A Perfect Aim, and Missing the Target

A Perfect Aim, and Missing the Target

It is always a shame when a person, organization, or group loses sight of their objective, their reason for being.

Albert Einstein said “A perfection of means and a confusion of aims, seems to be our main problem."

A service company forgets their call to serve their customer, and instead becomes bureaucratic, following the rules.

A hospital begins to focus on profitability, giving lip service to patient satisfaction (relating it to profitability) and patient care is forgotten.

A pastor thinks the target is the size of the congregation, their popularity and prestige, while spiritual development and maturity of members in the congregation is somehow seen as competition.

Political parties and representatives look at re-election and accumulating power while they forget the people they are to represent.

Do I need to talk about bankers and investment brokers?

Profitability in a business is necessary to staying in business, but it cannot become the reason for being. Size and power are needed to do a job, but those things should not be the target. The Bible asks, what does it profit a person if they gain the whole world, and lose their soul?

Stop the insanity!

What is the purpose of your existence? Aim there! And if you lose, you will be losing with faithfulness to your call, to your purpose.

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Looking back, and stumbling forward.

Looking back, stumble forward

Today I had the pleasure of going up to the Booth Western Art Museum and enjoy their Cowboy gathering and Chuck Wagon cook-off with a young friend of mine, Michael.  Besides enjoying some of the images that I have not seen in a while something else impressed me.

The chuck wagon teams started cooking at 8:00 am, and lunch was served at noon.  The food was delicious (but way too authentic).  I thought about how long my mother took to cook our supper – and compared it with how long it takes me to “whip up” supper.  

And what do we do with our new found time?

I am challenged to do something worthwhile. And if I cannot find something worthwhile, at least I’ll do something creative. And if I cannot find anything creative, I’ll do something educational. And something that builds relationships would be an added benefit to any of those activities.

As a note, the team that I enjoyed most was a team that had worked together as friends for over 20 years.  What an impressive way to build and maintain relationships!  Way to go Skillet and Spurs!

Mapping Creativity and Preparedness Intersections.

Intersection of Preparedness and Inspiration

Part 3 of 3

I told you yesterday that I would give you a map to help find the intersection of preparedness and inspiration.  Here are some of the directions that I have found useful.

Into the soup of preparation, stir in a healthy dose of passion. Passion or excitement will create an environment where inspiration just wants to show up.

Sprinkle prayer liberally over the mixture.  If God can make every snowflake different, every fingerprint unique, I am convinced that He never gets tired or bored injecting new life and new creativity into what He has created, and He had creativity to spare (or to share).

And keep the heat of your ego turned way down low.  When we take full credit for our creative work, we come to believe that we are only as good as our last song, invention or work of art.  Such pressure is like a sedative to a creative being.  Allow yourself to play, to make mistakes, to grow and to learn.

And for those who have wondered, yes, I have written faithfully in my creative journal all week. So far.

The Other Road

The Other Road

Part 2 of 3

Yesterday I left the blog with us walking down a road of preparedness.  We talked about study, being the expert in your field and, quite frankly, it sounded like a lot of work.

But sometimes the other road comes in, and when Inspiration crossed Preparation some magical things happen.  The universe (inside your mind and body mostly, but elsewhere as well) flips and turns so that things flow into your direction.  Suddenly the poem flows effortlessly from your pen.  Without notice the oils shape themselves on your canvas in a way that all you can do is stand back and stand amazed.  For one unbelievable day, or evening the Universe conspires to create something fantastic by your hand.

And the next morning, it is gone, and you return to your work and creating by sweat.

Have you experienced that crossroad marvel?  If you have, it is an experience that you are always trying to get back to.

Tomorrow I’ll share with you a map…

The Creative Intersection where we want to live. Part 1 of 3

The Essential Creative Intersection

Part 1 of 3

There is an intersection that we all want to get to, but to get to that intersection, there is a road we must travel.

The road is the road of preparedness.  We must be prepared in our field of creativity.  Learning, becoming an expert in our field, is essential.  We need to learn the past, where we are in the present, and hopefully where our field will be in the future.  We need to master the tools, and the techniques. We must learn the rules, why they are there, and learn when to break them.

Preparedness is work. It is hard.  But it is a required road to get to the intersection where we want to be.

