text:
The clients love 'em, they're fun to make, and you can also use this skill when you're traveling to make some of the most unique images you'll want to frame in *your own* house.
However – I can't tell you how many times I've tried this technique, and ended up FAILING or learning an extended lesson about why it didn't work.
Now that I've taken the time, research, and deliberate effort in trying to make these special photos – I feel as if I've gotten it down to a science!
Several friends and fellow photographers have asked me about how I do these – and I figured the easiest way would be to create a resource for people to be able to join me for an evening to create some wicked imagery.
In the past I've offered skype sessions with photographers explaining how to do this, but I noticed that their end result could have been bettered through direct feedback and assistance while shooting.
And when it comes to this kind of portrait, let's face it – you can't just pick up at a moment's notice and go down the street to try again. It takes deliberate planning, preparation, and an understanding of the elements to really harness the skill properly.
So here's what I'm currently offering:
(***Sold Out Pending 1 response***)
This will be the small 'test' workshop for up to 3 people. (Personally, I feel individualized attention is EVEN MORE valuable…so this would be the best value) I'll still go over everything that I would in the finalized version – but I want to try 2 "added" elements that may or may not work. (One could actually end up being SUPER-DOPE and if so, I might just keep the secret to myself instead of including it in the official workshop)
We'll meet at 8 PM in San Diego, and we'll be taking my car out to a specific location 1.5 hrs away to photograph 3 different styles of night sky portraits. There wont be models for this – as I strongly disagree with having images from a workshop in your wedding portfolio. This workshop is to teach you how to fish, not just give you a fish for a day.
Although – you *will* come back with one of your best facebook profile photos of all time. Email firstname.lastname@example.com for further details and how to sign up.
This workshop will be limited to 6 people, and will include models for understanding directions with clientele. (Not for portfolio, but rather understanding which poses work best and seeing the dynamic of 2 people vs 1.)
We'll meet at 8 PM and drive out to a location 1.5 hrs away to photograph 3 different styles of night sky portraits. Depending on how the 2 "added" techniques turn out from the trial run, I'll share everything I've learned and honed regarding how to shoot these portraits.
I'll address the 6 factors that are INTEGRAL in achieving these photos, and also provide you with a list of equipment and handy items that will help you make the best out of your shoot. Following the shoot, you'll also be provided with a reference sheet on everything mentioned so that you can efficiently plan your shoots in the future.
Email firstname.lastname@example.com for further details and how to sign up.
Some people have emailed me from other parts of the country/world asking about this, and are unable to attend the workshops in San Diego. While it's not as valuable as the hands-on experience, a direct Q&A conversation following the explanation of the process has saved others A LOT OF TIME in improving their end result.
Side-note: if you're interested in doing a hands-on version but live somewhere else in the world, check out my upcoming travel schedule and send me an email if I'll be in your area.
PS – this workshop has nothing to do with business – it's all about how to make these kind of unique photos. However, I'll go on to say that these photos have been the most-shared & most-engaged photos I've ever posted online. Being able to showcase this kind of work is a great tie-in for wedding photography and I have no doubt it will add $500 of perceived value to your portfolio. It's an impressive type of image, and it's the type that gets printed 4ft x 6ft.
PPS – if you've referred me work in the past and are interested in doing this, take $100 off any of the above options.
PPPS – Doing workshops is not something I'm super-focused on, so I have no reservations of telling people "no" if I feel like they might be a dick. We'll be spending about 5 hours together, so I'd like to ensure that everyone is friendly & easy to be around.]]>
This is the biggest and most-well-known conference for photographers, and I feel it's a "right-of-passage". Almost all things related to wedding and portrait photography are discussed, and there's a trade show that features products to help you in all areas of your business.
I personally feel that it's a bit overwhelming, and it sometimes feels like trying to get a glass of water from a streaming fire hydrant. There are speakers that come from all sorts of backgrounds – both modern and traditional, and they offer concentrated presentations based on their expertise. There are also fine art print judging competitions, and panels of speakers discussing certain areas of interest. The difficult aspect about the conference is that there are multiple presentations going on at the same time, so you have to pick and choose which talks you're going to hear. It's also difficult to compare experiences with other attendees since there's over 14,000 people registered.
I always go each year (mainly to see friends and a select few presentations), but I'd suggest going at least once in your career.
This convention has been one of the most pivotal experiences I've had, as it's also led me to discover the Fearless Photographers Network. It's a 3-day conference featuring well-established and NEW speakers that go over a variety of content. In 2015, they'll feature one day on wedding photography, one day on portrait photography, and one day on the business elements of photography.
I love this conference mainly for the following reasons:
-the variety of perspectives: one presentation could be all about SEO marketing, while the very next placing an emphasis on in-person rapport in order to gain more clientele. Dialogue, discussions, and often times – disagreements can provide great insight into helping someone figure out which approach is best for them.
-the lack of ego: despite having disagreements, everyone understands the idea of alternative strategies having the possibility for success. Additionally, the concentration of people (both speakers AND attendees) holds a ton of value. It seems that each year, the speakers for the following year are attendees within the audience. And speakers from previous years even come back as attendees! Everyone there I've met comes from a place of experience, and I've learned just as much (if not even more) from attendees than I have from the presentations themselves.
-the community: during the first year (it's on year 4 now), there were about 100 people that attended the conference. It felt like a family, and the relationships that I built developed into long-lasting friendships. It's hard to do that at WPPI with 14,000 attendees and multiple presentations happening at once.
-the on-going value: throughout the year, CPC (Canada Photo Convention) puts out an email blast with helpful articles, contests, and interviews. Hearing interviews from well-established photographers is really cool as it allows you to get to know them more personally prior to meeting them at the conference. They also have a private group on Facebook called "the Wolfpack" which is awesome for asking questions or providing value throughout the wedding season.
If there was anything I'd suggest attending to the over-all photography industry, it'd be this one. Jasser (the founder) curates his list of speakers very particularly and the content they provide is consistently useful, creative, and fresh. I'm working on becoming more involved with this conference – not sure how, but I love what it stands behind in being something 'different'.
Foundation conference has a very distinct value to me as a photographer, and it certainly isn't for everyone. I feel that those that are TRULY passionate about making great, authentic, and extraordinary images will find significant value in attending this conference. The kind of crowd that attends this conference generally has an in-depth focus towards the quality of their imagery, so you can rely on the idea that the attendees come from similar mindsets.
While Canada Photo Convention is diverse, and has appeal towards a wide range of photographers – Foundation Conference has a strong presence of photojournalists, and the 'editorial' photographers that attend have a very particular style. Dramatic lighting, complex reflections, and what seem to be 'impossible' angles. For a better sense of the type of photography I'm referring to, check out this gallery.
I'm also working on getting more involved with this conference in a way that lets me get to know more of the attendees. Really, it is an amazing group.
While I won't go into too much detail in this brief review (if I find the time, I'll write an entire post about this conference and how it's impacted me) – the insights and perspectives of these photographers have made a HUGE impact on the way I view my work, and have helped me articulate how to understand the 'impact' of a photo in a way that delves into the feeling it creates.
*Note, it can be very intimidating to compare your own work to a lot of the people in this group. I can wholeheartedly say that the speakers (as well as the attendees) are some of the most impressive photographers I have ever come across. A very humbling experience to say the least.
I had the chance to attend this past year (2015), and I had an awesome time. One of the really cool things about Mystic was how Walter partnered with the speakers to offer discounted workshops for attendees. I of course took advantage of it and attended Sam Hurd's workshop.
Now that I've been in the wedding industry for several years, it was cool to see a lot of my friends delivering their presentation. Brianna and Ewan of The Last 40 Percent Boudoir invited me to introduce them on stage. This was a huge privilege not only because I'm a fan of their shooting style (they do boudoir the way it NEEDS to be done), but rather because of how proud I am of them for changing the world's views on sexuality (Myself included. Our talks are scary, confusing and frustrating – but extremely insightful). They're partnering up with Walta next year and pairing a boudoir conference with the regular schedule – so if you can afford the time, I'd say this experience would be one of the best investments you can make.
I personally know several of the speakers for next year, and their presentations have been regarded as some of the best people have seen. The content of the main conference, paired with the boudoir, and then the crowd of attendees that are present – hell, *I* will give you your money back if you don't think it was worth it. (I'll also probably give you a punch in the face because I'm damn sure it will be. I haven't checked the cost but I'd wager the value would be close to $1500-$2000.)
One last thing worth mentioning is the *kind* of attendees that go to Mystic. They are some of the most creative, unique, and friendly & open photographers I've met in the industry. I felt like I could be myself. One photographer in particular – Jacklyn Greenberg - made me feel this sentiment especially. We talked about all the weird things we do and it was a point at which I felt accepted for who I am. And *that* feeling is one that's distinct to Mystic. Can't wait for next year's event.
