“To compose a subject well means no more than to see and present it in the strongest manner possible.” — Edward Weston
enjoy the summer
blooms return quickly to earth
with autumn’s approach
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Category: Daily thoughts
Just thinking, contemplating, considering
Can we trust pictures?
“I don’t trust words. I trust pictures.” — Gilles Peress
water, wondering,
waiting for still to reveal
trustworthy knowledge
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Slide show of additional “river walk 080715” photographs.
Vistor from out of town, parks, families gather
“I have to be as much a diplomat as a photographer.” — Alfred Eisenstadt
Ann’s sister, Teri, visits from Florida and the family gathers together at Menomonee Park, the 297 acre site of a water filled Lannon Stone quarry. Additional slide show of images.
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Easier said (and intended) than done
A few weeks ago it came to my attention that a professional friend had registered a URL as one part of her intention to birth a new consulting business. Periodically I’d check the URL to view her web site. The usual catch-all redirect would appear. No web site. Why? Because the hosting company required her to jump through technical hoops; and over ridiculously complex template hurdles to make it happen. I cavalierly told her I could at least put up a “business card” type home page within the hour. It took considerably longer due to the hoops and hurdles. Yet, through a series of e-mails for content and such, over 2 days, we accomplished the task. Jones Group Consulting now has a presence on the internet.
If I have a point to make – ’tis that promoting a new business with URL’s that take leads, prospects and clients to places they don’t wish to go does not make good business sense; while working with a professional to accomplish your goals does.
And Kathleen’s final e-mail message:
OUTSTANDING! You did it! EXCELLENT!
Perfect. This will help enormously. Its like a business card sitting out there. It will give me some credibiity… I can move on to finding more business before I have to address this again.
I am forever grateful. You are the BEST
kj
Taking It Lightly Documentary Live on Internet
While the DVD has been available for a couple months it has taken some time to figure out how to present a 30 minute documentary on the internet without incurring excessive monthly fees. MotionBox has made it possible. Allowing the video to load for a minute or two will provide a better viewing experience than if you hit play immediately.
From the client, “George, I am so grateful for your commitment to this project and the gift of your vision and talent. I am feeling a lot of excitement about the potential we have opened up with this project.” —Patricia
For additional samples of our video work check out Heartflick.com.
Giving and receiving = utopia
The 365 Tao, 103, on Reciprocity (paraphrased):
- Hands grasp, but also give; and can teach us generosity.
- Mouths taste, but also speak; and can teach us to give thanks in word and song.
- Noses breathe, but also smell; and can teach us to learn from our environment.
- Eyes see, but also show; and can teach us to show compassion and sincerity.
- Ears hear, but also balance; and can teach us to remain balanced.
The eyes –some say virtual windows to the soul– of a dedicated person show an inner fortitude and charisma that the eyes of the ordinary do not. Each one of our senses gathers information and also serves as a channel of expression. All parts of ourselves give and receive; functioning on the principle of reciprocity inherent in their very character. Perhaps we can learn from our senses.
Google “tis better to give than to receive” and you’ll find that scientific research backs up the line attributed to Jesus in the book of Acts. However, living the suggestion in a consumer-society requires discipline and faith. As a closet utopian I love to entertain the notion of a society where we all simply do what we love; give away the fruits of our labor, spontaneously, from our hearts; without thought or expectation of return or payment; with the faith that our needs (or even wants) will somehow be met. Yet in my life as a micro business entrepreneur I must constantly put a price on my services. While I do practice heartfelt giving in my art and other areas of my life; I’v previously found it difficult to practice in my business. Some suggest that the “give-away” in business will also find its reciprocal balance.
Yesterday I gave a professional friend some professional service, straight from the heart, without expectations of any kind. Today the gift was reciprocated. Maybe Jesus knew what he was talking about.
Let’s all give work towards utopia without expecting to achieve it. To get started watch this video (be sure to click “watch in high quality” to the lower right, under the video controls).
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.
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.
And still later: Popcorn and video.
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.