At that intersection, the effort will be well worth it.

Tomorrow we will look at the other road of the intersection

See you then.

Don't Fade into the Sunset

Don’t fade into the Sunset!

Have you ever photographed a sunset, with all the rich colors only to view it on your computer (or print it later) to find all those beautiful colors have faded?

“I guess you just had to be there.” You told your friends. But there may be another reason your sunset faded.

Different lights have different colors to them. Normal light bulbs give a yellow light. Florescent bulbs give a green light, while daylight is bluish.  We don’t see the colors because our brains alter the colors that we see so they will “look normal”.  But the colors are there anyway.

Most digital cameras have an “auto color” selection where the camera selects the light source that it thinks is being used and adjusts accordingly.  That is why you can take a photo inside, and then outside and you will not see much of a color shift.

But when you photograph that sunset, if the camera is still on “auto color”, the camera will remove some of the red, yellows etc. that you were so impressed with so it will look (what the camera thinks is) normal. 

The next time the splendor and magnificence of a sunset makes you grab your camera to capture the moment, turn the “auto color” off and tell the camera that you are “outdoors daylight”, and you will be amazed at the colors you get in the photograph.

You will thank me for this!

My children are older.  They are all married and gone.  The house is quiet.

Some of my fondest treasures are the photographs of my children when they were younger.  I still have them.

It is the memories of our good times together, with family now passed on.  Such treasures.

If you are taking photos with your cell phones or store them on your computer.  I beg you to either print them or store them in an external source.  Sometime your cell phone will die, or get traded in for another one.  Your computer will crash.

Have you seen a news story about someone who lost their house to a hurricane or fire?  And what is one of the first things they say?  "I lost all our family photos..."

Don't wait for a tragic experience. Don't wish you had printed your priceless photographs, or stored them elsewhere.  Backup you images somewhere else than your computer.

You will thank me -  when three computers from now you still have your wonderful family images!

The Best Gift you will receive today!

What do you want to do with your life?  What is your big dream?  What is your passion?

Listen to a secret.  What you accomplish in your life will depend on what you do today.  You must live each day reaching for your dream, living your passion. The best gift you will receive today is today.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Mark Twain One day you will wake up and discover that opportunities are past – forever gone. Take hold of the day today and live.  Start your dream. Commit to your ambition.  Reach for the stars!

As you grow older, you'll find the only things you regret are the things you didn't do.  ~Zachary Scott

Don’t waste the gift of today.

How to find better poses in your next photograph.

Better Poses in Photography

In art class I learned the rules of line.

·          A vertical line makes the viewer feel solid, firmness.

·         A Horizontal line gives the feeling of rest, stillness, stagnant

·         A diagonal line feels like action and activity; the steeper the diagonal, the faster and stronger the activity.

·         S curves in Greek and Roman art demonstrate and show the female figure

So, in your next photograph, watch the lines and use them to say what you want to say.  And when in doubt, action trumps inaction.

What are your thoughts?  I would love to hear your comments

Four ways to loose 10 Lbs. in your next photograph!

4 ways to lose 10 lbs in your next photograph

Here are 4 ways to lose 10 pounds for your next photograph.

1.   1.    Wear something dark. In a photograph dark cloths tend to look smaller and light clothes tend to look larger.  So, wear something dark.

2.   2.   Hide part of your body.  You can position yourself behind a desk, chair, or another person to reduce some of your size.  What is not seen in the photograph is not seen to be there.

3.     3.Turn your body from stand straight to the camera to turning to a 45 degree angle.  This 45 degree angle usually looks smaller than profile or straight on images.

4.   4.  Short or Rembrandt lighting. If you are facing to camera left, the main light should be placed also to the left of the camera with a fill light to the right.  This will make your face look lighter away from the camera and darker towards the camera which will help your face seem like it is smaller than it is.

5.  5.   If you are standing, place one foot in front of the other and place your weight on your rear leg. This will make you look slimmer.

Lots of luck, and look beautiful

Are they listening to You?

 Are They Listening to You?

My wife and I were talking about a mutual friend and she made the statement that “He thinks he has something to say.” We were talking about his seeming frustration when it seemed others were not listening.

Are people listening to you? Most of us have something to say.  Are they listening?

