inFOCUS APPO’S MAGAZINE FOR PHOTO ORGANIZERS
SUMMER 2016
Hello | SUMMER 2016
Welcome! Our summer edition is coming to you a little later than normal and you may already be packing school lunches by now. I hope you found time to slow down and enjoy the warmth of the summer sun and perhaps the sound of waves on the beach or children playing at dusk. Summer holds so many memories for us, and it is often a time when we bring our cameras along to capture time with family and friends. I know my Facebook and Instagram news feeds are full of sunsets and family vacations. This summer we have witnessed the thrill of the Olympic Games in Rio as well as the tragedy of floods in Louisiana and Maryland and the devastation of wildfires throughout California. All too often we hear similar stories of how relieved people are when they know their families and pets are safe and the great sadness that tangible items like their photos and memorabilia are often lost. That is why the stories in this issue about Save Your Photos Month is so relevant. In this issue, we share with you the tremendous commitment many APPO members have made to hold Save Your Photos events. Shelley Murray shares how she encouraged dozens of Forever Ambassadors to host Save Your Photos Events; Nancy Carr has collaborated with Kodak Alaris, Vivid-Pix, and Archival Methods for a weekend of events in Rochester; and Rick Lippert of E-Z Photo Scan has the entire town of Lake Mary, Florida involved. Our photos are often just one way we tell our stories, but memorabilia is also a valuable keepsake. Children’s artwork and letters from great-grandparents all hold a special place in our hearts and need to be preserved. Andi Willis gives some great tips for storing these valuable artifacts. From there we get some sound business advice from Teri Winfield who shares mistakes she has made, so you don’t have to. Lisa Kurtz illustrates the psychological impact of helping clients with their photos by profiling two photo organizer’s client stories, and Janet Blunt shares five questions you need to ask yourself before your next client assessment. So as the summer sun starts to fade, grab a cup of iced tea or coffee and enjoy our latest addition
inFOCUS
APPO’S MAGAZINE FOR PHOTO ORGANIZERS
Lisa Kurtz PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Janet Blunt CREATIVE DIRECTOR CONTRIBUTORS Janet Blunt, Nancy Carr, Caroline Guntur, Nick Kelsh, Lisa Kurtz, Rick Lippert, Shelley Murray, Cathi Nelson, Andi Willis, Teri Winfield Cover photograph by Denys Nevozhai FOR INQUIRIES, please visit www.appo.org or call (860) 904-5365 ext. 101W
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Cathi Nelson FOUNDER
Lisa Kurtz
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
Photograph by Deniz Altindas
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Contents 06
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Issue 08 Summer 2016
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FEATURES 06_Save Your Photos A look at how the month-long event is shaping up. Introduction by Cathi Nelson 18 _Touching Lives The psychological impact photo organizers have on their clients. By Lisa Kurtz 20_Transformative Teaching By Caroline Guntur 22_The Power of Photos Healing from grief through photo organizing. By Judy Scheutte
TIPS & TECHNIQUES 24_ Self-Discovery Session 6 Questions to ask yourself before your next client assessment. By Janet Blunt 28_The Stories of Your Life Tips for bringing memorabilia back into your clients' lives. By Andi Willis 30_Lessons Learned Mistakes I made completing my first large scanning job so you don't have to. By Teri Winfield
IN EVERY ISSUE
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34_Color Blind? Is black & white better than colour? By Photographer Nick Kelsh 38_Studying the Classics Recognizing the story-within-thestory of your back-to-school photos. By Photographer Nick Kelsh
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SAVE YOUR PHOTOS | Features
"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."
— Winston Churchill
When I began APPO over seven years ago, I always knew I wanted to find a way to give back to our local communities. I just didn’t know what or how. Then in 2014 at the APPO Conference, we heard the stories of people who had helped recover lost photos from the tornados in Joplin, MO, the floods of Calgary and the devastation of Hurricane Sandy. It was then that an idea began to take hold. What if we could help people safeguard their photos before disaster strikes? We know from research how fragile our family memory collections are. It seems like every month photo services are going out of business, hard drives crash, mobile phones are stolen, and natural disasters are occurring with greater intensity and frequency. At the same time, it is not easy for people to even know how or where to begin. Thus the concept of Save Your Photos Day was created. inFOCUS SUMMER 2016 7
Now three years later, our vision has grown. In the first two years, we held hundreds of free events on the last Saturday of September, known as Save Your Photos Day. When we sat down to evaluate how useful and helpful our campaigns have been, we quickly realized we could do so much more by devoting the entire month of September to saving photos. We also took into account all the people who didn’t have an event near them or scheduling conflicts and the idea of “taking the pledge” and sending inspirational tips was born. This year Save Your Photos Month will be reaching more people than ever before. I am thrilled with the response of local APPO members and the business communities who, at this writing, are offering over 61 events. Forever Executive Sales Director, Shelley Murray knows how important this work is. She took the time to schedule training webinars to encourage Forever Ambassadors to hold events and they have responded with great enthusiasm. Rochester, NY APPO member, Nancy Carr had the vision to give back to the people who put our needs 8 inFOCUS SUMMER 2016
first. She has teamed up with Archival Methods, Kodak Alaris and Vivid–Pix to offer free scanning services to honor the people who serve and protect our community every day – first responders, medical workers, and military families. Then there is Rick Lippert of E-Z Photo Scan, who has worked tirelessly alongside APPO to help promote Save Your Photos Day from the beginning. For those of you who know Rick, he is a big thinker with an even bigger heart. He along with other APPO members in Central Florida decided to get an entire town involved. You can read more about their efforts in the following pages. It’s not too late to get involved! Consider attending a local event or, at the very least, Take the Pledge! We’ll inspire you to take action with your photo collection through a 30-day series of tips and motivation. Visit www.saveyourphotos.org for more information!
