Time Marches On

Remember those cousins who were older than you but still young enough to be fun?  Remember when they hired a "Young" teacher?  Remember when retirement seemed a lifetime away?  I do.

Beazle is eighty-one years old.  She and her neighbor started sharing the newspaper when the price went up.  Mom and her neighbor go with each other to doctor's appointments.  The neighbor has gotten to the point that she decided not to cook anymore.  She uses her late husband's pension to buy take out.  I say good for her.

It's sad to hear when a favorite teacher passes away.  We mention nice things about them on FaceBook.  It doesn't sink in yet because these particular teachers were up in age back when we were in school. 

Beazle and my in-laws don't drive out of town anymore.  They make sure they get home before dark.  This is understandable because after all they are elderly. 

My cool cousins are thinking about retirement.  They're considering if they'll retire this year or next.  When did they get old enough to retire?  These same cousins said they don't like to drive after dark these days.  They say it's getting difficult.

One of my "Young" teachers found me on FaceBook a few days ago.  She said she retired two years ago.  What?  How can this lady be old enough to retire?

A school mate recently retired.  No, she hasn't reached retirement age.  But she has worked for the State for over twenty years.  She retired so she can stay home to care for her husband who has cancer.  People our age with over twenty years at one job.  People our age with serious health issure.  What.

Just the other day I was walking in my neighborhood when this guy pulls alongside me in his car.  He asked me if I needed a ride to the bus stop.  I declined because I didn't know him.  He said he is a nice, loving person and I remind him of his grandmother.  Yes, I'm old enough to have grand kids, (none yet),  little grand kids, but not grand kids old enough to drive.  

I'm still looking for the rewind button. 

I read a book talking about in the near future people will live for centuries or even forever.  The author discussed slowing the aging process or reversing it.  He was saying old people would live like vibrant fifty year olds.  How would it be?

Stop Selling Yourself Short.....

.....and stop expecting something for nothing.  I see both these trends on Craigslist and it's got to change.  There are so many of us out ther competing for the same dollar that pricing has gotten to be ridiculous.  As independent contractors we've got to stop selling ourselves short.  We need to stick together and educate the public about the worth of our craft.

Go to the Services/Creative section on Craigslist and you'll see what I'm railing against. 

With the digital age of photography and the convenience of having my own studio, I'm offering headshots for only $25. Included is one free 8x10 and high resolution digitally edited copies of the shoot on a CD/DVD at no additional cost. No gimmicks, no crazy sales, nada. Just great pictures at a reasonable price. (Mon - Fri only, sorry.)

For an confusion about this, I'll break it down like this. For $25, you set up an appointment for a 30 minute headshot session at my studio. Bring an outfit change or two if you like because we can take A LOT of photos in just 30 minutes. Once done, we review the photos. You pick five that you like, I edit them immediately, and print one 8x10 while I burn a DVD of the photos. You walk out with an 8x10 print, a DVD of all images of the shoot including the chosen (edited) and unchosen images. All photos are in high resolution large enough for a billboard.

Now lets break this down to see how or if this photographer is making any money.  She will spend more than thirty minutes with this client, especially if the client brings two changes of clothes.  Pouring over the photos to choose five will take another five to ten minutes.  Editing five images will take another half hour or so depending on what needs to be done.  Printing the 8 by 10 and burning the CD will take a few minutes too.  Now comes payment and more pleasantries when the client leaves.  This photographer has invested at least ninety minutes in the photoshoot.

Because she decided to print photographs herself she has the added expense of a quality printer and the right inks.  High quality 8 by 10s take a lot of ink.  (I don't print my own photos because of the high cost to get good looking prints at home.  When I did try home printing in years gone by, the ink took a few minutes to dry.)  The cost of photo paper and CD has to be considered.

She had examples of her work on the Craigslist ad and it is quite good.  This lady is selling herself short in price and getting no residual effects.  She is giving away full resolution images so her client can print them at Heaven know where, put them on Facebook and share them with all his friends, and all the photographer got was $25.  

True, pictures of you aren't like stock images and lots of people will want them, but the client wanted them.  Maybe close loved ones of the client will want some.  But she just gave any potential future business from this client away.  I think she should have put the five edited images on an online gallery so he and/or loved ones could order them from her.  You may think the client will look up this photographer when he needs more pictures taken.  He might, but he won't find her.  She'll be out of business by then.

