The Story Series–Three Photos and Three Stories Part 3

Yellowstone 2007

Without a doubt, the trip to Yellowstone in 2008 offered more than ever met the eyes. For it was a trip of a lifetime in which Dustin felt so much peace that only time would unpack. And it is a very similar peace that at the end of the season of Solid Rock Photography still envelopes Dustin with inspiration to go on from being known as Solid Rock Photography. Towards that end, Dustin shares the last and final story in “The Story Series–Three Photos and Three Stories.

A Wild and Free Landscape

Many a men have been drawn to the wild west throughout the years. Some for good and some for evil. Some for prosperity and some for prose. Some for a longing to connect to the land and others seeking to sue the land. Some to preserve the land and others to abuse the land. Others to hale its sanctuary and others to practice sacrilege. For Dustin, all of these things have come into play throughout the years of Solid Rock Photography. But in the end, Dustin is still drawn into the the wild blue yonder of the created world to help people realize that the natural world speaks forth the praises of God day in and day out. Night after night the stars shine bright declaring for all to see that God is still God and that God loves us with an ever lasting love that has no ends.  His love is just and requires payment but He took care of that payment through sending His son to this earth to pay the penalty of that sin. He gave us the gift much like He created the world in perfect peace.

Personal Reflections of the time at Yellowstone

I know, it is not seen as professional to write in first person but I wanted to take a few moments on this last blog to just reflect on the trip the summer I stopped at Yellowstone and use it as launching pad for what is to come. So if you will let me, I will meander my way around that summers trip. Feel free to come with if you so shall wish.

The trip through Yellowstone that summer was the culmination of a missions trip to Washington State to work with a Christian adventure organization that sought to help students grow in the walk with the Lord through using adventure related activities–backpacking, rafting, kayaking, rock climbing and more. Youth Dynamics was and still is doing just that. I highly recommend them if you are looking for an organization that is Christ centered and uses adventure education to build God’s Kingdom. I still have friends that work there so if you do check them out because of this, let mt know I sent you.

That summer was fantastic to see God at work in many ways. The trip home was no different. I took off from the Plain, Washington, to head to Spokane but not first without stopping at the Grand Coulee Dam on the Wenatchee River. From there, I took of across country to Spokane to catch up with a youth group leader who had brought his youth group to YD for several years in a row. While in route to Spokane, another photo op came along of Amber Waves of Grain It was a simple image of a wheat field but it struck a nerve of American Pride that to this day oozes form that image. To Spokane and beyond to Polson, Montana, to visit with a third cousin to whom this day I still keep in touch with. That in and of itself is story of a grade school pen pal turned into email and more today. From Polson, I took off for the great park of Yellowstone. For an adventure awaited my presence there.

I wrote about the whole of my time in Yellowstone in detail in my book, Relax, Reflect, and Rejuvenate, starting on page 76.

The fact is that when Dustin left Missoula that same day he entered Yellowstone–he had a destination in mind–the campground at Canyon Village. Therefore, the trip from Missoula was under a time crunch. What made it even harder was that Dustin recalls getting to the park at a great time to hit the west side of the park because the sun was still high enough but not so high that it would was out the color of most photographs. For instance, Dustin remembers hitting the park around 4pm. He entered the original entrance to the park when he was cleaning the sensor on his camera. Bad timing, because the lighting was just spectacular and Dustin decided after he to to Mammoth Hot Springs to disengage the cleaning process and to go back to the entrance and take more photographs. At that moment, Dustin felt like something special was taking place.

And indeed it was. Through text messages and more to my sister who was at her computer at work and could look up camping sites at Canyon Village, time raced on. I took off through the park stopping at only a few key locations knowing that I had to get to the east side of the park for my excursions were to begin there the following day.

Oh and I did. I got up the next morning invigorated to head to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone for dawn. Many have since scene the images that most typifies that morning. It is the cover of my book as well as the images to the right! I detail the story of this in my book and to summarize it is hard because there is so much emotion attached to it. As the water rushes over the falls to the basin below, so does life. The rocks, shaped by wind, water, and the shaking of the ground, stand tall and strong just like I had to in life to get to where I am at today. For I have been shaped by life’s rocks, winds and shakes. Yet down river their is hope of a better world through the presence of a rainbow. When I saw this and saw I finally captured it the way in which I had wanted to, I felt like a dream was unfolding before my very eyes. A peace that passes all understanding enveloped me and that is the feeling that propels me onward now at the end of the Solid Rock Photography days.

Now there is more to the story but you would have to read my book! Today only, if you wish to have my book you can–hard cover or soft cover 10100% off!. Shipping and tax are extra and you can only get that price by purchasing it through my Photo Shelter Personal Archive today! See details below!

One More Round of Specials from Solid Rock Photography TODAY ONLY!

For those who have really liked my work but think that my prices have been to high, here is your last chance today to get anything from Solid Rock Photography!

1. Solid Rock Photography on Photo Shelter–Our entire archive including our framed fine art gallery, book, limited edition prints and more for 50% Off. Just use coupon code 50% at check out to get that discount. There is no minimum fee either so now is your chance if you want to get something at the last minute. 50% off everything! 
2. Fine Art America Profile–50% off as well by using coupon code SBUKVT. And again, it is on anything on our FAA store front! Cards, canvases, and acrylic frameless  prints.TODAY ONLY! 50% OFF

Limited Time Promotions Good through Midnight 12-31-11

1. Spectacular Pleasure on the Mississippi River Canvas Print 11×14 Canvas Print 10 such prints to go at only $60.
2. Talyor’s Falls as an 8×10 fine art canvas. Only $55.
3. The Fence Through the Valley. 20×24 Fine Art Canvas for only $205.

Artwork Sponsored Pages on Fine Art America!

Here you go! Shop any of these pages to find our work and other members of Fine Art America who have similar work. We added three news one today which are the first three in this list!

• River Photos
• Minnesota Framed Prints
• Landscape Framed Prints
• MN DNR Art
• Minnesota Art
• Flowers Canvas Prints
• Nature Framed Prints
• Landscape Greeting Cards
• Kilen Woods State Park Framed Prints
• Scenic Posters
• Orchid Greeting Cards
• Flowers Framed Prints
• Washington Canvas Prints
• Mississippi River Photos
• Mt. Rainier Photos
• Minnesota Greeting Cards
• Water Greeting Cards
• Scenic Framed Prints Custom
• Minnesota Photos
• Landscapes Acrylic Prints
• Nature Posters
• Landscapes Framed Prints
• Floral Canvas Prints
• Mountains Photos
• Yellowstone Framed 

There You Have It

For life as Solid Rock Photography is just about over. There are new adventure ahead including travel dating and more. But none of those things will be done without a camera in hand. Not constantly but not far away and to be used for the fun of it rather then the marketability of such marvelous works of fine art. If that does not speak to you maybe the words I end my book will. And if you wish to follow on to where I go and what I do, follow me on facebook through my personal page!

Perhaps one day the dream of having an outdoor program in the Upper Midwest that operates in part like the program he was with in the summer of 2007 will come true. In the mean time, Dustin hopes to inspires students of all ages to reach for the stars, dream big dreams fight the good fight and keep the faith, press on for the day of salvation is here, let go and give it all to God, or to be all they are created to be rather then live a life of mediocrity! Why settle for anything less then the life God has said He came to give you? Why let the thief steal way your life?

While you have read through Dustin’s story, perhaps it has sparked something in you to consider about your own story. Why is your story? “No reader, it is your turn to write–venture forth with God Remember, don’t ask yourself what the world needs… John Eldredge Wild at Heart , 220)

The Story Series–Three Photos and Three Stories Part 2

Taylor’s Falls–a trip away from the Twin Cities

There is one things for sure in Dustin’s world–he likes to travel and see different things experience unique an varied landscapes, see how different people interact with the varied landscapes and so forth. For some, a mountain is a thing to conquer. Others, it is something to respect out of fear of what it can and does do For others, it is just something to enjoy viewing and let be. For even others, it is wildlife habitat that in order to know hos sustainable it is or how valuable it is as a natural resources means it must be explored although with the Leave No Trace ethics that anyone was ever here. For Dustin, he is a mix of all of those ideas but leans more on the viewing and sustainable aspects to the varied topographical places he has been wither by himself or with a group of friends. It was will a friend that Dustin took off to Taylor’s Falls as an escape from the Twin Cities!

