Inspired by Barbra Streisand: Glamour Magazine's Woman of the Year

This article about Barbra Streisand by Sheila Weller really inspired me.  I learned a lot I never knew about Barbra and felt inspired to use her words and make this for the daughter of a good friend.  I hope you find a young woman to share it with as well.  Barbra is a true inspiration for women everywhere.

Every Day Is A Beach Day

We moved back to Sag Harbor just over a month ago and my routine now is exactly as I imagined it would be....and better.  For six years, I lived away from the water, in the landlocked metropolis of Atlanta.  The trees there are spectacular, particularly in the Spring and Fall, but for a bi-coastal water lover who grew up in Boston, San Francisco, and New York, living near the water has always been more of a necessity than an option.  I am remembering why.

Main Beach, East Hampton

I never imagined how luxurious this transition could feel.  Every day, I load up my car with my son, 2 dogs and camera and head off to school, just 5 minutes away.  From there, I decide which beach to visit with Sparky and Spencer, our retriever and shepherd mix dogs.  Sometimes I opt for the nearest one because their whining is making me crazy.  But sometimes I just aim for the one I haven't visited in a long time, or the one I suspect will be most empty.  Each one has a different feel, and a different character, created by the homes that line it and the people who walk on it.  Sometimes these differences really shock me (more on this another day). 

Georgica Beach, East Hampton

Crashing waves in motion at Georgica

Every day, I consider leaving my camera at home.  And every day, I am glad I didn't.  Each day is different....the light, the water, the beach itself.  And I approach each day asking myself how I can see it differently, how I can capture it differently.  I think about how I can become a part of the image, like a painter, by use my camera differently, and photographing things not as I see them, but rather as I create them.

Translucent waves, long exposure, cresting at Eqypt Beach, East Hampton

A wave, interpreted in time.  Georgica Beach.

Some days I focus on  the waves, the water, the motion.  Some days I focus on the sparkle on the water or the translucency of the waves.  Some days I see fishermen, or birds or shells.  Some days are full of color and contrast and I consider whether to work with or against the light.  Other days are completely monochromatic and hazy. I tend to focus more on the water than on the sky, and I bring different lenses from time to time just to have new options.

Fire on the water at Main Beach

Homeless on Long Beach

Sunset interpreted, at Haven's beach

I can't imagine what the next months will bring, but my intention is to spend at least one day at the beach every week for a year, and see where I end up.  So far, I have not been disappointed.

Getting the most out of your photoshoot with a professional photographer.

Most entrepreneurs need photos for their websites.  Many think what they need is a head shot or simple portrait, but with a little more planning and forethought, they can get so much more out of the time they spend with a professional photographer. This is a story about some quick and easy ways we can made several years' worth of photo options from just a little extra effort in the planning stages.

Two summer looks.  Max Eicke inside with his table and chairs, and outside with his "T Table" and stackable chair. Using the theater as a backdrop was my way of telling the world where he was based,  instead of writing it in a caption.

People often ask if I do head shots, and I do, but I prefer to say I specialize in shooting 'entire websites'.   For me, a full website session takes only a little more time, and for the money you were spending anyway on a portrait session,  this gives you a much bigger bang for your buck.  

A homepage image from MaxIDNY.com

Max Eicke's story is a perfect example. 

Max designs furniture. I wanted to photograph him with his work (and some of his work alone) in enough different outfits that he would have photos to send to publications for years, and in any season.


In a few hours, we shot six different outfits in different locations, covering a range of seasons and levels of formality using his furniture prominently, or in the background in almost every shot.

The key to a shoot like this is planning out out your wardrobe in advance, changing outfits for each location, and of course, having a great location to work in.  I often say your background is 50% of your image and you should use it to your advantage. 

I also like to capture a lot of product shots (without people) and product detail shots for my client to use the way a cook uses spices to season a meal: sparingly, but with impact.

Above, some of the many photos we shot for Max, and the story he wrote about the experience on his blog.

A playful closeup with one of his cubes, and a summer look down to the flip flops with his "E" desk.

Same background as above, but much closer, in a more wintery outfit.

Max has since been featured in dozens of blogs and publications (including the NY Times) and my photos have been included every time. A lot of publications don't have the money to send out a photographer to tell your story, but if you have good quality publicity ready photos, they will often print them, and pay me for the usage (Ask any photographer what makes them happy, and 'credit or links' and 'payment' will be somewhere on the list). It helps to have a range of images and focal lengths,  meaning tight shots, and wider ones showing some of your environment too.

Many publications are looking for 'lifestyle portraits' meaning not just a head shot, but a portrait that also says something about you and what you do, all in one photo.  Of course you can use these images  all over your website, blog, and social media....but it helps to hold some back as well. That way, you have 'fresh' images that have not yet been published, and you can maximize the value of that one day you spent doing your 'website photo shoot'.

Not all portraits require faces.  Not all chairs require people sitting in them.  After considering what you would 'normally' do for a portrait, you might want to think about other options just to make sure you have an interesting mix of photos.

Two years after our shoot, Max is still getting these photos published with little stories about him and his work all over the world.  Sometimes we add a new piece with a few photos here or there, but nothing that requires the complexity or expense of that first shoot.

We photographed this particular table on a different day, but it only took a few minutes and his been published dozens of times in blogs and print.

What Your Business Is Teaching Me about Mine

Another good learning moment I recently received from someone else's business:

I wanted the new Kate Moss book...all 8 covers.  I tried Amazon (cheap, but can't find a phone number anywhere to explain that I want 8 different covers)  Won't work.

I checked with local Barnes & Noble stores.  A nice manager at a local Barnes& Noble store was able to locate about 3 copies of the book, but wasn't sure which ones she had, and promised to call me when they had more. That was weeks ago, and I haven't heard anything since.

Finally I connected with Barnes and Noble by phone, ordered the book, explaining I wanted one of each cover, and I received 8 books, but not 8 different covers.  I then had to carry them all back to the store for a return.  They were so heavy, and it took so long to get to this (more than a couple of weeks), that they would only offer me a store credit.  Annoying, but fine, since I buy a lot of books and will use the credit as long as I don't lose it first.

In the meantime, I had called Rizzoli, the New York store and also the original publisher of the book.  They had a full set of signed copies;  in fact they had two full signed sets left.  I bought both.  They sent one set to my NY address by messenger, and shipped the other to Atlanta, exactly as I requested. Perfectly wrapped.  Right away.

Did I pay more for all of this service?  You better believe it. Or rather, I paid the retail price of hte books....not the Amazon or Barnes & Noble discounted price.  But I got what I wanted, I  had a great customer service experience with an intelligent person who could actually help me on the phone, and I got what I couldn't find anywhere else.

This was an 'a ha' moment for me.   I realized the kind of service provider I aspire to be.  I don't want to be the discount solution.  I want to charge you a fair price and deliver a beautiful product just as you expect.  No mistakes.  No crushed corners.  No cheap packaging.  And I still love Barnes and Noble and Amazon.  When I want the cheaper solution, I will go to them again.  When I want the luxurious solution, Rizzoli gets it right.  Thank you for that lesson.  I still have some work to do.  Great product requires great service and delivery.  Anything less diminishes the product.