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Co-Founders James Hodgins MPA

Robert Provencher MPA
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March 2010
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NoBs Members ROCKED WPPI this year with several members hanging in the WPPI Print Salon.  There were thousands of prints this year and it’s a real honor to receive an Accolades of Excellence and even more outstanding to place.  CONGRATULATIONS to all the members who participated in this years Print Competition.

This year we did not have a NoBs Booth at WPPI and instead I would walk around the tradeshow floor networking with other vendors and speakers.  WOW what I blast I had jumping from booth to booth getting the inside scoop of what’s new and hot in our photographic industry.  Let me be the first to tell you we have some amazing webinars coming up, and some awesome deals on fabulous products and software.    These will be for NoBs Members only, so if your not on the inside sorry to say you will lose out.   If you have never attended a WPPI I highly suggest you look into it.  Like I always say “If your a photographer, you should attend at least ONE WPPI”.

Here are some winning images from our members

M.Stevens

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Clem Kutzli
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Mike Long

Andy Armstrong

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Bob Bossinger

Our very own Calgal Julie Lowry took first place International Commercial Print for  the 8×10 competition.  This was announced at the Awards Banquet

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I had 2 Accolades of Excellence and this image took 3rd place for Commercial Industrial

Here are some “Off Duty” Images of Me and some NoBs Members hanging out in Vegas.

Mike Long and Hodgy goofing off

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Hodgy and Alison goofing off

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Mark Ridout being Mark Ridout

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Andy Armstrong working the Design House booth

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Mike and Hodgy with Rebecca from Animot

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Mike and Hodgy with Gerry Ghionis

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Mark Ridout working the Photodex booth

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Mike and Hodgy with Roy from Triplescoop Music

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A bunch of NoBs’ers

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Added by others

Mike, Tina, Shelley Harington and Hodgy

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Riff and the NoBs Stalker with Julie and Heather (Julie and Heather don’t remember this though)

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Hodgy

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Riff, Hodgy, and Mike Long on the Limo Ride back to the hotel.

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Another NoBs Gang

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Darwin Wigget’s blog and post of us in our underwear

No really. Darwin Wigget, photographer and educator extraordinaire, plugged our upcoming cross Canada tour on his blog and used one of our favorite images….Check it out on Darwin’s Photography blog

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Mercedes in the driveway

“We can have more than we’ve got because we can become more than we are.”
~Jim Rohn~
I was looking out my bedroom window the other day, after showering, getting ready, as I often do, gazing out over the rolling hills and trees, next to the golf course where I live and work out of my home studio. It’s a decent view.
Down below is the driveway and it extends to the side of our house. This is where our clients park. There was a client’s car, my wife no doubt had a sales appointment. It was a Mercedes.
I smiled a  bit. Thought about how so many of our clients have nice cars. Nice homes too, good professions and, well, loads of dough for the most part to spend on family portraits.
Some people have a problem with that, as if money were an evil force. I used to have a problem with it at one time, but that was more to do with my own lack of self-confidence and self-image.

In order to chase good money, one needs to at least consciously feel confident and at some level an equal. I made that transition in my life and, besides the fact that it was one of the most liberating experiences, it was something I wished I would have done sooner. Way sooner.
Wealth, prosperity and success are truly inside jobs. One must know it, live it, feel it inside and find inner strength.
If you have any form of anger, resentment, insecurities about money, you will be walking around with 50 pound weights around your ankles. Sluggish and slow.
How does one shake those excess weights that old us back financially?
One word: guts. It takes balls.
I was asked to join Rotary many years ago. I was definitely the proverbial fish out of water in that club, but joining could not have come at a better time in my life. It played a pivotal role, as a catalyst, to propel my sense of confidence and financial purpose in me.
You see, I was rubbing elbows with some big wigs. At one point, I would have been intimidated being there. Not so now.
Now, it clicked.
I was firm, confident. I had confidence enough to approach these people and pitch them my product. And to mingle with them. Not feeling high and mighty. That’s false. Just  a solid, calm sense of confidence. No one was better than me. No one deserved more than I. No one was elevated in my eyes, unless they proved to me otherwise.
I was not, as I might have been at some prior point in my life, baffled, scared and unsure. It clicked.
Likely through a series of self imposed forces in my life, the perfect storm, the ideal awareness, all brought together by my own experiences and learnings ( studying guys like Dan Kennedy, Tony Robbins, Paul Hawken, Michael Gerber… etc etc etc…)
Growing from a level that you are not happy with, that you are struggling with, takes guts and imagination. You must know where you want to go, even if on the outside circumstances say it isn’t so. Don’t get focused on why something isn’t working. Go towards where you want to go. Never, ever, ever, never using excuses or rational. I can’t stress that enough.
It’s scary to shake the dead weight that keeps us down. That’ the CHALLENGE! Take it. Otherwise, you’re staying down and forever doomed in financial mediocrity.
Any excuse. ANY!!! Is nothing more than an excuse. Your area. Your economy. Anything outside yourself, is nothing more than PASSING THE BUCK.
Denis Reggie said that he couldn’t even afford himself.
Think about that. He’s saying, if he needed a photographer, he, himself, couldn’t afford what he was asking.