A Needed Escape

His friend, who at that time was in school to become a chiropractor, and Dustin really wanted to get away from the hustle and bustle of life in the big city. So, they planned a day away to go up to Taylor’s Falls to go hiking and just look around. They took of fairly early to get up there so that they would not invoke much traffic. But it was a nice summer day and as always in the Lake Country of Minnesota, there was still traffic. That was back in that day though then was road construction going on in that area to help support the shear volume of tourist traffic the area did indeed get. None the less, they got there and took off hiking from Interstate State Park in both directions from the park. They went up into the bluffs as well as down to the area of the Glacial Potholes–a landscape really only found here in Minnesota.Make sure and watch the video on the walking tour you can take! Click here to view it! 

Of course, two single guys at the time, talked about most everything and then some. And like most guys, bonded while doing something together rather then just sitting around and talking from schooling to work to women and to everything in between. The photo was taken along the walking path up from the Glacial Pot Holes and definitely shows the rocky shoreline that has attacked many a tourists over the years on the National Scenic River the St. Croix! Dustin encourages you to get out and take a look around not only that area of the St. Croix but also the other parts! For it is a rather long river that if you had the chance to canoe or kayak it with someone it would be great. At least that is what Dustin thinks.

There You Have It

As most of the readers of Dustin’s blog know, he tries valiantly to come up with some profound thought at the end of each blog entry. For this one, he came up with…

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. ² Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.  God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.  Genesis 1:1-2, 31

All the earth speaks forth the glory of the Lord day in and day out. It groans under the travail of sin just like we do as we are part of the creation of a God that so loves us that He sent His Only Son into this world not to condemn us but to ransom us from that dreaded three letter word that we try to verbosely cover up by calling it all sorts of things…Sin. The story of Easter and the story of Christmas would not be complete without one or the other.

Take time to see Christ in Christmas and in the wonderful world around us! Until Part Three–a redemptive Christmas Story.

Limited Time Promotions Part Two and Part Three!

Dustin wants to remind you of some wonderful sales you can partake of if you are at all moved to do so. It is a great opportunity to take advantage of unheard of prices on his art to get an image that perhaps speaks to you like no other piece may do. Without any more to do, Dustin shares these with you.

These following images he said are set to expire, no no! Not that. Where are they going to go? They are set to expire he thought. For he had not finished his thought. The limited time promotion of the images are set to expire at the crack of 11:59pm on 12-25-11. His conscience was relieved knowing that the photos were not to expire.  So without too much of a story he unveiled the last three Limited Time Promotions!

1. Spectacular Pleasure on the Mississippi River Canvas Print 11×14 Canvas Print 10 such prints to go at only $60. Wow, he never thought while taking this photo it would be cheap to put into onto a fine art canvas image.
2. Talyor’s Falls as an 8×10 fine art canvas. “The trip from the Twin Cities to take this picture does not seem like it should be that small though,” thought Dustin. Yet he decided to give them away prim near at only $55. When the ten images are gone they are gone for good at that price he said!
3. The Fence Through the Valley. Awe yes, the trip through Yellowstone and beyond was a trip of a lifetime. For it was there that the idea of doing photography and trying to sell it commercially came into a much clearer focus. For it was a blast to be traveling around, seeing the park, doing his own thing and then… The bison came… and the geyser blow and… mountains roared… Oh that’s right, this is not the story time yet. 20×24 Fine Art Stretched Canvas for only $105. 10 Such ones remaining he said.

Online Portfolio Discounts

Dustin said to remind you that he has some wonderful discounts going on right now that mean great saving to you and allow to relax, reflect, and rejuvenate. Once these sales are over, they will not be back he said. So get them now while you can for when they are over, they are over.

1. Fine Art America Store! You can save 35% off of any art purchased of his through there by using Coupon Code SBUKVT at check out!
2. Photo Shelter Personal Archive, get 40% off on anything  Make sure and use Coupon Code 40%GOBS! It is already too late to get anything on time for Christmas but birthdays happen year round. Perhaps a specialty item is in order that special someone to help invigorate that Red Hot Monogamy! Aluminum prints, Chromaluxe images, luster prints, silk paper prints, and more and at 40% off with the code!

Sponsored Art Pages

Oh yes, said Dustin, do not forget that he is trying to help spread the good tidings around to various Fine Art America Artists. For he has done that in many a ways as you can see below.

• MN DNR Art
• Minnesota Art
• Flowers Canvas Prints
• Nature Framed Prints
• Landscape Greeting Cards
• Kilen Woods State Park Framed Prints
• Scenic Posters
• Orchid Greeting Cards
• Flowers Framed Prints
• Washington Canvas Prints
• Mississippi River Photos
• Mt. Rainier Photos
• Minnesota Greeting Cards
• Water Greeting Cards
• Scenic Framed Prints Custom
• Minnesota Photos
• Landscapes Acrylic Prints
• Nature Posters
• Landscapes Framed Prints
• Floral Canvas Prints
• Mountains Photos
• Yellowstone Framed Prints

If you like these pages, please share them on Facebook or other social networks so that the group of artists on each page can bless even more. The artists would so love it if you would do that for them.

The Story Series–Three Photos and Three Stories Part 1

The Story Series Unfolds

Yesterday Dustin decided he would start a new series called The Story Series. Little did he realize how viral it would go in a few short hours. For it was a foreshadowing of things to come and now the time has come to share the first of three stories.

The Tale of Spectacular Pleasure on the Mississippi

It had been a l0ng work week and Dustin was longing to get out and do more of the photography style that he longed to do professional for some time to come. For now, he has not made a sustainable income at it so he went to work for a large photographic firm doing portraits. Something about doing that line of work though just makes Dustin really frustrated in the environment that he must operate within. No, it is not the physical environment of churches in which he works that he gets frustrated with. It is the time constraints. If is the production nature of the photography that drives against his natural grain. He is definitely at his core more of a natural, landscapes, adventure, photographer want to be then a portrait production artist. For now though, Dustin has been producing a sustainable income doing portraits and has risen in leadership roles as he could. But something in side of him after working a long week in La Cross, Wisconsin sent him down under the I 90 Bridge to the Upper Mississippi River Wildlife Refuge access where Spectacular Pleasure on the Mississippi River was had.

Why Spectacular?

At first, this was a food stop for Dustin. He had not eaten since early on in the day because there was not a chance to really take such throughout the day as clients kept coming and then at the end of the day it was pedal to the metal, so to speak, with tear down. Normally, that push at the end of the work and not eating really well takes its toll on Dustin. In tradition then, Dustin would normally try and get something to eat and then take it to this or another similar location. He would then feast and take some time to relax, reflect, and rejuvenate before the trip up the Great River Bluffs. This particular session though was unlike a number of others as the sun was beginning to set and the clouds, water, wind–all the elements–came together to offer Dustin a “Kiss From Heaven”

For those who have read his blog, you have heard that term a time or three. But for those of you who have heard that term yet, you ought to read a book and then do a journal on the book–especially the men out there who read this blog–Fathered by God by John Eldredge. For those women readers of his blog though, Dustin suggests reading Captivated by John and his wife Staci Eldredge, You women readers could at the time your husband is doing Fathered by God do the journal for Captivating! Who knows, it could be quite the captivating piece that turns your marriage into what another well known daily radio program spoke of a few months ago “Red Hot Monogamy!” Now if that does not have your attention, what will?

The kisses from heaven are those times when God does something really special to you that tells you of His Great Love for you! It is not something that will touch others in the same way as it did you. For each of us is different and God knows how to get our attention in special ways so that we can have the greatest romance on the books–the life that He has come to give and that we celebrate this time of the year. For Dustin, this time under the bridge was very real and touching. It helped him calm down and remember that all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purposes. It reminded him that while he longed to do more of the nature and fine art photography that calms the nerves, helps people contemplate life, brings them through a time of tragedy, anguish, fear, depression, or another deep valley, God was still blessing him with a paycheck, a roof over his head and much more. What was the more? Things? Thoughts? What was the more? 

