Here's a truism about commercial photography that I think might dumbfound some of you - Even the best and busiest commercial shooters in the market today, with few exceptions, spend only about 20% of their time actually taking pictures. The other 80% of their time is spent on more mundane tasks like marketing, selling, promoting, branding, insurance, new business development, administration, facilities management, equipment acquisition and repair, public relations, social networking, customer service and support, meetings, etc.

This has been my own personal experience, as well as the experience of hundreds of working pros I've been privileged to know and work with over the years. It's the classic 80/20 rule - 80% of a photographer's career is spent in non-photographic activities. Fact.

I think there is this romantic notion, especially among emerging photographers, that once you hang out your photographic shingle...you'll spend 80% of your time shooting, and the other 20% of your time doing all the other stuff. But reversing these percentages is a much healthier perspective to have when choosing to become a career photographer. I mention this because you need to be realistic about what you;re getting into. Photography, as a career, is certainly glamorous. I know it's been glamorous for me. But it's also mundane, routine, tedious, ordinary, workaday, unremarkable. And at times, pretty overwhelming.

If all of this run-of-the-mill, commonplace, workaday stuff puts your stomach in a knot, then I suggest you seek a career other than photography.

I think most of us who have successfully launched sustainable photographic careers would tell you that even shooting only 20% of our time is still worth it. And it's plenty of fuel and fire-in-the-belly to balance out those tiresome and wearisome tasks that are admittedly less glamorous...but absolutely necessary.

Here is another truism that may also surprise you - Even if you are a marketing genius and in high demand, it would be creatively impossible to sustain a business model where you were shooting 80% of the time and dedicating only 20% to the other stuff. You would burn out. Been there, done that. It can't be done. And it's naive to think you can do it. You can't!

Yes, all of the non-photographic tasks seem daunting and overwhelming, I won't argue with that. They surely do. But it's a necessary imbalance. And one you'll learn to appreciate as you grow your photographic business.

Photography, like all creative endeavors, needs to take a rest. Relax. Slow down. Unwind. Unbend. Recharge your batteries. Put your feet up. Take a breather. Chill. Because it's exactly during these 'down times' that you are regaining your strength. And rejuvenating yourself for your next photographic masterpiece.

Of course, like so many other working photographers, I'd rather be shooting more and administrating less. That 80% stuff, at times, does seem to engulf, bury, deluge, overwhelm. But having been down this same path many times before, the disproportional lopsidedness and seeming inequality does indeed serve a greater good.

I love my 20% moments. I live for them. I cherish them. I give these moments my all, my best, my heart. Shooting only 20% of your time may not seem like much to those without battle scars, but i'm here to tell you that it is enough. It's more than enough to sustain, underpin, authenticate. As a matter of fact, if you don't get to the 80% stuff and do it well...you'll never have the privileged experience of enjoying that coveted 20%.

Don't be overwhelmed. Be overjoyed. It all works out.

Do you have an instinct for photography? An aptitude? A faculty? A flair? A bent? A genius? A gift? A natural inclination and intuition? A sixth sense? A propensity for composition? For design? For pulling scenes out of nothingness? For color? For form? For texture?

There is so much discussion today in photography circles about how much of photography instinct comes from nature (what you're born with) and how much of it comes from nurture (your experience over time). As far as I'm concerned, photographic instinct comes from a delicate balance of both nature and nurture.

We are born with a predisposition to see, compose, orchestrate, create. But, like a fine wine, it is experience and time that ferments our natural gifts into mature seeing. Granted, some are definitely born with more instinct than others. And those blessed with such a gift...carry greater weight and responsibility.

I do not believe for a minute that photographic instinct can be taught. You either have it or you don't. It's that simple. If you do have it, it can take years of maturation to give your instinct it's own voice. If you don't have it, then sadly you'll probably be more of a mechanic and technician rather than an artist and creator. If you don't have that compelling photographic instinct, then maybe you should be exploring other career choices!

I know I have photographic instinct. I feel it deeply and passionately. Every single time I shoot. It wants to come out. It wants it's own voice and identity (some might call this 'style'). My photographic instinct inspires my heart to feel, my eyes to see and my hands to execute.

I've had many, many great teachers and mentors help me along this three decade career path of mine. All left imprints, in small but significant ways, on how I see the world. And I'm truly grateful for the inspiration and tutelage. But none of them taught me photographic instinct. That was a gift from the womb. It was my instinct. It was how I saw and see the world. It's what makes me different from other shooters. It's what fuels me. Drives me. Compels me forward.

Emerging photographers who haven't found or fine-tuned their own photographic instinct aren't too hard to recognize. They are the ones who are always copying and not inventing. Mimicking and replicating, not originating or innovating. These instinct-less snap-shooters are always the ones changing styles, too. Based on whatever is trendy, fashionable or vogue at the time.

If you have true photographic instinct, then it won't take long for you to reap the rewards of that instinct. True photographic instinct anchors you. It also helps reduce the noise levels around you. It ripens your photographic sensibilities and sensitivities.

Why do I see the way I do? Instinct. Why can I naturally compose when others might struggle with the same? Instinct. Even among a throng of shooters, how can I walk away with a priceless treasure of a shot...while others might miss or bypass the same? Instinct.  Do you have photographic instinct?

I don't know why some photographers have such strong photographic instincts, while others have little to none. But I do believe that it's a natural-born gift from God. A gift that is so precious, so priceless, so prized...that to not leverage it's influence would be a grave injustice. It's photographic instinct that defines a photographic career!

I can't tell you where to find this photographic instinct. Or even how to find it. It's a journey that you need to pilgrimage on your own. And it's a journey you must take. Without instinct...there is no vision, no style, no voice, no thumbprint.

Until you discover this instinct, you will not be whole. You will not be balanced. You will not be complete. Your work might be technically good, but not praiseworthy and unique. Because it's instinct that makes photography praiseworthy and unique. And it's instinct that makes photography special and one-of-a-kind.

Are you happy traveling through your photographic life as a technician and engineer? Or do you aspire to a higher level of artistry and achievement? If so, find your photographic instinct and nurture it!

For those reading this post who have been blessed with natural instinct, be thankful and grateful. But don't stop there. Nurture that instinct. Foster it. Mother it. Stimulate it. Grow it. Bring it into adulthood. Celebrate it every day of your photographic life and living. Instinct is a natural propensity for making great pictures!

We are way, way too infatuated with our photographs. Let me explain...

It's good and noble to be proud of your work. It's also a necessary ingredient for developing a photographic ego. But being proud of your work and being infatuated with your work are two different animals.

Think about this for a minute. The work that you are most proud of, and arguably showcase to the public, resonates deeply with you. As it should. There are many emotional triggers, inside of you, that set off this gratification. It could be the light. Or the model. Or the composition. It could be the sheer energy of the shot. Or the color. Or the angle or perspective. It could be any number of things that sends your heart palpitating when you look at the image.

However, more often than not, the customer viewing your pictures doesn't have the same experience that you do. And doesn't have the same built-in emotional triggers that you have to appreciate and admire the image in the same way that you do. You might see the image as grand. But your client might see the same image as pedestrian and run-of-the-mill. You're infatuated with the image. The client is not.

So what you need to try to do, if your aim is to showcase your work and hopefully get new business as a result...is to look objectively at the work. Eliminate all those emotional triggers that you think make the image cool. And try to look at the image for what it is - good content. Forget the personal, even professional, narrative context for how the image was created. Those sentimental reasons and notions are only important to you. Not to the customers looking at the picture(s).