Nancy Carr, Corkscrew Photography If you’re looking for a creative way to bring Save Your Photos Month to your town, consider a community event like we’re doing in Rochester NY. I teamed up with Vivid-Pix, Kodak Alaris and Archival Methods, three of APPO’s wonderful industry partners, to put on an event to honor the people who serve and protect our community every day – first responders, medical workers, and military families. We are holding our event on the weekend of 9/11 in observance of the 15th anniversary of September 11, 2001. Looking back on that day, the men and women who ran into burning buildings, drove ambulances, staffed hospitals and protected our
nation were our heroes. In 2016 we’ll give back to the families of our local heroes by helping them save their photos and memories. Each day we’ll set up in a different location that serves our community: • Henrietta Ambulance where EMTs, drivers, and paramedics respond to calls for help • Rochester Academy of Medicine where generations of physicians and medical personnel gather to collaborate and learn • American Legion where veterans reminisce and support each other
"Honoring the people who serve and protect our community every day - first responders, medical workers, military families." “Save a Photo, Save a Memory” Events are free admission and include: • Scanning on Kodak Photo Scanner/A3 Flatbed, up to 50 photos per person • Photo fixing with Vivid-Pix RESTORE software, up to 10 photos • Brief presentation(s) on archival methods for storing pictures and the ABC’s of photo organizing • Event locations and the host organizations will provide building tours and backgrounds on the history and services they bring to our communities. To raise awareness of the events, we’re reaching out to local print, radio, and social media sites. Our host organizations are sending email and flyers to their employees. We hope you find this helpful and wish you the best of luck with your September Save Your Photos events. inFOCUS SUMMER 2016 9
Shelley Murray, Forever Save your Photos Day is something that has been near and dear to my heart since its inception in 2014 I ATTENDED MY FIRST APPO CONFERENCE in Texas that year. I was moved by the stories of people’s lives, remembered through incredible photos. I was equally impacted by the tragedy of losing these pictures and stories, in a moment because of floods, fires, hurricanes, tornados or even simple deterioration. It made me think of my family photos and the stories of my life. I have fond memories of my grandparents and their love for pictures and stories. Many of those 10 inFOCUS SUMMER 2016
memories flashed in my mind as I sat and listened to some of the incredible APPO speakers that year. In my family, it was my grandfather who was the family photographer. I can remember as a child standing and smiling with my cousins for a picture for what seemed like so long. I also remember complaining when we had to gather in the living room to watch the slides shown on the screen by the loud projector. I also remember
watching my grandmother create scrapbooks. She used a typewriter to do her journaling and then she meticulously clipped each piece of paper, laid them neatly under each photo and then pressed them into the magnetic album. When I left the APPO conference that year, I began thinking of my grandmother’s albums and I wondered where they were. I asked my dad and he said, “Oh Shelley, she had so many albums, but they were all lost when Hurricane Ivan took my brothers home. They lost everything.” I was devastated. I remembered all the work and love that went into those albums and suddenly that family history became so important to me.
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"I have been so blessed to see the enthusiasm and excitement of our ambassadors as they step up to host an event that is so near and dear to their hearts. They all have their stories. I have enjoyed getting to know them and hearing their stories. It makes me excited to think of what we can do next year to impact even more communities and more families."
This sent me on a quest to gather all of my family photos and get them organized and preserved. I hosted my first SYPD event in 2014 and a few in 2015. When 2016 rolled around, I thought about how fantastic it would be to share this vision with our Forever Ambassadors and empower them to share their stories and set up their events. We all share the same passion for helping others to preserve their photos and stories. And this would be an excellent way to share our mission with others. I hosted three SYPD training sessions for our Forever Ambassadors. Each session had a different focus. I had more than 100 Ambassadors sign up to take the training. I also formed a Facebook group specific to this training. This was a great place for people to ask questions and share ideas. Using Facebook solidified the team. They began sharing with each other. They posted their SYPD invitations that they made in Forever Artisan and freely welcomed others to use them as a template. Each of the three training sessions included a list of homework that they could always reference in the Facebook group and it was to be completed by the next meeting. During Session #1, I gave them an overview of SYPD. I shared with them Cathi Nelson’s vision and how it all began. I showed them all around the Save Your Photos website. I told them how fortunate they were to have so many tools right at their fingertips in the Event Kit. All of the hard work has been done for them and resources were created by some of the most experienced and successful APPO members. I encouraged them to take the pledge and to begin sharing it with others. I described several event types and asked them to start thinking about what they wanted their event to look like. We talked about the possibility of scanning photos at the event, working with a partner and looking for volunteers to assist them at their events Their homework for this session was to plan their event, set the date, location and then register it on the site before our next meeting. In Session #2, we focused on marketing their events. We talked about listing their event goals and creating a timeline, so they knew what to expect during the event. For those 12 inFOCUS SUMMER 2016
scanning photos at their event, I explained a good workflow that included Forever. I showed them how they could scan and upload to a free Forever Intro Account, then have the guest download the phone app and see the scanned photos on their phones. I explained that at my event at Forever LIVE I would be scanning the public’s photos into free Forever Intro accounts. I would then invite the guests to sit down at the computer and create a photo project right in their free account with the photos that we just scanned. In my experience, scanning 25 photos is a nice amount. They are scanned quickly and then there is time left for the guest to add the metadata right into the picture. They can tell the story of the photo in the description. They can add tags and date the photos as well. When the guest leaves, they have had a valuable experience. They have had their photos scanned for free; they now have access to them on their phone or from any device. They can easily and privately share them with their family, and they have the option to create a photo gift personally using their precious family photos. The third session of training was all about the presentation and event follow-up. I spent some time talking about the fact that this is a free event open to the public. I clarified that this was not a Forever sales event, but they should be very open about the fact that they are Forever Ambassadors. Forever has tied in very nicely to all the events that I have hosted in the past, and the free account is a real added value for the guests. I created a presentation that I would use if I were hosting a SYPD event and giving a presentation. I took the slides from the SYPD site and then added a few more that highlight the truth of cloud storage. I talked about some terms of service comparisons and introduced them to Forever’s Permanent Cloud Storage. I also explained how Forever’s Media Conversion services worked and the benefit of only having to digitize once since Forever will migrate all the content to new file formats over time. I also explained some of the other advantages of this digital age that we live in. Many people don’t understand the cloud and this is a perfect place to give them a good explanation of how it works.
To date, Ambassadors who have participated in this SYPD training have scheduled more than 50 events around the world. Events are being held in the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Events will be held in libraries, community centers, historical societies, coffee shops, conference rooms, churches, museums and people’s homes. It is exciting to see that almost every day in September has a SYPD event. I am looking forward to hearing many success stories throughout the month of September!
