Neil October 12th, 2010

“In fact, researchers have settled on what they believe is the magic number for true expertise: ten thousand hours.”
— Malcolm Gladwell (Outliers)

I just wrapped up my P90X Core Synergistics workout.

And heavy breathing aside.

It brings me to thoughts of discipline, as the core workout for the creative indivisual.

How’d I make that big leap? I dunno, I think it’s my creative intuition telling me so, maybe I’ll be able to explain it after a shower.

The P90X graduates are all people who took control of their lives for 90 days straight and said, “I am going to do this. I will not back down, and I will not give up. I will stay focused on my goal of making it to day 90, and I will not allow myself to be distracted in any way from reaching my goal.”
Hmmm…that sounds a bit like the recipe for success in any endeavor, doesn’t it? The P90X grads, however, have an edge that most people don’t: They know that the system works.
They know that by staying disciplined and on track, that the results will be there. It isn’t hearsay to them, it isn’t a rumor, it isn’t some vague bit of personal development advice – it is a fact.

Someone today after looking at my website said “How do you get such amazing colors?”

And I’m afraid the answer is in my current life situation.  I am traveling on a commercial photo assignment photographing a new hotel each day.  For 7 days straight.  I’ll take a few days off and do it again.  I compose, light and make a final image for 7-12 rooms a day.  ”Neil, how to do you get so good at lighting?”

discipline

Such amazing color and tonality is the pinnacle of composition, then lighting, then processing.

This just popped up in my twitter stream:

imagination is to reality what a root is to a tree.

Discipline is the pattern of the roots in the soil and branches in the air.

“Once a musician has enough ability to get into a top music school, the thing that distinguishes one performer from another is how hard he or she works. That’s it. And what’s more, the people at the very top don’t work just harder or even much harder than everyone else. They work much, much harder.”
— Malcolm Gladwell (Outliers)

“In fact, researchers have settled on what they believe is the magic number for true expertise: ten thousand hours.”
— Malcolm Gladwell (Outliers)

“Practice isn’t the thing you do once you’re good. It’s the thing that makes you good.”
— Malcolm Gladwell (Outliers)

Want to be better at lighting?  Then stop reading this…and shoot a 10 rooms a day until you get to 10,000 hours.

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• Creativity , How To: , Motivation , Quotes , Technical

Neil April 22nd, 2010

Training Your Focus – Enhance Your Reality

How is your focus? Do you find it easy to concentrate for longer chunks of time or are you easily distracted? Do you enjoy doing the same thing at the same focus level over and over again, or are you easily bored?

I used to think that focus is a function of pleasure: I can concentrate on this because I like it. I do some stuff better than other because I like it. While loving what you do can keep your concentration high, at least in the beginning, maintaining a constant, high focus is not a function of pleasure at all. It’s a function of will.

Focus can be trained. It can be enhanced, it can be shaped the way you want. It can serve you well, if you treat it well. In today’s post I’ll share some of my observations regarding focus and how one can work this tool the same way you work your muscles in your daily workout.

Read the rest to enhance Your Reality

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• Inspiration , Mind Like Water , Motivation

Neil March 18th, 2010

Official rules

1. Submissions must be from weddings of the past twelve months; maximum of ten images per wedding for each category.
2. Enter once only. Entering more than once will disqualify you and your entry fee will not be refunded.
3. Upload ten images into all five categories. Do not change category names.
4. Images must be from the same wedding to tell a story according to the specific category. So you will be featuring up to five weddings, although you can use the same wedding in more than one category … but not two different weddings in one category.
5. Add name, website and email to “Photographer” page on your contest site.
6. Follow @emergecontest for updates, announcements and, most importantly, to let us know your contest entry is ready!

Enter Here

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• Creativity , Motivation

Neil December 30th, 2009

“Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth –

that the moment one definately commits oneself, then, Providence moves, too.”

–Van Goethe

(thanks to Amy Deputy for the card)

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• Creativity , Inspiration , Motivation , Philosophy , Quotes

Neil December 20th, 2009

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• Inspiration , Motivation

Neil December 19th, 2009

with thanksgiving

Tao 43

The softest of all things

Overrides the hardest of all

Only Nothing can enter in to no-space.