Photographers, especially those starting out, are notoriously sensitive to their photographs being reviewed or criticized. Sorry guys and gals - that's just part of what it means to hang your shingle on the door. Get ready. It's coming. And it won't ever stop. Maybe for some, it will never come easy. But that's okay, too.

It all comes back to infatuation again. Photographers are just too infatuated with their own images. And infatuation means you're too irrational and emotional about your photographs.

I find, from talking to hundreds budding photographers, that this infatuation usually stems from the photographer's obsession with how the image was created...not what the final image speaks to. Infatuation, in photography, results from obsessing about the context of creation...rather than the content of creation. The how, rather than the what.

Embrace those feelings and memories you have for the images. It's not a bad thing. Just don't expect customers to share the same enthusiasm for the same images. How could they? They don't have the same emotional triggers that you do, since you're the one who created them.

To perhaps help you overcome being too infatuated with your own work, it's best to show your work around. See what others say. Listen carefully to their comments and criticisms. Then adjust accordingly. And do this without 'talking over' the image. Just listen. Really listen. Then apply.

Think about the last time you publicly paraded your favorite photos around. What were your talking points? Were you describing how the picture was created (context)? Or what story and narrative the picture supports (content)?

Remember this - Photographers love context. Customers love content. Photographers weigh in on the technical. Customers weigh in on the emotional. Photographers brag about technique and technology. Customers brag about communication and content.

Don't get me wrong. It's great that you feel so passionate and emotional about your imagery. I feel the same way about a lot of my imagery. But it's healthier to develop a long-term, mature love for your photos. Rather than a short-term infatuation with them.

As you show your work, always think about what's in it for the customer. If you must, be infatuated in private. But show some mature love publicly.

I'm going to share with you two older books that could, when applied, forever change the way you do business as a photographer...

1. Love is the Killer App: How to Win Business and Influence Friends, by Tim Sanders

2. The Likeability Factor: How to Boost Your L-Factor and Achieve Your Life's Dreams, by Tim Sanders.

I just can't help it. I feel so strongly about this subject. And I will keep beating my chest and pounding this drum until I am heard. In this new, relationship economy...love is, indeed, the killer app! Love makes all the difference.

Want to win more business? Get loved. Want to be up for more jobs and proposals? Get loved. Want people to talk more about you? Get loved. Want to create a viral stir about your products and services? Get loved. Want to attract the right sort of staff, vendors, joint-venture partners? Get loved. Become a love cat.

Not just liked. But loved. That's right. Loved! Your goal is to develop a circle of followers, friends and fans that love you. That rave about you. That evangelize your causes. That shout your name from the rooftops. That spread your gospel even while you are sleeping. That order your products and services and encourage others to do the same.

Of course, to be a 'lovecat' (Tim Sanders' terminology) requires that you first be lovable. And that takes a lot of work. It starts with you being genuine, authentic, transparent, honest, noble. In both your life and photographic career.

It also means obsessing more about the needs of others than your own needs. Listening, rather than talking. Serving, rather than selling. Selflessly shining the spotlight on others, rather than shining the spotlight on your own successes.

It means caring. Really caring. Being warmhearted, tender, considerate, affectionate, compassionate, understanding. It means going through your photographic life with good will and desire to solve customer problems.

Love is the greatest virtue of all. And it's the greatest asset you'll ever have as a career photographer. Genuinely loving others, and having others love you in return (whether spouse, family, partner, friend, colleague, or vendor), will do more for your career than...any education you'll ever receive, any equipment you'll ever buy, any technology you'll ever master, any photograph you'll ever capture, any income you'll ever generate.

Please, I beg you...do me a favor and go and buy these books right now. And read them both cover to cover. Love is the killer app. More, now than ever.

I believe, even in photography circles, that we're going to see more and more of a migration to people, love, emotions and relationships. And a migration away from equipment, hardware and technology. After all, the latter serves the former - right?

A strange thing happens when you obsess about love. It anchors you as a human being. It grows your business. It expands your customer base...naturally and organically. It brings great joy, peace, fulfillment. And it redefines your reason for being. In life and loving.

I know some of you may get annoyed by these sorts of musings. But if I didn't wholeheartedly believe in this message of love...I wouldn't sermonize about it as passionately as I do. This is not soapbox rhetoric. It's real, practical, down-to-earth advice that I've countlessly applied in my own life and career. And I'm here to tell you...it works. Be love. Get loved.

Our industry doesn't need more skilled technicians. Or photographic masterpieces. We need more photographer 'lovecats'. Join the love revolution!

(A note of thanks to @ShalomImages for turning me on these these books years ago - I owe you a mountain of debt for the advice, my friend.)

I don't know half-speed. Never have. I only know full throttle. If something is worth doing, then it's worth doing 100%. Absolutely. No compromises.

Moving at 100% requires both velocity (speed) and intensity. I'm admittedly not very patient or tolerant with photographers who glide through life on half-empty. It doesn't make sense to me. Again, to survive and thrive requires great velocity and intensity. In everything you do.

Not just the big stuff...but the small stuff, too. I've noticed, in my own life experiences, that the photographers who do the small stuff at 100%...usually do the big stuff at 100%, too. Because you can't turn the 100% valve on and off. It's either always on or always off.

A career in photography, as I"ve repeatedly said here, requires your full (not partial) attention, energy, vision. It requires 100% of you. 24/7. 365. If this scares you or puts your stomach in a knot...think about another career. You won't survive unless you have this devoted sense of urgency, velocity, intensity.

Shoot at 100%. Post-process at 100%. Run your business at 100%. Brand and market at 100%. Provide customer service at 100%. Learn at 100%. Develop your style at 100%. Migrate to HDSLR at 100%. Do everything at 100%. Or it's not worth doing. This is a simple truism.

What if you physically had to stamp every action you did, as a career photographer, with some sort of 100% seal? Could you do it? Would we see a few actions at 100%, and a lot more with lesser percentage stamps?

Know this. Anything less than a 100% commitment on your part will yield less than 100% results. Do it half-baked or half-ass and expect the same sort of results. You can't generate 100% results with less than 100% effort. It just doesn't work.

Some photographers are brilliant at cruising in and at multiple speeds. I'm not one of them. I only have and know one speed. It's pedal to the metal. Full throttle. Full steam ahead. 100%. And i'd have it no other way. Again, anything in life and career worth doing is worth doing it 100%. No exceptions.

I tend to associate and affiliate with fellow photographers who move at the same speed of light and sound that I do. Those who move with momentum, pace, swiftness, magnitude and intent. My breakfast club buddies are all 100%-ers!

Life is too short and too precious to work otherwise. Want to be in my club? Then wear your 100% seal. No slackers allowed.

I recognize that moving through life and career at 100% risks burnout. I don't disagree. But I'll take my chances. Everyone has to find their own balance. Mine is to run at 100%. What about you?

I desperately want to be remembered, not so much for my number of achievements...but for the purpose, zeal, even fanaticism which I lavishly applied to those modest achievements I was humble enough to experience.

Want to get more clients? Operate at 100%. Want to keep more clients? Run at 100%. Want to discover energy, drive, fire that you didn't even know you had? Move at 100%.

