Arizona Dan

Top 5 Reasons You Should Never Bring Your Child To A Big Box Portrait Studio

2012-03-05T21:20:00.000-08:00

5. Your photographer (usually a 16 to 19 year old girl being paid $10 an hour)is a trainee with little experience. 4. Your photographer was hired based on sales ability not photo experience. Chances are you will get the hard sell regardless of how good the photos are. 3. With appointments every 15 minutes, the studio routinely runs late, especially on Saturday. Long waits and children are not a

Review: Saguaro's High School Production of "Beauty and the Beast"

2012-03-01T16:33:00.000-08:00

Saguaro's production of Beauty and the Beast is a winner all across the board. You really can't go wrong in going to this show. But hurry, it is only on for two more nights. Tonight (Thurs) and Friday at 7PM at the high school theatre on Hayden and 82nd in Scottsdale.

From the Late Great Jim Rohn

2012-02-27T11:17:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia The Formula for Failure and Success by Jim Rohn Failure is not a single, cataclysmic event. We do not fail overnight. Failure is the inevitable result of an accumulation of poor thinking and poor choices. To put it more simply, failure is nothing more than a few errors in judgment repeated every day. Now why would someone make an error in judgment and then be so foolish

Looking for an Investor

2012-02-24T00:44:00.000-08:00

Image via WikipediaMy friend who was near homeless, found an "angel investor" to get him back on his feet. I don't know how he did it but it makes me wonder if it isn't possible to find one for myself. With the funds I could market my photo business nationwide and set up a network of photographers in other cities to do what I do while splitting the profits and doing the marketing for them. So

There's gotta be a way...

2012-02-24T00:24:00.000-08:00

Well, I have enough business January thru May to be self-employed. At least enough to get by on. The next step is trying to figure out how to stay busy the next seven months. There has gotta be a way to do this. In the fall, Oct, Nov, and December have potential to grow but I may have to travel which adds more expense. I don't do a lot of shows around Arizona in the Fall because Fall is marching

Top 5 easy ways to improve your photography today.

2012-02-23T01:55:00.000-08:00

Sophie.........Adobe Photoshop CS3 (Photo credit: justDONQUE.images)5. Keep your camera sensor clean. It's amazing how often this isn't done. 4. Move your body. Try to photograph something from a different level than just straight on. 3. Watch your background. Details make the difference. 2. Shoot it right the first time. Don't fix it in Photoshop. 1. Get in closer to your subject. Then take two

Moving Forward with Lynda.com

2012-02-20T16:09:00.000-08:00

Lynda.com (Photo credit: ekai)I'm going to be try to self-teach myself to use Dreamweaver, InDesign and Illustrator by taking classes 24/7 at Lynda.com Now I don't know if I will be able to do this but I can replay the various classes over and over until I can "get it" through my thick skull. I really do need to learn these things. I want to be able to create a web page from scratch, logos

Top 10 All Natural Ways to Create a More Positive Attitude

2012-02-19T12:27:00.000-08:00

Depression (emotion ) (Photo credit: Andreas-photography)This is from the folks at www.pickthebrain.com I'll try it if you will too. 1. Understand the emotional cycle – Life is an emotional roller coaster. Some days you feel like nothing can stop you. Other days you feel utterly hopeless. Most of the time you’re somewhere in between. Understanding the pattern of positive and negative

13 DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2012-02-19T01:23:00.000-08:00

Image via WikipediaImage via WikipediaHas it been that long since my last post? Unbelievable! In the five years I've been doing this blog, I don't think I've even gone that long. Here's the skinny. If you follow this post, you know this is a creative outlet for me and I enjoy writing. It's a way for me to deal with the world and the things I see. Often times I've commented on how "attitude is

Came across this interesting little quote from Teddy Roosevelt.

2012-02-06T23:38:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American

Greetings from Flagstaff Arizona

2012-02-05T22:55:00.000-08:00

As you know, my daughters are out here for a vacation. Sadly, this is a time when life throws you a curveball. Lynn's father, Oliver Usher, passed away yesterday. Since airfare is extremely expensive right now, only Lynn and her sister are flying back to Bismarck, ND. So it's a sad time for all of us in more ways than one. Our daughters are only going to be able to spend two days with their mom

This is from my friend Julene's blog but I really like what she had to say.