So for the next half hour to an hour after getting to the site under the infamous I 90 Bridge, Dustin felt very deeply at peace. It was just about when he was to leave though, he called a fellow co-worker to share the moment in time with her. For he knew she would be driving home as well from some place in the western side of Minnesota. As they talked about their week and how it went, Dustin told her where he was and how she would love being there with her family as well. In a sense, he tried to rub it into her but it did not work. Instead then, he shared with her the photos and said thanks for chatting. He told her to stay away while she drove home and she said the same to him. For a few minutes after they talked, he stayed put a little longer to just pray and say thanks, Oh, Lord, for the week of steady income but more so for not being done with him. Dustin’s heart had been touched again to say that sometime he would become more of the photographer that God had in store for him. But when was and still is the question for Him! For him though, was the message of be patient–much like Herbert’s mother did while growing up. Herbert who you ask, the one on the Music Machine. Now if you know what that is it not only dates you because you maybe had it on a LP but it also maybe reinforces the values you were raised in. Perhaps it brings you back to the way you were raised in which you should not have departed.

After that reminder, Dustin headed up hill and to the plains once again. Every time he leaves the Great Mississippi River a certain part of him yearns to come back as there is just something about being in the River of Life that is like no other. There are great rivers around but none so like the River of Life that flows from the throne room of Heaven. Everyone once in a while, that Great River flows over a rock in such a way to give an individual just what they need to know they are loved, cared for, and cherished by God who at this time of year came as a lowly baby who grew up to be the Servant of All. To that end, Dustin headed west to the wild blue yonder that the Lord had in store for him. The adventure continues in Part Two of the Story Series-Three Photos and Three Stories.

Limited Time Promotions Part Two and Part Three!

Dustin wants to remind you of some wonderful sales you can partake of if you are at all moved to do so. It is a great opportunity to take advantage of unheard of prices on his art to get an image that perhaps speaks to you like no other piece may do. Without any more to do, Dustin shares these with you.

These following images he said are set to expire, no no! Not that. Where are they going to go? They are set to expire he thought. For he had not finished his thought. The limited time promotion of the images are set to expire at the crack of 11:59pm on 12-25-11. His conscience was relieved knowing that the photos were not to expire.  So without too much of a story he unveiled the last three Limited Time Promotions!

1. Spectacular Pleasure on the Mississippi River Canvas Print 11×14 Canvas Print 10 such prints to go at only $60. Wow, he never thought while taking this photo it would be cheap to put into onto a fine art canvas image.
2. Talyor’s Falls as an 8×10 fine art canvas. “The trip from the Twin Cities to take this picture does not seem like it should be that small though,” thought Dustin. Yet he decided to give them away prim near at only $55. When the ten images are gone they are gone for good at that price he said!
3. The Fence Through the Valley. Awe yes, the trip through Yellowstone and beyond was a trip of a lifetime. For it was there that the idea of doing photography and trying to sell it commercially came into a much clearer focus. For it was a blast to be traveling around, seeing the park, doing his own thing and then… The bison came… and the geyser blow and… mountains roared… Oh that’s right, this is not the story time yet. 20×24 Fine Art Stretched Canvas for only $105. 10 Such ones remaining he said.

Online Portfolio Discounts

Dustin said to remind you that he has some wonderful discounts going on right now that mean great saving to you and allow to relax, reflect, and rejuvenate. Once these sales are over, they will not be back he said. So get them now while you can for when they are over, they are over.

1. Fine Art America Store! You can save 35% off of any art purchased of his through there by using Coupon Code SBUKVT at check out!
2. Photo Shelter Personal Archive, get 40% off on anything  Make sure and use Coupon Code 40%GOBS! It is already too late to get anything on time for Christmas but birthdays happen year round. Perhaps a specialty item is in order that special someone to help invigorate that Red Hot Monogamy! Aluminum prints, Chromaluxe images, luster prints, silk paper prints, and more and at 40% off with the code!

Sponsored Art Pages

Oh yes, said Dustin, do not forget that he is trying to help spread the good tidings around to various Fine Art America Artists. For he has done that in many a ways as you can see below.

• MN DNR Art
• Minnesota Art
• Flowers Canvas Prints
• Nature Framed Prints
• Landscape Greeting Cards
• Kilen Woods State Park Framed Prints
• Scenic Posters
• Orchid Greeting Cards
• Flowers Framed Prints
• Washington Canvas Prints
• Mississippi River Photos
• Mt. Rainier Photos
• Minnesota Greeting Cards
• Water Greeting Cards
• Scenic Framed Prints Custom
• Minnesota Photos
• Landscapes Acrylic Prints
• Nature Posters
• Landscapes Framed Prints
• Floral Canvas Prints
• Mountains Photos
• Yellowstone Framed Prints

If you like these pages, please share them on Facebook or other social networks so that the group of artists on each page can bless even more. The artists would so love it if you would do that for them.

There You Have It

Traditional fashion arrives once again. And once again, Dustin turns to a friend and well known author and speaker! See if you can figure out who.

There is a path leading to authentic manhood, cut by men who have gone before us, sons following in the footsteps of their fathers, generation after generation. There are perils along (kisses from heaven)  the trail, even disasters–all the more reason to rely on the guidance of a Father who has gone before!

Until next time for part two of The Story Series–Three Photos and Three Stories.

The Story Series–Three Photos and Three Stories

There Once Was a Man Named Dustin

He was a traveling salesman who happened to work for a really large photographic firm. He spent most of his time either with a camera or a computer or three close by. Rarely did he leave any piece of equipment just sit for very long. He got to know the roads of Southeastern Minnesota really well in 2011 but before that, he traveled out west to Washington state a couple of times for work, out to Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario Canada, hiked the Grand Canyon and got to see other natural wonders when growing up. Dustin had a lot of road time on him and then one day he decided to give up on the photography side of things and do it for the fun of it–at least his nature and travel photography that is. 

As Dustin was preparing for this transition, he decided he would try some new marketing platforms in which to get the word out about his work. So within the last month of his photography business he did things like he had never done them before. He would write and write and dig into the leadership resources he had in which to become inspired to write about leadership within art organizations and other venues of life. He started sponsoring art pages on Fine Art America and putting limited time promotions together also through his Fine Art America store. Additionally he held an open house in which he tried to sell his inventory and achieved a limited amount of success. Success even in small amounts was good but not what he had all hoped for. So then he decided he had best offer huge discounts on his entire online portfolio of upwards of 40% by using a coupon code of 40%GOBS. What was he thinking to offer fine art at such unbelievable deals. a really nice fine art image of The Dream framed and behind UV protected glass for only $115.50 –a 16×24 all framed and looking really good. Man, he is just about giving it away now it seemed. And yet, no one was buying any of the framed art online or in his gallery. Well, he thought, at least I will have art on my walls yet. Something very positive in light of giving up on his photography.

And so it goes, it was three days before Christmas and Dustin’s Limited Time Promotions ran out.

“Oh no, what I do I do now to see if anyone is even remotely interested in getting fine art stretched canvas. Is there another way that this can be marketed other then putting them on Facebook which then goes out to Twitter and around the world it seems. With world wide web exposure, would it work?”

So, he sat down and decided to write something which was only a foreshadowing of things to come in which he would tell the the story of “Three Remaining Limited Time Promotions.”

Story #1…

Dustin decided it would not be proper to starting writing the stories though at 7:12 at night. It would be better to write them in the morning when his mind was fresh with a creative vibe. But then he remember he must get up on time in order to write the stories. To which he thought, “I should really get to bed on time in order to write  a story before going to the Twin Cities to pick up the framing projects that have been ordered and get the truckload of Museum Glass for investments into the future.” He battled in his mind like a bulldog as to what to possibly due with this dilemma! Stay up and work or go to bed and rise early before the crack of dawn. What won out, you ask? You will have to wait for the answer to that one until…

Limited Time Promotions

These following images he said are set to expire, no no! Not that. Where are they going to go? They are set to expire he thought. For he had not finished his thought. The limited time promotion of the images are set to expire at the crack of 11:59pm on 12-25-11. His conscience was relieved knowing that the photos were not to expire.  So without too much of a story he unveiled the last three Limited Time Promotions!