Another trend is to shoot and give the client all the pictures straight out of the camera.  I don't like to do that because some ordinary images can look amazing with a bit of tweaking.  Do you really want your clients to see your test shots, your bracketed shots, the one with Aunt Millie sneezing, or the one where the sun is glaring off Grandpa's glasses?  Everybody and their brother shows pictures straight out of the camera.  Why would a photographer want to show the same kind of thing.  My new camera over exposes by a full stop.  I've adjusted the settings but I wouldn't want clients to see those images in their unedited state.   

Freelancers of all kinds; lets price our work fairly so we all can make a decent living.

There are also posters on Craigslist that want us to work for free.  They place ads for inturns or for TFP work.  These posters like to say they're starting out and want you to work for free or trade.  They say you can use their gig to build your portfolio.  Yeah right.  I build my portfolia on objects and Andrea.  I shop one wedding for my portfolio  but the bride payed me something.  I've got my portfolia, thank you very much.  If there are no clients there is always stock.

I call posts like this ads with audacity.  Look under Gigs/Creative.

We are a label on the southside of Atlanta looking to build a team of up and coming camera operators, directors, producers and photo and video editors. We are a rising label with clients both major and indie who are looking to work with new talent. THIS IS A NON-PAYING INTERNSHIP however, there are ways to make an honest dollar and gain exposure for your works. You will be assigned to projects and partnered with clients that need our services. If you are serious and interested, then please leave your name, contact number and links to your work. Photoshoppers are welcome and so are students. We are looking for the best of the best so be competitive! **Full studio will be provided for your works**

A new web series is launching in Atlanta.
It will take everyday people and transform the way they live, dress and act in relationships.

We are looking for videographers and cinematographers for this project.
If this sounds like something you would be interested in, please send us an email and include your equipment (camera type(s), mic(s), lighting, etc.) and years of experience.

This project is unpaid, but your work will gain exposure and will be a great addition to your portfolio.

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YouTube compared to Peer to Peer

Back in he early 2000's a lot of us were downloading music from places like Audio Galaxy and WMX.  Now we add songs, movies, and television episodes to our Favorites on YouTube.  Why was Peer to Peer illegal while YouTube is acceptable? 

A decade ago artists complained about their losing money due to people downloading music from the internet.  They took legal actions to stop it.  Many people don't buy CDs anymore, they download a rights managed copy of an artists work onto their iTunes account.  Once on their iTunes account it can be loaded onto mobile devices. 

These same musicians along with new artists upload their creations to YouTube so millions will see their work.  These multitudes will see or hear the artists' work for free; just like on the radio.  Unlike with radio, people can add songs, movies, and TV shows to their favorites list.  Now the general public has instant access to these artists' work on demand and for free.  Why aren't the artists complaining about this.  Why do they knowingly and deliberately put their work out there for the world to enjoy for free?  Will those fined for downloading music for free in the 2000's get a refund? 

Holiday Plans

The tree is up.  I put it up over a week ago.  I wanted to get our Christmas pictures done.  I'm also trying to get some portrait business for the holidays.  We don't enjoy the tree yet.  It just stands there waiting to be a backdrop for somebody's photo shoot. 

I've ordered the cards and they're waiting to be stuffed and sent.  I've collected a few gift cards to give to rides and such.  I've asked my offspring what they want for Christmas this year, and gotten a few replies.

With all this, I have no plans for the Holidays.  Do I want to cook a big Thanksgiving dinner just for the two of us?  Do I want to go to someone's house?  Remember how picky of an eater I am.  Do I want to eat restaurant fare on Thanksgiving?  Same questions for Christmas.  Plus, who can I invite here?  Will they enjoy themselves? 

This may be the first year I volunteer at a soup kitchen or hospital.  Don't hold me to that; I'm just brainstorming. 

Where I've Lived

The other day I was thinking about all the places I've lived in my adult life.  I wish I could take the best parts of each place and combine them into an ideal neighborhood.  Money Magazine runs a best places article each year.  I read this article looking for the best place to live each time I plan to move.  I'm still looking for that wonderful location that has affordable housing, excellent public transportation, stores, restaurants, and services nearby, friendly neighbors, a good ward, politics similar to mine, low crime, and a stable economy.