2012-02-01T21:58:00.000-08:00

Over and over again people tell me they are waiting for God to do something significant in their lives and most of them are usually dreaming and hoping for something specific. It breaks my heart when they do not see how God is already working through the everyday circumstances of their lives and all they need to do is join in. We sometimes look and pray so hard for God to do something big

The Countdown Begins...

2012-01-29T23:38:00.000-08:00

Image via WikipediaOur daughters will be here on Friday so we'll be a family again for one week. We can't wait. The original plan was to meet them in Vegas but it just isn't going to work out this time. Maybe next time. I know that not only are they excited to see us but they are looking forward to seeing the newest member of our family, our new dog Loki.

So what is the tipping point to change your life around?

2012-01-28T23:30:00.000-08:00

Image via WikipediaWe had a lady at our church who told us how shed lived under a bridge in Phoenix for seven years. In those years she was raped, shot, beaten and was constantly on drugs. So what was her tipping point? You would think being raped, shot and beaten would be motivation to change. For her it wasn't any of those. On a hot summer day in Phoenix, she woke up in an alley, not knowing

Strange times for those used to high times.

2012-01-28T23:14:00.000-08:00

Image by Sean MacEntee via FlickrIt's no secret, our economy has been horrible for some time. If you add the number of people without a job and those under employed working part time to those who have quit looking for a job, our real and true unemployment figure comes to 16 percent. With all these people out of work, we have some interesting things happening. We have people who have been

This just cracks me up. It's called..." Shit People from Minnesota Say"

2012-01-25T22:43:00.000-08:00

Top 10 Undeniable Photography Truths

2012-01-24T00:30:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia10. The more beautiful the subject, the harder they will be to please. 9. Photographers are like gamblers, they overstate their earnings and understate their losses. 8. You don't have to take perfect photos to make money in photography. 7. If the baby doesn't smile for the photo, mom will not be happy. 6. In the family photo, mom needs to look the best for it to be a

The number of golfers is down 13 percent.

2012-01-22T23:16:00.000-08:00

Image via WikipediaAccording to KPHO TV here in Scottsdale, the popularity of golf as a sport has dropped 13 percent over the past five years. Not good news for the Valley of the Sun. But why? As they have done in most places across the country, they overbuilt golf courses. We not only did they have a golf boom a few years ago but we had the real estate market doing so well they put up a ton of

This is always worth a look. Pretty funny.

2012-01-22T22:53:00.000-08:00

My first paid photography seminar was great

2012-01-20T22:20:00.000-08:00

Image via WikipediaI did get paid for speaking. Wow, I'm not a professional. It felt good. I was a bit off topic in that I talked about goal setting and writing that photography business plan for 2012. But it was good and I was rated highly. The thing about using Meetup.com, is once the seminar is over, they ask the participants to rate how you did. It look like I did well. Now I need to figure

TOP 10 GOAL SETTING TIPS FOR 2012

2012-01-19T00:59:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia Be decisive Stay focused Welcome failure Write down your goals (otherwise it's just a wish) Plan thoroughly Get others involved Take purposeful action Enjoy the journey Reward yourself Review your goals on a regular basis Lastly, my favorite tip is this: to avoid discouragement you need to be able to forgive yourself for past failures. If you don't learn this, you will

30 Ways to Make Your Business Stand Out From the Crowd

2012-01-18T19:30:00.000-08:00

30 Ways to Make Your Business Stand Out From the Crowd

Happy MLK Day

2012-01-16T22:31:00.000-08:00

Image via WikipediaI will always remember the day Dr. King was shot, they interrupted my favorite TV show which made me upset but then it was a question of "who is this guy?" Well, after all these years, I can say I know who Dr. King was and everything he was about. I've watched his speech many times and I'd have to say it still is the standard by which all speeches should be judged by. If was a

What Would Martin Luther King, Jr. Have Thought of Abortion? | LifeNews.com

2012-01-16T22:20:00.000-08:00

What Would Martin Luther King, Jr. Have Thought of Abortion? | LifeNews.com

A Photography Success Story in Arlington, Minnesota.