1. Spectacular Pleasure on the Mississippi River Canvas Print 11×14 Canvas Print 10 such prints to go at only $60. Wow, he never thought while taking this photo it would be cheap to put into onto a fine art canvas image.
2. Talyor’s Falls as an 8×10 fine art canvas. “The trip from the Twin Cities to take this picture does not seem like it should be that small though,” thought Dustin. Yet he decided to give them away prim near at only $55. When the ten images are gone they are gone for good at that price he said!
3. The Fence Through the Valley. Awe yes, the trip through Yellowstone and beyond was a trip of a lifetime. For it was there that the idea of doing photography and trying to sell it commercially came into a much clearer focus. For it was a blast to be traveling around, seeing the park, doing his own thing and then… The bison came… and the geyser blow and… mountains roared… Oh that’s right, this is not the story time yet. 20×24 Fine Art Stretched Canvas for only $105. 10 Such ones remaining he said.

There You Have it

In what has now been a traditional pattern for the last week and a half or so in Dustin’s life, he wrote a blog to try and provoke people to a thought process that runs deep within his soul. He normally ended his blog with some profound thought but at that time he wrote this, his thoughts were not so profound. And so he turned to a trusted friend and artist Renee Phillips.

It begins with you–as an artist–you are endowed with success. You have the power to create something, that before you imagined it did not exist. You are capable of bringing inner vision to out form… you posses a unique power to elicit a response, alter persons consciousness and have a major impact on those who see your work.

Getting the Credit–A Timeless Principle of Leadership

Take the Credit

It seems just a few hours ago that I wrote here and told you I didn’t have much more to share with you. This morning has been a slow start to figuring out what to write. I checked my stats to no big enlightenment there other then many views of my work in the last month. I have had over 2000 views of my work this month and a 33% bounce rate for you computer techies out there. Yet I have not had only but one sale online this month. In all my media efforts, I hope for more sales though exposure is great but it just does not pay the bills. With Solid Rock Photography, I am the only one to do the work. And therefore if it falls apart, I have no one to blame. If it succeeds, I have no other human to give credit to. Then why does the statement in Chapter Two of Good to Great stick so much in my mind?

Jim Collins, author and research who wrote Good to Great, starts out chapter two–Level 5 Leadership, with the following quote.

You can accomplish anything in life as long as you do not care who gets the credit.–Harry S. Truman

Jim than goes on to tell the Kimberly Clark story I told you about yesterday. I followed that with the selling of my mill per say with Solid Rock Photography. I told you how I have been working on the online profiles of the Austin Area Art Center, MNArtists.org and Fine Art America. I then went onto to talk about Principles of Leadership that would help any organization let alone an art center. And now the quote comes back to my mind after hearing it on the audio book. Oh no, some may say why are you listening to anything. To those I say I got inspiration to write from it so bare with me for a moment.

The picture to the left was taken by me while I was in the front of the canoe paddling the St. Croix with my great friend, Thom. I will never forget that trip with Thom as it was a one of a kind trip. One of the first things that Thom said when we hit the water was that he would steer us so that I could get the photos I wanted. That was truly cool of my friend Thom to say. Now granted, he is a raft guide at times as well. Now he is back in Washington state doing snowmobile trips for clients of a resort. So for me to say I took the picture is correct but I cannot take all of the credit for the on river photos I took. It just is not true. Thanks, Thom, for getting us down river where so nicely on that trip! I am praying for you, my brother while you are in Washington State these winter months.

Morning Credit Reflections

This morning I opened up my Fathered by God Journal and was thankful for what I was to answer as it all makes sense looking back on it. I am on page 106 in the journal and the heading on the page is On Behalf of Others. The bible verse that John and Craig put in under this heading is Proverbs 29:2.

When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people grown.

From there, the authors go on to describe a scene from The Kingdom of Heaven,–Balian’s initiation. After that scene, Balian heads out to Jerusalem where he is sent out from to be the King over his father’s estate–a small farm settlement centered around a castle. It was rather run down and was not doing well without a king. Balian, with his group of men that were sent with him from Jerusalem start digging for wells and building channels for the water to go through the estate. Later on, a dignified lady stops by and notices that Balian and his men are all out in the fields working together, sleeves rolled up. She then gets Balian’s attention and says to him,

Would you make this like Jerusalem?

John goes on to say,

Beautiful. Exactly. That is what a good King does–he uses all he has to make his kingdom like the kingdom of heaven for the sake of the people who live under his rule.

“And David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people, Israel.” (2 Samuel 5:12). For the sake of his people That is why a man is given a kingdom. We are given power and resources and influence for the benefit of others.

The motives that underlie our actions are often subtle and unknown without times of reflection. What are the motives behind your leadership? If it the building up of others or the building up of your comfort, power or control?

“You can accomplish anything in life as long as you do not care who gets the credit.” Are you willing to let the Lord expose the motives of your leadership so that whatever you lead can grow into what God intends it for? My point is this, I am ready to move on from Solid Rock Photography which dealt primarily with building my kingdom. I am ready for the next adventure of helping to lead the Austin Area Art Center by being on their board and helping them build a solid community of artisans in the greater Southeastern Minnesota area. It will not depend on just me get the word out about what they are doing. For that piece is just the mouth piece of the behind the scenes tasks. Many have been praying for this process and I always invite you to pray as well that the board and then the members join in to raise God’s kingdom through the arts in our community. Again, I am just the mouth piece but without a hand or foot do the hand or foot work, the mouth does not do much.

Today’s Specials

Today is the last day for the following special promotions again. These are good only until 5pm EST! Not much time left so here is your chance.

1. Stargazer Lily 11×14 or only $70! 25 Available at that price. Get them while you can before they are gone!
2. Christmas Red Rose 20×24 also for only $100! 25 of them are available but after that, the price is history!
3. The Blessing–another favorite of mine for only $125 as a 24×36! Exception deal for this great blessing or if you have been following my blog a Kiss From Heaven detailed in my book which is at 40% off if ordered through Photo Shelter via the coupon code.

 Online Portfolio Discounts

Good through 12-25-11 You still have a chance to get up to 40% and 35% off at the following online portfolios. From now through Christmas, I will donate 5% of my profits from my online sales to The Austin Area Art Center. No, I will do that all the way through the end of the year. Why not! So, help out the center and purchase some art from the following online stores and make sure to use the appropriate discount code found below.

1. Fine Art America Store! You can save 35% off of any art purchased of mine through there by using Coupon Code SBUKVT at check out! Shop away as today is the deadline for getting things in time for Christmas!
2. At my Photo Shelter Personal Archive, get 40% off on anything  Make sure and use Coupon Code 40%GOBS! It is already too late to get most items on my Photo Shelter Store in time for Christmas but you can still order whatever you would wish! Aluminum prints, Chromaluxe images, luster prints, silk paper prints, and more and at 40% off with the code!

The New Photos from the Past Week

In case you missed the announcement earlier this week, here are all of my new new photos. You can access them in their individual galleries or by going to the new images gallery on Photo Shelter.

1. St. Mary’s of the Lake Catholic Church on Fine Art America.Photo Shelter Personal Archive Gallery of St. Mary’s of the Lake Catholic Church.  Keep in mind, there are more on Photo Shelter then Fine Art America. I only put the more artistic ones on FAA. The photos in these galleries were taken special for the churches directory when I was working my regular job as a portrait photographer for their church directory. I thought they turned out really well and many loved them at the church.
2. Wildflower Class Field Day Adventure on Fine Art America Photo Shelter Personal Archive Gallery, Wildflower Class Field Day Adventure 
3. Rainbow of the Band Shell in Austin Minnesota! or Frame it yourself on Fine Art America.
4. Photo Shelter Gallery of Oxbow Park. Choose any image from this gallery and get it in a print on aluminum for as little as Glossy Metal Print for Under $31 plus tax and shipping. Make sure to use Coupon Code 40%GOBS to get that rate! Regular rate is only $56. This is wonderful way to display such a photo. It’s just one of the ways you can get this image and it is under my products tab under the cart! You will see that option and more under products not prints as it comes ready to hang on the wall unlike a print that must be framed.
5. Fine Art America Gallery of Oxbow Park.Pick any image here and custom frame it on the screen in either one or two mate or no mae! Make sure to use code SBUKVT at check out to get the 35% off! Put it on a canvas of your own selection. Lot’s of options here and they are at 35% off! Many people have “liked” this page and it now appeared on their own Facebook pages! Thanks to those who have done that of late.