-WPPI would be like the "photography 101, 102, 110" courses
-Canada Photo Convention would be "Wedding Photography Marketing 201, Boudoir Photography 202, Family Photography 301"
-Foundation Conference would be like "Wedding Photojournalism 295, Creative Wedding Portraits 370, and Technical Photo Composition 401"
Hope that helps.
While I haven't been to these, I've wanted to go – and I've heard good things about them:
I'm kicking myself for missing this one. At first I really doubted it, and the idea of glamping made me want to projectile vomit – but I'm a big fan of how they've really broken the mold with the structure of how content was delivered. Instead of presentations, they had campfire sessions and small group discussions. People went on bike rides with innovators of the industry. What initially caught me off guard was how they included a HUGE variety of photographers, ranging from well-known instagrammers to commercial portraiture photographers. I had a few friends attend the first annual event this past year, and heard nothing but good things. I'll be making it a point to go next year.
Jasmine is one of the most caring people I've met in the industry. I can whole-heartedly say that her workshop – and the friends I met during the experience, were responsible for sparking the idea in my head that I can do things *differently* than the rest of the industry, and that I have a right to my own path. It was ironic that it took attending her workshop to realize I didn't want to shoot like her, or talk about fashion and small dogs – but her faith in expressing one's individuality gave me that first boost of confidence I needed to go in my own direction. Can't thank her enough.
This served as an all-around learning lesson on how to take my work to the next level. We went in-depth into pricing, marketing, destination weddings, and several different elements of the business. It definitely helped bring me to the next level from my introductory years.
After Partnercon (Pictage Conference that no longer exists), I luckily came across his work during a presentation. I scrambled what money I had at the time, and spent 2 hours the very next day talking about technical aspects of photography. I was at a point in my work that I was frustrated with my composition and the lack of 'feeling' in my photos. Tyler broke the limitation on that plateau for me by bringing me back to earth and critiquing my work. He also scared the shit out of me with how intense of a photojournalist he is. I really appreciate that about him. If there's anything that I look back on and think had the most dramatic effect on my work as a whole, it was this meeting with him. I finally felt like I could 'see' better.
The Youngrens have a really strong understanding of marketing to ideal clients, and I learned A TON about how to focus on my target clientele. While we have very different types of ideal clients, the principles and strategies they teach about relay to all types of photographers. Jeff and Erin are good friends of mine, and I have a ton of respect for them. It's awesome being able to talk about business with friends that target very different types of clients, but share the same passion for marketing principles related to ideal clientele, audience, and cultivating a "tribe".
One on One Mentor Session – As a recommendation from Tyler Wirken, I inquired with Brett about doing a 4 hour session to critique my images and how to better approach my work. Our conversation about lens choice, light, composition, and 'feeling' in photos was really insightful. I found myself arguing with Brett quite a bit during our session – but all in the purpose of understanding the underlying reasoning for his approach. A lot of the concepts were difficult for me to adhere to, and I struggled to change certain technical aspects of my work – but against my own judgement I tried his suggestions…and whaddaya know, they actually made a lot of sense to me. (As an example, one of the big changes was abandoning the practice of taking photos wider than 28mm.) It was a costly 4 hours, but it only made sense for me to do it sooner rather than later – as I'd rather improve the quality of my work earlier on rather than delay my development.
*EDIT JULY 2015* – Brett's session along with the Foundation Workshop (below) have both still been revealing themselves in the development in my "vision". I notice ways that I'm improving and recognize that they were ideas presented by Tyler, Brett and the Foundation experience.
I should mention that Brett and Tyler are both instructors at Foundation workshop, and attending this was something I had in the back of my mind ever since Tyler had mentioned it back in 2011. It's an intensive 3 day photojournalism assignment which includes extensive critiques of your entire set of images following each day. It's a hefty price tag of over $4k, but it was well worth it. I always think back to the movie The Game (if you haven't seen this movie, do it), and I feel that each person's learning experience is unique. For some, the technical elements of their work such as light and composition are where they feel they grow most – and for others, intangible aspects such as attention of approach, time management of getting different moments, and connection with your subject are where others get most benefit. Yes, it's true – people cry and have breakdowns, but those lead into breakthroughs. While I plan to write an entire post dedicated to an in-depth review of this workshop, I would suggest that anyone considering it first attend Foundation Conference prior to going. Get a feel for the instructors (many of them present or attend the conference), and hear feedback from others that have taken the workshop (many of the attendees have done it).
I'm happy to say that Erin and Ben have now become friends of mine. Their workshop was a learning experience unlike any other. And while I think I signed up initially to get some cool "tricks" – I ended up learning lessons completely unrelated to photography. The style in which they approach their workshops is one that should be embraced by all others within the industry. When considering "who's" taking your workshop, a lot of times it's those that are just starting out and need guidance in understanding techniques, customer service, or knowledge about product delivery etc. The types that aren't shooting in high budget venues but church basements and family homes. Erin and Ben showed how to create amazing photos in *any* space, including their downstairs bathroom of their home. And while a lot of the techniques & critiques I was already familiar with, understanding that approach helped me become a better teacher (and leader) within my own circle. It's easy to make great photos at an amazing venue, but when you're starting from scratch…it can help to know the fundamentals. So thank you guys for teaching me how to be a better 'teacher' – and thank you on my students behalf for helping them learn in a more effective way.
*Side note – Erin and Ben are also kick ass people to hang out with, and they genuinely care for their students, and earnestly want them to succeed. I know a lot of photographers out there doing workshops for the fame or the money, and it sucks to see that approach tarnishing the industry. Erin and Ben are fighting the good fight, and I'm proud to toot their horn.
Sam Hurd Workshop (January 2015)
As I mentioned above in the Mystic review, I attended Sam's workshop in conjunction with the conference. To be honest with you, I've noticed Sam's work and how he's pushing forward and challenging himself to better wedding photography as a whole. I really just wanted to hear what he had to say, and hear about his approach. Sam takes an unorthodox approach to his work, and I found myself realizing which areas I wanted to do the same – and also, which areas I yearned to be different. Sam's un-afraid of being different and even catches flack at times for some of his ideas, but it comes with the territory of being a trailblazer.
This portion of the post could get really long, so I'll try to keep it limited to some of the ones I've considered attending or reputable ones mentioned from friends.
Two Mann Studios – Balls Out Workshop
Matt and Katie Workshop
Ice Society Workshop
If you feel there are some good ones you have done or thought about doing that should be mentioned here, please list them in the comments below! Would love to hear from you!
PS – as a personal recommendation, if you're looking to improve your work – but don't know where to start, I'd highly highly suggest going to a conference and talking to attendees about their experiences with workshops. Do some research on your speakers, and check out what they have to offer. If you can't quite afford their workshop price, inquire with them about a 1-on-1 skype session and get some personally-tailored attention on your business. These kinds of conversations are some of the most valuable.
Here's a great photo taken by the talented Caroline Godkin during the Foundation Workshop with instructor David Murray, and Elisha Stewart - a very well respected photographer friend of mine. The look David is giving Elisha is so telling.
I'm writing this because I want you, the reader – to gain some ideas on how to attend important events that will better your business. These ideas are comin' straight from the brain, and hopefully they will work for you – as they have for me in the past.
So first off, let's address how much a conference costs, shall we?
Most conferences/workshops/seminars I've been to are 2-3 days in length. If you're lucky, they're in your home town – but if not, the cost of airfare and transit can almost DOUBLE the initial amount that you're paying for your registration. On top of that, the event takes place in some uber-fancy hotel in a major metropolitan city – racking up the total cost to almost THREE TIMES the cost to attend.
So let's find a way we can cover these costs – I'll do my best to come up with a few solutions for each obstacle, giving you some options depending on your comfort level.
For conferences, the average cost of a ticket is about $4-500. Here are the ways I've approached getting the cost covered when I first started out in my business.
I'll do my best here, but these are probably the most difficult to save on out of all the different expenses.
This is probably my favorite way to split costs, just because there is so much potential for value.
If you decided to take the 'most' cost-cutting route above, you could really have just about everything paid for. Maybe $60-$100 total, including ticket, room, and travel. How the hell can you not afford that??? It's an investment if anything.
When it comes down to it, all of these discounts…all of these ways of cutting costs…I really think the big issue that's getting in someone's way when they say "I can't afford it" – is that they don't recognize the value of these experiences. OR they just don't make them priorities.
It's really unfortunate, because I feel that these conferences will ultimately provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to make your business very successful – to the point where you don't need any of these cost-cutting tricks. The content that you learn will bring you more income in the following year, and will serve to PAY OFF the expense it took to attend.
Don't let your pride get in the way of your success. I'm not above any of these ideas mentioned, and I'd have no shame in experiencing it the same exact way as someone making every last penny count. Those who would judge you deserve a slap in the face, because really – these conferences are the most valuable to the people who can benefit from the tips mentioned in this post. You SHOULD be there, and it should be expected that someone is making these kinds of sacrifices to get to experience these events.