2012-01-11T00:49:00.000-08:00

Image via WikipediaRealtors always talk about marketing to their "farm" which is their designated marketing area they are willing to cover. Photographers should have their "farm" figured out as well. A friend of mine is doing very well in an area you might not expect. Angela Archer with Angela Archer Photography is working her farm in farm country, Arlington, Minnesota population 2500. It

It's official...

2012-01-10T10:07:00.000-08:00

Image by brainpop_uk via FlickrI am now a professional speaker. I had someone pay to come to my monthly photography seminar. So far so good. It's on the 19th so I hope we can get a few more folks to sign up.

Whatever you do....do not

2012-01-10T10:04:00.001-08:00

...go to any website or line from enhance.com. They will upload random word links on your computer and it will drive you crazy.

Interesting job opportunity...

2012-01-10T10:02:00.000-08:00

Image via WikipediaA job opportunity peaked my interest. It's working for a newspaper selling advertising and writing news and probably taking a few pictures. Right up my ally right? It's for the local Indian Community Newspaper. Being a tribal member, it grants me a preference over those who are not part of the club. Now if a qualified member of their tribe steps forward, they would have

A new chapter

2012-01-08T20:17:00.000-08:00

Image via WikipediaI'm starting a new job tomorrow. It's one where the hours are such that I will be able to go to all the shoots I have scheduled this spring. So from a scheduling standpoint, it works out quite well. I will be working for a vacation club selling vacation packages to their 25 resorts in North America. I've lived in Scottsdale for five years and this is the first time I've ever

This is too good not to share...as we step boldly into 2012

2012-01-03T23:35:00.000-08:00

Cover via AmazonThis is from Pam at Escape from Cubicle Nation. Question 1: What thought am I going lead with as I take my first step out of bed? My husband often shares a teaching from his grandfather, who was a very wise person and a medicine man. His grandpa told him to be very aware of how he stepped into a new day, by taking a moment before rising from bed to focus on a positive and

I'm a slacker...

2011-12-31T00:17:00.000-08:00

Image via WikipediaI'm sorry gang but writing a book on theatrical photography has really made it difficult to blog here on a consistent basis. I probably don't have much of a fan base left, sorry gang. To top it off, I also have a photography blog as well called, Photography Business Builder The PBB site is so new that I'm not searched in Google yet so I'm not too concerned if I don't blog

Deep Fried Turkey

2011-12-25T22:06:00.000-08:00

Image via WikipediaThis was the first time we had a turkey cooked in oil. I think it was great because it wasn't as dry. The other family members liked it baked in the over because they like the smell of the turkey as it fills the house and they couldn't use the juice for the gravy. Of the three ways, baked, fried and smoked. I'd have to say smoked is the best. Also if you get the chance to

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T23:26:00.000-08:00

Image via WikipediaMay God keep you and bless you this Christmas season. I've now made it through my second Christmas without saying "Happy Holidays." It's my feeling that on Christmas you say "Merry Christmas". During Hanukkah, you say Happy Hanukkah. When you lump all the holidays into one bucket you devalue them as a whole. The politically correct among us will say it is just the opposite

Busy day, little sleep, no problem.

2011-12-23T01:55:00.000-08:00

Image via WikipediaI've always been a night owl. When I was a little kid I would stay up to 10:00 to 11:00 at night on school nights. In high school it was later. When I have a family and two jobs, it was even later. I can easily get by on 4 to 6 hours of sleep. In fact, there was a time when I routinely lived on 4 hours a night. I do not recommend it. I can go and go but sometimes you crash and

Community Policing

2011-12-20T17:52:00.000-08:00

It's funny what people will do when they are guilty. Someone shot off some fireworks across the street at the clubhouse last night at 11:00pm. So I went out and took a stroll to see what was going on. I walked in the general direction and a gal started walking away, then she starting walking faster. I just kept at my leisurely pace and pulled out my cell phone so she saw that and then she started

Like my new header?

2011-12-20T16:13:00.000-08:00

Image via WikipediaIf I'm going to be Arizona Dan, what better says Arizona than Monument Valley? Oops, I guess the Grand Canyon would better represent Arizona. But this is also an iconic scene from one of my favorite movies, Forrest Gump. I loved that movie because, here's a guy who isn't smart but yet always seemed to be smart enough to to the right thing. He wasn't perfect, but he did the

My DISH Network is down for the week.