Art Work Sponsored Pages by Solid Rock Photography

Just to remind you, we are sponsoring art work pages on FAA! Our list keeps growing in hopes of people seeing our work along with other great Fine Art America Artists!

Our list includes and was added to today:

• MN DNR Art
• Minnesota Art
• Flowers Canvas Prints
• Nature Framed Prints
• Landscape Greeting Cards
• Kilen Woods State Park Framed Prints
• Scenic Posters
• Orchid Greeting Cards
• Flowers Framed Prints
• Washington Canvas Prints
• Mississippi River Photos
• Mt. Rainier Photos
• Minnesota Greeting Cards
• Water Greeting Cards
• Scenic Framed Prints Custom
• Minnesota Photos
• Landscapes Acrylic Prints
• Nature Posters
• Landscapes Framed Prints
• Floral Canvas Prints
• Mountains Photos
• Yellowstone Framed Prints

If you like these pages, please share them on Facebook or other social networks so that the group of artists on each page can reach more of an audience. We would so love it if you would do that for us. Again, “You can accomplish anything in life as long as you do not care who gets the credit.”

There You have It

Sales, new images, artwork sponsored pages and several thought about leadership. I leave you today with the following thoughts about leadership. The following are hard questions any leader must ask him or herself in order to truly be effective in their role.

• What is life like for those who are under your leadership?
• What would those who are under your leadership say about you? Consider asking them if you do not know.
• Do people you  serve with feel stressed out when around you? Do they feel manipulated or are they fearful of your reactions?
• Do they feel dismissed or overlooked?
• Do you spend most of your energy getting those your serve to fall in line or do you seek to understand their hearts looking for ways to bless them?
• What would those above you in leadership have to say about your leadership?
• Do you feel others are simply building your kingdom, or that you are serving them? Are they growing in their own talents and abilities, joyful because they are cared for, given a place in the Kingdom?

Tough questions but very worthwhile to think through in any form of a leadership role–home, church, city government, non-profit organizations, etc.

Art Leadership–Timeless Principles

Looking Into The Photo

There are certain things that are almost timeless with a photo. Take a moment and just gaze into this photograph. Seriously, pause and gaze into the photo and let the scene kind of take you to a place that maybe looks similar. Now I will be quiet for a few minutes and let you just gaze upon it.

Okay, it has been a few minutes. But if you want to gaze upon it a little more, go right ahead. Where do you see yourself sitting in this tranquil scene? Some say down and under the smaller curved branch. Some others say sitting on the curved branch. Some say down stream closer to the camera and sitting along the shore with my fishing pole. Others, say no where. For them this image does not strike the nerve of relaxation, reflection, and rejuvenation. That is fine too but that does not mean that certain things about this photo are not timeless!

If you have read my blogs the last few days you have read about Jim Collins and the research study that he did a number of years ago with a wonderful team that would not leave any stone unturned in their process as they searched for timeless principles that made a good company a great one. In the book, Good to Great, Jim mentions how several times they would bring up the data set they were working on and then debate ideas some more and then go back to the data to see is what they thought was true. It was a vigorous endeavor but they, much like their mascot, Curious George, did not leave a stone unturned in their pursuit of timeless principles of Good to Great.

One Cool Dude--Best Friend Thom

Early on in the book, Jim had a person ask him if these principles he found would work in the new economy. Maybe the old should be thrown completely away and the new brought in. Jim’s answer, “There is nothing new in being in a new economy.”  Does that not sound like, “There is nothing new under the sun.” Jim further answeres it by saying that the practices of engineering change, but the laws of physics do not change. So while the practices of the principles would change, the items his team researched where the immutable truths that would make not on a good business a great one but a Good Art Center in a Great One. For instance, one thing they found was that good is the enemy of great. There are many good organizations but according to the research team, not too many great ones. According to Jim, that which keeps that transition from happening is the human problem not a business problem.

The Human Problem

Two Cool Dudes ready to paddle down the St. Ciox!

In a later chapter, Jim talks about how Kimberly Clark, a large paper making company, led by one of the family owners at the time, sold off the paper mills in Kimberly, Wisconsin. It must have been bleak to have done that one may think. But as the story goes,”if the arm is infected and it will affect the rest of the body if not cut off, then you must cut it off.” As a result of that decision, Kimberly Clark is today a very prosperous company but at the time suffered significantly.

A time has come that my “mill must be sold.” It was taking over my life and therefore it had to be dealt with. The choices were clear, continue and be under immense pressure and stress or let go of Solid Rock Photography to pursue building relationships which is what life is about, right? Is that not a timeless principle but then there is the “Human Problem.” I have written previously about my dogged nature, my human nature or sin issues, of not letting go after I take hold of something–a part of the Human Problem. I have also stated how much peace I am at in letting go of my photography business  to pursue the life in Christ I am meant to live rather then live the life of selfish kingdom building which only make me look good. Solid Rock Photography has a short life left yet! The ending though will be more than fantastic however.

Time Less Principles #1

Lunch on the River and Building Relationships

Let go to get life back!

Today I practice that quite a bit. I woke up at 5 and was up and out of bed around 5:30. Taking some time to pray and think through my day was critical as this was the second day I have choose to go with out any music, TV or other source of audio noise, as part of the 40 Days of Prayer and Fasting heavily promoted by American Family Radio. I made it one day without that and so I figured why not try and it until the end of the year. In doing so, I pray for my own awakening as well as for this great nation of the United States of America. We are definitely at a crossroads in this great nation and that is reason to pray and fast from something.

After that was nailed down, I got up cleaned up, did my devotions and then ate. Then, I decided I would do my laundry and change out sheets and that sort of good stuff before attempting to get into my day. After all that was done, I started to work on the MNartists.org profile of the Austin Area Art Center. That took as long as I kind of thought it would though I got a little bit more done than I expected so it took a little longer. Yet it was very good because I got that part in the process done.

Timeless Principle #2

Chillen After Lunch-relationship buidling

Get it done but not at the expense of building relationships. I am grateful for my parents not because they do great things for me like taking me on a cruise to the Caribbean next month or better yet, take their vehicle up the Twin Cities to Superior Moulding, a wonderful framing supplier, on Friday to pick up the 30×36 frame, 4 lites of Museum Glass 40×32, another frame 19×27 and the mattes to go with it. I have two portrait sessions left to go this month. One is to finish up a ninth month long project for the 50th and another is a family that wanted to have their whole family capture on film and made into a large family photo to hang above the grand piano in their house. Both of these portrait session were a result of  building relationships with the clients in other walks of life. One of the two clients gets the 30×36 and another client custom framed an image they got at the open house the other weekend. Why did that client buy from me besides they liked the work, they are close friends who had a big wall to fill.  the end of my SRP days then, the old additive of get it done but do not forget the building of relationships comes into clearer focus.

Timeless Principle #3

Advertise but do so within the context of figuring out how you can truly benefit those you are trying to reach through your advertising. Sounds simple, right? But then there is the “human problem.”

So today I advertised and kept that in mind! I worked for several hours on getting the MNartists.org profile up and running with events on it for the Austin Area Art Center. I prayed that while doing it we would be able to bless new and returning clients in such way that their life would be better for having been a part of the art center. Yes, as a board we have determined to do more and more in the social media realm of advertising, but if we do that without the thought of benefiting those we serve we have missed the timeless principle of marketing.

There You Have It–3 Timeless Principles and Their Stories

There are sometimes you come up with really good ways of finishing your thought. Today is not one of those as this was a different blog to write. I have no new sponsored pages to tell you about. No new specials to tell you about–just the same ones I told you about yesterday. I did release all of my new photos yesterday through announcing that on Twitter like I said I would. I marketed the materials for the Austin Area Art Center and…

On that’s right, I built some relationships today in the midst of my marketing process. I spent some time with the client of the 19×27 frame. I had to get paid for my work but hung out with them for about 50 minutes. I took some time to joke around with Jenny Z from Superior Moulding. I will miss that place profusely. Maybe I will be able to us their services again. Oh, and there is the time to get together with a friend tonight around 9 at the Local Culvers. Oh and then there is the message from Facebook on my phone just now letting me know that a friends job interview went really well. Oh and then there was the phone call from my father about watching Winter in Yellowstone with them this evening… Building relationships will always be a timeless principle in any walk of life. At the end of life will those who you have built relationships with be better off for having known you?

