Happy Holidays to my Clients & Future Clients

From my family to yours, I wish good things for you this holiday season and always!

Please note: ALL holiday portrait shoots include a free slideshow similar to this to share with family and friends.

Putting Perspective on Life

Over the past year, I was asked to photograph various charity events. As most photographers know, charity events will bring you a few additional job, but not much. The joy of helping worthwhile organization can pay you more in self satisfaction and give you a sense of fulfillment. I've always enjoyed helping others, although I never knew how much until the beginning of this year. What I didn't realize is that I received as much of the benefit as those I was helping. The first event that I was asked to assist was Autism Speaks (www.autismspeaks.com). This group organizes annual benefit walks throughout the country to bring about awareness and raise money for autism research. One statistic that continues to surprise me is that 1 in every 150 children will be diagnosed with autism. Needless to say, the walk was a complete success. With almost 50 teams and more than 200 participants, it amazed me to see how many people put their heart into this group. The new friends that I met, some of those diagnosed with autism, continues to be a positive force behind the reason I donate time to these worthwhile causes.

As a member of the Safe Kids Coalition, its members receive emails from other groups or individuals needing assistance with fundraisers, events, a bicycle helmet for their child, or a car seat check-up. In March, we received a similar type of request, but this time it was a request for help to organize a special needs prom. Most people take going to the the prom for granted. It is an opportunity not given to all people. For this reason, Sarah and Faith Christian Church decided to solve this by taking on the challenge of providing a prom for those with disabilities and special needs. I immediately offered to be the photographer and talked a DJ friend of mine into participating as well. Without getting too detailed or long winded, the positive energy in the room was indescribable. We knew we had achieved something good, but we will never truly understand the positive affect we've had on those lives we touched.

If you have an opportunity to help someone, take it. It will become an experience that you'll remember for a lifetime.

Another Airline Experience

As all of my clients and blog readers know, I'm all about customer service. The mere fact that someone would take a small step to make me feel like I matter, leaves a lasting impression.

As you'll remember from last year, my wife and I flew on "Smelta" airlines. After losing my luggage (things happen), the process to get it back was paved by rude customer service, slow delivery, and the extra cost to buy clothing items in the interim. After that experience, it was hard to expect anything more from an airline. I'm currently writing this from Grand Rapids, Michigan, where I am happy to report that I've been proven wrong. For this trip, we traveled on Midwest Airlines where they KNOW good customer service practices. First, the ticketing agent offered to reassign our seat locations in order for my wife and I to be able to sit together (our seats were not originally together), without asking. The stewards were extremely friendly and communicated effectively, not to mention the warm chocolate chip cookies. It easily took the lead as the best airline I have flown on, all because of simple steps that staff took to make sure I was taken care of. Unfortunately, what I realized on my return trip, "Smelta" is a partner of Midwest. For that reason I had to experience "Smelta" once again. Surely, my past experience would be much better. Well, it was better, but not much better. The service was not something to write home about. Everytime I have these type of experiences, whether with an airline, at a restaurant, or at a store, it reminds me that I need to make my clients feel special as I would want to be treated, no exceptions. I would recommend this same to anyone in the customer servic industry. For now, nice job Midwest Airlines!

My Biggest Mistake

As anyone who has visited my blog can see, I haven't updated it in quite a while. That'll teach me to put it as part of my New Year's Resolutions. I'm not going to mention what other resolutions I didn't keep. Just to make sure I wasn't alone, I checked 10 other photographer blogs. That made me realize that I wasn't alone. Out of the blogs that I had visited, only two of them were updated on a regular basis. I suppose I'm in pretty good company. Of course that's no excuse. I will vow to do better. Wish me luck!

"The Spark"

Well, now that I have officially broken one of my New Year's resolutions to publish a blog posting at least once a week, I felt I'd better at least make an attempt to correct it. So here is my next blog entry...only 3 days late.

The one thing that I really enjoying shooting are engagement photos. The reason is that I get to work for couples that have plenty of smiles to share and love to express. Their realization of spending a lifetime with one another often starts sinking in at this moment, therefore, true emotions come shining through. It is a tremendous honor to be asked to capture those true emotions.

Out of all of the engagement photos that I have shot, there are couple that have "The Spark". These are couples that not only have a smile on their faces, but a sparkle in their eye. They exude love and devotion to their "soon to be" lifetime partner. Both of them enjoy the moment equally. Generally, I'll walk away from a couple during a shoot with the excuse, "I'll be right back. I have to change out my batteries." This is a wonderful time to sneak up on a couple who can be found gazing into each others eyes, laughing, playing, and having a genuine "personal moment". These are the couples that you'd be willing to place a bet that they'll be together forever. When times get tough, the couples with "The Spark" with go back to these very moments in time, remembering the feelings that brought them together in the first place.

When times get tough and relationships get strained, I personally believe that people should try for a "do-over" by remembering the times that are important and the moments that mean the most, and try to relive the moments that created the wonderful relationship in the first place. By the way, at 10 years of marriage in February, my wife and I have "The Spark" too.

Below is a brief slideshow of Alex and Sandy; a couple that I would definitely place my bet on.

New Year's Resolutions

As with some on New Year's Eve, I take a moment to reflect on the past year and write down those items that I want to improve on within the upcoming year. Most people write the standard year end resolutions; loose weight, eat better, stop procrastinating, spend more time with family, etc. (yes, all of those are on MY list). I also added a few other items that I hope others will mimic.

The year 2009 will be another rough year. Foreclosures rates, unemployment increases, higher costs of goods and services, and longer lines at food banks, are predicted to continue or increase in the upcoming year. I count myself fortunate that I still have a job within this struggling economy. For this reason, my additional New Year's Resolutions are:

* Volunteer my photographic services or labor for worthwhile organizations dedicated to helping people in need. Aside from it being the right thing to do, you never know when you're going to need help yourself.

* Donate clothing items to agencies that give clothing to those in need.

* Donate more food items to those agencies that give food to those in need.

* Donate a portion of revenue from photographic services to the charity of the client's choice.

* Finally, make as many friends as I can during 2009.

I forgot one finally item that has made it to my New Year's Resolution List. As you probably noticed, my last post is dated the beginning of November; therefore, my goal is to add a new blog entry every week - we'll see if this one holds true.

Until my next blog, NEXT WEEK, be good to yourself and to others and have a fantastic New Year!