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Rick Lippert, E-Z Photo Scan THIS YEAR MARKS the 3rd annual observance of a particular time designated to bring awareness about the importance of saving our treasured photos. Spearheaded by APPO, individuals, groups and organizations are gearing up for events celebrating Save Your Photos Month 2016, which runs from September 1-30. Events are already scheduled in four countries, featuring an army of volunteers ready to donate thousands of hours to the cause. Each activity will include volunteers, non-profits, industry
associations and companies brought together to offer photo educational events. Some events will also be providing scanning of pictures. This year, Central Florida is playing host to a unique Save Your Photos event planned by partners of the area’s APPO Neighborhood meeting. “These meetings were created to foster learning, education, and build camaraderie among APPO members from the same local communities” explains Diana Uricchio, APPO Neighborhood Meeting Volunteer
Coordinator and owner of OXO Digital Organizing based in Orlando. “Deciding to bring together our collective expertise to adopt a community Save Your Photos event just seemed a natural extension of our group’s purpose,” Uricchio continued. The Save Your Photos event being planned by this group is somewhat innovative as they prepare to engage an entire town, the City of Apopka, in bringing awareness to the importance of saving personal treasured photos.
“Save Your Photo Day is a great opportunity for our community to encourage everyone to get started in preserving their photos, slides, and precious documents."
The City of Apopka’s roots were as an Indian settlement and once referred to as ‘The Indoor Foliage Capital of the World’. Today, the Apopka area has grown into a community of nearly 50,000 residents. It offers a blend of natural beauty, historical pride, and deep-set family values, located on the outskirts of metropolitan Orlando. The group initially relied upon the fact each member had already held outreach events about saving photos and organizing them. So, it wasn’t too hard to take that experience and direct it towards an association formed years earlier by APPO member, Rick Lippert, owner of E-Z Photo Scan. “While attending the first Central Florida APPO Neighborhood meeting
this Spring, we were all sharing thoughts about the upcoming Save Your Photos Month,” recalls Lippert. “Diana and I had already collaborated in prior years to host a few Save Your Photos events in libraries throughout Orlando, and as we went around the table kicking about ideas the vision to do something bigger kind of grew out of that.” According to Lippert, in 2013, his company connected with the Apopka Historical Society and Museum of the Apopkans to promote a digital preservation program. As a show of its support, E-Z Photo Scan provided the Museum of the Apopkans a gift of professional Kodak Picture Saver Scanning equipment to share with
the Apopka community. The museum has been offering free photo scanning to patrons since that time. A meeting with the Apopka Historical Society and Museum of the Apopkans board of directors was held in late May. The idea of the museum and APPO members teaming up to create an event celebrating Save Your Photos Month and inviting the entire town to participate was pitched. The board overwhelming approved it and extended their full support. As an official part of the City of Apopka, they agreed to provide their venue to host a special Save Your Photos event and serve as a liaison between both the city and businesses supporting the museum. inFOCUS SUMMER 2016 15
The summer APPO Neighborhood meeting was held at the museum a month later. APPO members Barbara Greenwood, Karen Metrin, Diana Uricchio, and Rick Lippert met members of the Apopka Historical Society. They formulated a plan to reach out to the community’s businesses with counter cards and window banners to promote the importance of taking the ‘Save Your Photos Pledge’ and promoting a special event on September 24, 2016, from 10 AM - 2 PM to be held at the museum. During that meeting, Metrin, Greenwood, and Uricchio offered compelling stories to the Apopka Historical Society members of how it is possible for anyone to turn the vision of saving their photos into a reality. They also offered to seek out and work with the museum to digitize historical documents and photos that are part of private collections, where the owner is willing to donate a digital copy to the museum. E-Z Photo Scan offered to provide free photo and 35mm slide scanning services for anyone bringing items to scan at the event. At the end of the meeting, Larry Leudenburg, Vice President, Apopka Historical Society proclaimed, “Save Your Photo Day is a great opportunity for our community to encourage everyone to get started in preserving their photos, slides, and precious documents. I anticipate this as an ongoing project for the Historical Society & Museum and an opportunity to hopefully glean some old pictures of Apopka, early settlers, and activities in Northwest Orange County.” 16 inFOCUS SUMMER 2016
Here is a list the Apopka Historical Society and Museum of the Apopkans and Central Florida APPO Neighborhood group have already started on together for Save Your Photos Month 2016: 1. Design and distribution of SYP ‘Take-the-Pledge’ counter cards & window banners to businesses throughout the City of Apopka 2. Connect with Apopka High School to encourage involvement through student volunteers and alumni outreach 3. Promote the event socially with the assistance of the supporting businesses, Central FL APPO members, museum, and local community newspaper 4. Docent conducted tours of museum 5. Solicit images with City of Apopka historical significance currently in the hands of private collectors for scanning and digital image donation to the museum 6. Host ‘Ask-the-Organizer’ educational programs; How to Start, Organizing Digital Photos, Scanning My Collection, Where to Store My Digital Photos, and How to Preserve Physical Photos and Treasured Documents in My Collection 7. Offer ‘About Your Community’ educational program; History of the City of Apopka, What’s in the Museum?, and Things You May Have Never Known about Apopka The group intends upon using all of the SYP support materials provided by APPO. It is currently in the final stages of creating a few custom designed items, as well. They will be extending an invitation to Apopka’s mayor and other city officials to participate in a special ‘Save Your Photos Ribbon Cutting Ceremony’ planned at the start of the September 24th event. Also, they are still awaiting confirmation from several other community businesses, and museum supporters approached to take part in the activities.
