Links and networks

How do we make the web we weave work for our clients as well as ourselves? It seems that new terms come into use every day. Recently we discovered the umbrella term “social media.” We’ve been using these media (e-mail, blogs, Skype, discussion groups, etc.) for years; yet didn’t have a term to refer to all of them. The potential of social media appears huge, time consuming, informative, mind boggling. Sorting out the best choices, and uses, for our clients and ourselves becomes the challenge.

About a week ago I received a call from Suzanne Kresse, inquiring about web site development. She liked what we did for William Peterson of Woodland Ponds; as the real estate agent for that development, she thought we could help her achieve her web site goals. So this link comes directly from an existing client. The question, “can we maintain and further develop this link for ourselves as well as meet Suzanne’s goals and budget?”

Yesterday I received a call from Renee Ferrara inquiring about developing a web site for Mille Tesori. Over the past 8 years I’ve worked with Marcia Klode, owner of Mille Tesori Design Studio, on a number of small photography and design projects. Each time we’ve met I’ve brought up the subject of developing a web site for her studio. Now we (potentially a new Mille Tesori web team) seem ready to begin the design process. This link speaks on the virtue of patience.

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A simple photograph and ad design, produced in 2000, for inclusion in a Milwaukee Symphony program .

Kim Temkin-Taylor of Temkin-Taylor Design (we designed her logo, letterhead and business card, and host her web site which we hope to develop in the near future) actually designs the spaces which interior designers like Marcia eventually get to work within.

Matt Millen of Millen Roofing Company puts the lid on the finest homes, churches and other historic buildings. This family owned company has been installing and maintaining slate and tile roof systems since 1893. We’ve had the honor of working with Matt on numerous projects, including his web site, corporate identity, and documenting the making of the best quality hand split slate tiles in Arvonia, Virginia.

Both Dan Nauman at Bighorn Forge and Seth Tyler at Tyler Studios, Limited serve the same demographic as Suzanne, William, Kim, Marcia and Renee. In fact Seth did a little work on William’s beautiful permanent Woodland Ponds entryway signs (which we also helped design). I’m proud to have designed Kim’s logo, William, Dan, and Seth’s web sites, as well as having the honor of photographing Dan and Seth’s amazing metal sculpture, gates, railings, lamps and lights for years.

I look forward to exploring, discovering, and developing, all the new ways and means to take our small network of existing clients to new heights of success. It seems obvious and appropriate that Suzanne, Kim, Marcia and Renee, Matt, Dan and Seth should all meet — at least on-line — because they’ll find their clients within nearly identical demographic parameters.

Some time ago I proposed to Dan (and I believe Seth as well) that we arrange some sort of event to make these connections. Perhaps this very “social media” blog is that very event.

We look forward to helping you all stay in the news through the use of “social media,” fine web design services, superb photography, as well as multimedia: including audio, video, web casts, pod casts, etc..

A lesson in discipline, down time, respect and divine connection

“Some of us cynics say that ‘the quickest way to make a million dollars in photography, is to start with two million dollars.'” — Anonymous

Saturday afternoon we found ourselves at Al Simon’s 70th birthday celebration at Beth El Ner Tamid Synagogue. I managed to see and document two moments of fine light before being told that I cannot do this “work” in the temple during Shabbat. I did not understand this rebuke. Pushing a tiny button in response to beautiful light is “work?” I think not. After-the-fact research and dialogue brought understanding. A kind, Jewish acquaintance offered, “One should not try to view any of this from a rational perspective. It is a discipline.” A web site added this insight, “Working on Shabbos… means doing creative acts that manipulate nature… When G-d rested on the seventh day… He rested in the sense that He ceased creating. We must do the same.” Aha! Not a silly “rule;” rather, a discipline to help one connect with the divine. I get it. Respect and honor discipline (including the discipline to continuously learn from and about others).

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Later: While walking with Sophia on her Radio Flyer.

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And still later: Popcorn and video.

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A Hasselbad lens now mounts to the Ultima

“The whole search is for the unknown.” — Jerry Valente

Today I finished assembly of the milled ring to the recessed Cambo lens board to allow the mounting of Hasselblad lenses to the Cambo Ultima. After mounting the 40mm Distagon and the R8/DMR to the Ultima I walked the rig out to the porch, where a fern had grown up between the floor boards, and composed the first test.

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I made just one exposure and removed the SD card from the DMR. Having just worked with the view camera movements this felt like removing a tiny, miniature sheet film holder. I fondly recalled the days of pulling out 12×20 dark slides and holders (as well as 11×14, 8×10, 5×7, 4×5 and 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 and now this) after making an exposure I felt good about. Walking the itty-bitty image holder to the computer, then dropping the file into LightRoom, compressed an hour and a half of darkroom film processing and proofing into about 5 minutes; then, almost immediately, sharing the results with the world.

I love this return to view camera controls. A whole different experience in photography occurs when every conceivable movement of camera image plane and lens becomes available during the acts of framing and focusing. Contemplation. Meditation. Dare I call it a spiritual experience?

Happy birthday Sophia. We remember mom and dad with a sail on the Great Lake

“In photography there is a reality so subtle that it becomes more real than reality.” — Alfred Steiglitz

Last Saturday Sophia, family and friends celebrated her third birthday. Slide show of additional images.

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And on Monday we remembered Mom and Dad, together. Slide show of additional images.
Huge thank you Doug. You’ve twice given me and my family precious memories.

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Flora now nests where fauna once did

“[I crop] for the benefit of the pictures. The world does not fit conveniently into the format of a 35mm camera [frame].”

“What use is having great depth of field, if there is not adequate depth of feeling?” — W. Eugene Smith

they appeared where once
I photographed a family
of feathered friends

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Storms, floods, visits, drives

“Saturate yourself with your subject and the camera will all but take you by the hand.” — Margaret Bourke-White

Last evening the storms roared through (again).

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The rain poured down most of the night – leaving our little town’s main street underwater (and the upstream water has yet to crest). Click here for slide show of Thiensville Flood.

A visit with Sophia and Tanya this morning.

On the way home.

Home town floods

“I didn’t want to tell the tree or weed what it was. I wanted it to tell me something and through me express its meaning in nature.” — Wynn Bullock

Last weekend severe storms swept through our area. Many families lost things, including some losing their homes. Our own Main Street was several feet under water. Today I stopped by Firemen’s Park in Thiensville. The Milwaukee River remains dangerously high. And new storms currently rain down upon us. The damn is totally under rushing water.

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Passing down the clothes (or on to the rummage sale)

“It’s about time we started to take photography seriously and treat it as a hobby.” — Elliot Erwitt

May 28th brought my niece, Libby, to Milwaukee for lunch and to pick out clothing which no longer fit Sophia. She seems to be counting her new outfits.

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My nephew, Erickson also attended the lunch (as did their mother Mandy and my sister, Donna).

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This past weekend Tanya and Sophia participated in the neighborhood rummage sale.

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Sophia had to take a last ride on a too small toy.

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and added a title or two to her library.

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Dad’s tool box

We are making photographs to understand what our lives mean to us. — Ralph Hattersley

Dad’s tool box: A gift from his father upon dad’s completion of his apprenticeship as a tool and die maker. My grandfather, a cabinet maker, built the bottom, four drawer unit for his son. My grandfather only owned one “power” tool, a small six inch table saw. The table is less than 14″ square, sitting on a box which contains a simple blade on an axle with a belt pulley.

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