Principles of Leadership in Art Organizations

Beyond the Morning Blues

Yesterday was a great day in many regards for Solid Rock Photography and for me personally. In addition to that, it was a good day for the Austin Area Art Center. Both are making strides forward and are grateful for those taking leadership in different areas according to each individuals gifting. That is what makes any organization run well–each member serving out of their giftedness. Speaking of that, I can honestly say I am excited to be closing down Solid Rock Photography, a one man operation, in order to be part of the larger network of artists in Austin and beyond.

This morning I woke up really early and could not sleep. I wanted to go back to sleep but it was not working to say the least. For whatever reason, the Lord said get up so I finally gave in. What did I do with all that time? Slowly but surely my mind took off on the tasks of the day–checking my stats, checking in on Facebook for both the Art Center and for my own photography endeavors, when all of sudden I felt like I should set aside the computer items for a while. Yet my tendency to not let go very well kicked in. Good or bad that is what I did. I started back up my images to DVD again and finally got of this years photos all on DVD backups now. That was something I should have done all the way along when I finished images. in the process of doing that, I found ones I had not even gotten out there yet. That just goes to show you how the year went but I still had a nagging feeling I should, after working on the computer for several hours already stop for breakfast. The nagging was more than just that I was hungry however.

So I stopped to eat and then said, “Should my bull dogged nature win or shall I stop for a little bit to have some devotions of my own.” Oh but, my nature said, “You have things to do, deadlines to meet, and photos to write about, blogs to do, articles one can do, an MNartist.org profile to get updated, pictures to post on  Christian Mingle.com and…” The dog pile method of if you can’t knock them down from what they are doing just bury them with it. An old trick from the darker side! But then I heard the still small voice saying, “Those things can wait a half hour or so at least. The world will still go on without those things getting done in the next half hour.” I settled down in my lazy boy, an old but still decent recliner, to pause in my journey as John Eldredge mentions in Fathered by God. Much to my calmed but still tenacious spirit, God was at work helping me to realize that it is indeed alright to take time out for ones own growth in order to help grow others.

Yesterday I mentioned Jim Collins, the author of Good to Great. In Chapter two of that book, he goes into details about what is that much dreaded answer to what makes a good company great–leadership. He talks about what a Level 5 Leader is–A Person who is ambitious for the cause, the company, the work not for him or her self and they have the will to make good on it. They embody a mix of personal humility and professional will. They are often in a leadership role at the pivotal point in an organizations lie. They set up their successors for greater success in the next generation then they had. Level four leaders do the opposite. They practice modesty and are understated. They do not have personal egos but that is not say they cannot be charismatic. The they have a fanatically incurable driven need to produce sustained results.  They do what it takes to make the company great no matter how hard the decisions. The show a diligence to do the work much like plow horse rather than a show horse. They look out the window to point to successes other than themselves and blame themselves when things go wrong. They attribute success to good luck rather then personal greatness.

As I sat down to do my devotions, the first question that John asked me today was, “What offices do fulfill as King? List them all. And so I did.

The next question and the point is… Look at each of the items on your list and ask yourself, “Is my heart in the Hand of the Lord in this office or role?” Are you so yielded to him, so completely surrendered, that you heart is easily moved by the Spirit of God to the purposes of God? And what area of your life have you yet to yield or surrender? Is it time to do so now? 

Many things came to mind answering those and that’s where the Level 5 comes back to point. It takes utmost humility to look at the above traits of a Level 5 Leader to answer the questions that John poses. It takes a fortitude to put oneself in a posture when in leadership to remember that we were put there to serve rather then be served. It takes a similar posture to have your heart yielded to the Lord to let him direct the watercourse where He pleases. (Proverbs 21:1) “Not that God will force us to do things but that He would much rather have us choose to serve Him freely–Joshua 24:15. What God is after is a man or woman so yielded to him, so completely surrendered, that his heart is easily moved by the Spirit of God to the purposes of God.” That posture of the heart makes for a great Level 5 Leader!

Backing Up to DVD–Never Before Released Images from Solid Rock Photography

Like I stated, I was backing images up today to DVD! In that process, I found some images I had not released yet to the public. And so, I am doing that now!

1. St. Mary’s of the Lake Catholic Church on Fine Art America.Photo Shelter Personal Archive Gallery of St. Mary’s of the Lake Catholic Church.  Keep in mind, there are more on Photo Shelter then Fine Art America. I only put the more artistic ones on FAA. The photos in these galleries were taken special for the churches directory when I was working my regular job as a portrait photographer for their church directory. I thought they turned out really well and many loved them at the church.
2. Wildflower Class Field Day Adventure on Fine Art America Photo Shelter Personal Archive Gallery, Wildflower Class Field Day Adventure 
3. Rainbow of the Band Shell in Austin Minnesota! or Frame it yourself on Fine Art America.
4. Photo Shelter Gallery of Oxbow Park. Choose any image from this gallery and get it in a print on aluminum for as little as Glossy Metal Print for Under $31 plus tax and shipping. Make sure to use Coupon Code 40%GOBS to get that rate! Regular rate is only $56. This is wonderful way to display such a photo. It’s just one of the ways you can get this image and it is under my products tab under the cart! You will see that option and more under products not prints as it comes ready to hang on the wall unlike a print that must be framed.
5. Fine Art America Gallery of Oxbow Park.Pick any image here and custom frame it on the screen in either one or two mate or no mae! Make sure to use code SBUKVT at check out to get the 35% off! Put it on a canvas of your own selection. Lot’s of options here and they are at 35% off! Many people have “liked” this page and it now appeared on their own Facebook pages! Thanks to those who have done that of late.
6. I have one more to do yet but I am going to get this out first! Follow my Twitter Feed to see the other galleries when they are ready!

Inventory Reduction Sale

If you have been following me on Twitter, you know that I am having a great big reduction in present inventory sale! I have too much on hand and am Tweeting the deals throughout the day! Matter of fact, I just sent out the Tweet on this photo! I have it as a 5×7 matted to 8×10 and it is ready to frame. It is at 40% off for only $11 plus shipping and tax.  Now some say my prices are too low to being with but now they are even lower! To get that deal on this and others on my Twitter Account, contact me via email at dustin@solidrockphotography.org or by phone at 507-219-8371! Great deals on all framed art as well! Use the 40% off the framed fine art gallery on Photo Shelter buy using the coupon code

40%GOBS!

And if that is not enough, get 40% off anything on Photo Shelter yet through December 25! Get the deals while the deals are hot!

Maybe you like to frame art yourself and want to have it all sent right to you as you see it on the screen. Better yet, maybe you wish to save 35% on framing, printing and more! You can by using coupon code SBUKVT! My mother loves to play on FAA just to relax and see what she can all frame! Just ask her, she loves it! She is my best marketer of that site in face to face conversations with people. You will just have to believe me on that one. Then again, she may read this and comment that she does indeed love to do it!

Art Work Sponsored Pages by Solid Rock Photography

Just to remind you, we are sponsoring art work pages on FAA! Our list keeps growing in hopes of people seeing our work along with other great Fine Art America Artists!

Our list includes:

• Nature Framed Prints
• Landscape Greeting Cards
• Kilen Woods State Park Framed Prints
• Scenic Posters
• Orchid Greeting Cards
• Flowers Framed Prints
• Washington Canvas Prints
• Mississippi River Photos
• Mt. Rainier Photos
• Minnesota Greeting Cards
• Water Greeting Cards
• Scenic Framed Prints Custom
• Minnesota Photos
• Landscapes Acrylic Prints
• Nature Posters
• Landscapes Framed Prints
• Floral Canvas Prints
• Mountains Photos
• Yellowstone Framed Prints

What a list of pages! For now that’s all of them. More tomorrow of course!