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IN THE SPOTLIGHT
| Features
TOUCHING LIVES The psychological impact photo organizers have on their clients
BY LISA KURTZ
AS PHOTO ORGANIZERS, I think we can all agree about the obvious tangible benefits that we offer clients when we help them gain control over their photo chaos. The ability to find any photo, anytime, sharing photos with family and friends quickly and the comfort and security of knowing their memory collection is backed up and archived, are all wonderful benefits. But have you considered the emotional impact you have on your client’s well-being? I was reminded of the emotional value you offer after reading two great client stories that underscore the meaningful work you all do every day. Caroline Guntur shares an incredible story about her client Ann, who was carrying a paralyzing emotional burden about her technology discomfort that was impacting her ability to take action. Caroline didn’t just ‘organize her photos’, she empowered her and built her confidence. Judy Schuette, on the other hand, shares a compelling story of love and loss and her client’s effort to move past her grief during the organizing process. Both of these stories represent the real value you offer people, and I encourage you to remind yourself every day, that the work you do matters. It’s meaningful, emotionally rewarding work that empowers individuals in a positive way. Read on and enjoy! inFOCUS SUMMER 2016 19
Features |
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Transformative Teaching BY CAROLINE GUNTUR
After a recent blog post on why your photos are disorganized, the feedback I heard was that the biggest hurdle standing in your way of digital organizing bliss is the ever-changing field of technology. While this is an area that I absolutely LOVE, I can understand why you might not. It can be confusing to have too many options, too many devices and apps to choose from, and there’s always something new to learn. Right? That’s why I want to introduce you to my client, Ann! CAROLINE GUNTUR is a Certified Photo Organizer and Personal Historian, specializing in digital organizing and family history. She is the CEO of The Swedish Organizer, LLC, a company that provides customized photo & media solutions to clients all over the world. Caroline is Professional Member of NAPO, APPO, the Association of Personal Historians, and the Association of Professional Genealogists. A native of Ystad, Sweden, Caroline has a Bachelor’s Degree in Visual Communications from Hawaii Pacific University, and a Masters Degree in Media Management from Columbia College. She currently divides her time between the United States and Sweden.
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Ann is an active senior and a former teacher who now spends her time as a consultant in English education for school districts and universities in the state of Connecticut. Before we started working together, Ann felt very insecure about her computer skills and she had a real fear of technology. She hadn’t quite gotten the hang of it all and she didn’t know where to start. Ann revealed that she cried because she felt stupid. And she’s far from that. She’s a bright, educated, sophisticated woman who has worked in education for over 20 years, earning both national and local awards for her outstanding work. I remember thinking to myself: How can a woman this accomplished feel like that? It can’t be. But it was true. She was very intimidated at the thought of not understanding how the technology would work, and she laughingly told me that she might be a “hopeless case.” I never considered that for one minute because I know she’s far from it. When we first started working together, there were a few bumps in the road, sure, but nothing that couldn’t be fixed. Step-by-step, little by little, we got over her fears. Together. Now, just over a year later, she has started a family photo cloud archive, created photo books for her grandkids, joined the social media revolution and runs a thriving blog over at RealLearningCT.com (pay her a visit and say hi - it’s an amazingly wellresearched blog!). The woman who was once scared to break her computer is now sharing posts on Facebook regularly. She is designing digital photo books. She’s uploading, downloading, and airdropping photos at lightning speed. A whole new world has opened up for her, and I couldn’t be more proud as her coach. What started as fear has now morphed into a wonderful “fire away” attitude.
"Ann is living proof that not only is tech intimidation real, but it can be overcome..." She recently wrote this testimonial for me: “I know what a good teacher is because I have been supervising and evaluating teachers for 22 years. Effective teachers have a real understanding of who their students are, have clear goals for their developments as learners, and know how to help their students meet their goals. Caroline does all of that beautifully. Many people have a great understanding of technology, but few can teach what they know to others. Caroline has led me to become an active and effective participant in the twenty-first century. It has been transformative.” Amazing, right? And while I know that I’m a good teacher, I can’t take credit for her accomplishments because she did it, not me. I just pointed her in the right direction. Ann is living proof that not only is tech intimidation real, but it can be overcome, so if you have any of these fears, just know that the learning curve is not as steep as you may think - with the right teacher. I have no doubt that you can do it! inFOCUS SUMMER 2016 21
Features |
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
The Power of Photos Healing from grief through photo organizing
BY JUDY SCHUETTE
The importance of the work we do as Personal Photo Organizers is validated daily in my life. It warms my heart knowing that I make a difference in so many lives - whether it is a video montage, digital photo album, or a biography written by an older person to leave as their legacy. I feel blessed every day to have the privilege of being a Personal Photo Organizer.
Everyone has their way of dealing with grief – no one way is considered “right.” I currently have the pleasure of working on a long term project with my client, Lisa, a widow, who sadly over the past ten years has lost her mother-in-law, father-in-law, husband, and sister-in-law – all to cancer. Another sister-in-law (48 years old) is the sole survivor of this once very close, healthy, active, and happy family of five. They were not your average family. They were a family with many gifts and talents they shared with others. Their father was an Olympic-qualified athlete, engineer, and inventor, their mother was an artist and author, their son (Lisa’s husband) was an engineer and inventor, and their oldest daughter was an attorney. Lisa, a mother of four (also very gifted and talented) children, became a widow at the age of 45. After spending four years of being paralyzed by grief and overwhelmed with closing three estates – she finally sought help. With the help and skills of a Professional Organizer, Personal Assistant, and myself, Lisa has accomplished so many tasks that were once burdening her and preventing her from moving forward successfully with her life. Lisa has even found love for the second time in her life; I am hoping there will be a wedding album to make some time in the near future. For the past three years, approximately 30 cardboard boxes containing photos belonging to the deceased had been occupying valuable real estate in Lisa’s living room. Lisa hired me to help her select the “best of the best” photos and honor each member of her family (deceased, as well
as living) by telling their stories and featuring their lives in digital photo books that would include memorabilia and career accomplishments. During our first meeting, Lisa told me about the special lives of those who passed while I empathetically listened, created a timeline, and developed a plan for our project. Based on my business policy, this type of meeting was at “No Charge”. Lisa’s father-in-law was an amateur photographer who made multiple copies (not just duplicates) of his photos because his intent was to give them to others. This presented a challenge for us as we sorted through thousands of pictures. Was a particular photo a duplicate or a new one as it was months prior that we may have encountered it before. Due to Lisa’s busy schedule we are not able to meet often, but our goal was to have sorted through all of the photos by Thanksgiving. As Thanksgiving approached, it became apparent that there was no way we were going to meet our deadline at the pace we were going. As her Personal Photo Organizer, it is my role to keep her focused and on task to reach her desired deadline – and most importantly, that it is done delicately with respect and understanding of the grief she has experienced. I created a new plan that she could handle without becoming overwhelmed. We worked diligently and met for five-hour appointments twice a week rather than our typical two hours once a week. Successfully we met our goal and for the first time in three years, Lisa was able to host Thanksgiving without her living room being taken over by cardboard boxes full of photos.
"She expressed the new peace and joy she was experiencing at this stage of the project. She said that her heart felt lighter, and her future looked brighter, thanks to the work we have accomplished."