I'll leave you with the tail-end of one of my favorite Dr. Suess quotes that I think of just about every day in my life:
"Those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."
PS – if you're a photographer interested in attending conferences, workshops, or seminars – but don't know where to start…I'll be posting a comprehensive review of everything I've attended and all the workshops I've done 'tomorrow' on this blog. I'll provide brief descriptions of what each was about and hopefully you'll find a few you can vibe with. Email me with any questions – I'm happy to help.
PPS – if you have any other tips to share, please do so in the comments below so that others can benefit from them too!
Here's a photo I took of Matt Ebenezer during his talk at Canada Photo Convention last week. His talk, as well as our conversations we've had outside of conferences have made a tremendous impact on my business.
They have a few seasonal events that take place at the country club each year, and were looking to spruce up their marketing material to bring something fun, fresh, and engaging to their clientele.
So what I'd be doing – would essentially be walking through and photographing a 'haunted house' that they'd prepared for the upcoming month's festivities.
Well, this definitely WAS different than any kind of shoot I'd done before.
Maybe just a little different.
None the less, it was a lot of fun walking through this kind of set up, and even more of a challenge was trying to figure out how I was going to isolate the lighting for each subject while maintaining the dark & eery vibe of the surroundings.
Some of you already know this, but I love using the Lumiquest Big Bounce for my off-camera flash needs. It creates killer soft light (is that an oxymoron?) and allows me to position my light exactly where I want it to be. And in this situation, it definitely gave me what I needed in terms of keeping the background dark, but refrained from blowing out the subjects with harsh light.
Hope you dig the photos, and let me know if you found the easter egg content by leaving a comment below.
These guys are upright against the wall blending in with the rest of the dots and all-of-the-sudden spring out at you! (Used may flash behind them to separate their robes from the background)
Obligatory chainsaw photo.
When I saw this guy…fear didn't really set in. Similar to this scene in Men In Black – he was the most unlikely threat. You see the gun? He's not going to kill you…he just wants to play PAINTBALL.
This next scene was a little difficult to shoot. Not necessarily because of the lighting, but because of the motion. All of the dots you see here are moving in a cylindrical motion around the bridge. As if it's just one big wheel spinning round & round. So while I know my exposures like the back of my hand, walking through this made me feel like I took too many drugs, and was on the verge of vomiting.
Here I made a quick adjustment to my settings to capture the bridge in "warp speed".
Would love to see this on Pinterest under "nuclear holocaust themed office decor".
Dead giveaway.
This shot was probably the most difficult to balance. Had to reduce the noise on it significantly. But loved the way the eyes give off the glow contrasted with the blue ambient light.
October kicks off the holiday season for the year, and I love the eery feeling that sets in with the colder weather, the leaves falling to the ground, and all the Halloween movies on TV.
This shoot was a ton of fun, and it made me get excited to go out and get in the holiday spirit myself. My roommate and I were talking about hosting a halloween party this year, so maybe we'll borrow some ideas from above!]]>
I've chosen event marketing manager Billy Gallagher for today's Case of the Fridays. While it's not his particular industry that I'm fascinated with, what I really *do* find intriguing about him is his lifestyle. He's been traveling for the past 8 years straight, and it's led him to have some pretty incredible experiences.
Billy is a great example of someone who has shaped their career to cater to their ideal lifestyle. Flexible scheduling, extensive travel, and a variety of work consisting of meeting some pretty remarkable people. I feel like Billy has packed a lifetime of experiences into just the first decade of his adulthood, and I think a lot of people can benefit from hearing about his approach towards life.
Here's a portrait I took of Billy out at Anza Borrego desert this past August. That's the milky way you see below, and I feel this photo is a great representation of his curiosity to explore what the world has to offer.
Here's a photo of us during the conversation that ensued below. We met up in Pacific Beach to catch up and chat while he was in town for a few days.
What is your name/age?
Billy Gallagher – 30
What is your occupation?
I work in experiential marketing setting up events around the country. It's all freelance based, so sometimes it's working for the actual event production team or sometimes it's working for a sponsor for the event. The whole idea to just be interacting with consumers and helping them engage with what's going on at the event.
Where did you grow up?
The suburbs of Atlanta, GA
What level of schooling have you completed?
I graduated from UGA with a degree in Public Relations.
How long have you been doing what you currently do?
8 years now.
And where would you say you're based out of?
My suitcase. I've been traveling for the entire 8 years and haven't had an apartment or a car the whole time..
Did you have a 9-5 job before that?
Nope, I graduated on a Friday and on the following Monday I was on a flight to the first event and I was picked up at the airport by some guy with a sign with my name on it.
Did you know how much travel was going to be involved when you first started?
That's actually how it all started when I first got involved – some guy asked me if I wanted to drive a BMW around the country and hand out T-Shirts for the summer after I finished college.
And I was like, "Yes. I *DO* want to do that."
So from then on it was a constant stream of gigs?
Not immediately. I worked as a bartender for a little bit until another marketing tour came along. After that, it caught good momentum to keep me going.
So with these tours, do you work with just one company?
No. I do several kinds of events across different industries. A lot of times I'm in control of some assets with pretty big price tags, so it's important that I have experience with different kinds of events and have good relationships with well more known companies.
What kind of scheduling do you have, or what does your calendar look like?
Well, right now I'm on a 1 year contract with an agency – so during 2013, I have to fulfill managing 25 different events over the course of these 12 months. So they give me a schedule about 6 months in advance, which allows me to plan for it. I have 3 events in Colorado, some on the east coast and some out here on the west coast. Right now I'm contracted with Gortex which does a lot of work with hunting, climbing, skiing, outdoors type of stuff – so that's the majority of the kind of scene I'm surrounded by this year.
I'd imagine that you get to meet a lot of cool athletes through your work.
Yeah, it's pretty awesome to see these people that power through these mulit-day sporting events. They're in such great physical shape it's motivating for me to be healthier.
A few years back I worked personally with Dean Karnazes while he was doing 50 marathons in 50 days in 50 states. We set up an event each day in different cities – and it was funny…his sponsors gave me directions over the phone and told me not to worry about him being able to compete in the races each day…but just make sure he doesn't attempt to do "2-a-days". As in 2 marathons in one day. That whole experience was awesome to have gone through when I was just 23, so it helped me off to a great start during my early years.
It's funny – the whole time I would see people lining up to take pictures with Dean in all of the different cities we were in. At one point, Dean asked if I would mind taking a photo with him for him to have for his own keepsake. That was pretty special.
Some people might think that traveling so much might be a hinderance towards leading a normal life – would you consider it an advantage or a disadvantage?
I think of my lifestyle as one of many opportunities, and the way I see it I'm trying to experience as much as I can. But I definitely make sacrifices – I don't have my own bed. I can't have a girlfriend – tried that a few times and it just doesn't work. I have a lot of good friends but we don't really hang out on a regular basis, so that makes things a little difficult – always having to "catch up" when I see them. Maybe it prevents me from building really 'strong' relationships at times. But the flip-side is that I have a few friends in about every city I go visit, so my network has just grown to be huge.
Out of all of the places that you've traveled, have you had any favorites?
I love ancient civilizations and ruins, so going to see mayan temples and places like Ankor Wat & Egypt have been awesome. I recently went to the stonehenge, and that was pretty awesome to see. I've seen the great barrier reef, I've slept under the stars in the Sahara, I've hiked through the Amazon rainforest – I love seeing those kinds of terrains. They're so unique and unlike anything else.
You mentioned that you almost died one time while scuba diving – can you talk a little bit about that?
Sure. It was my first 'night' dive, and I had faulty equipment. Basically, even if I was exhaling – my air would just keep pumping in so it was rapidly losing air from the tank. At first I thought I was just breathing odd because it was my first night dive, but then quickly realized that there was something seriously wrong. It was really scary. And at night, you can only see what your flashlight is looking at – and I had stupidly drifted a good distance away from the dive master…but luckily I stayed really calm and swam up to him – showed him the signal that I was out of air, and it went really text book. He handed me his air supply, and we made our way back to the surface.
Once I was above water, I just started throwing up Caribbean water. But I didn't care, because I was alive. We went to a bar a few minutes later and I bought a round of drinks for the entire bar because I was just so happy to be alive.
Do you think that had a big impact on how you take risks while traveling, or will it cause you to be more cautious going forward?
You know, I don't think it will change. Things happen. Gear fails. You can't let that fear get in the way of experiencing the world and all of it's experiences it has to offer.
And a lot of people think it's dangerous going to 3rd world countries. What they don't realize is that those countries economies depend on tourism, so it's in their own interest not to steal or harm people that are visiting.
How much longer do you envision yourself working in the field that you're in?