2011-12-18T18:17:00.000-08:00

Image via WikipediaImage by J. Stephen Conn via FlickrBut that's okay, I can get by without TV a lot easier than I can get by without my computer. That is kinda sad to say but it is what it is. Looks like it will be just me and my dog all week at the shack. Lynn left for North Dakota to help her mom. Doesn't sound like she is going to be in for a cold snap so she should be just fine. I'm

Top 10 Job Interview Blunders

2011-12-15T01:12:00.000-08:00

Image by Arroz y Asado via Flickr 10. Over-explaining why you lost your last job. 9. Conveying that you're not over it. 8. Lacking humor, warmth, or personality 7. Not showing enough interest or enthusiasm 6. Inadequate research about a potential employer 5. Concentrating too much on what you want 4. Trying to be all things to all people 3. "Winging" the interview 2. Failing to

Rain in Sunny Arizona?

2011-12-13T23:42:00.000-08:00

Image by DavidErickson via FlickrImage via WikipediaIt is very unusual for us to have two days of rain. You can tell we aren't used to this as we've had nearly 200 car accidents due to people who don't know how to drive in the rain. Although it always seemed to happen in Minnesota where on the first snow there would be a bunch of accidents like people had forgotten how to drive in snow. From my

Top Web Sites for Job Seekers

2011-12-12T23:05:00.000-08:00

Image by Fräulein Schiller via FlickrThese are the best employment sites on the Web according to Weddle's User Choice Awards. Absolutely Health Care AfterCollege.com AllHealthcareJobs.com AllRetailJobs.com CareerBuilder.com CollegeGrad.com CollegeRecruiter.com Dice.com DirectEmployers.com DiversityJobs.com Healthecareersnetwork Indeed.com Job.com JobFox.com Jobing.com JobsinLogistics.com

Show Biz Photo Inventory Time

2011-12-10T23:59:00.000-08:00

Since I am Show Biz Photo, I can't just use stock photos when I'm talking about theatre. This is one of my favorite shots from Oklahoma. It's the dream sequence with Judd. I like it because in low light, this is very hard to photograph. As I've been saying, yes, I have photographed over 200 shows but what shows? I went over the CD's that I have and it's a lot. It would take up too much space

You can find anything on the Internet

2011-12-07T00:05:00.000-08:00

Image via WikipediaI'm doing a photo shoot for the people of my town house association. We are going to rent the club house for two days and have folks come buy for family photos. We'll be doing family, pet and antique photography. To promote this event we'll be delivering flyers to all 219 doors tomorrow afternoon when it warms up. One cool product I came up with on the Internet is a place were

Bible Study on "Heaven"

2011-12-05T23:41:00.000-08:00

Image by Lincolnian (Brian) - BUSY, BACK SOON via FlickrAt church we've been going to a study were we learn about what heaven will be like. Very interesting. The Bible has a lot to say about it. Heaven is basically a three part program. I know it sounds a bit Morman to say that but stay with me. Heaven is equal to Paradise. Before the fall, Adam and Eve were living in Heaven. After the fall they

Winter in the desert

2011-12-04T00:11:00.000-08:00

Yes, we've been in winter mode for the past month. For us winter is highs in the 50-60's. We will usually have one or two below freezing nights but that's about it. Nothing too severe but you'd never know it by the way some folks dress. It's not unusual for someone to be wearing a down parka. I have a down vest but I've never used it. I've been temped too but it's too embarrassing for someone

I did post yesterday, honest I did

2011-12-02T23:18:00.000-08:00

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeUnfortunately there is no evidence to be found. Usually if it doesn't post it goes in as a draft and I can just pick it up the next day. But for some reason, all has been lost. Well anyway, yesterday I got to photograph a rap artist doing his thing at a rap bar. I was out of my element but it went well. There's more I could say but this is a family blog. What I

