Happy Holidays–It’s Ok to Cry…

“Merry Christmas, Festive and creative Kwanzaa, Happy Hanukkah (just past), Pleasant Diwali, Happy Ramadan and Eid Ul Adha, May Buddhist Bodhi Day find You peaceful, Happy Dong Zhi to all Chinese and Happy Yule Ya’all and Happy Yalda to all Zoroastrian. Happy Saturnalia, Happy Boxing Day and Three Kings Day too and may you all find Peace and Happiness in this festive season,” is what a dear friend of mine wrote to me last night and I figured I’d pass it along since it is that time of year.

A time of year where the photo industry hopes to rack up on sales just like all the retail outlets too. And in this “commercialization” of the holiday spirits, we often forget what it’s all about—celebrating the joy of life itself.

When I wake-up every morning I thank my God I actually woke up then I do a self-examination to make sure it all works—who else can I thank? Well not the alarm clock, besides, my kids are more reliable than the alarm clock, they always wake me up way too early, especially after a long, hard night working on post-production.

Here lately I’ve been hammering away trying to meet my latest book deadline, ok, I won’t lie to you, it was extended a bit cause of the holidays and I was running late, but I’m almost done and that often means long-nights into the early morning.

Then there are times where you throw the towel and just say I’m too tired and I’m going to be lazy tonight—especially after a homemade margarita.

There are also days, sans margaritas, where you just don’t have the motivation—writing and illustrating a book is not like writing a 30-page college research paper, it’s worse and takes tons of self-discipline.Even though the U.S. Army taught me tons of self-discipline and my old boss, Gen. George A. Joulwan always defined discipline to his troops as, “Doing what you’re supposed to be doing when no one is watching,” sometimes after you get older and leave the military, especially when life’s pressures get harder, you just say screw-it.

Often when I reach that stage, I flash back to my Army days and say, “wait a minute” and I wake up out of my nonsense and think about our Armed Forces out there battle focused in Iraq and other hostile environments—they don’t have the luxury to say “screw-it,” much less a margarita, they rely on their tough discipline and training to keep them alive.

During the festive times of the year it’s even more difficult for our military veterans and even those that do it right on top of relying on their core values and METL (mission essential task list), just don’t make it–as their God says, “It’s time to come home.”

So while you sit in your warm home, opening presents with family and friends, stop and say a prayer, to your God, for our service members all over the world and their friends and families too, as many of them will never see another holiday season again and many of their friends and families will always cherish the song by Tim McGraw (click video play button above), If You’re Reading This. If you haven’t heard it, break out the tissue, as often when I hear this song my eyes water and sometimes the tears fall as I think of fallen and injured comrades, some, close friends of mine.

And in those thoughts I also thank my God I survived almost nine-years in the U.S. Army with missions in the Gulf War, Haiti, Rwanda, the Latin American Drug War and many other deployments.

If you’re reading this, especially if you’re a Veteran, I know you thank your God everyday too.

Life is short, enjoy the holidays in whatever fashion you choose, that’s called freedom and please don’t forget those that fight and fought to give you that choice. My fellow Veterans, I salute you! God Bless and come home safe, rg sends! (Former Army Staff Sergeant, E-6 for your Air Force types)

The Business Cards of Life

A long time ago a well-known photographer told me, “The Rolodex is powerful, so save all business cards, you’ll never know when you’ll need them.” Well I don’t own a Rolodex and probably should, as I’ve got thousands of business cards stashed in every nook and cranny and as I skim through these business cards, I find common, layout-design flaws that almost make me want to trash half of them. 

In today’s world of make-your-own business cards-on-line with companies like Vistaprint.com and others, people load up graphics, text, etc. and everyone now is a graphic designer making their own cards, letterhead, promo pieces, etc, when in fact, most people are better singers than graphic designers. Some business cards are so laughable that I can’t even remember who handed them to me, though I remember the faces to the ones that are simple and aesthetically-pleasing cards.

As an example, I’ve seen many business cards with multiple fonts on the front side of the card alone, the rule is never more than two-different fonts and if the font is named after a city, don’t use it. Not sure what I mean, then first learn the difference between serif and sanserif then study some graphic design books and that’s only if you know what a Rolodex is, as I’m sure it’s becoming a thing of the past too.