I don't know…it's a pretty high energy job and maybe 10 or 20 years down the line, I think I'll have to change to something else. A lot of people get burnt out doing what I do, but surprisingly I haven't felt that way just yet.
What kind of work could you envision yourself doing after you transition away from your current career?
I don't know…that's a really interesting question.
Like I said, this was my first job out of college and I just kind of ran with it. I'd be really hard pressed to work a 9-5, have a desk looking out a window knowing that I've been out there…on the other side. Kind of like what a wild animal would feel.
Do you tend to prefer to live paycheck to paycheck or with a savings plan accounted for? Is your income predictable and regular, or entirely dependent on what you produce?
I definitely have a savings. Since I'm a freelancer, I don't have taxes taken out of my paycheck each time, so when April comes around – I have a big lump sum to hand over to uncle Sam. So I usually save a good amount to handle that expense, then put some away for my regular savings, and then spend anything remaining very freefully.
When you're traveling, do you like to stay in hotels, or stay with friends?
I usually stay in hostels – and cheap hostels at that. I'm pretty frugal when it comes to accommodation. Because when it comes to the experience, I'm exactly the opposite. I don't think that money should hold you back from having an awesome experience.
I've never done the couchsurfing.org thing, but I recently went to Europe and ended up staying on friends couches and avoiding paying any costs for accommodation.
Yeah, you mentioned you had recently taken a trip to Denmark for a music festival – what was that like?
I was in Amsterdam and was trying to decide where my next destination would be. I know 10 people that live in Denmark, so I put them all in a group-chat on Facebook asking them what was going on for the next week. 8 out of the 10 people responded saying that they were going to this festival called "Roskilde."
What was cool about that was I had met all of these different people in different countries throughout the world while traveling, and almost all of them happened to just be going to this same music concert. So that was that, and I booked my ticket.
It became more apparent that it was a camping festival…and I didn't really have a place to sleep. So the festival was approaching, and I don't know why – but I decided to just go out and buy a full-body bunny costume. I checked out the photos of the concert on the website, and it almost looked like Halloween there were so many people wearing costumes. A few years prior I decided that the best costume ever was a full-body animal costume, so the idea just came naturally that it was the time to get it. Everyone knows what you are, it covers you from head to toe, and it's just a ton of fun.
So I went to the festival by myself with a list of all of my friends phone numbers – under the assumption that people are generally nice and will let you borrow their phone to call your friends, and it worked out just like that. I met up with one friend that let me keep my bag at their camp, and from then on – I just ran loose and met a ton of people. There was 120,000 people there at the festival, and I probably hugged about 5,000 of them. People loved the bunny.
There was actually a photographer from Pitchfork who bought me a bunch of drinks and took me backstage in exchange for taking pictures with people – one of them being Rihanna. I think I made it on a local TV show too.
You mentioned that you were banking on the idea that people would just let you use their phones to call your friends…and I've heard you mention a few situations like this – for instance, your plans for an African safari. Do you feel that your attitude has a lot to do with your amount of luck?
Yeah, definitely. People always cancel out on those things though. And I've found that some of my best experiences have come when nothing is planned and we figure something out right there on the spot.
How do you imagine your retirement, or lifestyle past 60?
It'll have to be outside somewhere. Hopefully a beach – I like to surf.
Do you see your career facilitating a lifestyle suitable for a family, or do you have the desire to have a family?
Yeah eventually. I think if I found the right girl and was in the right situation, I'd probably settle down and have kids. But I want to see everything, and people always say to get it all out of your system when you're young. Do it while you can and there are no other strong obligations or responsibilities weighing you down.
If you had any advice to someone just graduating college or thinking about switching careers, what would it be?
Follow your instincts, play to your strengths. I'm actually afraid of going the other way actually. I've had some appealing offers, but I'm just not really to call it just yet.
What did you want to be when you want to be when you grew up?
A basketball player.
If you were a character in a famous movie, who's role would you play?
Indiana Jones.
If someone wanted to get in touch with you and ask you more about what it takes to get involved in your career, what would be the best way?
They can send me a message on Facebook. That's the best tool for keeping my network active, so they can find me on there and shoot me a message.
Whitney is based out of San Diego but her work is independent of location. This allows her to travel sometimes up to 6 weeks at a time, and removes any pressure to be in one place in order to run her business. I'm excited for the years ahead for her, as I'm betting you'll be seeing her on the food network in her own show.
I interviewed Whitney at her home in downtown San Diego, where she does the majority of her cooking, food photography, and blog writing. Here's a visual for the conversation that takes place in the interview:
What is your name/age?
Whitney Bond – 28
What is your occupation?
Food Blogger – soon to be published cook book author.
Where did you grow up?
Edmond, OK. It was a good place to grow up – nice people, small town, grew up across the street from my grandparents, great cooking.
What level of schooling have you completed?
I have an AA in broadcast journalism.
How long have you been doing what you currently do?
It will be 2 years in August since I started my blog, but it will be about a year of being a full-blown food blog. I've been doing it full time since January, shortly before that I was working as a social media manager for another company.
Did you have a 9-5 job before that?
I worked one somewhat 9-5 for a few months, selling custom-made suits for men. That was probably the most normal job I've had.
How did you become involved in the work that you currently do?
I was in LA & started writing a blog about all the stories I had to tell…my brother's best friend wrote a blog that I really liked, so I decided to make one for myself and follow a similar format. I liked cooking for my friends (I've always loved doing that), so I talked about that a lot when I first started.
In college I'd bake cookies and just give them to people in my dorm as a way to introduce myself. Being from out of town it was a good ice breaker and it was a great way to make new friends! Haha
I started experimenting with more foods, making my photography better, and sharing recipes on the blog – and more and more people started sharing them and commenting on my posts, so it just caught momentum from there! Eventually Huffington post emailed me asking to feature one of my posts – and that's when I realized I was a "food blogger". It was a *career path* that I was now heading down, and that made a pretty big impact on me!
How much longer do you envision yourself working in the field that you're in?
That kind of depends on the food network and when they give me my own show (laughs). I'll write my blog for the rest of my life…might be one post per week or maybe other guest writers to continue the food blog but I'll keep writing going forever to journal my life. All of these goals and aspirations that I have for my life – I see the blog going along with it. It's a part of me, and I can never really see letting it go.
So if the food network offered you a show next week, would you move your concentration to video and put the blog on the sideline?
I'm used to working a thousand hours a week – so if I'm doing the show and working 120 hours a week, I'll still go and write a blog even at 2 AM to maintain consistency.
What is it that you love about your work?
I love being in the kitchen and making something from nothing and then being amazed at what I've created – how it tastes after I cooked it.
Giving people access to recipes to people that don't intimidate them. Having pictures to show people helps take some of the intimidation out of the process, and helps assure people that they're 'doing it right' along the way so they don't run off course. You never know what recipes people are really going to latch on to. It's an awesome experience to go from conceptualizing a dish to making a dish, to photographing the dish, to tasting the dish, and then putting it in a blog post and hitting "publish" - you have NO IDEA whether a thousand people are going to view that post or a million people will view that post. It's so exciting…you never know. You just have to put yourself out there.
Do you feel like that carries over to other areas of life, or other businesses that people may be in?
Yeah, you know I really do put myself out there, I'm very social and I'm sometimes loud and crazy, but it's all in having fun with what you do and putting yourself out there for people to get to know you. I never know what I'm going to get as a response from people – but at least I'll know that they'll either like me for being me or they wont like me for being me.
What is your least favorite thing about your work?
The business side – the side where I actually have to make money off of it. It's such a personal thing – your putting yourself out there and now you have to commercialize it to make a profit. But you gotta pay bills, you gotta make money. I'd love to just write and not have advertising. But I love the products that I endorse, so it helps that I believe in them and actually use them.
I don't like people saying mean things – some of the comments I get are just so mean-spirited. Sometimes people will make some kind of mean comment about my cheese – "what's wrong with my cheese? Why would you say something about my cheese?"
Are there any questions that random people ask that you might feel are inappropriate?
"How do you make money?"
"How much do you charge your clients?"
Is there anything you miss about life back home?
Yeah, the simplicity of it. And of course I miss my family. That's the hardest part of everyday – going without seeing them on a regular basis. I just miss a simpler life – being out on the lake, no cell phones – no computers. Just you and your family out at the barbeque. Warm summer nights. Everything gets more complicated the older you get. Living in a city is just more fast-paced. I think people in Oklahoma have good values while Californians lean more towards a self centered culture.
What are some of the advantages of your job compared with the regular corporate career?
I get to eat REALLY delicious food everyday – so I'm very well fed! Haha. Great for my soul, bad for my waist-line.
I can go home for a week and see my family, and still work from Oklahoma. I can extend my trips back home, or if the Thunder keep winning like they did last season, I can stay for 6 weeks! Haha
I'm not confined by anyone – I have complete control over my business and my brand. I understand why when you work in a corporate environment – rules can be so structured to protect what they've built.