Getting Started with Wedding Photography

2011-11-28T17:59:00.000-08:00

Image via WikipediaAs a photographer, the hardest part to doing wedding photography is finding that first brave wedding couple who is willing to be the first subjects of your first wedding. Surprisingly, it's not as hard as it sounds. Once friends and family know you are a photographer and you do good work, at some point somebody will ask you if you do weddings. Your answer should always be, "of

Movie Review: "Real Steel"

2011-11-26T22:18:00.000-08:00

Image by starbright31 via FlickrCover of RockyCover of The ChampOnce again, I went with some folks to a movie. I didn't really know what the movie was so I had zero expectations. It was a very good movie. Very enjoyable. I'm mean really, what's not to like. You got boxing robots, a cute kid, a handsome leading man and a beautiful leading lady. If I were to give you a short review, it's like the

Tennis is back

2011-11-26T00:23:00.000-08:00

Looks like my arm is healed enough to keep playing tennis on a regular basis. The shoulder probably never will be 100 percent but it is my new normal. Its been fun to get out in the sun and run around. I'm not in great shape but I love it.

Just kicking back.

2011-11-24T17:30:00.000-08:00

A great day for family food and fun. Although I always miss my girls back I Minnesota. Happy Thanksgiving to one and all. I thank God for all the blessings and pray for better days to come.

Sting: Back to Bass Review

2011-11-23T11:04:00.000-08:00

Image via WikipediaFirst off, I'm totally objective on this. Before I went to this concert I was not a fan nor did I even have an opinion on Sting. We happened to get some free tickets so we went. I really didn't have any expectations what so ever. I enjoyed the concert. I like the simplicity of the white stage lighting and everyone of the band members just wearing t-shirts and jeans. They didn't

In my rear view mirror

2011-11-20T16:06:00.000-08:00

Image via WikipediaAll in the space of one block in my rear view mirror, I saw an interesting view of what I guess you would call road rage. A small U-Haul truck was behind a small car and honking at the car. The truck them pulled out and passed them cutting them off to pull in right behind me. I could see the shock in the female passenger's face as the truck cut off their car. The car then

AZ Thespian Festival

2011-11-18T23:09:00.000-08:00

Image by lens-flare.de via FlickrI got to speak at the AZ Thespian Festival twice today. My speech is "How to Promote Your Show on a Limited Budget or Fantanstic Luck". I gave it to a group of about 40 the first session and only had five the second session. I guess word must have got out. Actually it went well. The first session was at 10 am and the other at 6:15 pm so it is tough to compete

Top 10 Mega Church Marketing Slogans

2011-11-16T23:35:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia10. Ministry by Committee 9. If we ain't got your ministry program, you don't need it 8. Our high profile pastor is accessible, when he's not on book tour 7. We've got the music, we've got the message, we've got Jesus 6. Come and hide in the crowd 5. The more people we have the less you all have to give 4. We didn't promise you a rose garden 3. Our

Zemanta is back!!!!

2011-11-16T22:48:00.000-08:00

Image via WikipediaFor the life of me, I couldn't figure out Zemanta wasn't working. It was driving me crazy but now it's working again. I can now add pictures to my blog again. I've been trying to post here my latest video blog regarding "12 Common Mistakes Photographers Make and How to Avoid Them", it's not working so I'm just going to leave you a link here to the You Tube page. It's my best

Breaking News

2011-11-15T23:22:00.000-08:00

I have accepted a job offer from a company called International Cruises and Excursions. I will be considered a travel agent so we'll be able to get all the travel agent discounts,. Maybe finally we'll be able to go on a cruise someplace. It's something I've always wanted to try. I start on Nov. 28th and I only work 32.5 hours a week. I don't know why they do it that way but I'm sure it has to do

Who is that old person?

2011-11-13T20:12:00.000-08:00

It's funny, I run into people now and then that I knew when they and "we" were young and beautiful. It's just really weird to have a memory of someone young and beautiful turn into the reality of an old person. I ran into a college friend on Facebook and she looks nothing like I remember but (good thing I haven't changed) her college freshman daughter looks exactly like the person I once knew.