I received the most heartfelt thank you from Lisa after Thanksgiving which again confirmed the value of a Personal Photo Organizer. She expressed the new peace and joy she was experiencing at this stage of the project. She said that her heart felt lighter, and her future looked brighter, thanks to the work we have accomplished. She appreciated my patience and “dogged determination” to meet the Thanksgiving deadline which was a relief to me, as I was a bit concerned that possibly I pushed her too much to meet her deadline. Last March we began making the first of the eight individual digital photo albums that will honor Lisa’s mother-in-law and father-in-law so her children can cherish the memories of their grandparents forever. Her current goal is to have all eight albums completed by the time her third son graduates from high school in 2018, which helps illustrate the immensity of this particular project. Working on this photo project has been so rewarding for me, and it has been especially rewarding for Lisa. She has told me multiple times that our time together has been more helpful than grief therapy. It’s been such an honor for me to be her Personal Photo Organizer and to play a role in bringing joy and structure back to her life by fulfilling her quest to honor four beloved family members who passed much too early in life and left major holes in their family. Equally rewarding is the knowledge that these archival, digital photo albums will be valued and shared with generations to come. Again, it warms my heart knowing that I make a difference in people’s lives, I feel so blessed and honored to be a Personal Photo Organizer.
JUDY SCHUETTE, owner of Lifetime Photos and Organizing Places & Spaces LLC, believes photo memories are among our most valued possessions, but feels that most of us don’t have or make the time to preserve them. She is devoted to sharing her passion about the importance of hearing the stories associated with photos so future generations can learn about their heritage. She attributes her success as a Professional Organizer and Personal Photo Organizer to her prior experiences working in Corporate America in Human Resources, Training, and Marketing, along with her true passion for problem-solving, process improvement, and providing exceptional customer service. Judy is a current member of APPO and a past member of NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers) and the NAPO-MN chapter where she served on the Board of Directors for two terms.
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MARKETING
| Tips & Techniques
SELF-DISCOVERY SESSION
6 Questions to ask yourself before your next client assessment BY JANET BLUNT
Have you ever met with a prospect for a client assessment that seemed to go very well and then not heard from the person again? Or conducted the interview, got a yes, but ended up with a job that you wish you hadn’t taken on? We can’t always know for sure why someone doesn’t call us back or anticipate what projects or clients won’t work out like we had hoped; but I believe we can often trace things back to what was said, or not said, during the client assessment itself. The assessment is definitely one of those tools that is always evolving as we become more experienced in our profession as personal photo organizers. Recently, I was reminded that getting clear on strategic questions like “Who do I serve?” and “What makes me unique?” can actually inform the questions I ask and the information I share when speaking to a potential client. I have to confess that I hadn’t really considered the connection between the client assessment and my marketing strategy before, but the more I thought about it, the more it made perfect sense - and that’s what I’d like to share with you.
THE CLIENT ASSESSMENT
Let's start with an overview of how I define the client assessment in my business and where I see it fitting into the selling process. The client assessment is the formal “sales conversation” that we have with a potential client. They may have reached out to us by phone, e-mail, social media, or through our website and expressed a desire for more information about our services – either because they have a particular project in mind or because they are frustrated with their photos and looking for a solution to that problem. If it sounds like we may be able to help, we invite them to schedule a one-on-one conversation, either by phone, Skype, or in person, to discuss their needs in more detail and offer some recommendations. Providing an opportunity for a more in-depth conversation is especially important given the often-complex nature of the projects we encounter and the financial investment that is involved on the client’s part. I like to call this conversation a discovery session, as it is an exchange of information that will allow us to determine whether or not we are a good fit to work together. Contrary to what I may have believed in the past, my goal for this session isn’t to provide my prospect with a detailed outline of how we are going to approach the project, or a quote of exactly what it’s going to cost, although we will discuss pricing either as a starting point or in terms of our packages. My goal, believe it or not, is not even to close the sale with a “yes”. inFOCUS SUMMER 2016 25
When sitting down to speak with a prospective client, I have main two main objectives: • To assess whether or not this person is my "ideal" client and whether or not I am the right photo organizer to deliver the results she is looking for; • To build value into my services by differentiating myself and explaining what makes my particular approach to photo organizing unique and different from others who provide a similar service. (Of course, I want to meet these objectives while establishing trust and, as we’ll discover, this has a lot to do with my prospective client getting to know me and my being able to identify and address her needs and concerns.)
WHERE DO WE START?
There are six questions we need to clarify and they lead us right back to our marketing strategy. These questions aren’t new, but getting clear on the answers will impact our sales conversations and allow us to be more consistent with our brand messaging. They can also guide us when creating offers and packages to serve our client’s needs. The first question has to do with getting very clear on “who I serve” in my particular business. And the answer is going to look different for everyone.
1
Who is my ideal client? At this
point in our businesses, I’m sure that most of us have defined our target market, at least broad terms, but we may not be clear on exactly who that person is. I want you to think of your niche market as an individual rather than a market. That one person that your business is designed to serve. Can you picture her (or him)? How is she feeling in her life right now? Do you know what challenges she faces? Do you understand her buying habits? What values does she hold? Having a clear understanding of who your ideal client is and how your values line up with hers will help you to recognize and relate to her more effectively when she shows up at a client assessment.
2
What is my ideal client’s key problem that I can solve? Notice this question
is not only about getting clear on your ideal client’s needs – its also about clarifying whether or not you can meet those needs. Just because it has something to do with photos doesn’t necessarily mean we want to take it on. Can we do it profitably? Is it a service we offer regularly or plan to provide again? We all know there is a cost to taking on the wrong job or the wrong client and it can be measured in lost productivity and lost opportunity. Trust me on this one. I’ve done it more than once. Sometimes it’s just better
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to refer the job to someone else; but that can be difficult to do on the spot if you haven’t clarified in your own mind what services you can and can't provide.
3
What services do I love providing above all else that makes my work exceptional? Clarifying
this is so important if we want to be in business for the long term because it will help to ensure we enjoy what we do and have developed a reputation for providing exceptional work. Think about the work that makes you happy and concentrate on doing it.
