspective.  Think if it's been a collaborative process and if the answer is yes - you probably have a winner product on hand.  Pure satisfaction and teamwork.   Success!!

Joshua strives for a collaborative process with all of his jobs - he's one of the team to make it happen.  We'd love to be teammates with you on your next project.

www.joshuaweinfeld.com

Holidays are coming! Can you get it done???

Why of course we can get it done!

Even though I love the holidays, there is a certain inherent pressure, mostly due to myself, but sometimes due to outside sources.  

How long is your list of "things to do?"  I am sure - pretty long.

Work, family, personal, kids, needs, wants and wishes.........it swirls all around you - each "area" needing just a little bit of your time.  That all adds up!

This assignment which was executed a while ago and was a SWIRL!  Funny, because when Holiday work is shooting in July - there still is that build up of pressure and I think some of that simply is like the needs of our business.  Hurry up, get it done, make sure it is perfect, find a good deal and it has to be on time!

This project was just that.  Quick, great quality, cost efficient and checked all of the boxes.  These are exactly the projects that we love to do.  Creative and needed.

Give us a ring........we can make it happen!

www.erickulin.com

Endless Possibilities..............

Collaborations that are of a creative nature are a bit like a marriage, some give and take, some hard work, great ideas, thinking out of the box and some hustle.  

We've decided to work together and make these things happen. We have imagination, a lot of heart and can't wait to work on projects together and hopefully, with many of you. 

It's a big world out there and we are ready to give it our combined efforts, and with that comes endless possibilities.  

Cheers to us!  Can't wait for what lies ahead.

To See More: www.ntphoto.com 

 OR

Contact me:

  katecompany@gmail.com  / 617-549-9872 to get going! 

Would you turn your back on me?

Would you turn your back on me?

It's a tough question to struggle with when you let fear creep into your life.  We need to fight the fear.  We need to be ready to accept others and to offer help to those in need.  I do not want to let terrorism and fear take over my life and I won't let it.

I have been so proud of the work that Rodney has done over the years as he gives of himself in so many ways.  He is a true hero to me.  

He works on projects that give of himself to help others.

Offer your hand and help.  Rodney does.  

I will.

Will you?

www.rascona.com

Appreciation, everyday.

Yes, Veterans Day was earlier this week.  

A day that is set aside as an acknowledgement, yet we really do need to say thank you all the time, everyday.  Hard to remember to do that...........but so worthwhile.  

Appreciation:  the gratitude for something, a full understanding of a situation or the recognition and enjoyment of the good qualities of someone or something.

Topher is keenly aware of how precious each day, each hour and each moment can be.  Make the most out of life.  Choose wisely and appreciate, everyday.

www.tophercox.com