I had a mother of 4 boys emailed me telling me that the first time she cooked for her family was one of the recipes she had found from my website. You don't get that kind of feeling when you're working at a corporate job.
Wow! That's pretty remarkable.
I want some kid to go home and ask his mom to make him a recipe from my site and go, "Mommy, I want that buffalo chicken that Whitney posted on Little Leopard Book".
What are some of the disadvantages compared with the regular corporate career?
No salary would be #1. You're completely on your own when it comes to money coming in the door. I know there are other perks – health insurance, benefits…although I maintain a pretty healthy lifestyle so that doesn't really play in too much. I guess it's all that bacon grease that I grew up on in Oklahoma.
Mainly the biggest thing that I miss is just having someone deposit a bunch of money into my account every two weeks. Haha!
How different is the dating scene for you? Is it easier/harder to make time to be with your significant other?
It's tough. I feel like I'm never going to meet anyone that works as hard as I do. I feel lonely a lot. I feel like not a lot of other people understand or identify with what I'm going through with my business. My friends are THE BEST – and it's not that I feel alone – but sometimes I just don't feel that not everyone can identify with what I've got going on during a weekly basis…except my mom.
I feel guilty because I don't want to squish someone's fun – they should be able to go out and have fun on nights & weekends or whatever. I just want to find someone that's passionate about their work and wants to go until 10 o'clock at night because they love what they're doing. They don't necessarily have to be an entrepreneur, but someone that's just stoked on what they're doing for a living.
What do you think about work/life balance? When is it too much?
It's hard because I think a lot of successful entrepreneurs will say the same thing – they'll set "personal time" off to the side until after they're done with a project. But then once the projects done, something else comes along. And when does that stop? When all your personal relationships deteriorate? It's a difficult thing to balance doing what you love with spending time with the people that you love.
Is there enough time for a relationship?
I think there is. I don't mind giving someone my time as long as they don't waste my time. Sometimes relationships can go pretty quick because I realize that a certain person isn't someone I want to be with for the long run – I'll recognize red flags early on & just end it before we both waste our time.
Do you tend to prefer to live paycheck to paycheck or with a savings plan accounted for? Is your income predictable and regular, or entirely dependent on what you produce?
Haha I definitely don't spend it on luxurious goods – it all goes back into the business. There's no such thing as savings right now. My number one motto in life is to live everyday. If you're saving all your money and not doing the things you want to do right now, I think that's one of the biggest mistakes you can make during your youth. I have a friend who always says she wants to go on all these trips but can't because "she can't touch her savings".
And to me I'm thinking, "What?! What do you mean can't touch your savings? Are you serious? If you die on your way to work the next day – that money's gonna go to someone else."
If you have that entrepreneur mentality where you know that you can find gold at the bottom of the ditch, you wont have any problems if you lose all your money. Like, say all my clients decided they were going to suddenly stop advertising on my site – I'll figure something out – I'll start doing social media consulting, I'll start doing catering. It's not the end of the world. Financial security should not be your top concern in life – it should be having a good life.
I have more business ideas than I do time to carry them out. So I'm sure that I'll figure things out should obstacles arrive financially with Little Leopard Book.
How do you imagine your retirement, or lifestyle past 60?
I don't think I'll ever retire – I love working. When I was a little girl, I played "own my own business". I had a bank, a post office, many restaurants…I always had all these businesses – I didn't play with barbies. I had my mom bring home deposit slips from the bank so I could pretend and use them for my own pretend bank. I never dreamed about my wedding, I dreamed about being on the today show.
Why sit on the beach when you're 60 – you're gonna be all wrinkled and old! I'd rather sit on the beach now while I'm fit!
I don't ever see myself just trotting around the globe and not working. Maybe not directly running my businesses like I do in my 20′s and 30′s, but I'll still have an active interest in how I make a living.
Do you see your career facilitating a lifestyle suitable for a family, or do you have the desire to have a family?
You know…it's not my priority right now. I'm a very fairytale dreamer where I feel like there's one person for everyone – if I'm lucky enough to meet him tomorrow, then sure. I'm not the girl that brings up the conversation about marriage after 6 months.
I think those commitments can be made without having to go to a courthouse and signing documents. I'd love someone to be there to share the highlights and be there for the bad days. I love kids – probably more than everyone I know, but I never saw myself as having my own.
If I do, I'd imagine myself having one kid that would travel with me and come along for the adventure rather than having my life completely changed and oriented around raising children.
What are your top priorities in the 'big picture'?
My business is right now my #1. Making it to where myself and my family can live a comfortable life for the rest of our lives. I want to be able to live in the same place as my family, spend time with them and be around them – my mom is my best friend and I love hanging out with her. She's come out here because I've had meltdowns and she's come to just be there & go hiking, or go eat In & Out on the beach. Or we celebrate when my business is doing great. And then I get to treat her to a nice restaurant or go to Disneyland together.
Definitely on the giving back side – as far as my time is concerned, I'd really like to speak to younger girls. Most families aren't as encouraging and supportive as mine has been – sometimes even critical and tell their kids that their not going to make it or achieve much. I'd love to go back to my hometown and share my story with girls who wouldn't imagine a possibility of moving to California or making their dreams come true.
I want to be able to be there in their corner to help them believe in themselves. To be willing to put in the hard work.
The second part – the monetary thing – I'm gonna go back to the restaurants that I worked at when I was young, and leave a $10,000 tip because waitressing is THE WORST job ever. And it's the toughest! Those people really deserve it and it will be one of the best days of their life…it will be awesome to give them that feeling.
I have recurring nightmares from my waitressing job when I was younger – people don't realize how tough that job really is!
If you had any advice to someone just graduating college or thinking about switching careers, what would it be?
Don't settle for the first thing you do. If I did that, I'd still be working at Sonic. My first business was a modeling agency. I used to tell people "not" to eat, now I tell them "to" eat.
If you have that feeling of wanting to go in a certain direction, definitely pursue it – but don't think of it as being your end-all. There's so much thing as a failed business. You learn from everything you experience.
At 18, all you've been doing is f*ckin' around in high school. I had no doubt in my mind that I was going to be the first 5'3'' supermodel. when I was that age. That's what was in my mind at the time.
You have to be flexible – you have to figure out what you love and figure out how to make it profitable in life. It's a unique path – take a route on something that you're passionate about.
If you have passion for your work and what you do, it carries over into all other areas in your life.
You know, you made me realize something about entrepreneurship and a learning lesson that comes along with – by understanding the amount of time it takes to work on something or make a goal happen, you subconsciously realize how valuable your time 'outside' of work is as well. Does that carry over into who you decide to spend time with.
Totally. My group of friends is absolutely f*cking awesome and I definitely want people that make me feel better by being around them, not bringing me down but being supportive of one another. I would hope that they feel the same way by hanging around with me. The ones that have been there through everything mean so much to me.
If someone wanted to do your job, what is important to maintain a position?
Consistency is huge in a lot of aspects. You have to be consistent with your blog – if you're not regular, they'll follow another writer. You have to be consistent with your brand. I think branding is huge. People expect to come and see something they can get value from. You have to produce similar kinds of content on a regular basis. You have to be on top of things when big companies like HuffPost email you looking for a certain recipe or a piece on something seasonal, etc.
Personality. A blog is different than a website because you're subscribing to get a story. You go to the food network to get a recipe – with my book – you go to get a recipe and a story.
Who inspires you?
My mom. She's just the happiest person I know. For no real reason – she just has the best attitude and sees the best in everything and everyone.
My dad inspires a lot of my cooking. He's so creative in the kitchen and is so supportive of everything that I do.
My grandma – she was just so happy being at home cooking for the family, living a simple life.
What do you think of authority?
I'm not good at authority at all. I think that's a big reason for me being an entrepreneur so I don't have someone telling me what to do all the time.
Meter maids really get to me – I love it when I pull up to a meter and there's still 30 minutes of green left. Feels like I "won" one against them. I don't know how someone can be a meter maid.
How do you establish a clientele and a following who regularly attend your events? Was it hard to get the initial momentum going in the first place?
My initial following were my mom's friends and my friends. Mainly going to other people's blogs and commenting on their posts and they'd come to mine. From there, the majority of my major following came with stepping up my 'picture' game. When my photos and my food looked better, it'd get published more around the web.
What did you want to be when you want to be when you grew up?
A model.
What are some of your favorite sounds?
I liked trains until I moved here! Haha. The sound of the oven beeping, haha.
When my grandma passed away, my dad asked if there was anything that I wanted from her house – I told him "the bell". When I was a little girl, my grandma would cook dinner for us all and there was a china cabinet that housed this little glass bell. And it was the dinner bell that I would get to ring when my grandma was finished cooking. You could 'only' get to ring the bell right before dinner, so that made it special.
What's your favorite curse word?
Fuck. I say fuck all the time. My mom gives me so much shit for having such a potty mouth.
