While I was in Toronto this week, doing some business, I took the opportunity
to meet up with some clients.

It’s no secret that ad revenues are down at the magazines, that this interweb
thing is making change in the print world inevitable. It’s also apparent that
the economy is pretty much fucked. (I was having lunch with a photo editor
who mentioned, part way through, that the restaurant we were in, which was
only 1/3 full, would have been packed just 3 months ago.)

Anyway…..the PE told me that the crew at the magazine was being tasked
with beefing up their web presence. You know, adding “value”, just like the
newspapers are doing……video, behind the scenes stuff, little extras and
so on and so forth. This was not the only time I would be told that during
my meetings.

At another meeting, another magazine, the art director told me that the big
Toronto shooters, those who used to be way too busy shooting lucrative ad
campaigns, are now knocking on his door. Seems that things are getting
sticky enough that these famous fotogs are now not too busy (and/or proud)
to shoot the $700 editorial thingys. This AD was a bit late to our meeting
because he’d been in another meeting, with the corporate mucky-mucks,
where they announced layoffs.

But there’s still work out there. Yes, life goes on.

The drive to Toronto (and back) was swell. The city, as usual, was a
sight to behold, what with all those amazing hybrid faces, great (and
not so great) architecture, big energy and (hidden) potential.

A couple of things came from the trip:

1/ I got offered a gallery show in Toronto. (As well, this week, I was
offered a show in Montreal. More details will be forthcoming once
things get a bit more firmed up.)

2/ I got a bigg(ish) gig from a Toronto agency.

The reason I bring this up is because, what with all the economic uncertainty
these days, the only thing you can really rely on is yourself. I’ve said it a million
times, so saying it once more won’t hurt: DO YOUR OWN THING.

Doing your own thing is another name for research + development. And,
besides being what we’re put here to do (figure shit out and grow), it also
really helps when it comes to business. The portfolios I showed my Toronto
clients weren’t commercial/editorial work, what I showed were my personal
projects. You see, magazines, agencies and corporations still need fotos, and
what better way to get that gig than to show some of your passion. That’s what
people want, that’s what they respond to, that’s what’s too often missing.

(Funnily enough, as I was taking a break from this writing I came across a post
on Mark Tucker’s blog titled: “Committing to your F.U. Book”, where he provides
a synopsis of an article written by Doug Menuez. Check it out, it’s a fleshed out
version of what I’m talking about. I’ll just link to the Tucker blog…..if you’re
interested enough you can link to the actual article from there. If you ask me,
though, it’s required reading.)

Anyway…..

I maintain that there are two kinds of power. If some dude standing on a
podium, talking to a crowd says: “Jump”, and everyone jumps, then that
dude’s got power. But if you’re in the crowd and the guy says: “Jump” and
you DON’T jump, well then, you’ve got power.

Of course it’s a fight. But it’s the good fight.

some of my old Toronto pix

RACETRACK

Some out takes from a just published shoot (Report on Small Business mag).
Portraits of the denizens of The Calibogie Motorsport Park…..

And the parking lot there…..

POLITICS

A few weeks ago I was commenting on the election of B. Obama, down
in The States. So I would be remiss if I didn’t get my ya-ya’s out and
say a thing or two about what went on in Canada this week.

The best line I heard, the one that sums it up for me (I’m sorry I didn’t
think of this first) is, some guy said the coalition/coup thing was like Larry
and Curly taking over from Moe. (That’s a 3 Stooges reference, kids.)
(Can’t you just picture it?)

My theory is that if you need power as much as these clowns seem to need
it, well, you must have a character defect. The very fact that you need to
control things from the top makes you unsuitable for the job. A Catch 22.

S. Harper (I know I’ve posted this shot here before,
but I couldn’t resist)

S. Dion (when he was Intergovernmental Affairs Minister,
the only time I photographed him)

So, like I mention above in my Toronto Report, I choose to exercise as
much personal power as I can. They say: “Jump”. I say: “I don’t think so”.

Of course it’s not all as simple as that. There are decisions and directions
these power-dudes choose that affect us all. I try to duck as many punches
as I can, in the full realization that, every so often, I’ve got to just stand there
and take a punch. Bring it on.

N.Y.

Drove down to New York (state) to shoot a job for Amtrak.

As we were crossing into the good old U.S.A. I took some point and shoot pix.
Then we stopped for breakfast at Ruby’s Grill, on Route 68, and I took another
P+S pic. So, here are the first 4 pix I took on the way to the shoot.

I’m not sure why, but I think it’s funny.

Entering the U.S.A.