Do you think when he first created these prices that he was confident and firm? I bet he wasn’t. He took the challenge, mustered up some balls, and did it. There’s a lesson in that, we could all learn…and grow.
Don’t stay stuck. Move your consciousness UP. Through your thoughts, willingness to NOT use excuses, and your actions! And your goals and imagination.
The sad truth is, many, maybe most folks are stuck and stay stuck. It’s a personal choice, but they find something to blame.
Stuck in jobs they hate, but feel powerless, forever making excuses and blaming others, but never themselves. The truth is, most people are awkward and uncomfortable with money, and they actually fear it.
They get just enough and stay at that level most of their lives. Some, or many, convert this situation into a self-righteous mission. Whatever makes them feel good.
When you grow, and welcome prosperity into your being, you actually become a better person.
You become more of who you are meant to become.

It’s never just about the money. Money isn’t everything. If you think that, then you are thinking small.
If you pursue money out of desperation, it will run away from you.

If you create money just for the money, you will not be successful. But you must be guilt free and open to it in order to succeed both financially and as an individual.
Get rid of the crap and get focused on what you want. I owe, I owe…what a crappy reason to go to work.

Here’s some of my favorite points and thoughts inspired by the teachings of Wallace D Wattles, the author of The Science of Getting Rich. A great  book, and it’s free..

*Rich isn’t being content with little
*Is being the best you can be
*Is it our environment? No, it’s doing things a certain way
*Balance: body, soul, intellect and loving others
*Extreme altruism is not better than extreme greed
*Keep your mind off poverty- forget the past

yours in photography,
Robert Provencher
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Is Scott Crosby normal?

Me thinks not. That’s why he’s such a dang good marketer of photography and all around super success!

 I mean who else would go to such extremes. ( I think he’s poking fun at or trying to outdo our dancing at the Inferno Workshop website).

By the way, Scott is presenting at the Inferno. You don’t want to miss this event!

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Another “Exposed” email

From Bryan…..

“Dear Mr. Provencher,

I just finished reading your book “Exposed” and all I can say is THANK
YOU! I thoroughly enjoyed it. Every page is packed with no nonsense,
thought provoking information. The only complaint I have is that the
book came to an end all too soon.

At the back of the book you mentioned your web site and a “special sign
in discount”. Please, tell me what I need to do and where do I sign
up! If your web site is half as good as your book, I can’t wait to get
started.

Thanks again for a great read!

Sincerely,
Bryan Friedrichs”

Thanks Bryan. In case anyone is curious as to where you find that book, it’s here.

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Email on How big should your studio be?

From Jimmy:

Hey Robert, I loved this email about starting your studios in the house living room etc. My only problem with that is that I live in a neighborhood that’s not all they great. I live in south central Los Angeles. I mean in my area is not all that bad but you do see thugs walking down my block and at night you do hear gun shots. I alsways hear to start a studio from home but it’s kind of hard when you live in a neighboorhood that’s not all that good. Any input? Thanks.

My reply:

Jimmy, you either have to give your clients a powerful enough reason to come and see you or move. It’s that simple…

Rob

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Quick and Easy Commercial Shoot

“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense.”
~Ralph Waldo Emerson~
I love doing contra deals. I’ve done many in my day, from daycare to dental, and many services in between.
Last week I was off to photograph the dental office where my wife and daughter go to for their regular dental visits.
I go to another dentist, one who had me shoot her wedding and her two children. All trade, except her wedding pics. (she was fresh out of dental school at the time).
I do however have displays in both offices.:)
Last week’s shoot was to create some new images for their new website. Some scene shots showing the place and  individuals of all the staff and crew. Easy enough.
I brought along some SB800’s, stands and diffusers for the SB’s.  The space was limiting and time was tight, so I had to move fast and get the light into tight places.
For the head shots, I used the 70-200mm at 2.8, fully cranked out to 200mm. I wanted that compressed, blurred background effect. Each subject had one SB 800 with diffuser as main light, and occasionally a back light.
Headshots:

For the generals scene shots, here’s the lay of the land:

Most of these images are about ISO 400, around 3.5 or 5.6. Handheld, 24-70 lens. SB900 on camera, set to lowest output, used as firing mechanism to trigger the two SB 800’s which were set to optical slave mode.
When we were in discussion about what to create from this session. I mentioned that I thought it would be a bad idea to show someone having their teeth worked on. Yuch! Why emphasize pain and discomfort? Or worse yet, showing needles and other tools of torture.
So, we kept the images interactive, showing kids and adults alike. All these images have the same essential lighting as shown above.
Cool? Fast and easy. Kill it and bill it in under two hours. Cost? $600.00, taken out in trade. Money we would have spent, assuming we want to care of out teeth.
Goodwill? Priceless.
Remember, most of these ladies are paying clients as well. Many of whom are solid, repeat high transaction clients.
And let’s not forget that display around the corner in their reception room. I created this about three years ago. It looks great! And is 60 inches wide:

yours in photography,
Robert Provencher
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How Big Should Your Studio Be?

How Big Should Your Studio Be?

“Each problem has hidden in it an opportunity so powerful that it literally dwarfs the problem. The greatest success stories were created by people who recognized a problem a turned it into an opportunity.”
~Joseph Sugarman~

Last Friday I was photographing the new president of our city’s university….
Sweet gig…..it’s destiny? The cover shot on our local full color lifestyle magazine….sweeter gig yet!
I got there two hours early. Yes, two hours.
I had been there the week before, scoping the place out. Looking for ideas. Planning and chatting with the staff. Maybe they’d have some cool thoughts too.
I only had 30 minutes to get the shot done and done right. After all, it was a cover shot.
In the hallway on the president’s floor, on the walls either side, leading up to his office, are many wall hangings. Beautiful, classic portraits of all the previous presidents.
I couldn’t help but think that the guy who I was about to shoot sort of seemed out of place. He was, after all, only 34. The youngest president this university ever saw. And he didn’t even have a PhD. Another first for this magnanimous dude.
Looking at the wall hangings in admiration, I couldn’t help but think back on the photographers who shot them. One local photog shot the majority of them, and the other, a few. Both shot in very classic, traditional portrait lighting. Dated, yes. But they looked amazing nevertheless.
I always appreciate a well light, well composed portrait. No matter the era.
Both photographers shot in classic, Rembrandt style lighting, old masters background, some poses showing the prez dude with pipe in hand, suit and tie. You know the look.
I also thought back on these two photogs, both having only retired not less than ten years ago.
Both, way back when, as I was starting out my photography career, I looked up to in awe and admiration. They were the gods of photography. At a level I could only hope and dream to achieve on day.
One commonality sticks out in my mind. You see, both these photographers were very successful. Very respected in the community. Both having lived a live, with their wives who were instrumental in helping them achieve and maintain long term success, that they could proudly look back on and smile and say they did it. All was good.
Isn’t that everyones goal?
To achieve a long term, successful, prosperous and creative life as a photography studio owner, and to enjoy the perks that go along with it?
Yes?
It’s what I want. And am living now. I reached that level that way back when thought was near impossible and only a fantasy.
Took me a while, and many struggles, as I’m certain it took them when they were starting out.
My first studio was an area off the hallway in a three bedroom apt. On the other side was the kitchen.  I had to watch what I cooked when I had a wedding or any session.
You all know Sam Puc, right? You may recall her first studio story. Can you guess where it was? In her master bedroom! Her, and her hubbie, slept in the nursery. Now that’s a supportive spouse! When she had  a larger grouping, she’d have to back up into the bathroom.
Are you getting my drift here?
Those two photographers who shot the  portraits of the past presidents of our university. Both, very successful. Both, for over thirty years worked out of what I would consider to be the smallest studios I’ve ever seen. Both, converted dining rooms in three bedroom bungalows.
Both with eight foot ceilings.
Get it?
You work it and it works. It’s like AA. It works if you work it.
Having a larger studio won’t guarantee you success. Having a mall location won’t either. Nor will owning the ‘right’ gear or equipment or being in the part of town or in the right city.
You see, success starts with you. And your vision. Many, many get side tracked by this basic idea.
Don’t get side tracked.
Focus on what YOU want, know what YOU want, and just go after it. With a vengeance. Don’t listen to what the detractors say. Even that voice in your head that causes you to second guess. Or, the entitlement mentality trap. Or, any excuse.
Know what you want, and you’ll get it. Even if it means starting out in your bedroom, or garage, or if you  convert your dining room into a studio and stay put for thirty odd years. Who cares! Just do it.
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Talent is overrated