Limited Time Promotions still going on!

Good through 12-22-11 at 5pm EST! Three such drastically good ways to save money!

1. Stargazer Lily 11×14 or only $70! 25 Available at that price. Get them while you can before they are gone!
2. Christmas Red Rose 20×24 also for only $100! 25 of them are available but after that, the price is history!
3. The Blessing–another favorite of mine for only $125 as a 24×36! Exception deal for this great blessing or if you have been following my blog a Kiss From Heaven detailed in my book which is at 40% off if ordered through Photo Shelter via the coupon code.

There You Have…

That’s right, I just asked another question without you being aware of it! How did you finish reading the heading above? What did you fill the blank in with? Is it something that you have in your realm of leadership that is to be used for the benefit of those all involved? Remember the biblical examples of Moses, David, and Jesus as Kings/leaders who ruled out of a yielded and surrendered heart concluding: regardless of age, position, or natural abilities, a man is ready to become a king/leader only when his heart is in the right place. Meaning, yielded to God in all things. Starting each day in a posture of yieldedness is essential; otherwise we just live in the matrix of his word! John Eldredge, Fathered By God

Character of a Business

What Drives a Business?

When it comes to business today, what drives them? Businesses have dealt with this topic for years. In Good to Great, Jim Collins dealt with this topic when his team researched many good companies to find out what made the difference for them to become great companies. His research team came up with many great findings that to this day if practiced will indeed make a good company great. One key finding, contrary to what Jim wanted was a key point about leadership.

Much to his demise, his board ganged up on him and told him they needed to talk to him. As much as did not like hearing that a great company can rise or fall on leadership, he was forced to hear it! The Level 5 Leader is now one of the key points in a business going from good to great. The question then is, “What is a Level 5 Leader?” Jim goes into detailed reporting on what the study found. Matter of fact, there is a whole chapter on it! I strongly suggest any business leader to either buy the book or the audio version of it read and annotated by Jim. My version of a Level 5 Leader, look at Joseph when he was second in command of Egypt or King David even before he was a king or look at the New Testament character of Paul. These were truly level 5 leaders in their day from which we can learn a lot about leadership from them.

Solid Rock Photography never acquired a board to help guide the business. That is not to say I did not try after reading Good to Great. It just never came around to having a board. One person can only go so far with it no matter what type of leadership that person has. Some would say I am not a leader and others definitely would. But without a board to go forth, I have decided it is time to move on. Close the business and be a part of the much bigger arts community–Austin Area Art Center and beyond. This is no news to those who have read my blog of late. But what is news is to remember God is not finished with my photography or leadership ability. The grounds left from my days as Solid Rock Photography are where my character has been forged that will allow God to enlarge His kingdom through me.

Question of the Day form John Eldredge

What, at this point in your journey, are the areas of character God would like to work on prior to enlarging your kingdom? I must admit that one of my co-workers has correctly stated I am a little on the OCD side of things. Not that being that way a little is bad. Too much and it becomes, well, something compulsive–overbearing to the point of controlling too much of what happens at the expense of relationships. Being a photographer for me has become that and that is not what God intends for anyone let alone an artist who already is set out from others on an island sometimes to do their art. (Is that a thought of a coming cruise in January?) In order to get back to where God really wants me, I am giving up something, which for us OCD leaning folks is not easy, called Solid Rock Photography.

My character trait of being driven, determined, goal oriented, analytical, and so forth are good and God given traits that are meant to increase His kingdom. While that was always a goal of Solid Rock Photography, I was never really let go of how I felt it should go. I stifled it’s potential by holding on to it so tightly at times. I would let go of it at times but then pull it back inline to where I felt it should go. Now I am letting go of it completely and working closely with a group of artists to bring out more of the arts community in Austin. That way my character does not stifle something else. It can balance other artists strengths and weaknesses much like they can mine. The art center’s character, much like other organizations, is shaped by the whole of the organization. That said, what drives a business at its core is its character which is made of the sum of the characters who are in a leadership role like I now am.

Today’s Spot Light Photos

Just recently, I was able to help out with a service project through my church, Faith Evangelical Free in Austin, Minnesota. This project involved splitting wood. It was a great project to participate in and I am most grateful I did. When the project was over, I asked the organizer if he wanted me to bring the one wood splitter back to its rightful owner. He said he would take me up on that. What does that have to do with Fence Frozen in Time? I knew you would ask so I did for you. Whatever…

I got to go back to the very place I took this photo from. I took this one last winter when we had snow and lots of it by now. For whatever reason, I really enjoying going out to that farm site outside of Austin and visiting. This time around, I even got to talk to more of the family as they had gathered. Being some of the owners kids and I great up together and still know each other, it was a great way to end the project–building relationships!

The Peaceful Mississippi River was another time when I felt more relaxed about my own art as well. I was camping while working and got up on time to do my own photography before work. This one was taken just on the shore of the city campground outside of Winona, Minnesota!

Barges on the Mississippi River was another opportunity I had this fall to capture a scene that I thought was very relaxing as well. It was taken from Barn Bluff in Red Wing while working up that direction a time or three this fall!

All three images are located on my Fine Art America Store! You can save 35% off of any art purchased of mine through there by using Coupon Code SBUKVT at check out! Shop away as today is the deadline for getting things in time for Christmas!

At my Photo Shelter Personal Archive, get 40% off on anything with The Lily Page image or others! Make sure and use Coupon Code 40%GOBS! It is already too late to get most items on my Photo Shelter Store in time for Christmas but you can still order whatever you would wish! Aluminum prints, Chromaluxe images, luster prints, silk paper prints, and more and at 40% off with the code!

A Fun Leaf! On sale at Photo Shelter as well. I know, I will leaf the subject alone shortly.

Art Work Sponsored Pages on FAA!

Three more Sponsored Pages by Solid Rock Photography on Fine Art America!

1. Landscape Greeting Cards I can tell you these are great cards! You can customize them to your liking! Buy them as individual cards or buy in bulk. It’s your choice. If you get my cards, you can use my coupon code for the discount.
2. Kilen Woods State Park Framed Prints
3. Scenic Posters

There You Have It

The question is, what do you have? What character qualities or others is God working on in your life in order to use for His Glory? Can He entrust you with greater measures of His power at present? Is, to do what? If not, what must change before He can? Remember, he longs to give you a hope and a future.

For the Fun Of It

If you want to see how Austin is being progressive when it comes to the Arts programming in town, check out the article I wrote on Vision 2020!

Power and Influence within Small Town Arts Community

Power and Influence in Art in Small Town Minnesota

Austin, Minnesota, is known for many things depending on who you talk to. When traveling for my regular job as a portrait photographer with Lifetouch, I often here of our biggest employer in town, Hormel Foods Incorporate. I hear, “The town of SPAM. They even have a museum dedicated to SPAM.” I hear of the days of the big labor strike that came through in the 80s. I occasionally hear, “Oh, I have been there many times. It sure has changed over the years.” And on occasion I even hear, “I am from there and I do not go back much. What is it like now?” Or I hear the opposite once in a great while of, “I grew up there and still have relatives there. I go back and visit them occasionally. Where do you life in Austin? They live over by…” Rarely do I hear though of people knowing about another aspect of Austin that I grew up with–a thriving place of, while small town in style, a performing and visual arts community.

One of the goals with Solid Rock Photography was to help bring the awareness of the arts in Austin to a greater audience. Sad to say it but it began to be true that focus was decimated after moving back to Austin in 2008 from the Twin Cities where I had been living and going back to school and looking for work there. It just seemed like the arts community did not really want to take off and be a bigger influence in the culture of the town. That did not really fuel the fire under my burner too well. The fire just barely stayed ignited almost like a pilot light on a stove use to be. It was still there and then little sticks began to put some fuel on the fire about a year ago. Since then, things have truly began to change with Solid Rock Photography and with the larger arts community of Austin. That passion now has come around like a fire not out of control but a steady log being added to the fire with many logs being thrown on it at times. It is certainly not an ember but is not a major blaze yet either. Who knows, it may never be the biggest flame around. It will be a contender for it though.