My first apartment had two things to recommend it in the beginning.  It was my first place and I had good neighbors.  I had gone to school with many of them.  Later when I joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I was in a very good ward.   Public transportation came close by and necessary to ge anywhere.  This apartment complex was in the middle of nowhere. 

My next few apartments had pretty good public transportation but in walking distance of a few businesses.  Neighbors and ward not so hot. 

The Sandy, Utah house had almost everything.  By walking less than a quarter mile I was not only at the bus stop but at other places I wanted to be.  Three different bus route ran nearby; four, if you count the express buses that ran during rush hour.  The last bus left downtown at 11:20 p.m. but no buses ran on Sunday in my area.  I could walk to both fast food and sit down restaurants, the grocery store, discount store, dollar store, bank, dry cleaners, dentist, fabric store, work, church, and even the karate school where I earned my orange belt in Kempo Karate.  Sandy had tow drawbacks; few friendly neighbors which results in a not so wonderful ward.  That said, if I got the chance I'd move back into that house and make friends elsewhere.  The advantages of living there far out weigh the disadvantages.  The Wasatch Front has light rail now, I'm thinking the public transportation is even better.   Utah is the only place I lived with good brick and mortor schools.  Students could get a decent education there.

The Pine Bluff, Arkansas house was challenging.  Build in 1889, it had no insulation in the walls, original windows, some of the underground plumbing had clay pipes, and all the other issues that come with an old house.  Here we were close to family and businesses I had grown up with.  Our neighbors were diverse, some kept to themselves while others were outgoing and friendly.  Andrea learned to do all kinds of things from our neighbors, the Campbells.  She learned everything from carpentry to how to play hand bells.  The campbells were very good neighbors.  When we moved to Pine Bluff a bus ran right in front of our house.  That helped with the inconvenience of the limited routes and times the buses ran.  As time went on Saturday service had stopped altogether.  By the time we left, Pine Bluff Transit ran from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.   Transprtation wasn't the only decline; when we moved to Pine Bluff there were quite a few fast food restaurants we could walk to.  When we left even McDonald's had relocated, leaving us with Wendy's which I don't care for, and Long John Silvers which was a longer walk.  

Members of the Pine Bluff ward were friendly, caring, and nice to be around.  That ward had a real sense of community. 

Arkansas Virtual Academy was a very good online charter school.  I was very impressed and once I got started talking about it I could go on for a long time.  When we had trouble with math we could call the teacher and meet in an Eluminate room.  She showed us how to do the problems and we worked problems together until Andrea or I, or both of us understood how to do them.  

I liked how laid back Pine Bluff could be but I didn't like having to be home before six or get a ride. 

Good neighbors, fair ward, but the transportation, what can I say.  Quite a bit actually.  I moved to Metro Atlanta for the transportation.  MARTA starts running early and stops late.  MARTA runs trains as well as buses.  MARTA goes lots of places.  But it takes half of forever to get anywhere on MARTA.  Just to get started I have a .61 mile walk just to get to the bus stop.  When I get there, there is nothing, just a gas station.  I can go to the grocery store without having to transfer.  My favorite WalMart takes a bus, a train, and another bus.  Now don't forget, after going out I've got to again walk that .61 miles to get home.  Why did I choose such a place?  Because walkability neighborhoods are too expensive and the suburbs are set up for people with cars.  The houses are here, on winding road.  The businesses are over there, some also set up on winding roads.  Georgia Cyber Academy is better than the brick and mortar schools but it's no Arkansas Virtual Academy.  GCA places too much emphasis on Study Island and YouTube videos to do the teaching.  The only reason I haven't pulled her out is because I want her to get a diploma from somewhere, not just a GED.

In a perfect world I'd live in Sandy, Utah in the house pictured above.  The Utah Transit Authority would run on MARTA's schedule.  Andrea would take Math and Science at Jordan High and everything else Through Arkansas Virtual Academy.  My neighbors would be those from my first apartment, Pine Bluff, and Decatur, where I live now.  I'd go to church in the Little Rock Second Ward building with those members and the members of the Pine Bluff Ward.  Now that would be Utopia.