What's your favorite memory from your past?
When I got the acceptance package for SDSU. I didn't even pull all the way into the driveway – just ran into the house screaming that I got in.
I remember when I found out I was going to be in Maxim (for modeling). I always wanted to be published in a nationally recognized magazine. That was like my end goal – I had done everything that I had wanted to do, and at that point, I was like "what do I do now"?
It's a cool feeling, but it's scary. I sometimes think that if I were to die, I wouldn't be really worried like, "what! I didn't do this, or I didn't do that" - I've led a pretty good life. I feel like I've really lived.
If you were an animal, what kind of animal would you be, and why?
A monkey. I don't know they seem like they're having a lot of fun swingin from tree to tree.
What are some of your favorite smells?
Flowers. I love having fresh flowers in my house.
What did you get into the most trouble for when you were young?
Oh! I got in trouble for a lot! Just throwing fits & just being a brat. My mom would tell me to go to my room and think about what I've done. I would scream and kick because she would send me there and I would hate that authority.
Most kids would just go through the punishment and just take it. I'd kick and scream and just throw a defensive up about the whole ordeal. I think I remember getting in trouble for hitting my brother with a spatula – so I guess cooking just carries over into every area of my life, haha.
If you were a character in a famous movie, who's role would you play?
I'd definitely say Reese Witherspoon in Sweet Home Alabama because it's so similar to my story. Small town->big city, ends up going home and marrying the guy. Except with me, it'd be moving to the city and starting a business.
If you could go back to any point in history for a month, what time period would you visit?
I would say the 50's.
If there was one celebrity you'd like to punch in the face, who would it be?
Oh man there's so many! Can I get a double punch of Kanye and Kim. Chris Brown!
What age do people become "old", what's the secret to staying young?
It get's older every year that I do! Haha so when I was 10, it was 20 – when I was 20 – it was 30 – now it's 75.
What's your favorite quotation?
"If you're not with me during my struggles, don't expect to be there during my success."
It might sound bitter at first reading, but I kind of take it the other way. One time I had to move 6 times in one month when I was living in LA – and the same group of friends helped me move each time…I'll always remember that and I'll always be there to support them when they need it.
If someone wanted to get in touch with you and ask you more about what it takes to get involved in your career, what would be the best way?
If they're genuinely interested in doing it and willing to put in the time & effort, and sharing their recipes with people – I'd love to help. They can email me at email@example.com
A few people had asked me about how I was able to reach Gary for an interview. Well, at the beginning of the year – he announced that he would be doing a series of 15 minute interviews for blogs and radio shows. His company sent out an email announcement and I jumped on it.
I heard back a few days later requesting the interview date to be set in late August. His schedule is extremely busy, and I had no issue with it.
His content has been responsible for motivating me to have such a go-giver attitude in regards to my business, and his ideas have helped shape my perspectives in relation to technology and social media.
Unfortunately, we weren't able to do the interview in-person, but I was able to chat with him on the phone yesterday and have dialogue about my questions. (I've gotten responses from others stating they would fill out an email response, but I feel that an actual conversation is so much more genuine and less structured – so I passed for the time being. It's important to keep things *real*.
So with that, let's get to the interview!
First off I'd like to say thank you – you've been a true inspiration to me. Your books have had a huge impact on how I approach business and relationships, and I attribute a lot of my success to your teachings. As a matter of fact, this feature (Case of the Fridays) was inspired by your book Crush It. It really drives me to see people pursuing their passions, and I'm happy to pass along the favor to those that are interested in making the leap.
Thank you man, that makes me super happy.
What is your name/age?
Gary Vaynerchuk, 37
What is your occupation?
Co-founder and CEO of a social media brand consulting agency, video blogger, co-owner and director of operations of a wine retail store, and an author and public speaker on the subjects of social media, brand building and e-commerce.
Where did you grow up?
Edison, New Jersey
What level of schooling have you completed?
Junior College
How long have you been doing what you currently do?
I've been a hustling since I ran lemonade stands as a little kid…driving around on my big wheels collecting money from my friends who were running it in different neighborhoods for me.
What is it that you love about your work?
The control. I love the fact that I'm pretty in-control and that I'm the boss' boss. I like the fact that I'm the one that makes the decisions – what I want to do, how I want to do it, and how I want to go about it. I would say that the control of my destiny is something that is very, very attractive to me.
What is your least favorite thing about your work?
I think that I just love to work so much that it draws me away from my family – who are also so important to me.
Yeah I actually read your post the other day about how your 'best mistake you've ever made' was working too much – how do you decide where to draw the line when it comes to choosing between an important family event and an important business opportunity?
Well, I don't really have a one-size-fits-all answer for you there – of course there are some promises and occasions that I wont miss like birthdays or anniversaries or big holidays – even if it was for the biggest business opportunity of all time…but I think you really have to address each circumstance on a case-by-case basis.
What are your top priorities in the 'big picture'? Is it financial success, influence, legacy…to buy the jets?
Having the at-bat to buy the Jets is just as good as actually buying them, haha. And that is one of my goals, sure. But I mean – look at where we're at right now – I wrote a book and see how much that has impacted your life?! That's insane. Do you know how I feel right now after you had made that opening statement?? That makes my head explode. And I'm really just addicted to the appreciation that I hear from people.
Recently you put out a suggestion to people to ask their audience how they can be of service to them – I saw that some guy joked about getting a double cheeseburger and then posted a video when you actually sent him one. What has the response been like to this? What kind of feedback have you gotten from people?
Well, I did a spreecast the other day and got a lot of positive feedback from people that had actually taken it to action. I, myself, experience GREAT results whenever I do it. It's something I've been doing for awhile now, but it's just something that I've been 'talking about' more recently. I really believe in the idea, and I think that by giving back – it's a great way to lead a great life – and also have great business results.
You do quite a bit of traveling for your speaking engagements. I think there are a lot of entrepreneurs out there that have ambitions to pursue that route in their field – are there any downsides or disadvantages that people might not know about that you'd be willing to share?
I think the cliché downsides of speaking gigs that everyone kind of anticipates are well known – the jet lag, the change in time zones, the airport food, the grind of always being up…but it's all greatly off-set by the financial benefit and the admiration that comes from it. It's like a drug. It's hard work and it's not as easy as it sounds, but that just comes with the territory. It's kind of like being an athlete or a pop-star…life on the road is hard work.
What has been the biggest challenge of your career?
I would say that I always want to bite off more than I can chew. It's difficult to maintain a solid structure between my ambition and my appetite.
I think I remember awhile back you mentioning the importance of learning how to say "no" to opportunity and the downsides of being a "yes man".
Yeah man, it's a huge struggle for me.
Do people ever say negative things to you in response to your videos or blog posts that make you want to stop producing content?
Yeah of course people can react strongly to my content – but I'm aware how I can come across at times and I've gotta respect that. It really just makes me aware of how I'm different. And as a matter of fact, it's shocking to me at how little I get despite how outspoken I am and how "Jersey" I am – I really don't get much at all compared to others at similar levels. I really don't like cynicism – I hate it, but I definitely use it as motivation to prove them wrong – to go to higher levels.
If someone were graduating college or switching careers to something they're passionate about, what would you suggest to them to start on the right path?
To find an organization or a team that they want to be involved with, and offer to work for as little or as-close-to-free as possible. Because the access is much more valuable than the short-term money.
If you were 20 again, is that what you would do?
Well in my case I was working with our wine company at 16 and I was already in love with it. But if I didn't have that and I was fresh on my own – 100% without a doubt. If I wanted to be a lawyer, I'd go and intern at a law firm for free – the best one that I could get to – and then just hustle 17 hour days until the right person noticed. Because that's how things work.
Do you think a lot of people feel held back because of money to do something like that?
Oh of course. They need money for the short term – they have loans to pay, they can't afford it, it's just not practical. But most people – when it comes down to it, they just don't want to do it. They'll jump on an opportunity to make 40 or 50K instead of putting in the hustle to work with something that's going to benefit them ten-fold in the long run.
Does that come across as lazy to you?
No, it's just that this approach – or this story – is not one that's commonly told. A lot of people get advice from their parents or teachers telling them to go to grad school or get 'paid' internships and that they should ignore the free ones.
For the bigger dreams – if you want to be "Puff Daddy" when you grow up, you need to go and work for Puff Daddy. You need to figure out whatever it takes – email or call repeatedly and offer to work for free in order to get your foot in the door.
So, find some way to bring unique value to that person or organization?
Exactly. Show them you can be truly helpful and proactive.
So, how would you suggest that someone sustains themself to be able to pursue such opportunities?
If you're 18-25, get 6 roommates. Work at 7-11 at the graveyard shift after you're finished at your real job. It really all depends on how bad that person truly wants it. Truth is, most people don't want it as bad as they say they want it.
So who has inspired you along your path?
