To strap or not to strap… that is the question.

For the last few years, I have traded in my Canon shoulder straps in exchange for the more stealth wrist strap (Canon’s E1). Even when carrying two bodies, I found the long straps too cumbersome when actually shooting. They only seemed to help when moving between shoots but even then, the strap only served to transport well. When shooting, it ceased having a function.

I’ve been generally happy with the wrist solution but of late given the great ergonomics of Canon’s bodies and my minimalist preferences forced the question, why use anything at all?

Of course, the answer is that I still needed some sort of means to secure the camera when moving from spot to spot. This is exasperated when you have four kids and need to go hands free when shooting things like Halloween and need to grab your daughters hand in a crowd. It’s also handy if you’re in a location where you’d like to hide your camera away but still be able to get to it very quickly. Think photojournalistic, missional or street photography.

Enter BlackRapid’s FastenR Camera Strap: So when I got my hands on a BlackRapid (thanks to Photojojo’s recent post), I was blown away at its simplicity and thoughtful design.

From the minimalistic sheath (I prefer the RS-1) to the camera stop at the waist to the industrial strength bottom-of-camera fastener…

… it all added up to the strap many wish they thought of inventing themselves. It’s really that good.

I think all things being equal, I still prefer shooting sans strap but when I’m on the move and inevitably need my hands for other purposes along the way, this is by far the best solution I’ve ever found to keep my camera close by.

Highly recommended.

Keep it stealth.
- Dane

PS… Here are some cool videos to see the R Strap in action. Please note I don’t get any commission or kickback for this endorsement but if you decide to get one, please say hi to Ron and Melissa for me! Thanks!!

Thanks to my buddy J Sandifer, who captured my glee when Seth Godin…

(1) forgot my name.

(2) quickly remembered me and my book.

(3) gave the most succinct articulation of what my book is about (i.e, “Dane wrote a book about photography that’s not really about photography“).

(4) answered my question (which was… “When you’re leading, do you or those you’re leading get to decide what strategy you take?”… he then goes on to make a powerful distinction between strategy vs. tactics that you’ll want to replay a couple times to let sink in… (his answer by the way was a perfect shout out to Michele Mollkoy).

(5) made my day by feeling guilty about forgetting my name and gifting me with an über-rare Purple Cow original… Seth later told me I better not sell it on ebay.

I realize I already posted on this here but when J shared the video link with me, I couldn’t resist sharing it with you.

The fact that Seth not only read my book, endorsed it (you gotta see the jacket cover to know what he said), remembered what it said and then had the class to plug it a number of times from stage was, well, remarkable. So, thus, I must remark.

More than all that though, his answer is just too good to miss.

As a side note, as you listen, pay special attention when he uses the words…

• Stand
• Commit
• Believe
• Lead

I say he is spot on. And, the power of what he is saying may just change everything for you (and me) if we take them to heart and put them to action.

Here is Seth’s response to my question…

Keep it purple.
- Dane

PS… here’s the link to Seth’s new book. Don’t waste any time. You can also save a little money (and maybe a tree) by getting the Kindle edition or let Seth read it to you thanks to iTunes.

From the moment I met Helen and Doug, the thing I loved about them was their clarity of purpose. They seem to know exactly what they wanted or at least knew how to find out very quickly. They are both activators and achievers in real sense of those words.

The day began with Helen was getting ready at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa.

Karey Michelle and Micah Gilmore were fantastic second shooters. Of course, both are Fast Track Founders, which is no surprise!

She seemed to really her Engagement album which she received that day. Special thanks to Amy at Albumesque and everyone at KISS for making that happen on such short notice.

Doug was clearly excited too as he was getting ready. Before we knew it, the ceremony was on…

The weather was perfect, but it was the relationships that really made the day.

Helen’s 90 year old Mom (also named Helen!) was so proud of her daughter!

After the ceremony, Doug and Helen had a chance to go to the beach for a fun session.

A quick stop along the way..

As we were on our way across the bridge, Helen looked down and screamed, “Look Doug, a Flex!” Turned out she and Doug were about to buy one. Funny thing was, she was pointing at my new car so we had to get a foreshadowing picture.

Doug grew up surfing the break right in front of the hotel so the whole day felt surreal to him.

As the sun was setting, the couple seemed to be lost in the dream of life together. It was an absolute privilege to document such an amazing day.

Congratulations my friends.
-Dane

PS… Special thanks to Eric and Melissa’s family for connecting me to Helen and Doug. Referrals are the greatest compliment I could ever receive.

Is there any good news these days?

I mean, c’mon! Dow drops like a gazillion points.. the world is in the midst of massive downsizing.. folks making easy money just a few months ago are now exposed to dramatic losses and the underbelly of risk is showing itself.. banks are frozen for loans.. would be clients are paralyzed on spending in the midst of more competition than ever.. it’s crazy!.. isn’t it?

What does all this mean for normal small business owners like you and me.. especially those in the photography profession? I say, it’s good news. Here’s why…

1) Those in this business to collect low hanging fruit will now have to grow legs, get a ladder or quit if they want to eat (which will you choose?)! This is good news because people’s motivation will get checked at the door leaving only the folks who were made for this business in the first place. It’s not just Darwinian either. It’s in the best interest of those who fall out. They’re better suited for something different.

2) For those who grow legs or find a ladder, any doubt about whether or not you belong in this gig will fade for good. You’re in the tough times. And, everyone knows that those who can handle those today tend to become the leaders of tomorrow. Make it through this season and watch your confidence soar.

3) This is The Dip we’ve been looking for. This truly is the best moment in the world to either persevere (because getting through this season will define yourself as someone made to flourish and very few will be able to follow you) or quit (because if you don’t have the stomach for these challenges, you should get out as quickly as possible so you can get on to what you were made for… there’s no shame that… in fact, the sooner you tap out the better so you can get on to getting on).

For those who do persevere (because they just can’t seem to not do it), you’re in for a fantastic pot at the end of the rainbow. Just know it’s gonna rain for a while first. When it’s done though, you’ll call it a huge gift in retrospect.

Wanna learn more, buy Seth’s book today…

Lean In or Lead Out my friends!
-Dane

PS… special thanks to Ribbon Farm for the diagram above.