Give it your all. Give it your best. Give it everything you've got. Give it 100%. In my book, there is no other option.

Tension is the state of being stretched tight. And more often than not, the term is used negatively to describe a mental or emotional strain. But I'm going to argue here that tension isn't such a bad thing. As a matter of fact, it's a necessary ingredient to achieving balance, sure footing, stability in your photography life and living.

None of us like tension. Myself included. It's awkward, nerve-wracking, even terrifying. But life without tension isn't really life. It's a fairy tale. It doesn't happen. Never. Tension is as much a part of living and learning as breathing and walking is. Tension keeps us honest, accountable, sincere, responsible.

The key, in your photographic life, is to control and channel that tension. So that it works for you, instead of against you. To put that tension in perspective. And not let it get the best of you.

Tension is related to stretching an object in the opposite direction. How many times in your daily life do you feel stretched in different directions? Maybe it's easier to think of tension more like balance. Tension has more of a negative connotation, while balance has a more positive one. Tension, as I see it, is actually the process of balance. Of achieving equilibrium. Balance is the by-product of that struggle.

Every photographer experiences countless examples of professional tension. The tension of art vs. commerce. The tension of production vs. promotion. The tension of capture vs. post. The tension of making money vs. spending money. The tension of doing it yourself vs. hiring it out. The tension of using old gear vs. buying new gear. The tension of copying others vs. inventing yourself. The tension of being busy vs. productive. The tension of being anonymous vs. celebrated. The tension of keeping old customers happy vs. getting new ones. The tension of shooting more vs. shooting less. And the list goes on.

Tension isn't bad. Don't try to avoid it. Live with it. Tension keeps us humble. And on our toes. It keeps those career cables taut and tight (think tightrope).

I don't go out of my way to look for tension. But I don't flee from it either. Because I know tension, when managed, usually does great things for my photographic life. We would all be such slackers if we didn't face a heavy dose of tension in our photographic life and living. Photography without tension...is myth. It's folkloric. Fictional. It just doesn't happen.

The key here is to have built-in mechanisms and triggers for dealing with these tensions. And instead of looking at each tension as as intruder and trespasser, look at them as friends and confidants. And a necessary ingredient to your survival.

Photographers are like acrobats. And a career in photography is a supreme balancing act. The key to making it successfully from one side to the other requires tension in the wire and balance with the feet. If you mess up, no sweat. There's a big net underneath. Climb up the ladder and try again and I'll see you on the other side. Stay focused. Stay balanced. Stay tense. :-)

Famous artist, Michelangelo, died at the age of 89. They found an unfinished sculpture and drawing near his death bed. The drawing was a caricature of himself as an old man. And right next to the drawing, scribbled on the same paper, were the words...'still learning'. Gotta love this. As great and as old as legendary Michelangelo was, he was still learning. He was as much a student as he was a teacher. Right up to the end of his brilliant career!

Interestingly, most great teachers are also great students. Because they love listening and learning as much as they do talking and teaching.

Even to this day, I love to learn. I love to grasp, master, take in, absorb, study. And it doesn't matter the source - books, podcasts, webinars, training programs, lectures, classes, conversations. It's all good. No matter what @PixelatedImage, @ChaseJarvis, @Wizwow, @Zarias, @ScottKelby, @RickSammon, @NewMediaPhoto, @TreyRatcliff, @JoeMcNallyPhoto say...I'm right there. At their feet. Listening, learning, laughing.

Especially today, in this information age, there are so many wonderful learning opportunities for photographers to become students. A couple of my recommended favorites are...

• KelbyTraining.com, @KelbyTraining

• CreativeLive.com, @ChaseJarvis

• GoingProNow.com, @Wizwow, @SelinaMaitreya, @PhotoJack

• CraftAndVision.com, @PixelatedImage

• SmartShooter.com, Will Crockett

• ProPhotoResource.com, @CrisMitchell, @ProphotoRsrc

I mean no disrespect to the throngs of pro photographers who are dipping their toes in the workshop and seminar market. If you have a loyal following and fan base it's a good way to creative value and make a buck in the process. But we might be getting to a point where there are too many of these seminar offerings. At least too many of the 'wrong' offerings. And not enough of the 'right' offerings. Too many of these workshops focus on the 'buck' rather than the 'value' part of the equation.

If I'm planning to sit at the feet of a teacher and influencer, the first thing I do is Google that person. To see if their 'walk' matches their 'talk'. The second thing I do is to look and see if this person's experience in photography qualifies them to teach me what I need to know. Third, I look at their body of work. Does this work inspire me? And instill enough confidence in me to listen? Finally, I ping-pong through all of their social media thumbprints to determine if their personality and portfolio equips them to tutor, teach, or train me specifically in the areas I need the most help with.

Just because someone is a good photographer does not mean this same person is a good teacher. Or communicator. Or influencer. Be careful with whom you spend your hard-earned dollars. Enough said.

My personal take on learning is that every working photographer, young or old, should spend a minimum of 20% of his/her time in professional development. Learning. Schooling. Being taught, enlightened, illuminated. For you who aren't so good at math, that would be one full day per week. 4 days a month. 48 days per calendar year. Back to school!

I wasn't a particularly good student in high school. But i more than made up for it as soon as I got out. Not only earning a college degree, but two post-graduate master degrees, too. What all of this education instilled in me was a love of learning. Which, like Michelangelo, I carry with me today. 'Still learning'.

I have an ever-growing list of books I want to read. Podcasts in the queue to listen to. Upcoming webinars and conferences I want to attend. Colleagues and collaborators I want to talk to. New equipment I want to experiment with. New techniques I want to try. New social media platforms I want to play around with. I want to learn, learn, learn.

If you have lost this love of learning, light that candle again. Incorporate it into your workflow. Make it a part of your weekly grind. Allocate funds for your personal development. Schedule and plan to learn!

'Get over the idea that only children should spend their time on study. Be a good student as long as you have something to learn, and this will mean all your life.' - Henry L. Doherty

Every photographer should have a bio. The word 'bio' comes from the Greek work 'bios', meaning 'human life'. You should have a long bio and a short bio. Each bio should give the reader a snapshot of who you are and what you do. And should be chock full of links to point people to additional information about you.

Bios used to be written by professional writers and PR agents (I know this because I have a file full of them). But not any more. Today's bios are conversational, authentic and usually written by the subject.

I'm including my new bio below. It won't win any Pulitzer prizes for writing style, but it works. And gives any potential fan, follower, friend, customer, or joint-venture partner a bird's eye view of what I'm all about. Enjoy.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Jack Hollingsworth Bio: Get to Know Jack

Jack Hollingsworth is easily one of photography’s most well known names in the world of Lifestyle, Travel, Portraiture and Stock.

World Photography

With production networks and contracts in every corner of the world – from Beijing to Bombay to Mexico City – Hollingsworth s one of the few American shooters set up to meet the growing demand for World Photography.

His remarkable imagery, a fusion of ethnically diverse people photography, often shot in exotic locations, is represented by every major stock agency in the industry today - Getty, Corbis, Blend Images.

“Twitter Monk”

Known as @photojack on Twitter, he has over 14,000 followers and that number grows daily. WeFollow.com has Jack listed as the 12^th most influential photographer on Twitter. Take a closer look at Jack’s Twitter stats from TweetStat and Klout.