My parents. They're the ones. Nobody else.
What are some of your favorite sounds?
My favorite sound in the world is the Jets chant you hear when you're in the stadium. Also, my little girl's laugh – some of my friends' laughs are hilarious. People with different kinds of laughs are great.
What are some of your favorite smells?
White and Red wine of course. I love the smell of barbeque, a pack of 1987 Huff Baseball cards freshly opened. I also love the smell of burnt BMX bike tire on pavement. Comes from when I was growing up – we'd all just ride around and skid out.
What did you get into the most trouble for when you were young?
Report cards. I was good with everything else, but I always got in trouble for getting F's.
What's your favorite quotation?
I'm not really much for quotations – but the only one that's really caught my eye…that's really stuck with me was from Jay-Z. His quote, "I'm not a businessman, I'm a business, man."
Is that why you have him on your instagram profile picture?
Ha! Yep.
Is there anything I can do to help you out today?
Uhh, yeah. I'm really trying to push sales for Jab Jab Jab Right Hook – if there's anything you can do…buy a couple pre-sales, maybe give one away on your blog-
I actually bought 5 pre-orders on Amazon yesterday, along with a couple Crush It's for some friends because I love that book so much.
Awesome. Thank you so much. Thank you.
Now I'm wondering…what would it take to get an autographed version of Crush It? That'd mean a lot to me.
Email me. We'll send it out to you next week.
Awesome. And just one last favor to ask – I usually like to post a photo for people to have a visual of the conversation going down between us on my blog…do you think you could do me a huge favor and just send me a mobile pic once you're off the line?
Sure man, no problem.
And here's one of me in turn.
Hope you enjoyed the interview. If you found it valuable, and think others would too, I'd love it if you'd share this.
And if you're a big fan of Gary, or even if you're not just yet – I'd suggest getting a copy of his new book coming out this fall.]]>
As a matter of fact – it's entirely the opposite.
I know several photographers who feel that instagram is an app that makes *anyone* feel like they're a photographer…especially with all those nifty filters they have available. And some of those photographers feel threatened by that, and dismiss the app as 'below them'.
Well, let me say this: you're doing it wrong.
In my opinion, instagram can be an awesome platform for professional photographers to show how their *eye* is what makes the difference…not that big fancy camera or expensive editing software. It gives you the opportunity to show that with the same camera (a mobile phone), one's perspectives can be significantly more creative than the average person.*
How many times have you gotten the compliment, "Wow, you take amazing photos! You must have a really nice camera!"
I sometimes feel compelled to tell them that they must have a great 'mouth' for making such a nice compliment.
It's one small step for man, one giant leap for photographers to educate the public that it's not about the camera, it's not about the lens, but what's *behind* the camera that makes the difference between an average photo and an extraordinary photo.
"Okay, Tim – point taken. Now how has instagram taught you – how does my photography get better by using it?"
I'm glad you asked.
Here are 7 ways that this little app has helped me via Karate Kid methodology to improve my quality when it's game time (AKA when I'm shooting a professional gig)
There's no substitution for the kind of learning you get from constant practice. However, you're not always going to have your professional camera with you wherever you go- and waiting to edit photos delays the learning process. And 'sometimes' those personal photos don't even get edited, especially during a busy season.
Using your phone on a daily basis to capture images that speak to you provides you with an ongoing experience of trial and error. You take the photo, you edit it, and you can look back on it and think about how you could have made it better. The simple system of instagram allows you to avoid the professional process of editing & storing your personal photos and gives you a sense of accomplishment when you see others appreciating your creative outlet.
By doing this regularly, you allow yourself to keep a constant eye out for compelling photos – maybe you see some cool light or shadows, symmetry, or a fun moment you want to share. Instagram makes the process quicker, and allows you to put out photos in real-time for others to appreciate.
Here are a few examples of noticing some cool textures during everyday life that cross your eyes, but you may not notice:
Puddles. Pay attention to their color and reflective abilities.
Here are a few other examples with puddles:
Took this photo while I was waiting for a client at a restaurant. Restaurants, clubs, and bars often have really cool vibrant lighting and unique architecture.
Was over at my friend Kelly's for a barbeque and noticed the shadows on the overhang above the outside patio. I moved around a bit to get the crossbars to move in a direction conducive to a photo, so don't just think that the photo will come at first look.
If it wasn't for instagram, I wouldn't have practiced so many reflection shots and understood which surfaces serve well for those types of photos. Here's an example of all that practice being put to use on a wedding:
Instagram practice while waiting at the SeaTac Airport:
Actual wedding photo taken with my professional camera:
See how that skill set parlayed?
Let's move on.
For a long time, I kept my feed strictly limited to photographers – as when looking at daily content, it would be filled with creative imagery from everyday life.
Whether it be eating lunch, walking the dog, drinking coffee in the morning, or admiring the local architecture – there are photographers that showcase this kind of everyday life in extraordinary ways.
Some photographers showcase an attention to symmetry, some to the art of telling a story, some to the use of light & color in an image, and some give attention to amazing surroundings.
I've noticed their style and approach towards 'thinking' about a certain photo, and tried out my own versions of them. Some ideas I liked and stuck with me, and some I tried and didn't use again.
As a result, having a regular stream of content filled with inspirational creative imagery rubbed off on me to help make my own original content. And with that, cultivate my own distinct style.
So my suggestion to you would be: find and follow certain users that showcase the kind of photography you appreciate. Learn from their composition, use of light, consistency, and try to create a similar version of your own. As a result, constantly thinking about these elements will keep the train of thought fresh in your mind – forcing you to practice your skill-sets more and more.
Some recommendations of photographers I like to follow:
Chris Ozer AKA @chrisozer – great captures of scenery, particularly urban streets and NY city life
Dirk Bakker AKA @macenzo – awesome use of symmetry, lines, and detail in architectural design.
Dave Getzschman AKA @davegetzschman – really solid understanding and use of light in his photos. I follow a lot of photojournalists on IG, but he may be my favorite since he's so deliberate about what content he puts out.
Jose Martos AKA @sevillacreativa - great eye, especially in street photography. Somehow, he always seems to find great compositions in relationship to moving subjects and their shadows.
Kevin Lu AKA @sweatengine – he's on a 2 month road trip across the states right now, and showcasing some awesome imagery along the way. Follow him if you want to get the travel bug.
Shelby Chen AKA @shelbtron - cool use of color palettes and negative space. He sometimes matches a subject's color with the background of an image which can spur some good ideas.
Theron Humphrey AKA @thiswildidea – he seems to have a knack for catching the *perfect moment* with his dog. Cool compositions and fun to see his daily adventures
Teddy Aang AKA @teddyaang – cool editing style with consistently good breakfast/coffee photos. He's based in Indonesia, and features some stylish people from that neck of the world. It's nice variety to see that part of the world in my daily feed.
Jeremy Veach AKA @jermzlee – dog lovers…this is a must follow. Amazing photo concepts with his pug. The selfies are what get me the most.
As a suggestion, if you like one of these photographers – check out some of the other people that they follow. Odds are, you'll find more content along the lines of what you're interested in.
An easy way to get a different view on a concept/location is to use tags. Personally, I like to see what photos other users have uploaded from the same places that I've taken pictures. If there's an image in the gallery that looks like I've missed an area or gets me curious, I'll try to explore to see where they had taken the photo – or understand their vantage point. (Maybe it's from above, down low, further away, or up close to something you hadn't even noticed)
This approach allows you to practice on-the-spot, and can be really helpful in speeding up the learning curve. It can also connect you with local photographers that might be willing to teach you during a 1-on-1 or an instameet. (If you're local to San Diego, check out @alozor, @kdkuiper, @joshuaraymund, @sandiegochris, @justn_sd)
Here's an example of one of my more recent photos that I've taken.
If you were to go into the geotag gallery, you'll see this shot (below) that @joshuaraymund had taken a few days after. If I wanted to make a shot similar to his, I'd go to the right side of where I was standing in my photo above, wait until sunset, and get down low for the reflection. Having a kind of resource that allows you to find such creative photography at a moment's notice is incredibly useful!
Another option is to approach a concept of a themed photo using hashtags. I personally love the hashtag #fromwhereistand and have used it several times. Browsing through the gallery has showed me ways that people have visualized the concept differently, and interpreted the idea in an entirely different way. It also keeps the concept fresh in my mind, so that when there's an opportunity for great photo that would apply to that theme, I'll recognize it before I even take out my camera.
The account @instagram promotes weekend hashtag projects for users to take part in and submit their own content for a chance to be featured on their blog, and it's a great way to get started. A few of the categories they've done in the past include:
Hashtag projects are great because they get people involved in an active way, and it frees you from regulating your own personal projects. It's a weekly challenge that's completely voluntary, and it's also a great way to find other photographers. And while the weekend projects are great, there are also common hashtags that surround fun on-going themes.