That brings up the question for the day. How do all of the pieces of the puzzle come together in order to make the puzzle what it is meant to be? Is it just a bunch of resources, time, people, money, expertise, and so forth, coming together randomly to make something work or is the Lord equipping us at this time to bring about His change within the community? If the prayers from Prayer Works have been any indication of what is happening, I tend to say it is the second of the two. And that is where my question of the day comes into play with Solid Rock Photography.

Being the Board Member now in a leadership role with in the Austin Area Art Center as the Director of the Social Media Marketing Committee, I had a choice to make. Keep trying to promote my own items or work closer with the art center in promoting the larger scale of artists in Austin! What way I went meant a lot of things. Today’s question in the Fathered by God Workbook that is a free download–strong suggestion for any men seeking to have a closer relationship with our Heavenly Father– is, “Can God entrust you with greater measures of His power at present? If so, to do what? If not, what must change before He can? Now is the time, and I am at a great peace about it, to let go of my own photography so much and be a part of the greater arts community in hopes of bringing His glory to the arts community of Austin and beyond. I have learned a lot with my own efforts and now hope to use them to foster the arts community in this part of Southern Minnesota and beyond through the Austin Area Art Center.

Daily Deals from Solid Rock Photography

Oh, that’s right! I extended my daily deals through Christmas Day. What a deal! But just in case you forgot what the deals were, here they are again!

Fine Art America products are at 35% off and Photo Shelter Products, prints, specialty items my book, all of the 6 different canvas styles, and all of the FRAMED FINE ART are at 40% Off. Nothing is held back from this sale! This price is only good if you purchase through my online portfolio however! NOW IS THE TIME TO BUY anything from my SRP if you are going to. I am going out of business so that I can try to be a conduit for the Lord’s Glory to come to the arts community of Austin!

1. Photo Shelter Personal Archive 40% Off by using Coupon Code 40%GOBS. This sale is good through 12-25-11.
2. Fine Art America Get anything at any of our three Fine Art America Powered Stores at 35% off by using Coupon Code SBUKVT. Cards, giclee prints, framed, canvases and more all at 35% off. Not a bad deal at all!

Artwork Sponsorship Pages from Fine Art America

1. Creek Prints, Get a fine art print of a creek from Solid Rock Photography or other fine art artists.
2. Sidie Hollow Park Photos Check out our images from Sidie Hollow and see if their are others from that park by other artists on FAA!
3. Forest Posters There are many forests around the world and here are some of the art from them that Solid Rock Photography is sponsoring! Have fun checking them out and if you get something from another artists on this page, please let them know Solid Rock Photography Sponsored the page.

New Photos From Solid Rock Photography

I told you I would not give up doing photography as a whole. I just will do it more so for the fun it now. But, here are some photos that I took earlier this fall and just now got processed. So, here they are at our two different store fronts!

1. Photo Shelter Gallery of Oxbow Park. Choose any image from this gallery and get it in a print on aluminum for as little as Glossy Metal Print for Under $31 plus tax and shipping. Make sure to use Coupon Code 40%GOBS to get that rate! Regular rate is only $56. This is wonderful way to display such a photo. It’s just one of the ways you can get this image and it is under my products tab under the cart! You will see that option and more under products not prints as it comes ready to hang on the wall unlike a print that must be framed.
2. Fine Art America Gallery of Oxbow Park.Pick any image here and custom frame it on the screen in either one or two mate or no mae! Make sure to use code SBUKVT at check out to get the 35% off! Put it on a canvas of your own selection. Lot’s of options here and they are at 35% off! Many people have “liked” this page and it now appeared on their own Facebook pages! Thanks to those who have done that of late.

There You Have It!

Daily deal reminders, new photos, more sponsored art pages through Fine Art America, and a question of the day. Can God entrust you with greater measures of His power at present? If so, to do what? If not, what must change before He can? Tough questions and great deals to start out your Sunday. Now to get this published before going to church! Make sure and get there yourself if you can today! For the church is not much different then the court house if the people are not there!

Falling in Love–The Greatest Artist Romance

Falling in Love

For many, art is like an addiction. They just have to have it. Without expressing themselves in some art form, they go nuts. Their world gets consumed by how they express themselves. They surround themselves with just artistic types. Seemingly only a certain type of people can be in their inner circle. Once there, artists tend to hold onto them until one day their world gets shaken and they begin to realize there is more to the world then just their artistic world.

This is an exaggeration in the fact that it represents many artists but it got your attention, did it not not? In a sense though there is truth to it for me. For the last number of years, my world has been consumed with being an photographer. It was what I truly dreamed of being and have indeed become. I am a professional photographer by trade. I seek to do photography for my main income yet. It has indeed been my world and I have buried myself into it. In some sense, I have been that snobbish person who will only associate with certain art types. I have lofty goals and ambitions but I have achieved them in some sense of the word but I realized being on the top of the career track is out of balance when you do not bring others along with you.

Those of you who follow my blog realize I have been reading John Eldredge’s book, Fathered By God. Reading this book has helped me run head first into a brick wall that has indeed knocked me off my rocker. Oh, I was rocking pretty good on my rocker until I was smitten by a longer quote from the book on page 139.

A lover has been awakened by the Great romancer. At this stage a man’s relationship with God opens a new frontier. While in other realms God will remain Father, and Initiator, when the lover begins to emerge God invites the man to become his “intimate one.” This is the crucial stage. The danger for the warriors is that life becomes defined by battle, and that is not good for the soul nor is it true to our story, for there is something deeper then battle and that, my friends, is Romance. As Chesterton reminded us, “Romance is the deepest thing in life. Ours is a love story. Anything short of it is a Christianity of dry bones. So Chambers encourage us, “Get into the habit of saying, ‘Speak, Lord’ and life will become a romance…one great romance, a glorious opportunity for seeing marvelous things all the time.”

Now I realize you do not have the context around that statement, which means you would have to read the book which is a great suggestion, but trust me, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I have, much to my demise as as a photographer, let that define who I am. And in order to to counteract that idea and live life as God really intended it for me, take a step back from the business side of it. That is not to say I would not try it again sometime but for now, “a glorious opportunity for seeing marvelous things all the time” is upon me. I love doing photography. There is no doubt about that. But I want life like is talked about in John 10:10! Stated another way, I want to be the intimate one, like King David of Old, with the Greatest Artist that ever graced this planet!

Daily Deals from Solid Rock Photography

NEWS FLASH!!!! No longer daily deals! This deal is now good from now until December 25! Fine Art America products are at 35% off and Photo Shelter Products, prints, specialty items my book, all of the 6 different canvas styles, and all of the FRAMED FINE ART are at 40% Off. Nothing is held back from this sale! This price is only good if you purchase through my online portfolio however! NOW IS THE TIME TO BUY anything from SRP if you are going to. I am going out of business so that I can be more on the lookout for marvelous things to come!

1. Photo Shelter Personal Archive 40% Off by using Coupon Code 40%GOBS. This sale is good through 12-25-11.
2. Fine Art America Get anything at any of our three Fine Art America Powered Stores at 35% off by using Coupon Code SBUKVT. Cards, giclee prints, framed, canvases and more all at 35% off. Not a bad deal at all!

Limited Time Promotions

These promotions are also on an extended time promotion! AKA, try something new and see if it works! Prices good through December 22, 2011!

1. Stargazer Lily 11×14 or only $70! 25 Available at that price. Get them while you can before they are gone!
2. Christmas Red Rose 20×24 also for only $100! 25 of them are available but after that, the price is history!
3. The Blessing–another favorite of mine for only $125 as a 24×36! Exception deal for this great blessing or if you have been following my blog a Kiss From Heaven detailed in my book which is at 40% off if ordered through Photo Shelter via the coupon code.

Art Work Page Sponsors!

1. Orchid Greeting Cards Check out all of the cool orchid images you can use on greeting cards through Fine Art America.
2. Flowers Framed Prints Our floral images are featured here but you can shop other artists as well.
3. Washington Canvas Prints This is one of my new favorite ways to display photos online! That way you can see my work and browse some others out there as well.
   

There you have it! Daily deals extravaganza! And, you got to hear about the Greatest Romancer that ever lived. He came to give LIFE according to John 10:10 and if you do not have that life He offers it to you freely. For information on how to invite him into your life, go to Know Him.afr.net!