Stock Pioneer

Long before the Twitter boom, Jack was a well-known name in Stock Photography.  Helping to found Blend Images, PhotosIndia, RedChopsticks and 40260. You can read more about Jack’s migration from Stock into Social Media right here.

Client List

Hollingsworth’s clients include an enviable list of Travel, Leisure, Hospitality and Tourism accounts – including Four Seasons Hotel, Ritz Carlton, Star Clippers, SilverSea Cruises, American Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Garuda Indonesia Airways, Singapore Tourism, Trinidad and Tobago Tourism, Curacao Tourism.

Popular “I Am” Blog Series

Check out Jack’s increasingly popular “I Am” blog series here. Find out what makes him tick and click.

Connect with Jack

Jack travels the world shooting, teaching, lecturing and blogging, as well as leading photo tours, workshops and seminars.

Check out his industry presentations. Join him on a podcast in Social Media for Photographers. Listen to a recent audio interview with Jack from F-Stop and Beyond. Read his 25 Things To Make You a Next Generation Stock Photographer in 2010. Find out what his peers say about him.

900 Images, 3 minutes.  World Showcase

See World Showcase here.

Connect Info

Jack Hollingsworth

Email: jack@jackhollingsworth.com

Studio: 512-320-0803

Representation (for assignments & commissions)

Quitze Nelson

QuitzeNelson.com

Office: 214-660-0887

Cell: 214-533-4922

Jack’s Points of Contact

Portraits

I Am Blog Series

Jalbum Albums

LensFlare35 Podcast

Twitter Lists to follow

Secret Sauce of Shooting:  Selling Travel Photography

Twitter

Facebook

Both of my precious girls go to a private Waldorf school, which I love and brag about every chance I get. Throughout the K-12 experience in their school, they talk a great deal about the rhythms of children and how those rhythms play an integral part in the developmental process of the child. Waldorf education has taught me, as a parent, about rhythms, too. And I've applied the same to my photography life and career.

Rhythms are different than schedules. And while it's not fair to arbitrarily pit the two against each other, I do often find them at great odds. Rhythms are more lyrical and schedules are more mechanical. Rhythms often imply an inter-dependence of events (think flow). Schedules are sometimes more focused on independent parents. But rhythms, unlike schedules, involve harmony, tone, voice, movement. Schedules are more for corporations and the military. Rhythms are for listening, sharing human beings (forgive my editorializing here :-) ).

How many times have you heard or said...'I've got to get in the rhythm of doing this or that'. Not 'into the schedule', but 'into the rhythm'. In my world view, rhythms are generally joyous, peaceful, melodic. Strict adherence to a schedule is often discordant and disconnected. Rhythms flow and overflow. Schedules are inelastic and inflexible.

My gut feeling is that rhythms serve multi-tasking photographers so much better than stiff schedules. Don't get me wrong - schedules are a must. We need them. Desperately. But until those scheduled events tie and flow together, you have nothing more than a populated calendar. Not a rhythm.

Let me pull this out of the clouds and talk about rhythm in my life, as a career photographer. Over the past 24 months, I have made a deliberate and decidedly strategic decision to migrate my business from 'Jack, the photographer'...to 'Jack, the publisher'. From a shooting-only existence...to shooting, writing, teaching, leading workshops and seminars, hosting photo tours, consulting, speaking, social-media networking, etc. A migration that, admittedly, won't magically happen overnight. It will take a long time. And a migration that will take a lot of new rhythms (notice I didn't say schedule or plans). This sort of reinvention will take a head-to-toe re-rhythming. From the inside out. So that all of my rhythms, acting in unison, get me to my goals...faster, smarter, better, cheaper.

I actively measure all of my new business against these rhythms. Everything I do. And each new rhythm has a cadence, a tempo, a beat, a pulse...all of their own. Collectively, all of these fresh, new rhythms guide my overall migration. There is a flow. They each relate.

I have a blogging rhythm. I have a social media rhythm. I have a production rhythm. I have a personal development rhythm. I have a marketing and branding rhythm. I have a photography rhythm. I have a writing rhythm. Each of these add much needed rhythmic cadence to the dance and song of my life and career.

I have a rhythm for all that I do. And all of these rhythms are interdependent. If I find that I'm blindly adhering to a schedule, rather than a rhythm...my body, soul and mind tug me back to the balance of rhythm.

It's not just semantics here either. It's a way of thinking and living. One step at a time. One breath at a time.

There is so much stuff today that we, as photographers, need to be paying attention to in order to survive. It takes a herculean effort to stay focused. And profitable. Rhythms help you stay on your path. Rhythms help you get to where you want and need to go. Rhythms guide you and act as signposts on the road less travelled. Rhythms lyrically and beautifully lead you by the hand. And the head. And the heart.

Filling up your schedule is just that - filling up your schedule. Be careful. Being busy is not always best. Being productive always trumps being busy. Rhythms help you stay productive. Rhythms also help you say no to distractions, disturbances and diversions (often disguised as seemingly good opportunities).

Establishing a photographic rhythm in your life and career is the centerpiece of balance, equilibrium, stability. One mission - many rhythms.

If you find yourself busy but broke, it's most likely that you're paying attention to schedules and not rhythms. Rhythms are not arbitrary. They are planned. They are inter-related. Rhythms flow into each other. There are no abrupt starts and stops (like you have with schedules). No steep cliffs, only rolling hills. Rhythms will help you get to your photographic goals faster than schedules (and I'm speaking as a Choleric :-) )

Think of the soothing rhythm of the tides. Steady. Consistent. Soothing. Unshakable. Anchored. Dependable. Constant.

Yes, photographers wear many hats. And photographers will experience many kinds of rhythms. Know who you are. Know what you're good at. Know where you want to go. Then let your rhythms take you there. Enjoy the ride. And relax. You'll get there!

I grew up in a competitive household. My dad was a career athletic director and coach in the local high school. My younger brother followed suit. Sports were a much discussed topic in our household - morning, noon and night. I played all three varsity sports but wasn't really that good at any of them. I had the sensibilities of an athlete, but the sensitivities of an artist - a duality that would serve me well as a career photographer.

I never saw competition as a bad thing. I always equaled it to teamwork, collaboration, achievement. It was always a good thing. Photography is a highly competitive marketplace. There are so many competing...for so little. And as I've grown older, my take on competition has naturally evolved. I no longer think of fellow photographers as competitors or combatants, but rather colleagues and collaborators. Because in this market and economy, it takes a village to survive.

The other day, I was browsing and stumbled upon the blogsite of a Boston-based wedding photographer. On the landing page was a sweet and humble note to his customer base, thanking them for all of the bookings and letting everyone know that his calendar was completely full for the rest of 2010 and that he was starting to book 2011 events.

My first reaction was envy and jealousy. My assignment bookings didn't look anything like his (even though I don't shoot weddings). I was staring at a sparsely populated commercial booking calendar. My reality wasn't anything like this Boston shooter. What was I doing wrong? What was this Boston shooter doing right?

My secondary reaction, which was definitely healthier, was one of curiosity. I wanted to learn everything humanly possible about how this photographer brands, markets, promotes and sells. And that, I did! You need to do the same. Be curious about how others succeed.

We've got to get to a point where we celebrate each other's success. I know it's difficult. But it's a must. Because when one photographer wins...we all win. It's really that simple.

