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?