Life Coaching for Photographers - Question of the Week

Be conscious next time you pick up your camera. What's important to you about the work you're about to create?

See a more developed stream of questions at:
Life Coaching for Photographers Blog

So Long to Winter Photography at our Roslindale Home

I've always loved the way snow make things look, and I've been photographing winter for a long, long time. I've learned that I never have to go far to find things that delight my eyes, especially in winter. This winter is especially poignant, because it'll be the last winter in our Roslindale home. I'll always savor how winter looks in our own back yard. Here are some of my favorite aspects of our yard in winter.

The Adirondack chairs look cool in the shade with a winter blanket.

Love the colors, textures, and patterns of these details of our sunny side garden.

Our yard and garden smile all year long, thanks to our potter friend, Carolyn.

Here's our colorful backyard. I'll sure miss the big old Norway maple that is now casting shadows on the house, and all the ferns and hostas that thrive at its feet.

Chatham Bars Inn Wedding Inspiration Board

Looking for ways to decorate your Chatham Bars Inn wedding in the blue and ivory colors of Cape Cod? Here are a few ideas:

What Makes Boston Party Machine Rock? Answers from Band Leader Rob Caplin

What makes Boston Party Machine rock?  I asked band leader Rob Caplin, and here's what I found out:

Q.   Tell us a little about Boston Party Machine:
Boston Party Machine is a high end entertainment band made up of players from the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra and Berklee School of Music.  My model for the band is the Boston Pops – that is, top notch musicians who can play everything.  Combine this with our passion for fun, and you have a winning combination with awesome entertainment for your event!

Q.    What sets you apart from other bands?
What sets Boston Party Machine apart from other bands is that we truly care about every event that we play.  We never “go through the motions.”  We love music and it shows.

In addition, like a great puzzle, we strive to put all the pieces together in just the right way.  We are all about the total picture - whether it’s really listening to your wishes, getting the little details of a song perfectly, or knowing the ideal song to play at any given moment.

Q.    What three things should people ask when hiring a band?
1.    Music selection:  Does the band have a detailed process for finding out what music the client wants, including special requests?
2.    Performance:  Can you see the band perform anywhere?  It’s important to see how a band entertains…not just how they play.
3.    References:  Do past clients rave about the band? Not only musically; are they also easy to work with?

Q.    How can people reach you?
Email is the best way to contact us:  Rob@bostonpartymachine.com  You can also call my cell at 617.233.9393, or the office at 781.643.2560.  We’re eager to hear from you and learn more about your event!

Rob's portrait was created by his father-in-law, by the way, fine art photographer Michael Philip Manheim.

Life Coaching for Photographers - What Can It Do For You?

As a photographer, have you ever wondered how having a life coach might benefit your work and home life?

Do you find yourself knowing what your want, but stop yourself from getting it?  Are you too afraid to say to yourself, never mind out loud, what you really, really want?   Then maybe life coaching is for you.  Having a life coach is like have a personal trainer for your life.

I got into coaching because my wife is a coach.  In fact, she's on the faculty of the Coaches Training Institute and the Center for Right Relationship.  As her spouse, I've taken advantage of the opportunity to take the fundamental training from both coaching schools.  It's had an enormous positive impact on my home and work life, and I can personally and whole-heartedly recommend having a coach.  Don't worry, my wife is not my coach.  I got my own.  You might benefit from having one, as well.

Here's a coaching question for you - the first of what I hope will become a weekly feature of this blog:
If money was not a concern, how would you most like to spend your time and energy?

Call me at (617) 327-9254 to schedule a free, no obligation 60-minute sample session.

Josie's Family Jewels - Portrait of Four Boston Generations

With her daughter and daughter's daughter visiting from afar, Josie's wish of a portrait of the three generations together came true.  We tried a variety of locations and angles in what Josie described as her humble home, but her "girl" had grown up here, and this was her home, too, and despite a little clutter from the holidays the home was full of signs of love in every corner and on every wall.  Framed portraits of past generations on the mantle, the bedroom dressers bedecked with b&w snapshots of the not so far past.  It was my pleasure to add to the family collection for generations to come. And by the way, the gems the ladies are wearing represent the 4th generation in this shot, as they are Josie's mom's rings. 

"Russian Winter" Author, Daphne Kalotay

The phone rang the other day, and it was Daphne Kalotay, asking me to create a new portrait for her upcoming novel, "Russian Winter." She was quite sporty when I suggested we venture out into the snow of Larz Anderson Park the following morning. After all, the title of the novel contains the word "winter," and it was quite white and wintry outside. She wanted something different from the portrait she used for her previously celebrated book of stories, so off we went.

My first impression of Daphne was that this is not your average New Jersey girl who transplanted herself to metro Boston. This unpretentious PhD in Modern and Contemporary Literature is refreshingly at ease with herself - and winter. She showed up at the park with her fully present, smart, and funny self. We walked and talked our way around the park, stopping at various beauty spots for differing portraits. She seems to glow from the inside out every moment, and I can't wait to read 'Russian Winter" when it's hot off the press.
Find out more about Daphne Kalotay.

Tips for greener photography

Wondering about the impact of photography on the environment? Read this.
Tips for greener photography

What My New Year's Resolutions Lack?

Got resolutions (even if you've not written them down)? Me too. Waking up today, January Second, I feel completely full of inspiration. Where in the world did that come from?

My resolutions for myself and my photography business felt very complete when I wrote them the other night, right here at my kitchen table, with the cats curled up at my feet. I want to accomplish many things this year. I realize my resolutions are big picture punch lists that sketch out the year ahead. I didn't know that what was lacking in them was INSPIRATION. And inspiration is what I woke up full of today. What a gift! And where did it come from? I must find out because I want a steady diet of it this year.

The source was "Julie and Julia." I watched it at last last night with a cozy blanket, niece, and wife sandwiched together with milk and cookies on the couch. The stories were every day stuff in a way, adults seeking to make a life and a living, yet loving and funny and real. I realize that these aspects resonate with my values, and when I take the time to put my values together with other fresh ingredients into the cooking pot that is every day, the results aren't always delicious but they always inspire me, whether I follow the recipe or not.

An old friend gave me a magnet for my refrigerator that says, "She didn't always follow the recipe." That still rings true after all these years.

Bon apetit!