If an assignment comes my way and I know I'm not suitable for the job, regardless of how lucrative it is...I recommend others who would be more suitable. This is collaboration and community at work. And good karma, too. And it works. I know it works, firsthand, because I've been on the receiving end many more times than the recommending end.

It doesn't serve you or your customer's interest if you accept a job that you're not cut out for or good at. Trust me. The long term benefits of recommending others who are more suitable will further your cause and reputation more than you can imagine.

I'm jealous of @ScottBourne's Twitter traffic. I'm jealous of @ChaseJarvis's commercial success. I'm jealous of how David Duchemin, @PixelagedImage, effortlessly cranks out books. I'm jealous of @JoeMcNallyPhoto's and @Strobist's fanatical speedlight following. I'm jealous of the brilliant HDR work of my friend, @TreyRatcliff. I'm jealous of @Wizwow's design and technology skills. And I'm jealous of hundreds of others. But jealous in a good sense. It's not a crippling jealousy. It's an enabling jealousy. A jealousy that allows me to cheer others on. Root for their success. Celebrate their victories. Champion their mountaintop moments. It's the sort of jealousy that propels me to work better, smarter, faster.

Competition is good. It keeps us honest and humble. Or at least it should. In social media speak...the more you shine the spotlight on others, the more the spotlight will shine on you. I'll go to my grave preaching this sermon.

There is a lot of greatness out there. Begin to appreciate that greatness. When one of your colleagues wins...you win, too. We all win. And we win even bigger if we can celebrate someone else's triumphs.

I am competitive (thanks, Dad :-) ). But not in the sense of being successful at the expense of someone else. I compete against myself. Against my own high standards. I will use this same competitiveness to also hold you to these same high standards. And celebrate your success right along with my own. For we are not competitors or combatants. We are colleagues and collaborators. It takes a village.

One of the biggest weaknesses I see among emerging photographers today is a lack of patience. And an inability to look at photography as a career...and not just an event (or series of events).

It's taken me 30 years to get where I'm at. And I still struggle. Just like you. I struggle with getting new business. I struggle with cash flow. I struggle with creative blocks. I struggle with just about everything you struggle with. Maybe even more. But from the beginning, I've always managed to look at my photography as a career. And this has helped immensely. I don't judge the success or failure of my efforts based on several, oftentimes unrelated, events. Instead, I look at the long haul. The long term.

Some years are going to be great. Some years...not so great. Some years you'll generate so much money that you'll even surprise yourself. Other years you won't have two nickels to rub together. Some years you'll be the most talked about person in town. Other years you'll wallow in a sea of anonymity. That's just the way it is.

But once again, start thinking of your photography as a career. You want to be in it for years - not months or days. You want to stick it out in sickness and in health. Through feast and famine. Through good times and bad times. Because you're a career photographer. And that's what career photographers do.

It's a fact that most emerging photographers never make it past the year one signpost. Too much pressure. Not enough working capital. Under-resourced. Lack of direction. Discouragement. No motivation. No 'unique selling proposition'. Overloaded. No support team.

These photographers are generally thinking short term. Not long term. They're thinking of photography as a series of events, rather than a career. And I bet they're also most likely thinking of photography as a job and not a career. Big difference. When you accept photography as a career, you're taking on the obligation for both life and living. Lifestyle and occupation. Passion and profit.

If I were to graphically chart my 30 year photography career, it most definitely would look like a mountain range. A series of peaks and valleys. Sometimes I'm on the top. Sometimes I'm on the bottom. The point is...I'm still on the mountain. Because that's where all career photographers are - on the mountain!

Quickly dispel the notion that you'll be the grand exception and within a year, rise to photographic stardom. It's not impossible. But it's pretty unlikely. The fact of the matter is...if you're just starting out, be prepared to eat a lot of rice and beans and ramen noodles for the next five years. Because that's exactly what it's going to take to embrace photography as a career occupation and not just a trade position.

Being a career photographer is the most entitled, privileged, honorable and principled career you could ever aspire to. But it comes with a price. And usually a heavy price at that. However, the bounty and bonuses from this career are treasures beyond belief. Again, if you begin to look at photography as a career.

Do you have what it takes to commit to photography as a career? Are you prepared for the hard work? Do you have the discipline? Tough skin? Patience? Inventive nature? People skills? Business skills? Marketing skills? Vision? Resolve? Humility? Sensitivity? Sensibility? Love? Authenticity? Ability to serve? Ability to create and invent? Desire to make a difference? Leave a legacy? Change the world? Make people happy? Tell stories? Advocate a viewpoint? Celebrate life? Tough it out at all costs? Appreciative of culture, continents, color? An obsession with gear? A God-given desire to do good?

If you answered 'yes' more than 'no' to the above questions, then the chances are good that a career in photography is right for you.

My mom was a cookie meister. Always around Christmas time, I remember her breaking out the tin cookie-cutters to mold the cookie dough into star-like shapes. There they were...row after row. Baking pan after baking pan. Star cookies. Delicious, of course. But mass produced. And lacking any distinguishing characteristics from cookie to cookie. Pretty pedestrian. Pretty plain jane.

I'm starting to see this same trend among photographers. Sameness. We shoot like each other. We use the same Photoshop actions. We promote like each other. We even emulate each other's business practices. No difference. Unchanged. Identical.

Sameness repels. Uniqueness attracts. I don't want you to shoot like me. Or interpret the world like me. Or run your business just like me. Or promote like me. Or use the exact same equipment as me. Or the same exposure as me. It works for me, but it may not work for you. Instead, I want you to shoot like you. Interpret the world like you. Even run your business like you. Because that's the only thing that is really going to work. And stick. And last. And get traction. And make a difference. We have to accept who we are. And stop trying to be and shoot like someone else.

If you've ever attended any of my lectures, seminars or workshops...you know that I'm not a big fan of teaching detailed tactics. I teach strategy. I teach the whats, the whys, the whens, the wheres...so that you can teach yourself the hows. Because I believe that's the best way to tutor and train emerging photographers.

One of the biggest shortcomings I see today among emerging photographers is the inability to 'connect the dots'. This group wants everything in a 10-step, simple, tactical plan that they can religiously follow. The problem with following these type of robotic plans and checklists is that it most often leads to sameness. These plans might work for the presenter, but they may not work for you. And sameness is the kiss of death for any photographer trying to distinguish himself or herself in a highly competitive marketplace. Again - sameness repels, uniqueness attracts.

As an ancient philosopher wisely said...'Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.' At my presentations, you won't find me handing out loaves of bread. I don't believe in it. That wouldn't help you for more than a day. What I'm more passionate about is giving you strategic inspiration and information. So you, yourself, can learn to 'connect the dots'. And separate the wheat (what you will use) from the chaff (what you won't use). Apply my strategy. Develop your own tactics.

Being like me...works for me. Because it is me. And takes full advantage of all of my life experiences, hopes, dreams, aspirations, goals. But you'll be sorely disappointed to think that the exact same is going to work for you. You are you. You are not me. And what works for me may not work for you. And vice versa.

Don't get me wrong. I'm flattered, humbled and even thrilled that you follow and fan me. And take my advice to heart. I couldn't be more grateful. And I'll do everything within my power to support your vision, mission, passion. But here's the deal - you can't be me. Or anyone other than yourself. It just won't work. Be yourself.