4
What "end transformation" is my ideal client is looking for? This question is about getting clear on what your one person really wants. We’re talking about her “big desire” – the one that ties into her dreams and aspirations for her photos. It also has to do with identifying and understanding her pain points. In our line of work, its often tied to her desire to leave a legacy for her family and/ or ridding herself of the guilt she feels about the current state of her photos. Once you have identified her heart’s desire, define how you can facilitate this transformation better or differently than your competition.
5
What is my differentiating factor?
Now I want you to shift your focus away the client and put a spotlight on yourself. This question is about getting clear on who you are and what sets you apart from other businesses like yours. This includes your experience, your values, and who you are as a person. Remember that people do business with people they know, like, and trust. Being able to share a little about yourself, your experience, and what’s important to you can help build that trust with your prospective client. Getting clear on what makes you and your services unique will set you apart, make you more memorable, and allow you to compete on more than just price alone.
6
What expectations does my client hold around solving her problem or tackling the project at hand? This final question
pertains to the expectations that your prospective client may have about the project and getting started. What’s holding her back or getting in the way of moving forward? What are her fears and concerns? Seeking to understand her expectations will help you to address the barriers she may have to getting started. If you can anticipate her concerns, you can develop empowering solutions to meet her needs.
As I said earlier, if we can get clear on the answers to these questions, we stand a much better chance of conducting successful sales conversations and converting the right prospects into clients. The beauty of this exercise is that this clarity will also allow you to refine your brand messaging, so that you are attracting the right kind of client in the first place with a message and an offer that speaks directly to them. With our homework done, its time revisit our client assessment to see how it can be improved and refined. Take a look at the questions you are asking. Are they ones that will allow you to accurately assess the project at hand and determine whether or not you and this prospective client are a good fit? How will you dig deeper to understand her “big desire” for her photos? If you’ve done your research, you’ll be better prepared to identify whether or not you can solve her problem and deliver that end transformation she is looking for. Ask questions that allow you to understand her expectations around photo management and learn about her fears. If you’ve thought these things through ahead of time, you’ll be ready to address and overcome her concerns. As you listen for clues that indicate whether or not she is indeed your ideal client, remember to share what sets you apart and makes your business unique - your experience, your values, your unique approach. Use these details to build trust and differentiate yourself from the competition. By the end of the discovery session, you should be well-positioned to determine whether or not this prospect is indeed your ideal client and prepared to make the appropriate recommendations. I wish you every success as you begin the busy fall season!
JANET BLUNT is the owner of Photopeace, a digital media management and design compay dedicated to helping her clients embrace their important life stories. Her career in the photo-life industry began in the mid-nineties as a consultant and team leader with Creative Memories. She has worked with APPO as a training and marketing specialist, as well as a designer for some of their current marketing pieces, including inFocus, APPO's quarterly trade magazine. Janet is a Certified Photo Organizer, Home Movie Certified, and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from McGill University. She and her husband have been married for 26 years and have two sons and one beautiful daughter-in-law.
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THE STORY OF YOUR LIFE
Tips for bringing memoribilia back into your clients' lives BY ANDI WILLIS
PART OF THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE is to hold onto items that remind us of our journey through life. From concert tickets to adorable baby clothes to love notes, there is no end to the variety of memorabilia we keep as mementos of times gone by. It is so easy for us to become overwhelmed with the flotsam and jetsam of our lives that we usually just shove these items in a drawer. What good does keeping bins of old trip tickets, trinkets and baby clothes, if you never look at them or even know what you have? In all honesty, it does not do you any good. You need to be able to store your mementos safely in a way that you can access them quickly. Better yet, get that very special memorabilia out the box and back into your life. 28 inFOCUS SUMMER 2016
Figure Out What You Have
Do you have your lifetime of mementos tucked inside any drawer or cabinet that seemed handy at the time? What about in bins in the closet or the attic? Now is a great time to gather everything together so you can make a good inventory of what you are working with. Taking this walk down memory lane can be distracting. This would be an excellent time to ask a friend or even a professional organizer or photo organizer to help you with the process. They can listen to the stories but also help keep you on track. Divide your mementos into categories. For you, those groups could be similar items (concert tickets, playbills,
PRESERVING MEMORABILIA
| Tips & Techniques
commemorative teaspoons) or chronological groupings (high school, college, after marriage) or even event related (Europe Trip 2003, Great American Road Trip 2010). As you sort through these little pieces of your life, listen to your heart. If an item no longer inspires you or seems special, let it go. If an item evokes an adverse reaction, let it go. Your mementos should make you feel joy and fondness. At one point in your life, these things probably made you feel good, but we all change as we live and what was important back then may not be important now.
should. Decorating your home with the highlights of your life allows you to take that walk down memory lane every day. Pinterest is filled with ideas of how to get your memorabilia out in the open - shadow boxes, memory quilts, framed prints, display shelves, memory bears. Truly the options are endless. If you aren’t crafty, hire someone to create a display for you. Take photos of your favorite items and make a photo book that could sit on your coffee table for daily enjoyment. No matter what you do the key is to get your extra-special memorabilia back into your life.
Memorabilia Storage
Capture the Story
Many of my clients have school age children, and we frequently talk about having one container per child to collect schoolwork and artwork. But what I rarely see is an adult that has a way to contain their mementos. So I recommend that everyone has a keepsake box to hold those trinkets. The great thing about having a designated container (or display shelf) is that when you collect something new you know exactly where it will go when you get home. It also gives you a limited space for storing items. When it is full, go through it and pare down using the love it or let it go approach we just talked about. Within this container, you can have smaller containers for each one of your memorabilia categories. For adults, I like a beautiful box or basket, something that fits into the home’s decor. This box can then be out in the open where the contents can be enjoyed at any time. Personally, my mementos, including all the cards my husband sent to me in college, reside in a trunk that serves as a coffee table in my office. It’s so easy to pop open the top and reminisce.
Getting It Out in the Open
Some memorabilia like love letters from your husband are private and do not need a public audience. Other items are so special that you want to share them with the world and you
What it all boils down to is our memorabilia tells the story of our lives. What happens if the story gets lost when you are gone. Your loved ones will miss out on the best part of the items. It is not really about the stuff; it is about the story behind the stuff. For example, I have a set of five beautiful 1920s iridescent aperitif glasses that belonged to my great-grandmother. When my grandmother gave them to me, I asked her if one had broken because there was an odd number. She recounted that my great grandmother bought them for a dinner party, and they were very expensive. Because my great grandmother did not drink, she did not purchase one for herself, just for my great grandfather and their four guests. What a treasure to have that story to go along with the gorgeous glasses. I have written down the story and tucked it underneath the glasses in my china cabinet so others can know. So take a little time to capture the story of your memorabilia. When and where did you acquire it? What makes it so special? Who were you with? These are just a few questions you can answer to write the story of your mementos. Any day is a good day to take a stroll down memory lane and bring those memories back into the light of day!
