Living and Learning

One of the keys to learning is to go out and do it as much as possible in as many ways as possible.

I'll make this a fun-serious-fun sandwich so bear with with me here!

Lesson #1 - Networking
This morning I got to meet up with a new local networking group that my friend and neighbor Holly had invited me to. She is a partner with J. Hilburn Austin (Men's Custom Clothier) and had mentioned the group several times and for one reason or another I'd not gone until today. In any case, meeting a bunch of professionals from a variety of areas was great and the purpose was in fact fulfilled. I got to speak with several people who were kind enough to either look into collaborating with me or help me get going with this business. I had actually already benefited from a direct referral Holly gave me to a small business consultant she knew through this group, a gentleman named Orlando. He (a part of the Small Business Development Center) and I have already started brainstorming and working on some research. In any case I met some new folks and possible collaborators ranging from the business side of things to potential musical gigs. 


Just getting out and observing other business people is a great learning experience and I'd absolutely recommend it to anyone at any stage of planning or running a business or franchise. 

After attending the networking event I headed off to a local mall for what turned out to be an unexpected learning experience. 

And now for some less fun more serious talk...

Searching Craigslist.com the other day for photo gigs I'd come across a posting for a website that was looking for photographers to take photos of hotels for their site with the purpose of showing the reality of the facility and amenities to compare with promotional photos that may or may not be photoshopped or taken in very controlled atypical conditions. It sounded like fun so I put my hat in the ring. They asked that as a test, we photograph this local mall and post the raw images for their consideration to see if my style and vision match up with what they're looking for. That brings me to lesson number two.

Lesson #2 - Permissions and Considerations
Check with property owners or the management before taking photos. I'm always a little wary of infringing on anyone's turf but at first thought that since it was a public mall, taking unobtrusive photos wouldn't be an issue. As a security guard said, and later the manager I went and sought out confirmed, they don't allow photos on their premises. The main reason given was security of the facility and they don't want detailed imagery that could be used for nefarious purposes of various types. On one hand, you might think this silly. Just about everyone has a camera on their phone at least and often they also can record video. Certainly teenagers and young adults alike must have all sorts of footage of the place. Beyond that, if someone was scoping it out, there are surely more discreet and detailed ways to achieve it, not using a very obvious digital SLR. With that said, a pro camera can provide much more detail with a lot more capability so perhaps it would more of a threat. The thing is that as photographers, we do have a certain responsibility to be mindful of policies and seek them out if we're not aware or even sure about them. 


I had no ill intent whatsoever but even so it is essential to be mindful of what we're photographing, what audience they may have is, and how they might be used (or misused). It's a very difficult dialog to have because there are so many ways to interpret and use photos. Should tourists not be able to take pictures of landmarks or shopping venues because there are a few bad guys who might happen to see the photos and use them to study a target for burglary or worse? Where does the line get drawn? Generally speaking if you're on public property, photos can be taken of whatever and if it's visible from public property or your own private property, it's fine. With that said, there are some places that even would like to prevent that around their location. The fact is that even if it is seemingly ineffective policy, it is our responsibility to try our best to comply with it, especially if it's meant to help keep us safe which is something we all want.


Upon getting approached by the security guard and told nicely that photography was not allowed in the mall, I went to their office and asked what it would take to get permission to photograph. The permissions were not immediately available there and I was referred to the corporate contact. I'm going to check and see if I might be able to provide promotional photos for them and even left my business card. I think the moral of this story is that in cases like this, it is best to seek permissions first and just be mindful of the purpose, use, and audience.

Speaking of storms of different sorts, here are some shots of the burst of weather we got a few days ago that included much needed rain! The downside is that we may have had a mini tornado or at least some pretty decent straight line gusts that knocked some fences and roof shingles out. I was looking out the window and at one point saw some items flying high in the sky. I thought maybe it was just cardboard at first but after hearing and seeing the fence damage I'm wondering if what is pictures is a section of fence about 50 feet up... Thankfully no one was hurt that I know of and the rain was definitely needed!

Notice the multiple specs of far-off debris in the air in addition to the larger chunk of what might be fence...

So that was kind of heavy... and now for something completely different..

Photo competitions! I'm going to try and find a few to enter and see what happens. Some have pretty steep entry fees but others are totally open (save registration). It would be nice to get some validation that way although the kind words of many of my past and current clients are really all that matters. That reminds me, if you are one of my clients, please feel free to write me with your thoughts about my services, I'd very much appreciate it!