Some great things to check out today....

I am trying to get myself in the habit of posting and writing new things every day. Supposedly it takes 21 days to create a new habit. So I am working on writing or posting some kind of new content everyday for the next twenty days so that this becomes the norm for me.

Today is one of those days that I will just share some great things I came across today.

First up is this great link that I came across thanks to Jay B at Public School. It features some great work by Ted Sabarese.

Next is this gem featuring the work of Elias Wessel. This guy's portfolio is stunning. I am not sure if I should be inspired or shaking in my boots.

I stumbled across this great mix of music via Luke Copping's blog. The mix is put together by 99% and is available as a stream or a download via iTunes. If you keep late hours while working on projects, this is the perfect mix of music for you.

And one more link to end today's post. This one is from the guys over at Permission to Suck. I will warn you that it may seem a little depressing at first, but I choose to see it as a way to explore how I can start focusing on the multiple ways I can add extra value to my clients needs and wants. If you have a couple minutes (read this as 20 minutes of spare time), you should definitely read this post and watch the accompanying video.

What to do when it snows in Austin, TX?

So, I am going to start this off with a bit of history. Sunday afternoon was in the low 80s. By Monday morning, the weather had dipped back down to about 50 or so. This morning I awoke to it snowing. Yes. Snowing. In Austin, TX. So what did I decide to do with the opportunity? I went and took pictures.

Last Thursday, I got my hands on a Cambo large format view camera. I didn't get much opportunity to play with it and shoot until Sunday afternoon. And even then, I only shot 2 sheets of film. I forgot how much I loved working with the view camera. There is something magical in the tilts, shifts and swings of the standards. It is a very organic and slow process. You bring out the legs and then set up either the short or long rail, then the standards and bellows. And then you start framing your image. By the time you have framed and composed your shot, you can easily have spent 30 minutes before you are even ready to contemplate loading the film and setting the aperture and shutter speed. That process alone is an art form; ie. bellows extension factor.

Make Your Personal Projects Write Checks for You

I am a huge advocate for personal projects. I have been working on one for the past 5 years now that I am still unsure as to when it will be "complete"...if ever. I have a very long list of ideas for more personal projects i want to....and must explore. But I don't want to take on too many at one time and end up watering down the images. I am a firm believer that one should not overwhelm themselves with too many projects at one time.

And at the sake of sounding a bit silly, why don't you make that personal project you are working on into a paying job? It isn't as far fetched as it may sound. Many of the guys (and ladies) we look up to and respect got their start in a very similar way. They dove into their personal work and honed their skills and the craft. They produced consistent and solid images....just like you are doing. So, why not turn that project into something more....something that you will be able to market and pitch to a variety of potential clients?

A former instructor of mine, Sean Perry, was the one who put this concept and idea in my head. (Before I go to far along, don't forget to vote for Sean while you have time.....he is one of the finalist this year for the Hasselblad Masters.) Sean and I were going over some of the images on one of my drives and he kept asking me about what this image was for, who i shot it for, etc. When I told him they were mostly from personal projects and one off ideas, he just smiled at me. And then over the next 12 weeks he pumped my brain full of ideas and concepts that had never crossed my mind before.

What follows after the jump, is a mixture of his pure advice and some of my own advice and experience.