My Rhetoric Professor in college graded on two major categories.  One was “do you have something to say?” or content.  The other was “Did you say it well?” or delivery.  Here are key elements of those two categories.

 Do you have something to say?

·         This is audience dependent. Are they interested? Is it below them? Here is where feedback is critical.

·         You must have valuable content and convincing arguments.  Titles (Pastor, Doctor, Professor) don’t work (at least in the U.S.) like they did years ago. Your audience must be persuaded by something other than “because I say so.”

Do you say it well?

·         This goes beyond good grammar. Do you say it with passion, with concern for the other person? Do you listen to their questions and comments and allow them to modify your thoughts, or do you just argue to win an argument?

·         Most people don’t read today.  Video would be better. (I should practice what I preach.)

·         Short is better than long.  Many have a short attention span.

Keep listening and getting feedback. Adjust your message and delivery based on your feedback.  Listen before your speak. Relationships and trust-building are valuable, and actions often trump thoughts. 

First three steps for a career in modeling.

First three steps in becoming a Professional Model

I have worked with models for decades. They often ask me how to get from being unknown to a paid model position.

Many have wanted the attention, the fashionable cloths, the glamour of being a model.  Here are the first three steps to take.

    1.    Make a declaration.  Let people know your interest in modeling. Sign up at such internet sites as Model Mayhem (modelmayhem.com), or One Model Place (onemodelplace.com). Take any images you have of yourself and get listed (it’s free).  Answer all who write you. Check out the work of the photographers and book sittings with the ones you trust. (Tip: if they do not allow you to bring an escort, you may want to think twice about working with them.) Be professional. If you say you will be there, be there on time and ready to work 

2.   Practice. Get a full length mirror, some fashion magazines and practice getting into the poses from the magazines. As you practice, watch for details like hand and feet placement, where they eyes are looking and the expression on the face.  The poses may feel very uncomfortable at first. You may feel foolish posing in the mirror, but we all feel foolish learning new things, but with practice you will feel more comfortable with the poses.  The quicker you can look like a model to the camera, the quicker your rise to fame will be.  

                                                                              

    

Im  3. Improve your portfolio and images.  The better your photographs look, the more calls you will get and the quicker you will be paid to model.  Great images may be costly. I would recommend a makeup artist (MUA) and the best photographer you can find and afford.  Try to get as many different looks as you want. Some photographers may trade for photographs, but often the better ones will want payment.

When you are on a photo-shoot, always act professional (even when the camera is not pointed at you) and demand professionalism of everyone else there.

If you find these ideas helpful, please follow this blog. Leave any comments and questions you might have, and I will answer. New information will be posted in a few days.

Thanks. Allen

Dba Artistallen.com

How to take better photographs, improve the background.

I had a photo - shoot this week of a beautiful young model, but there was a challenge with the background.  We were in buildings with broken glass, doors and lots of holes in the roof.  Because the eye tends to go to the brightest place in the image, you as a photographer want the brightest place to be the face of the subject. But if they are in a building like I had it is hard to position the subject so that there is not a bright spot behind them competing for attention.

Sometimes I did well

Sometimes I did not do well. And you can see from the images below how the brighter places compete for attention.

But we both had fun and we did get some beautiful images, which is what really counts!

I Passed the written test! Now for the images!

I got back from a trip to Manassas, VA to find that I have passed the written section of the Certified Professional Photographer exam.  Yea!!

Now I have to submit 20 images for the full certification.  Anybody want to be photographed?  The next 18 people who contact me to be photographed, I will not charge the sitting fee if you mention this blog.

More work to do.

And lots more marketing.

Memories in Photographs

I was sitting yesterday with my oldest son, Marshall and my laptop was open and went to the screensaver function.  Marshall started making comments about the family photos on my screensaver, about how his brothers have changed and remembering the family times when they were younger. Now they are all grown and gone, and I sit looking at my beautiful wife (as she works on her laptop).

I am, first of all, thankful for the family that I have been blessed with and our years together.  I am also thankful for the memories and the photographs that bring those memories to the forefront of our minds.  But I thought of something else.  I once told someone that I would not be doing them any favor if I let them put their photograph on their computer - which would someday crash and end up in a pile of garbage.  So, my thought for the day is: save your photos on your computer and enjoy them today, but back them up on a DVD or some other external memory because your computer will not last forever.