Hence I know the advantages of Non-Ado.

Few things under heaven are as instructive as the lessons of Silence,

Or as beneficial as the fruits of Non-Ado.

Pocket Classic Tao Te Ching

Lao Tzu, John C.H. Wu

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• Inspiration , Motivation , Tao

Neil July 10th, 2009

from one traveller to another,,, on Flickr – Photo Sharing!

you are where you are.

and it is a lovely place to begin. even if it’s painful, even if it’s not where you saw yourself 10 years ago, or 10 months, or 10 days. it’s lovely because it’s what you have, and what you have is so much more than so many others are gifted with,,, more than you often give yourself credit for.

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• Inspiration , Motivation

Neil July 9th, 2009

Stop Trying To Sell Clients What They… | Gather

My first reaction was to be a “photographer” and explain all the reasons why she shouldn’t take the photograph as she wanted but rather have a superior product that I would create using my enormous talent. She wanted beef, I was trying to sell her pork (which is ironic since most Traditional Russian People don’t eat pork, but you get the meaning!)

Even though I was smiling and nice on the outside, I was furious, a monkey and a camera could have taken a shot like this and here they were wasting my precious time. I had half-a-mind to leave and give them their money back, but as I thought of all the bills I needed to pay (when you think you, as the photographer, know more about what your client should have then they as the client do, money is often in short supply), I swallowed my pride and did the image.

The images came back from the lab (days of film) and we did a projection appointment. I was sure when this family saw how plain and dated these images looked they would apologize for their error in judgment and want to reshoot them. The outcome was a little different than I expected, they were thrilled with the images and proceeded to spend twice as much as the largest order I had ever had sold (to that point in my career).

Read on so you keep your focus…

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• Motivation

Neil December 19th, 2008

Here’s a personal introduction for the Golden Touch Series

The Golden Touch package of products is my contribution to a holistic method of thinking and experimenting with a particular style of images/imagery.  The core training piece is a 720p HD training video that is my creative brainstorm + technical tips + workflow tricks + guided meditation.  I think it’s a unique experience and tremendous value at a running time of 1h.  The video training is my most hardcore advice on powerful color correcting tips that push color theory to the max; daily workflow advice from a guy who processes a few thousand images a week; to heartfelt searching and receiving inspiration. I believe this set of tools will pay you back 10 times your investment as you incorporate the golden look into your artistry.

The Golden Touch Series:

• Golden Touch Video Tutorial = training + inspiration $19 for 1hr HD video 
• Golden Touch Texture Package = working materials for altering your photos $39
• Complete Package – SAVE $10 – buy them all for $49
• Golden Touch Monochrome Photoshop Action <–free
• Golden Touch Texture sample <–free

Coming soon as a followup – the Vintage package

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• Color Theory , Free stuff , Motivation , Tutorials

Neil December 9th, 2008

Complimentary Webinar: >>register here<<

Sponsored by liveBooks

Part Three:
What if Everything You Have Learned
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Is Photography Your Calling?
Thursday, December 11th
Duration – 1 Hour
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Calling and Talent

Vision is a calling. A calling is an inner urge or a strong impulse, a passion, some believe a calling may be divinely inspired. How will the world be a different place as a result of your visit on the planet? What is your calling? What is it that you feel the urge and passion to bring into being no matter what?

Do you have a natural marked innate ability, for artistic accomplishment? That is a definition of talent. Talent and calling must be present to sustain a career as a professional photographer in the first decade of this new century.

• Learn How to Set Goals that Don’t End Up in the Back of a Drawer.
• Take Back Your Power to Create.
• I will help you articulate your calling
• and find ways to stay on your path.
• You will learn how to identify what you want
• and how to set priorities that will help you stay focused.

Or Call at 610-438-5707 

Gratefully,

Ian Summers

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• Creativity , Free stuff , Inspiration , Motivation , Workshop