ANDI WILLIS is a Certified Personal Photo Organizer, Home Organizing Expert, author, and video host. Passionate about helping people organize their homes and preserve their precious photos, Andi is the owner of Good Life Organizing.
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Tips & Techniques |
PROJECT ASSESSMENT
LESSONS LEARNED
Mistakes I made completing my first large scanning job so you don't have to By Teri Winfield
“Done, Done and Done!! Scanning project: 38 albums 4,876 pages 17,298 images 610 hours 3 EHDs Takeaways? Which workflows worked and which ones did not. Pricing needs a little work . . . How to create a shortcut in Photoshop. How to crop a single scan into individual images in Photoshop. And probably more when my brain chooses to engage again . . .”
I POSTED THIS in the APPO Facebook group, and judging from your responses, I successfully conveyed the monumental relief I experienced when this vast project was complete. Your responses also gave me an indication that I am not alone in my struggles to perfect client interaction, create a smooth workflow and establish pricing. With distance comes perspective. Now that some time has passed, my brain can engage to reflect on lessons learned. And that is what I would like to share with you.
HOW IT ALL STARTED I was approached by a client to scan and digitally preserve scrapbooks representing four decades of his family’s memories. Eager to please and secure a large project, my immediate response was, “Sure I can do that!” While not an inaccurate statement, it was a bit premature. My response should have been to ask the following questions: • How many scrapbooks do you have? • What size are the pages? 30 inFOCUS SUMMER 2016
• •
Is there a time constraint? Do individual photos need to be scanned/saved separately? • Let’s talk about resolution. What I would have learned from asking these specific questions: • How many albums are we talking about? 38 (Large, but doable) • What size are the pages? 11 x 17 (Yes, my Epson Expression 11000 XL can handle that – no need to scan and stitch!) • Is there a time constraint? No (Stress level decreases and fits my time availability) • Do individual photos need to be scanned/saved separately? Yes (Ah, time and software considerations!) • Let’s talk about resolution. 300 vs. 600 (Another time and storage factor.) With this knowledge in hand, I should have then said: “Great! May I borrow an album so I can give you a sample of the finished product and make sure we’re on the same page before I give you a quote for the project?”
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This approach would have given me an opportunity to ensure the client, and I were speaking the same language and for me to adequately evaluate time requirements to complete the project. Now for those lessons learned from my experience. I believe you will be able to relate these lessons to your client projects:
CLIENT INTERACTION Scope is critical. Make sure the scope is clearly defined and in writing. Initially, my client brought in four boxes containing 25 albums. I assumed - never, never assume – that this was the total project. After scanning the third box, I cheerfully updated my client with news that his project was almost complete. That’s when he brought in the final two boxes containing 13 more albums. Yikes! I could have avoided this by asking the right questions. Get specifics. Another initial miscommunication was the specifics about what needed scanning. We had a discussion after the first two albums were complete. That conversation revealed that my client wanted each photo on the page scanned individually as well as the entire page. Again, I responded too quickly with “No problem.” It was a problem. I did not fully appreciate how much time the extra scans would involve. (Here I must give myself a little credit. I did find out the album page size and the resolution requirements. The page size was thankfully not an issue. However, I did fail to include the higher resolution factor into my time estimate.) Fortunately for me, the time element was not an issue in this case. The client was not in a hurry. Put it in writing. Mind you, all of this communication was verbal. I had nothing in writing. While this did not impact this project, it very well could have. Communicate with your client regularly. Six hundred and ten hours is a long time. Periodic project updates keep the client informed, engaged and comfortable knowing that progress is being made.
WORKFLOW Know your software. The first software I used required a preview scan of the page to enable the marquee selection
function. I was then able to select the full page and each photo. I later learned that I could scan the full page in Photoshop and allow Photoshop to select the individual images automatically. That one simple change in workflow would have saved me 1.5 minutes per page or about 122 hours. That amounts to a 20% reduction in total time. Begin with the thickest albums first. It’s a psychological and rational strategic choice. It is much easier to stay the course when you know the most challenging elements of the project are behind you. At hour 523, you need all the encouragement you can muster!
PRICING Wait … wait… don’t pull the price gun trigger too soon. I speak from experience. I do have a price chart. It’s even on my website. So with a modicum of confidence, I quoted on the spot for full page scanning. I had the opportunity to increase the price when the scope changed from full page scanning to full page scanning plus the individual photos. I chose not to adjust my quote. While I didn’t work for free, I left cash on the table. As long as we are talking about the elusive pricing question, here are some things to keep in mind when pricing your projects. Your price should be: P – Profitable R – Reasonable I – Incremental C – Consistent E – Explainable Avoid quoting a price until you have all the information about the project. Always leave yourself some wiggle room. Overall, I choose to consider this project a win-win. My client’s memories are digitally preserved exactly the way he wished. I learned what to ask the next customer, to test my workflow and to be deliberate when quoting a price. I am now adequately prepared for the next large project, and hopefully, you are too!