The older the memory, the sweeter they are to remember.  Save the images of your memory.

A few of my favorite images from the Leadership Summit.

I wanted to share with you a few of my favorite images from the Leadership Summit that I am photographing.  I must admit that I love these images more because of my affection and friendship with the people in the photographs, but the lighting is good also.

News, determination and hope

I am sorry that I have not blogged in a while.  I was photographing a Leadership Conference yesterday and today and am encouraged to make some changes in my life.  And maybe a blog is part of the changes that need to be made.

One of the speakers was Seth Goden who talks about the changes in our culture and how it effects everything in our lives.  If you are interested in his ideas and blogs, see sethsblog.com or google "Seth Godon".

One of the other speakers that impressed me was Leonard Schlessinger and his call for action when everything is uncertain.  Can today's world, with the economy and all the changes be called anything but uncertain?  A book that you could look up is Action Trumps Everything.  I am looking forward to reading the book.

I guess if there is anything we need now, in today's world and in my world, it is probably leadership.  I feel a paucity of leadership on many levels - from the Federal Government (that is acting more like two war-lord groups fighting over turf) down to the organizations that I work with on a daily basis.  Maybe it is time for all of us, as Seth would assert, to arise and take our place as leaders in the world.

So, challenge me if you don't see a new blog for a while - or if you don't hear about other blogs being tested. Maybe a blog on how to take better photographs. Maybe a blog on being a ditch digger (I'll let you wonder about that one for a while.)

Lessons learned from a hard week

 It has been bit of a rough couple of days in the Old Photography business. But I guess that education is always expensive, either at school or in the world.  It has created some “interesting dynamics” around the house, but we will work through it. Persistence has value, but only when times get rough.  We really do learn more from our failures than from our successes – if we are paying attention. Some of the mistakes I have made in business will not be made again – at least not by me.  What I have learned:

·         Deal with the primary person. In a wedding deal with the bride, or at least make sure the bride is in all the dealings, so everyone is playing on the perverble same sheet of music.

·         Written contracts save money, time, tears and a lot of issues.  If it isn’t in writing, it is open for debate and miss-communication.

·         Sometimes if God is not the judge, there will be no justice.  So we sometimes have to treat others as though they are His children, and let Him handle the justice stuff.

·         See the second lesson

I did have the pleasure of photographing my grand-daughter this morning.  She is so beautiful that one could not blame me for taking too many photographs and photographing her as long as she would let me.  At a little over two months, her energy left before mine did.

Now, do you want to see the most beautiful baby?

International Portraits

Yesterday I spent a couple of hours in an apartment complex in Clarkston, GA that has international new arrivals in the USA.  Some of these people had absolutely wonderful faces. Many of the kids had no idea how to smile, and most were very serious.  We had an interesting set up, I took the photographs while Stacian and John printed them and handed them out on the spot.  I wonder if this was the first time many of these people had been photographed by a professional.  I kept wondering about their stories and what they have lived through, but they did not speak good English – and there were way too many countries represented for me to dream of speaking all of their languages. Once again, I realized how much joy I received just taking photographs.

In the evening, Nancy and I went to see the play “Screwtape Letters” by C.S. Lewis.  There were lots of interesting things to think and consider. It made me want to read the book again and find what I had forgotten.  One of the jewels was how holy it is just to enjoy simple, natural pleasures like taking a walk in nature or reading a good book.  I feel the need to have more of these pleasures in my life.

Dependable

Computers are such wonderful instruments – when they work right. And they firmly believe in going down at the worst possible moment.

Saturday I have scheduled to photograph an outreach to an immigrant community and to photograph them, print the photographs so they would have their portraits before they leave.  I procured the paper, ink, and all I needed. Then, of course, Friday night the computer that was to be involved decided to throw a tantrum. Fortunately my computer-wizard son, Josh was here to help with the diagnosis and repair. So after six hours of work on the computer and less hours of sleep than that, I think it is ready and able to do the job.

Everybody goes through that.  I wonder how often I let people down when they are counting on me? I am certainly not as versatile as a computer, but I hope I am more dependable. I would rather have something less powerful, but more dependable.

Lord, help me “to be a friend that a friend would like to have”.