Organization

2011-11-12T23:50:00.000-08:00

My latest set back kinda put me in a funk. It's like starting all over again. Since the heat has ended, I moved my office back upstairs instead of on the dining room table. If I can get my office organized, I hope the rest of my life will follow. I have a big week coming. I am the official photographer for the AZ Thespian Festival. I will also be speaking on "How to promote your show on a

The final goodbye

2011-11-11T19:37:00.000-08:00

I got to say a fond farewell to the folks in my training class. Since I had to leave right away I never got to say goodbye. I went to the office today and waited across the street to see if I could catch them and I did. I found out I wasn't the only one. Three of us did not pass the test. I'm glad I wasn't the only one. It doesn't make much difference but I really would have felt dumb if I was

Day three

2011-11-09T22:39:00.000-08:00

I have to admit I feel lost right now. Before I started at Go Daddy it seemed like I had focus and a plan. Now I feel like I have nothing going for me. Maybe I'm just in a funk from losing yet another job. I don't know, I guess it's hard to keep hope alive right now. I need a plan and a purpose. I can't abandon what progress I've made. I have to keep moving forward.

Day two

2011-11-08T23:17:00.000-08:00

I found out today I can get a grant to pay for my training to become "Microsoft Certified". I took an orientation class so tomorrow I'm taking a "career assessment and exploration" class. Then I will have a meeting with a career counselor to see how, "job ready" I am. If I don't need any more classes they will go ahead and submit my grant application. In the mean time I'm applying for jobs and

Unemployment day one

2011-11-07T23:31:00.000-08:00

Not as productive a day as I would have liked. A friend stopped by and wants me to edit his wedding photos. I'm also preparing for my Eden Prairie High School shoot starting this week. I can't afford to personally be there but I have hired another photographer to take my place. It will be interesting to see how she does. I have all the confidence in the world that she will do great.

Me bad

2011-11-06T23:24:00.000-08:00

This is the worst it's been for me in terms of blogging. Sorry gang. Well Iam now back in the ranks of the unemployed. At my recent job you need to score a 85 to remain employed after 2 weeks of training. I scored an 81 so I'm done. The good news is I won an iPad the day before so that was pretty cool. Now what? I don't know. We had a guest speaker at church who for 10 years lived under the 7th

Big week

2011-11-01T22:36:00.000-07:00

On Friday I have my final exam. If I don't pass it, I'm out of work again. No pressure of course. I don't know, I feel like I'm on the bubble, it could go either way. There is just so darn much to learn but the good part is it is an open source test. I'm good at those but there is just so much info, you don't have the time to look everything up. For all my prayer warriors, I will need your help

Busy week, sorry for the delay.

2011-11-01T22:32:00.000-07:00

Sorry about me being so late. I'm still in training at work and I was sick all day yesterday. Frankly, I don't think I've every thrown up so much. Since I didn't have a fever or body aches, it makes me think I had food poisoning. From what I don't know. Could be all the green tea/lemonade drink. I bought them at the 99 cent store, perhaps they were out of date? The last thing I ate before I got

Happy Halloween

2011-10-29T00:50:00.000-07:00

Our neighbor two blocks away has a Halloween showcase house. It is very, very impressive. He's been decorating his home for 26 years. He's really out done himself. Although last year I really liked the "haunted waterfall" he turned his pool into. Anyway, it's pretty cool. I could try and shoot a few photos but it's hard when it's so dark. I tried the video on my phone and that wasn't that great

Lynn's heading to North Dakota

2011-10-27T21:23:00.000-07:00

She's going to be with her parents back in Bismarck. Her dad had a stroke a week ago so she's going to help out her mom and dad. Looks like it will nice outside in the 28 to 50 degree range. Nothing like going up north in the winter.

The cure for being down. Nick is amazing.

2011-10-26T22:40:00.000-07:00

Some days...

2011-10-25T23:28:00.000-07:00

For as much as I like to be positive and upbeat, sometimes it's just plain hard to stay there and not bounce down to despair. Maybe I need a mentor and some kind of a support system just to keep me going when my enthusiasm hits the rocks. Maybe I just need prayer and to get into the word. I'm told Psalm 119 is good to read. I'll have to check it out. I have to get out of this cloud.