I have no particular talent. I am merely inquisitive.”
~Albert Einstein~

Some photographers have the erroneous belief that talent, photographic talent, is an innate, programmed in their DNA, born-with skill set. A ‘gift’, so to speak.
Truth is, greatness, talent, creative works, and just about all success’s are learned behaviors. It doesn’t come from DNA but from practice and perseverance honed over decades.
Whether you believe in what I’m saying or not matters not. The good news is, you can grow your skills (talents) through perseverance, hard work and practice.
If you’re upset, threathened by what I’m saying and totally disagree, let’s duke it out. I wanna hear what you gotta say, ‘cuz I’m coming in all guns a blazing in total defense f what I’m saying here.
If anyone tries to discourage you and lead you into believing you must be born with ‘the gift’, don’t for  a second listen to any of that utter nonsense.
Photography is a learned skill set. Just like playing music. You get better with time and practice.
Unfortunately, many believe, because of the magical qualities inherent in photography, and the intrinsic ‘glamorousness’ in being called a  photographer, that photography is a sublime, mysterious, noble, rare and sacred gift from the gods. Bullshit.
This creates a load of confusion. To know better gives you an advantage. Let me explain.
I see many photogs and aspiring photogs showing up at events to listen to their fave photog speak. This is all fine and dandy, but if you have the wrong mindset, you won’t be maximizing the return on time and money invested when attending  photographic workshops and seminars.
Instead, you’ll be mesmerized and in awe. The bigger the name, you more the awe level. The big name marquis, celeb speaker will leave you with a sense of amazement, maybe a tad more.
Instead of grabbing and cultivating as many legit strategies and principles that you can borrow and roll into your own photography and photography business, you’ll swim into the egotistically driven experience. We tend to do this as humans and photographers, in my opinion, are extra vulnerable.
Sitting at the foot of the guru seems to be enough.
So, the alternative is, go for knowledge. Take notes. Grab ideas and make them your own. Grab inspirations that evolve in your in your mind, and when you get back to your studio, practice. Yes, practice. Too many just think about this, or worse yet, wait until their next paid gig to practice whatever ideas and inspirations visit upon them.
And then they flop. Why? Lack of practice.
I used to, and still do, harp on this over and over when speaking to large groups of photographers. We’re no different, not better than any other creative discipline.
When a symphony musician has to learn a piece, they don’t show up at rehearsal never having practiced any thing. They must study and practice until their fingers bleed. Or pay hell with maestro.
With musicians, it’s obvious. You don’t know the piece, it sounds like crap.
In photography, many people/clients/photogs lack judgement or discernment and believe what they see is a  great photograph. Until they see something better, and get educated. Therein lies the opportunity to show your clients something better and educate them on quality.
Many photographers, unfortunately, are prey to their own weakness’s and egos. And the bs shoveled by others. They think they have enough because the got some gear, and a great logo. Herein lies the opportunity for you to know this, and rise above the cacophony and noise of traveling with the ego circus.
Check it out:
******************************

How To Succeed

By Robert Provencher

Would you like to know how to succeed? It’s simple really, all you have to do is succeed. Really. Once you succeed you attract more success. It’s like magic and very powerful.

Ah, but how do you succeed in the first place you ask? How can you get success if you ain’t got none? Okay, that’s a fair question and it certainly sounds like a catch-22 doesn’t it.

In order to create success out of thin air you must start with a vision, an idea, a goal, a clear mental picture of what it is you see yourself succeeding at. It all starts with your ability to use your IMAGINATION. Einstein believed that IMAGINATION was the most powerful force in the universe. But, you have to use your own imagination first. Combined with desire.

You must convince yourself of this on an hourly, daily, weekly and monthly basis. Without this you are wandering aimlessly.

At your deepest unconscious level you have a success barometer. It tells you how well you will do. It’s like a ladder with only so many rungs on it. Everyone has their own unique barometer and we are limited by the possibilities this sets for us.

Why are so many people stuck earning $40,000.00 a year, year after year? It’s their internal success barometer. This barometer controls us and if we head for any opportunity or success it will pull us back, drags us down.

So how do we get over any limits our own barometers may have placed on our own destiny? By using our imaginations we can slowly increase the level of our own barometer. It takes work but it will have an effect and when opportunities come your way you will be able to take advantage of them instead of sabotaging them. You must imagine what it will be like to be in that place that you call success. A clear mental picture, remember?