My other favorite (sarcastically speaking) business cards, especially from photographers, are cards with tiny, photo  thumbnails, like a dozen or so, on the back of the card. If you must use photos on your card, make it a strong one for the back and possibly the front—the rule is KIS, keep it simple. Also make sure that the font color on that side of the card comes from a color in the image itself, this is an old press trick when running headlines for a story, sample a color that pops from the image in the story and use that color for the text.

Another pet peeve of mine are business cards with photographers who give themselves titles besides photographer. I’ve seen President, CEO, Executive, Principal, Director, Producer, Manager and the list goes on. I only have one simple question, are you a photographer or not? We can all be a president of anything, who cares? Now if you are in fact the CEO/President of General Motors, then I can understand your title on your card, but seriously photographers, models and for that matter professional photographers aren’t impressed that you are the president of your own, one-employee photography studio. In fact, if anything, you are the Head Photographer and a sole proprietor, not the CEO, COO, CFO, CIO, etc.

On another note, all business cards should have your name, phone number, email address and physical business address. Obviously if you’re a model, no physical business address and if you place your phone number on your card, scrutinize any card you hand out to anyone.

I know many successful people, as I teach private photography instruction to many of them, so I’ve seen and collected cards from billionaires to truck drivers and it seems the more money people make, the more prominent, the more successful, the less they put on their business cards—most are beige in color with black text, no photos, their email address and a phone number or two, that’s it—plain Jane.

Well it is the digital age and I rely more on email and my cell phone than business cards, though I’ve never taken the time to load up addresses and phone numbers with email contacts—heck, I’m still trying to load them in my phone.

It sure would be cool if everyone had an electronic, plastic business card you carried in your wallet, and then you just swiped your phone over it and it stored all the information needed and you could add your notes at that time about the person then easily transfer it to your home computer. Similar to I-Tunes with your I-Phone and I-Pod, just sync your phone to your I-Dex, now that would be cool. In today’s digital world of technology, I’m sure it’s out there, I’ve just been too damn busy going through business cards in my office since I don’t own a Rolodex—and if I did own a Rolodex, it would make my business cards not only more organized, but it would be powerful.  All the best, rg sends!

Life in General at Times

Just when I thought I could pay more attention to my blog, my life has had me pulled in a hundred different directions. So to sum it up, I’ve cooked a turkey, shot a couple of Spurs games, and drove up to Gadsden, Alabama then Atlanta from San Antonio and 15-hours later, I’m back home.

No, I didn’t do that in 15-hours, it was almost 15-hours that I drove from Atlanta to San Antonio yesterday and this morning. Normally I fly to all my locations, but I had this itch, my Chevy Silverado (think, “Like a Rock”) is 3-years old and I barely had 19,000 miles since I fly so much—I remember the days I drove 25,000 miles on my truck in one year. Actually, the real itch was to take some baby stuff to my daughter for my grandson—and as once heard in a movie, if anyone of you MF’s ever call me “grandpa” I’ll kill you!

That aside, I drove up to Gadsden and stayed at Playboy Playmate Holley Dorrough’s house—no, not in that way, she’s a dear friend and like a daughter. Had dinner with her and her parents, it was great! They are great people too! Then on Friday Holley and I headed to the Atlanta airport—model-pick-up-time. We then checked in to our hotel and got ready for the one-day workshop on Saturday.

We held the workshop at “Weezie’s” mansion in Atlanta. Weezie, also known as Isabel Sanford is best known as Lousie Jefferson on the hit show, The Jeffersons. Remember their song, Moving on up to the Eastside and for those that don’t remember since it was so long ago, The Jeffersons was a spin-off of All in the Family with Archie Bunker.

It was a great place to shoot and the possibility exists for another workshop their in 2008. Speaking of workshops in 2008, we have a spot that opened up for the April 2008 Virgin Islands workshop and the May one too! Two people had to move their slots. In addition, we’re now taking deposits for Maui, yes, Maui is coming in April 2008 and I’m preparing to head out on a scouting mission for Maui this month. We’ve got some great help and one helluva location that will be announced soon.

Back to my 15-hours on the road yesterday, heck, it was something I hope not to do again. My back is now killing me and I’m trying to get out my third book this week to the publisher…busting butt! More to come, thanks all, rg sends!