Quote of the Day

2011-10-24T21:33:00.000-07:00

From Jeffrey Gitomer's "Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude." "Where does positive attitude come from? Positive attitude comes from within. Positive attitude has nothing to do with what happens to you. It's what you do with, and how you react to, what happens to you. Positive attitude comes from your ability to process thoughts in a positive way, regardless of the circumstance. And it's never

The top reason most people fail.

2011-10-23T20:31:00.000-07:00

The number one reason most people fail at anything is very simple. The give up too soon. Oops, let's step back a bit. The number one reason most people fail is because...they don't try. The number two reason is that if they do try...they give up too soon. As Steve Covey says, you start with the end in mind and break it up into a bunch of bite sized goals so that you can measure progress as you

Photography Business Builder

2011-10-22T12:04:00.000-07:00

Photography Business Builder is the name of my new photo business where I am a photography coach, mentor and speaker. Funny, I can speak to a group with little or no umms and ahs, but I get on video and that's all I seem to do. I will correct it and with me doing one video a week, it should work out fine. I'm also working on writing a photography book, more to come on that later. If you want to

Dan and Loki on Pet Photography ( I will get better at this)

2011-10-22T11:51:00.000-07:00

Seminar Success!

2011-10-21T22:53:00.000-07:00

Our first ever Photography Business Builder event was a huge success. We had a good crowd, I got rated highly, people seemed to be engaged, they even laughed at my jokes. So on we go to the next step where I ask for money to do the same thing. If that works, then I guess I will be a professional speaker. No that is a scarey thought.

My first photo seminar is a go

2011-10-20T10:30:00.000-07:00

Tonight I'm doing a seminar on marketing for photographers. I had it set up for 20 people but I will have 24 there. Since it's free I imagine I'll have a few no shows so it's good to welcome a few extra. I have enough material to go over. The challenge will come during the delivery to see if I can keep people awake. If I can get interaction, that should help. Being they are photographers, that

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2011-10-18T02:04:00.000-07:00

I have two friends going through this. They are fighters and strong. They have to be. Life ain't easy. In their honor I'm including a song here from Martina McBride which seems appropriate.

Movie Review: " Courageous "

2011-10-17T00:26:00.000-07:00

Image by ladybeames via FlickrWent to see the movie "Courageous" yesterday with my wife and we both loved it. Expect to cry. This is one where it's hard to hold back tears. It really hits home in many ways. I can see why so many churches are recommending it. It is a very powerful movie about taking care of your family and living life responsibly through God's plan, not man's plan. If you are a

Finally A Landing Page

2011-10-15T23:31:00.000-07:00

So what is a landing page? It's a place were folks go to check out free stuff you offer to them in exchange for being allowed to market to them from time to time by being on your email marketing list. As I mentioned my new business is Photography Business Builder where I will be a photography business consultant, coach, mentor, speaker, and soon to be book author. So check out my new business at

Nothing like stirring up pet lovers

2011-10-14T15:54:00.000-07:00

First off, I love my dog very much. But, he is a dog. He's not a person. He's not on the same level as a person. Because they are beloved pets, certainly I don't advocate mistreating them. That would be heartless. So what happened. A friend was commenting on the overpopulation of dogs and cats in farm country. I thought that was strange since farm dogs and cats get run over by cars all the time.

It's hard doing two blogs.

2011-10-13T01:16:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay but I'm trying to launch my photography coaching business. So now I have another blog, another Twitter page and another Facebook Business page. Lots to keep me busy but then, I also have the time these days. I have my first photography seminar coming up and I'm working on uploading two new videos that I shot today. I think I've got the video thing down. I can even edit them

And the good news...Lynn will be home Monday night

2011-10-09T21:34:00.000-07:00

Lynn has been in Minnesota since last Thursday visiting family and friends. It has been nearly three years since Lynn was back in Minnesota. Sounds like a good time was had by all.

Just trying to get some free pub for my other site.

2011-10-09T21:25:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to let everyone know I'm publishing a few items from my new photography blog kinda as a test run and a way to throw in a few backlinks to maybe boost up the organic SEO. Don't worry, I'm not going to turn this blog into a photography blog, as tempting as it may be. This blog has been around enough that it comes up quote often on the first page of a Google search. Exactly what Google

7 Keys To Making Your Photography Income Goals

2011-10-09T21:15:00.000-07:00