If you want to emulate and imitate me...then latch on to my strategic thinking, optimism, conviction, belief, faith in the future. These will serve you much better and deeper than any sort of tactical advice I could ever give you. Latch on to my strategy. Not my tactics. You've got to figure out what works best for you. I know what works best for me. But that does not mean the same will work for you.

There's a squadron of photographic teachers out there who want to teach you tactics. I'm not one of them. My platoon is considerably smaller. I want to teach you how to fish. I want to teach you how to connect the dots. I want to teach you how to apply, from all I sermonize about, only what's right and appropriate for you and your business. I want to teach you how to stand out from the crowd. I want to challenge you to be different. I want to teach you, by example, how inspired creative thinking can bring you to a whole new level in your photography business. If that's the kind of advice and support you want...then stick with me.

Until our industry learns to grow, raise and nurture leaders and not just followers...we are sadly in store for sameness. And doing things in the same old way is only going to net us the same old results. Photography is not a cookie-cutter business. It's highly personal and subjective. And only you have the ability to determine what works best for your business and career.

It's time to be counted. It's time to find your vision, voice, thumbprint. It's time to have your own stamp. It's time to stop copying and mirroring, and start creating and mobilizing. Clients don't buy or admire sameness. Or redundancy. Or surplus. Clients buy rare, uncommon, unusual, distinct, one-of-a-kind. Not you pretending to be someone else. But you. Your voice. Your perspective. Your interpretation of life. Your creativity. Your perception. Be somebody.

There are so many things that I want to do. And succeed at. But I can't possibly do all of these things alone. One, because I'm not that liquid. Two, because the risk is too high. And three, because there is wisdom in crowds.

So I'm going to use this post to, hopefully, begin a dialogue with those of you out there who might be interested in joint-venturing on any of the following projects with me. This is, of course, overview stuff only. We can drill down to detail, via email, if interested.

I'm willing to share gate revenue (money that comes in through the sale of products, services, events) in exchange for technology, systems, or marketing and promotional support. Or if money isn't a motivation for you, maybe you'd be interested in joint-venturing so you could add built product to your portfolio? Either way, give the following short list a good looking over and see if anything strikes a cord with you. If you think we'd make good joint-venture partners on any of these, feel free to email me direct at jack@jackhollingsworth.com (please make sure to put the specific category/categories you're interested in exploring together in the subject of the email).

Again, this would not be me paying you a fee to do any of this. This would be us joint-venturing together - both of us investing time, energy and resources. With the payoff being that we share in an agreed upon split of gate revenues.

1. Promotional Video Producer

I'm a fanatic about photographers having a promotional video. It's a must. So I'm looking for a videographer who primarily shoots with HDSLR technologies (5D, 7D, etc), owns his/her own hardware/software for editing/processing/archiving, and has a passion for creating exquisitely shot, edited and colored promotional videos for photographers - at all different price points. I will be the brand mouthpiece. But need a trusted partner that I can turn to. And turn work over to. Feel free to send any promotional demos you have done to me at jack@jackhollingsworth.com.

2. Webinar Coordinator

I've got a zillion ideas for both free and fee-based webinars for photographers. I even know the platform I want to use - dimdim.com. I'm looking for a backend person to build the website, upload content, handle caller questions, archive the show, help promote, etc. In exchange, I will give you part of the revenue gate. Ideally, this should be someone who has a background in e-learning and/or webinar development and promotion.

3. Phototour Organizer and Promoter

I'm sure I'll get a lot of calls on this one. I have 4-5 international phototours planned for 2010/2011. I need help in building a Wordpress site, uploading content, helping to promote each venue, managing email database, etc. Willing to share gate revenue or a combination of gate revenue and going on these trips. Candidate must be highly organized and have a technology background for managing online marketing.

4. Online Storefront Manager

I've got some crazy ideas for making photographic products and marketing them to photographers. I just need someone to help me build an online store and presence. And push these products out to market. This is more of a long-term commitment.

5. Virtual Event Organizer

I want to create 2-3 virtual events, per year, for emerging photographers. I've got the ideas, the content and the speakers. I want help in managing all the backend stuff - building a site/platform, handling registrations, promoting the event, managing the ebb and flow, etc. First virtual event planned is 'Social Media for Photographers.

6. Ning Site Builder

Is there a Ning site builder/developer out there who would like to joint-venture with me in building a killer Ning site for photographers? I know there's already a lot of Ning communities for togs in existence, but I want a Ning community built specifically for and about photographers in social media.

7. Stock Photography Member Site

I'm looking for someone to help me create a Wordpress member site for stock photography. A continuity program, with monthly content. Ideal candidate would be a practicing stock photographer with technology and web experience. Would be ideal if candidate had development experience in another member site.

8. E-Book Manager

I'm going to get pretty aggressive with writing short form e-books over the next couple of years. Looking for someone to build me a blog platform, in conjunction with e-junkie.com, to bring my product to market.

9. 'I Am Photographer' Tour Coordinator

Based on the popularity of my 'I Am' blog content, I'll be launching a 20+ city, one-day seminar tour for photographers. I need someone to help get a Wordpress site up and running, manage registrations, handle newsletter, liaison with sponsors, etc. Someone who is willing to go on tour as project manager.

10. Designer

I'm a design freak. My wife is a professional graphic designer, but also a full time mom and has limited opportunity to be involved in all the company's design work. I'd love to attach my design star to 2-3 of you out there who share my aesthetics for clean, modern, zen-like simplicity. Send me a portfolio. I'm always on the hunt for good designers.

Join me, won't you? I am joint-venture!

I love selling. And marketing. And branding. And promoting. And networking. It's part of being a career photographer. And it's not something you can easily relegrate to someone else. Even though many try. Usually without success.

I didn't always enjoy the selling part of the business. As a matter of fact, when I first started out...the thought of selling broke me out into a cold sweat. But as I became more comfortable with and confident in my photography, the easier it was to sell. Now that doesn't mean I'm always successful. Not by a long stretch. But I have to admit that I enjoy the process. And sometimes even the hunt is more exciting than the kill.

After all, true selling isn't tricking or manipulating someone into buying something they don't want or need. That's old school. Way old school. True selling is celebrating your product and services with a customer. A situation in which both parties win.

I'm self-confident (not self-conscious) about selling because I know in my heart that the products and/or services that I sell meet a heartfelt need or want for the customer. And at a price the customer can afford. I'm facilitating a win-win. No guilt. No angst. No trepidation. No anxiety about the sales process. I'm satisfying and serving a customer's need. Plain and simple. This is exactly what the true meaning of selling really is. It's not uncomfortable, awkward or uneasy. I'm actually serving, not selling.

Overcome the natural urge to think of yourself as offering, under pressure, a product or service that a customer doesn't want or need. That's not selling. Not at all. At least not contemporary selling. Selling is serving. And meeting customer needs. And in serving customer needs, you're celebrating with them the solution you're offering them.

There are three separate and distinct processes in the business of selling - craftmanship, salesmanship and showmanship. I have held each of these near and dear to me over the years. The combined execution of all three of these has helped me provide more customer solutions to photo buyers over the years that I can count.

1. Craftmanship

This is the easy part. It's having a dependable, reliable, trustworthy product to sell. The product is good. And you know it's good. It's been crafted with skilled hands and heart. You must believe that your product and/or service will, in fact, meet the customer's need. If you don't have this craftsman outlook about your product, you probably shouldn't be selling it. Believe in the product. Meet the customer's need! Craftsmanship is the product of selling.