Other ways to work your barometer is by doing the very things that scare you. Fear is paralyzing, if you let it. Or, it will hold within it the seeds of great opportunity for you. It serves no useful purpose other than killing your dreams, or telling you to not put your hand on a red hot stove. Now you don’t have to be logical about this, go after any fear. When you confront them you grow. It increases your inner barometer overall.

Seems simple doesn’t it? But we choose to stay stuck and let our fears hold us back.

What about talents? You may feel you lack certain skills or pre-dispositions. Or worse yet, you bought into the biggest lie, that you had be “born with” talent or skills. This I am happy to report to you this is one of the biggest lies ever uttered by pompous, never-well-meaning and arrogant misguided souls. It’s used by these poor, self-absorbed windbags to try and push you down and hold you back.

Don’t buy it for a second.

I will concede that people are born with certain pre-dispositions, such as body types that may be suitable for athletics and if you are born blind you may never take up career as a pilot, but these are the exceptions to the rule. And even so, many people have done incredible feats in spite of serious setbacks.

The idea that you are born a certain way is preposterous. It’s a load of crap who’s time has come to an end. You can do and be anything you want. If you want it. You get good at something by getting good. It’s that simple. It takes work. That’s why so many hang their hat on the “I-wasn’t-born-with-it excuse”.

They’re lazy.

Everybody wants to be rich or famous but few are willing to do whatever is necessary to get there. If you want to learn or enhance a new skill start it now, and learn it every day, day after day and you will get good.

And keep learning new things. It’s good for the brain. Keeps you young and vibrant. When you learn new things don’t give up because it seems hard at first. Every new skill, new passage has the same basic steps it must follow:

* unconscious incompetence, where you suck at it and you don’t even know you suck at it.
* conscious competence, where you suck at it but at least you know you suck at it.
* conscious competence, where you are good at it and you know it, you have to make conscious effort to maintain that level of being good at it, and finally…..
* unconscious competence, mastery, where you seem to have that natural talent. It just flows. This is where others will tell you you are born with it. Like as if it was that easy.

Another one of the great, often ignored success principles is that of total responsibility. Always take the position that everything that happens in your life is all your fault. I’m serious on this. This will keep you sharp and in the right mindset, never defaulting to blaming. So what, success seems to happen to others.

On the outside this may certainly seem so, but if we look deeper we will find years of struggle and effort. And always a vision. If you want to succeed you must have your own vision. If you offer up excuses you’re being a pessimistic, negative cry baby and nobody likes a cry baby.

If you see success in someone else ask them how they did it, and listen, I mean really listen. There’s gold in the answers. Likewise, never take advice from anyone who hasn’t been there. Let me finish with a few quotes that I have pasted by my desk. I think they are applicable to my message in this article:

“Most people waste their entire lives trying desperately to “get out of”
or avoid exactly what is required for success and happiness.”
Dan Kennedy

“You are what you think.”
?

“The mind is always sharpest when there is a hanging at dawn.”
?

“YCDBSOYA (you can’t do business sitting on your ass)”
Dan Kennedy

yours in photography,
Robert Provencher

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You don’t need a load of light to capture cool portraits and nicely light candid shots…..

“A real decision is measured by the fact that you’ve taken a new action. If there’s no action, you haven’t truly decided.”
~Tony Robbins~
You don’t need a load of light to capture cool portraits and nicely light candid shots…..
All you need is one, or two windows..here’s the brides home that I showed up a few weeks ago to start capturing the first phase of their cold, winter wedding…
Inside, while shooting the bride and her girls, I turned around and there was her dad, sitting in perfect light. I asked him to hold it while I moved in and grabbed a quick shot…..nothing posed, he had his hand up like that and the light streamed in for almost ideal short lighting….

Two images below, I used the other window light. It lights her, and her bridesmaid from behind, while my assistant picks it up and brings the light back into her face, creating nice specular catch lights in her eyes…. The light coming from behind her was on purpose, to add sculpting and form…

The same window light use in the shots above, but shooting from almost 90 degrees….

All the shots above taken using the same window light. I created some cool, relaxed, funky poses and angles, working with the chaise lounge in the living room.
Below, same light is working the whole room, great for candids, enhance by the small window, above the door, to the right….
Again, using the same window light for some detail shots, 100% back lighting the bouquets an the ring… (coolest bouquets I ever seen….)

yours in photography,
Robert Provencher

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