TERI WINFIELD, a certified photo organizer and a charter member of APPO, has been working with photos professionally for over eight years. She began her love of photos as a child and continues to be the family photographer and historian. As the owner of Legacy Photo Services, she provides digital preservation of prints, slides and negatives, photo restoration, photo printing and mounting as well as printed photo organization. Additionally, her services include preservation custom picture framing through High Desert Art & Frame which she co-owns with her husband, Bob Winfield. http://www.legacyphotoservices.us/ inFOCUS SUMMER 2016 33
In Every Issue |
PHOTOGRAPHY
Our color world feels differently in black and white. Key word: Feels. 34 inFOCUS SUMMER 2016
Color Blind? Is black and white photography better than color? There are certainly strong arguments to support that position. by Nick Kelsh
IT’S NOT AS SILLY AS IT SOUNDS. This conversation was prompted by my seven-year-old son. He told me the other day that “too many of your photographs are in black and white, Dad.” I didn’t know quite how to take that. Was this a generational difference? Would he later grow to acquire a love of black and white the way his father with good taste did? Or was it a sign of the times? Are we now an all color world only to be seen in color? Am I just showing my age? Am I slowly turning into a dinosaur or am I already there? Perhaps the most overwhelming piece of practical evidence in favor of a yes would be that many of the greatest photographers who ever lived shot black and white almost exclusively. It’s difficult to ignore this. If you put together a photographic Mount Rushmore it’s possible that ALL of the finalists would be known for their black-and-white work. Names like Ansel Adams, Richard Avedon, Henri CartierBresson, Diane Arbus, Edward Weston, Robert Frank, W. Eugene Smith, Helmut Newton, Mary Ellen Mark, Andre Kertez, and Elliott Erwitt come to mind. (And this is a cursory list at best.) If you study the history of photography it would be fairly easy to assume that visionary photographers prefer black and white. Still, there’s an obvious reasonable question floating out there that’s not easy to answer when you’re making the case for black and white. If black and white is high and mighty than why are most of the great photography magazines in the world full of color photographs? inFOCUS SUMMER 2016 35
FOUR PHOTOGRAPHS FROM FOUR OF THE GREATEST EVER:Â Ansel Adams, Diane Arbus, Richard Avedon, Robert Frank. (from top left clockwise)
It’s true that occasionally National Geographic, for example, publishes a major story in black and white, but their marketing and poll numbers indicate that fewer viewers look at those photographs and many of them would rather see the pictures in color. (That does not stop the black and white loving editors of the magazine from ploughing ahead, however; they need to get it out of their system. They, like me, were raised on black and white.) Sales of newsstand magazines that normally run color covers take a dip when the editors decide to get a little artsy and use a black and white photo on the cover. 36 inFOCUS SUMMER 2016
There’s really no doubt that color grabs the eye faster than black and white. Most graphic designers would tell you that using a black and white photograph in an otherwise color photo layout is like wearing khaki pants and a blue blazer to the prom. It’s difficult for black and white to compete with color in the same arena; they do different things. (The same can be said of fine French cuisine and Popcicles.) When you are using black and white photographs you need to consider the context—the arena.
If you really want to show your viewers what something looks like then color is probably the way to go. On a practical level, color communicates more and better. There’s no getting around it. If you want to show your readers how something feels, however, then black and white just may be the way to go. So where does this leave you? Am I suggesting that you convert all your pictures to black and white? Certainly not. But I also think there is an overriding question that needs to be asked of every color photograph. Is the color in this photograph helping or distracting?
Just because there’s lots of luscious color in a photograph doesn’t mean it’s supporting the cause. Is the color in this case a help or a distraction?
inFOCUS SUMMER 2016 37
Studying the Classics Recognizing the story-within-the-story of your back-to-school photos PHOTOGRAPHY’S A LOT LIKE ALL OF THE ARTS. It’s often what’s below the surface that’s more interesting than the apparent and the obvious. Some of the little moments we pay almost no attention turn into our very best photographs. Funny how that works. (And how a story is told can be more compelling than what actually happened. It’s the telling of the story and not the story itself. Ask Mr. Shakespeare.) So that’s where you come in on the first day of school as 38 inFOCUS SUMMER 2016
BY NICK KELSH
the family photographer, the family storyteller, the family memory preserver. (Please don’t let me scare you away. This is the fun part.) Millions of kids start school in the next weeks. On the surface it’s really not all that significant; everybody does it. On the other hand, like all mundane moments in our seemingly mundane lives there are little stories within the story to be found and cherished like the gems they are.
This poignant image by Kerry Gibson is more than a simple and obvious “saying goodbye” photo. The fact that you can see both dad and mom in the reflections makes this a “our little girl is growing up” classic.
This is one of my all-time favorite Kelsh boy back-to-school photos—it’s Teddy meeting his teacher for the first time. But it’s that hand reluctantly holding on to the outside world that touches my heart so much. It’s a little tiny story within a story. Notice that picture is all about body language. inFOCUS SUMMER 2016 39
It may not scream back-to-school, but it’s a Kelsh family first day of school ritual that we all love.
But you need to keep your eyes open. They can easily slip by if you don’t pay attention. Even when you have a camera in your hands they can go unnoticed. Believe me, I know. The cure for this is step outside yourself and be an observer. Many of the best photographs ever taken are of totally unexpected, completely unpredictable moments within moments. You really need to be on your toes.
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At first glance, it’s just a quick snapshot in the kitchen, but it’s a backto-school photo of Jodi Bondy’s daughter as she returns to school—this time as the teacher. Teachers have first days of school, too. I love the heartfelt simplicity of this picture. It warms my heart every time I look at it.
One of my all-time favorites. Look at that face! Cherie Lawson’s daughter may being singing a different tune in years to come, but for now this picture says so much about how she feels about her older siblings who get to go to school and she’s stuck at home with mom.
Here are a few back-to-school stories-within-the-story examples: • • • • • • • • •
When your kid has to run back into the house because he forgot his lunch, that’s a picture. When your pre-schooler totally looses it because she can’t go to school with her big sister, that’s a picture. When your daughter can’t stop admiring herself in the mirror as models her new back-to-school wardrobe, it’s a picture. When your son’s packing his own first day of school lunch, that’s a picture. When your kids body language screams boredom as they’re waiting for that late bus, that’s a picture. When your granddaughter shakes hands for the first time with her new teacher, that’s a picture. When your grandson turns and waves goodbye at morning dropoff, that’s a picture. When your son high-fives his friends on the playground before school starts, that’s a picture When your fifth-grader holds your first-grader’s hand as they walk into school—without being told, that’s really a picture.
You get the idea. Are there any “stories with the story” that you’ve photographed on the first day of school? I’ll bet if we put our heads together we could come up with a great list of first day of school photos. We’d love to hear YOUR ideas.
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If mom and dad both have time to take the kids to school on that first day, the photo ops are going to be plentiful. That early morning sunshine really sets a mode, too. Photo by Meaghan Skelly Petrowsky
NICK KELSH is a nationally renowned photographer and the author of nine books, including the bestselling Naked Babies and Siblings. He has appeared numerours times on Oprah and The Today Show. Nick lives in Philadelphia with his wife, Anne, and is the father of three sons. For more information visit www.howtophotographyourlife.com
inFOCUS SUMMER 2016 43
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