2. Salesmanship

This part is the process of selling. Selling, in more rudimentary terms, is the customer accepting your offer - either verbally or in writing. Selling is the part of the process that takes place after marketing has established a context for the transaction. Marketing is all the stuff that happens before the point of sale. True selling is the point of sale. It's the handshake, the contract, the agreement, the covenant between you and the customer. No duress. No force. No pushiness. No coercion. No high-powered sales tactics. No stressful, nerve-racking, aggression. Just simple, natural, organic conversation between you and the customer about the customer's need or want. Mano y mano. Craftsmanship is the product of selling. Salesmanship is the process of selling.

3. Showmanship

This is the third and often forgotten part of the equation. This is the packaging of selling. You know you have a great product. You both believe that. You've also both engaged in conversational communication that has established that your product or service meets the customer's need and/or want. All is good so far. But since most buyers purchase based on sheer emotion, then try to substantiate their purchase with facts and logic. It's now your job to make sure this sales transaction doesn't dissipate and go away. Don't think of this part as closing the sale - instead think of this part as opening a long term, mutually advantageous relationship. This is the moment of truth. The yes or no part. Products and services, no matter how great and grand they are...don't sell themselves. This is where you have to make sure that your offer is packaged in it's best light. This might mean an illustrative PDF. It might mean a buttoned-down proposal and budget. It might mean a dazzling and arresting slideshow or video. It may mean a customer testimonial (or two). It may mean supporting collateral in the way of stationary, business cards, accordion folds, sell sheets, proof-of-concept tearsheets. It means putting your best showmanship forward. And packaging up your product and/or service in the best light possible. Honest and authentic showmanship helps convince a customer that you passionately believe that you have their interest at heart.

So there you have it. Three easy hooks to hang the selling process on - craftsmanship (product), salesmanship (process) and showmanship (packaging). Now relax. You're solving someone's need here. You're the hero. You've created a win-win. You're celebrating together. And you're opening the door for a potentially long-term and lucrative relationship. Sell away! Feel good about it!

I just finished reading Vision Mongers by David duChemin, from pixelatedimage.com (you can also follow David on Twitter at @pixelatedimage). This book is a brilliant piece of work. A must read for all emerging photographers. David writes with wisdom far beyond his years. He's one of my favorite photography writers.

What lured me to David's book in the first place was his subtitle - 'Making a Life and a Living in Photography'. Bingo. That's one of my sermons, too. Life and living. Passion and profession.

How many times have you heard me say that you become a better photographer by becoming a better human being? The living part naturally grows out of the life part. They are connected. You can't have one without the other. Making a living in photography is what you do. It's how you sustain yourself. Making a life in photography is who you are. It's how you anchor yourself. In career photography you need both - life and living.

For those of you like me, David and thousands of others who are spellbound by photography...a fame and fortune motivation won't sustain you. In fact, it can often distract you. What will sustain you is being centered, balanced, grounded. It's being equally and passionately committed to making a living in photography and making a life in photography. There is no true living without the life part.

Career photography is no 9 to 5 livelihood. It's a 24 hour obsession. It's not just an occupation, it's a preoccupation. You've got to want it so badly and feel it so deeply that you have no option other than to obey the voice within. And I'm not talking about just earning a living. But living the obsessed life of a photographer.

Photography, as a commercial line of work, is the last job on the planet that you can lackadaisically commit to. It doesn't work like that. Photography, as  a career, will require your full attention, awareness, involvement. 24 hours a day. 365 days a year.

When you're not shooting photography, you'll be thinking about shooting photography. It is an obsession. But a good one. Be warned though. While we call this obsession, passion, zeal, ardor, infatuation, fervency...others might call it neurosis, psychological disorder, weakness. But that's cool. Live with it. Because in your heart, you know better. You know the sort of devotion and resolution it takes to stay centered, balanced, focused. You also know that making both a life and a living in photography requires this engagement.

Making both a life and a living is not easy. It will require sacrifices on your part. Some decisions will be tough. And often lonely and discouraging. But get to the other side and the rewards will be beyond belief. Think life and living!

You can tell photographers who have found a way to naturally balance life and living. They are peaceful, joyous, generous, well-balanced. It shows in their smile, demeanor, attitude, posture. Funny thing is, I bet these same photographers are obsessed with photography and have been from day one. With a profession like this, how can you not be? Making a life and living requires obsession. Career photography is enthralling, entrancing, engrossing, compelling. It's bewitching, mesmerizing, hypnotic. It grabs you and holds you. And it sweeps you into a world of similar journeymen who are equally obsessed.

If you don't feel this sort of tug, and feel it with conviction, then I suggest you explore other career options. Unless you are willing to make photography both a life and a living, then be careful and cautious about plunging into career photography and hanging out that 'photography' shingle. You can't decide just to earn a living in photography without also committing to a life of photography.

But like so many of us, if you feel divinely summoned and called to this noble profession...then welcome to the club. You're in good company. With those of us who are unapologetically obsessed with photography. We are admittedly unbalanced, neurotic, compulsive, irrational, screwy, obsessed. And we love it. Because we are photographers.

Gear is good, vision is better. Yes.

The best camera to have is the one with you. Yes, again.

What you hold in your heart is more important than what you hold in your hand. Yes, yes, yes.

I don't disagree in the least with any of these remarks. As a matter of fact, I've championed this same premise many times myself. Developing your vision is a better investment than buying equipment, absolutely. Seeing generally trumps buying. Talent trumps tools. But let's not get carried away. Gear is a critical part of this creative equation. Without great gear, you're not going to be able to consistently realize great vision.

I'm beginning to feel, especially in social media circles, that personal vision is often glorified and exalted at the expense of gear. I do understand this rationale. To some extent, it's appropriate and applicable. But vision is only half the story. Gear is the other half.

Let's back up for a minute. There are two kinds of shooting. One for the wall. And one for the wallet. One is personal. One is commercial. The role of personal shooting is to celebrate creativity, originality, ingenuity. The role of professional and commercial shooting, which is less altruistic in scope, is to perform and profit - and hopefully make a client very happy in the process.

For the personal stuff, it really doesn't matter what gear you use. Go ahead. Exhalt vision. Even at the expense of gear. Have fun since the goal is creative expression and education. Experiment to your heart's content. Iphones. Holgas. Dianas. Lomos. Pinholes. Cheap point-n-shoots. Doesn't matter since you're shooting for yourself. Or perhaps for bragging rights with others. Personal vision can be artistically elevated above the authoring tools.

But shooting commercially is a totally different ball game. You need the best gear that you can afford. You need gear you can depend on. You need gear that will allow you to methodically and analytically repeat your successes. Shot after shot. Day in and day out. You need gear that works in tandem with your vision. And you don't need just good gear - you need great gear. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Commercially speaking, if you have great vision but lousy gear...you're in trouble. Especially if you're being paid to deliver your vision - on time, on target, on budget, and on spec! Conversely, if you have lousy vision but great gear...you're also in trouble. You need both. Great vision and great gear. It's that simple. They work together. Not separately. Vision and gear are two animals harnessed together to pull the same carriage.

You don't necessarily need the most expensive gear. That is no guarantee of getting better shots. Especially when you're just starting out and just learning to see and develop your vision. But I do recommend buying the best gear you can afford to buy (without going into debt). Great gear, over the course of your career, will do more to help you realize your career achievements than most suspect.

