Happy Valentine's Day!

(the jib jab I added at about 3:45pm!)

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Today I woke up to the sound of plows.
First from one direction, then the other.
Not my favorite way to wake up, I must say.
However, once I got to the kitchen there were
2 Valentines and a big Ghiradelli Chocolate bar
(72%..my favorite!) on the counter!
It's not just for breakfast anymore! ;)

Not wanting to brush the cards aside,
I opened them first!

Here's the one from Gary....



Nice sentiment...NOT our anniversary tho'.
Gary said, "WHAT!?? I even had my glasses on!"
I love you any way honey!

And here's one from the Cats!



The inside reads "...and we might even come
when you call us next time...love, the cats"

Thanks Hobie & Katie for thinking of me! :)

So I decided rather last minute to attend
a lecture/seminar by a fella named
Bruce Hudson from C@L (that's Seattle!).
It was entitled New Directions/Reality Check Tour.
Anyway, it was a packed room and much was covered.
From marketing, finding the right clients and
how to make certain that all the consumers with
the new technology don't take anything away
from us. The new technology is great, don't
get me wrong. But what you do with it sets
us apart. It's about relationships and rapport.
It's about composition and light. It's about
understanding the needs of the client and
delivering.

So many new photographers offer CDs to their clients.
Bruce tells us that those are NOT our clients.
These are OUR images and we should protect them.

I tell people that this is my profession, not
my hobby. I want to provide quality, long lasting,
heirloom images that people are proud to display.

I resolve to welcome those looking for family
portraits every 5 years, I want to capture a
precious babies entire 1st year, I want to show
the world how important even Kindergarten
Graduation is and how beautiful our teens are
as they prepare to head off to college.
Weddings, oh my God, Weddings...I hate to even
get started with Wedding Photography.
I think I'll post an entry another day about that.

These are all perfect times for us to be sure
that our clients recognize that these images
are priceless...even before someone dies.

Bottom line here, folks, is...Do I want people
to seek me out because I'm a good deal? No.
I pray that I can develop relationships with people.
I want to be the person that they think of first
when something special is about to happen.
I've been doing it for more that a quarter century
with hair, so I know a little bit about rapport.
(Thanks to all the generous people that have stuck
by me all these years!).

Wow! Sorry for the rambling soap box....that was
not my intension. But, now you know how I really feel!

Here's Bruce (left) and his son, NOT drawing my name!



Dave Johnson of National Camera...Hi Dave!
Thanks for all the great deals!!



Here's Chad, the bartender at the new Hilton
in Bloomington off France & 494.
Bruce came in the bar, I was there really early
(traffic did NOT suck for once) and he insisted
on picking up the tab for my Cabernet! Thanks Bruce,
GREAT show! A fabulous way to spend5 hours!! :)
And congrats on the new house, enjoy your week off!



Happy Valentine's Day everyone!
Eat just a tiny bit of chocolate today.

Or go HERE for some fun!