Here are a few:
#fromwhereistand – usually of shoes or from the perspective from foot level
#onthetable – aerial and other creative views of meals/desks
#iseefaces – objects that resemble human faces
#putabirdonit – creative bird photography
#funbetweenyourlegs – it's for cyclist enthusiasts, pervert.
#lookingup & #lookingdown – sounds plain, but surprisingly cool photos in these sets
#sleepclub – people passed out napping. Not necessarily good for improving photography, but had to include it because I thought it was so funny.
#stairporn – find creative ways to look at stairs.
Using tags to see another perspective is a great way to exercise your mind to think differently. "Geotags are my anti-drug."
This is an item that I've been heavily criticized (and appreciated) for. I joke with friends about how I'm a 'nazi' when it comes to instagram – whether it be who I follow or what kind of content I post.
As a matter of fact, it's even been a little awkward when in the professional realm. For instance at an event I'll be shooting – there are times when I'll take a photo with a client, and they exclaim, "ohhhh put it on insta and tag me!"
Not that kind of instagram.
When putting thought, effort, and energy into your content – it shows others that you care a lot about what you post. Rather than going straight from taking the picture to posting, take a little time to edit the photo with an app to give it an artistic feel that represents your vision. I strongly feel that people recognize that effort, and are that much more inclined to comment and engage. (The next blog post I write will be about "how I edit my instagram images" – so stay tuned)
And naturally, when you're deliberate about what you post – it makes you *think* about your photos more carefully. Not just snap and share…but create. Thinking critically about your photos will constantly put you in a mindset where you pay more attention to detail, wait for the precise moment, and inevitably cause you to make better imagery.
I often find myself taking photos just because I like the composition at the moment…even if I'm not going to do anything to that photo. Maybe I'll just look back on it, think about what I did in it or how it could be better – then trash it.
Here are some photos that I've taken but haven't posted either because I prefer not to post too often, the photo wasn't as compelling as I had hoped, or it just didn't meet my standard of quality that I prefer in my images. (Or sometimes I just take selfies to send to the girlfriend or share with close friends.)
If you've made a busy schedule for yourself as a photographer, it can become perceived as "work" whenever you go to take a picture.
For your passion to survive and continue throughout your career, I think it's important to take pictures for "YOU". No pressure, no direction, no limitations, no deadlines, just your own creative vision. Let a photo *speak to you* and capture it the way you want it.
Here are some photos that I've taken time to do purely for the enjoyment of making a fun photo:
I never really thought of instagram as a place to have my images critiqued or anything – but a lot of times I'll notice something different about my photos after someone makes a comment.
For instance, I took this photo last year while swimming with sharks in La Jolla cove. A couple people suggested that I should have turned the photo upside down. And you know what? It looked pretty badass that way!
I never really thought of doing that with my images, but it made me think in a different way from that point on. Here are some photos that resulted after incorporating that kind of thinking:
Maybe it's just me…but I can't stand it when I see a photographer that I like bombard their photo with generic hashtags. I feel like there's a little bit of anticipation when a person goes to read a caption, and when they see it filled with a bunch of hashtags – they throw up in their mouth a little bit.
One or two aren't bad, but overwhelming your audience with #'s loses their attention. The story of the photo is reduced to your efforts to gain more followers – and to me – it comes off as try-hard. Sorry if that offends you…but not really. (See my post on hashtags for more of my nazi ways)
Here's an example of how an image could look in 2 different ways. How do you feel looking at each one?
Your photo tells a story, and the caption plays a part. Don't just leave it blank for interpretation either – people are curious about what's behind the meaning of the photo! Let them get to know you.
Instagram is a platform with a tremendous potential for connecting. If you're looking for ways to advance your skills in photography, the resources are at your fingertips – and I've laid them out for you here.
If you got a lot out of this post, I'd really appreciate it if you would share it with your friends. And whether you got 1, 2, or several new tips you're going to start using – I'd love to hear about it in the comments below!
-Met Vince and Angeline over a glass of wine to talk wedding photography. Got overly excited, started planning engagement session even before booking
-Said they met at the beach, are now wine club members
-Wanted to make a tailored engagement session, decided to do 2 half sessions since locations were far apart
-Shot a kick-ass engagement session at the beach
And now…to tell the story of what they enjoy doing as a couple. I know we could have probably done a session at Syrah or maybe a restaurant then tie in some wine & cheese platter to play off the idea…
But that wouldn't be the *best*. And I'm a firm believer in that if you're going to do something, do it the right way, and do it the best way.
So we went to the vineyards.
As you'll see in the photos, I try to get as much variety as I can during a session. Close up, far away, silhouette, serious, and playful expressions.
Loved tying in the barrel room for these photos. Used some off-camera lighting to separate them from the background and give some dimension to the shot.
You know me and my silhouettes.
There's a badass orchard right outside one of the wineries up in Temecula, so we took a few photos along one of the rows of oranges. Really happy with how these came out.
Ange giving "the look", and Vince throwing an orange. Love it when we can break from the norm and do these kind of fun photos during a session.
They asked if they could bring their dog Cali in for part of the shoot, and of course I said yes. I love dogs, and consider them to be family. Here's one of my favorites of Cali posing for the camera.
While I really like this photo on it's own – there's a story behind it that makes it even better. When Vince and Angeline were first dating, there was a day where they had been walking for quite a bit, and Angeline's feet started to hurt. So he picked her up and carried her!
Making photos like these that tell a personal side of the story make my work *that* much more meaningful.
Closin' it out with the sunset silhouette.
And before we knew it – we were talking about concepts, ideas, and potential photos that could be made during their engagement session.
During our conversation, I learned that they initially met at Firehouse, and spent a good amount of time during their early relationship at the beach. Nowadays, they've developed a keen appreciation of wine, and are members of a few different vineyards in Southern California.
With each of my engagement sessions, I try my best to bring out the personality and history of the couple. And while hitting Temecula AND the beach during the golden hour weren't possible, we made it work. Instead of doing a normal 2-3 hour session, I was willing to split their engagement shoot into 2 single-hour sessions since the 2nd location was walking distance from my house.
Now, planning a photo session at the beach isn't always the easiest or most cooperative in regards to weather – as you might have noticed from my post the other day. However, Vince and Angeline gave me their complete trust on this portion of the shoot and I can't thank them enough. I think we may have rescheduled 3-4 times due to the weather not being exactly on-point, and I was afraid their patience was being tested! I didn't want to keep delaying the shoot – but felt it was important to make sure they got the very best conditions for their photos.
On the day of their shoot, a few clouds threatened to affect things…but I could tell that they weren't strong enough and conditions would be perfect for the lighting. We went for it and came back with some pretty awesome shots!
I'll split their session into two posts for the sake of variety, and begin with their beach session since it's the story of how they started out! (Stay tuned for part 2 tomorrow)
Dig the shadows on this one.
This is probably one of my favorites as it's so "telling" of the beach.
And closin' it out with the sunset silhouette!


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Superstar Social Media Marketing Manager needed
Hourly - Est. Time: More than 6 months, 10-30 hrs/week - Posted
Our growing companies (yes two! which means we need 2 people for this job) are looking for a very experienced Social Media Marketing Manager to join our team. Responsibilities will include: - Creating and executing strategy for all of our social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Google+ etc) - Crafting, editing and posting a weekly newsletter to our mailing lists. - Looking for potential new connections and partnerships for our company to create a positive PR. ONLY experienced candidates will be considered. This is a long term position and we are only looking for people willing to commit to that. To find out more about each business simply visit our websites: www.musicradiocreative.com www.newmediaeurope.com

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Daily Grind Clothing - A Filipino street wear brand that promotes the youth subculture through art and music by Team Manila Lifestyle and Team Manila Graphic Design Studio.
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BBQ Potatoes
Total Time
Prep 5 mins
Cook 20 mins
Potatoes cooked on the BBQ with sauce. I like to use chick and rib, but other types are good too.
Make and share this BBQ Potatoes recipe from Food.com.
- Wash the potatoes and cut in half lengthwise.
- Sprinkle the skin side with salt.
- brush the cut side with oil.
- Place on grill oil side down.
- Brush top with BBQ sauce.
- Cook for about 10 minutes then flip the potatoes and put BBQ sauce on the flat side.
- Cook until tender when poked with a fork.
- This is a low to medium heat item.
Most Helpful
This is a really good side dish for the BBQ. Great way to spice up potatoes with little effort and a nice change from the usual foil packets.
I made this a week ago and forgot to rate this. This was great and I enjoyed having this along with the rest of the meat skewers we had. They're easy, they're quick and wow just 4 ingredients! I also placed them in skewers so we can easily eat them. Thanks for sharing this, Pixie!
These were great! My son made them at our summer cabin because he had found this recipe on 'Zaar and had tried them before. They made a great side dish and they are very quick and easy to prepare! I will make these again!