I like to think of myself as a commercial artist. And that my work, to the best of my ability...represents my vision, style, voice, thumbprint. I can also say, without hesitation and apology, that I would have never realized my vision without visionary gear. And great gear, at that. Vision and gear - they go hand in hand together.

I can think of countless occasions during my career when it wasn't my vision that saved the day - it was my gear. Plain and simple. It's hard to get repeatable and recurring commercial results without reliable gear. I would not be the shooter I am today without the gear I've been privileged to own and operate.

Professional gear, as a supportive tool, helps take what is in your head, heart and eyes...and translate that to paper and monitor. Reliably. Dependably. Consistently. Your equipment doesn't define you as a photographer. Your vision does. Absolutely. But that vision still needs some help in becoming a public deliverable. Again, what good is great vision without the ability to deliver that value to customers and your viewing public?

Don't be fooled for a single minute - great camera bodies, great glass, and great accessories help any photographer (newbie or veteran) bring non-physical creativity and imagination into physical reality. Although gear may not make the man (or woman), it sure doesn't hurt in becoming a successful artist.

I love my gear. I'm a better photographer because of my gear. My gear is a competitive weapon. My gear brings to fruition my imagination and my innovativeness. My gear is not a detriment or handicap to my creative vision - my gear is a benefit, a strength, a selling point to how I shoot. Even why I shoot. My gear is a part of who I am. An extension of how I see and capture the world.

To my friends at Canon, Apple, Westcott, Induro, Profoto, Sekonic, PocketWizard, Tenba, Elinchrome, X-rite, Zacuto, Calument, and Sandisk...thank you, thank you, thank you. I'm a better photographer because of what you provide to me.

While many here in this space will come and go, trumpeting the virtue of vision over gear, ability over apparatus, expertise over equipment, talent over tools...I will continue to wave the flag of balance. And insist that emerging photographers relish, revel and delight in both...side by side. I am vision. Yes, I am. But I am gear, too. And equally proud of that.

I'm surprised how many career photographers today don't have their 'elevator pitch' nailed down. If you're a working photographer today, this should be second nature to you. It should roll off your tongue. You should have this down stone cold. It's your brand. It's who you are. It's you're key marketing message to the public. It's what you do.

Let me back up. As the name suggests, an elevator pitch is a clear, succinct and compelling message (approximately 30 seconds to 2 minutes in length) that summarizes who you are and what you do. It can be presented orally (in person) or textually (in writing) or even via video.

The idea is...you're in an elevator and someone notices a camera bag on your shoulder and asks 'what do you do for a living?'. Bingo. Elevator pitch. You've got 30+ seconds to make a riveting and spellbinding case for who you are and what you do. Can you do it?

If you're just starting out, then I suggest you first write down your elevator pitch. Then rehearse it. Over and over again. Until it flows. And feels totally natural. The more natural it comes across, the more probable buy-in you're going to get from it.

If you can't condense down your vision, mission and passion to a 30-second elevator pitch commercial...then it's more than likely that you need to do some soul searching and narrow down your scope and 'unique selling proposition'.

An elevator pitch is not a resume. It's a 30-second spot - compact, condensed, pithy. You want to nail down the genre you work in, the customers you serve in that market and what makes you unique.

The pitch shouldn't be too academic. Or it will sound to stiff and fake. Be yourself. Let it come from within. The point is to be conversational and interactive. And not unemotionally rote. Also, the pitch will more than likely change from audience to audience, so you may need several elevator pitches...depending on your specialties, products and services.

The point of all of this is to define, in your own mind, exactly who you are and what you do for a living. Then be able to communicate that in a short and sweet presentation. A presentation that attracts, not repels.

My elevator pitch goes something like this:

My name is Jack Hollingsworth. I'm a lifestyle photographer, which is a fancy way of saying I shoot people - all ages, nationalities, shapes and sizes. I've made a commercial career photographing for travel, leisure and hospitality customers (I might add...hotels, resorts, cruiselines, airlines). More recently, I've been sticking close to home and concentrating on Naturally Modern Portraiture. You can see more of my work right here (pass out business card with website/blogsite). I'm also very active on Twitter and Facebook if you would like to connect with me there. Nice meeting you. Feel free to call me if you or your friends have any photography needs along the lines of my specialties. Have a great day.

Keep it fresh and organic. And change as often as your mission changes. Top floor please. :)

Being tenacious is not readily letting go or giving up. It's being not easily dispelled or discouraged. It's persisting through and in spite of difficult circumstances and challenges. If there is one single, common trait among successful career photographers...it's being tenacious.

Shooting avocationally doesn't require the same tenacity as shooting as a vocational photographer. Shooting as a hobby is generally fun, carefree, untroubled, easy going. Avocational shooters don't have the pressure to perform and profit. But as soon as you become a vocational, or career, photographer...the rules change. And change drastically. To succeed you'll need to be tenacious. Because, especially in the beginning, there will be far more obstacles than opportunities.

There are many formidable pressures and impediments in career photography that can, at first glance, naturally ignite fear and flight. But don't run. Don't hide. Face the demons and dragons. Be stubborn about your resolve to overcome. Be tenacious. This is your only option.

It's not easy to be tenacious. But it is a characteristic you should carry in your heart and your camera bag...always. From beginning to end. Newbie to veteran.

Quitting is the easy route to take. Especially in this softened economy. Don't let panic, fear and anxiety defeat you. Don't dwell on the difficulties. Dwell on the opportunities. Envision yourself, right now, on the other side of the challenge you're currently facing.

Tenacity will help you turn consternation into celebration. Dread into hope. Angst into joy. Panic into purpose. Anxiety into transformation.

And for heavens sake, don't wait for your feelings to support your resolution to be tenacious. They won't. As a matter of fact, you'll hardly ever 'feel' like being tenacious. Just make the hard decision. Do it. Carry on. In spite of how you feel.

As I look back at my own career, there have been countless occasions where I could have given up and run the other way. Bankruptcy, embezzlement, divorce, three recessions, personal insecurities, family crisis. But I didn't give up. And I won't give up. Because I am tenacious.

And to survive, you have to be tenacious, too. You have to do whatever it takes to keep those fire-breathing monsters at bay. And struggle through the difficulties. Your career depends on it.

We admire, even glorify, photographic creativity in others - as we should. We sing the praises, adulate, eulogize photographers with great skill sets - again, as we should. Interestingly...what I esteem, venerate and pay homage to is photographers who exhibit tenacity. Photographers who stand firm. Go the distance. Don't take no for an answer. Stay the course. Stop at nothing. Plug away. Hang in there. Leave no stone unturned. Stick it out when there is every reason to fold your tent and go home.

Building layers of tenacity gets easier as you habitually make those tough decisions. Now is not the time to quit, give up, pack it in, relinquish or resign. Now is the time to push full steam ahead. Be tenacious.

I don't know if I was born tenacious. Or if I learned from the school of hard knocks. Maybe both. What I do know is that tenacity has been a traveling companion of mine since day one of entering photography as a career.

I may not be the best photographer in the world. Or the most versatile. Or the brightest. But I've got to be one of the most tenacious. Hang in there guys and gals. Be determined, strong-willed, tireless, indefatigable, unwavering, unshakable. Don't give up. Not today, tomorrow or ever. Be the photographer you were born to be. Be tenacious!