Gail Mooney

November 7, 2012

“Old Enough to Know Better but Still Too Young to Care”

I was talking to a friend recently about getting “older” and how it really sucks on the one hand but on the flip side, I’ve never felt more liberated in my life. He laughed and said that I reminded him of a line in an old country/western song – depicted in the title of this post.

Gail_MG_1137 — On the Amazon River, Peru

It’s pretty accurate, at least in terms of who I am.

I have never been one for “labels” of any kind. I’m much more interested in what’s going on in the “inside” opposed to what someone is displaying on the outside. So much so that when my daughter was younger, if she didn’t come home from school right away, I would worry and think that I wouldn’t be able to describe what she was wearing if the police should come asking.

Our American culture seems to be obsessed with labels, more interested in the packaging and fizz than the substance. “Older” people are invisible, dismissed and ignored as being too set in their ways, dated, and useless, when in fact some of the most interesting people I have ever taken the time to talk to, were ones that most folks seemed to overlook, simply because of their “packaging”. I was lucky that I came to that realization at a very young age, when an art director, who was a great mentor to me in my early years, introduced me to the legends of photography. They were all “old”, at least to my young eyes, but I quickly realized that age had nothing to do with how they saw the world.

It amazes me when seemingly intelligent people use catch phrases to describe others and don’t even realize that in the process that they are the ones with “narrow” sights and they would do better to open their eyes and see beyond. My eyesight has gotten worse as I have aged, but at the same time, my vision has gotten so much better.

When I was younger, there was a popular saying “don’t trust anyone over 30”. I’m glad I never really bought into that notion, because I would have been the one who was shortchanged. Don’t judge people because of gender, color or age or the type of car they drive. Take the time and the energy to look past the packaging and really see. You’ll probably be surprised that ignorance, narrow mindedness, fear, and pessimism comes in all sexes, shapes, sizes and ages.

“How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you was?”

Satchel Paige (1906-1982) Baseball legend who continued his successful career well into his 60’s.

November 1, 2012

The Power of Film in Making a Difference

When I set out to make a film about individuals on six continents who were making a positive difference on our planet, I didn’t set out to save the world.

That would not only be something impossible to achieve, but it would diminish what I could do. And in fact, if I had set out to attain such an overwhelming feat of saving the world, I may have quit before I even got started – out of pure frustration.

But I do know the power of what a film can do. I know I can use my craft and my tools in my own small way to make a difference. And I know that by breaking down tasks into small actions; they add up to some very big accomplishments. Even with no backing, little funds and virtually no help, my daughter and I created a film that is doing exactly what we set out to do – inspire and move people to action to do what they can do to make our planet a better place.

All too often, we over think things. Big productions, big money, celebrities and everything else that shouts out to us on the airwaves and the Internet dazzle us. We start to believe that anything that isn’t grandiose isn’t worthy at all. It’s a pity because in our attempt to gain perfection or notoriety – we shortchange ourselves and everyone else on what we could have accomplished.

I’ve seen a lot of “small” films over the last few months as I travel from festival to festival with my documentary, Opening Our Eyes. While many of these films are “small” – or at least deemed small by some – they are powerful in every way. Sometimes, there may be only 10 people in the audience and I think what a shame, that these powerful films won’t be seen by the masses. That is changing though, as filmmakers have access to new tools and platforms that can take their small films global. I’ve witnessed that first hand.

As consumers we need to start taking notice of films, books and photographs that don’t have millions of dollars or stars behind them.

As filmmakers we need to stay true to ourselves, believe in our dreams and take advantage of the power of the age we live in to not only make films that create awareness but to get them seen on a global scale.

I hope I never lose sight of what’s possible through the power of film and how photographers and filmmakers can use their craft to create awareness and make our world a better place. These days, with a lot of hard work and determination, the individual has the power to make a difference globally. We live in an amazing time – take advantage of it.

October 29, 2012

How to Become a Still and Motion Hybrid

I’ve been living the life of a still and motion hybrid for the last 13 years. Sometimes my work is weighted toward still imagery and sometimes more toward motion. These days, it seems more like the two mediums have merged and my time is evenly balanced between both.

This past month I’ve talked to a lot of filmmakers as I’ve traveled around the film festival circuit with my film, but I’ve also talked to lots of photographers at Photo Plus Expo and other photographer gatherings. I started to notice a difference in the conversations I was having with still photographers and filmmakers. Filmmakers were usually talking about “the story” and the conversations were more like listening to the unveiling of a movie. Still photographers, tended to talk more about how they executed “the story”.

When I talk to “hybrids”, the conversations are a blend of telling the story, with a bit of “execution” thrown in. I’m starting to notice something new in visual communications with a new aesthetic developing. This recently became very apparent to me when I was asked to be a juror on the 1^st AP-AI Motion Arts Awards. I looked at over 50 entries and what I saw was a very unique look emerging. What I saw was motion through a still photographer’s eye and it was incredibly exciting.

As technology continues to change how society communities, I truly believe that we as photographers need to think of ourselves as more than just someone who shoots still imagery. As print gives way to electronic delivery, photography will take on a broader meaning as to how it’s executed.

Some things to keep in mind going forward:

Hang around with people who are embracing change.

From Seth Godin:

“Who you hang out with determines what you dream about and what you

collide with.

And the collisions and the dreams lead to your changes.

And the changes are what you become.

Change the outcome by changing your circle.“

Stop thinking of video or motion as a separate market
Stop giving yourself reasons NOT to do something.
Say YES more often
Remember the “tools” and the “medium” are just a means to an end. We have a whole array of new tools to create with and platforms that allow us to communicate globally. Get excited about that.

October 23, 2012

Why Photographers Need to Stop Thinking of Video as a Market

I find that many still photographers I talk to either want to “get into video” – or they don’t. In either case, most photographers think of video as an entirely separate market. The truth is, video is not a market at all. It’s simply another visual medium a “photographer” can use to express themselves with, convey a story, or hopefully do both.

I have been a still photographer for over 30 years and a motion shooter for over 15, but I have been a storyteller since I started talking. I have not abandoned my still photography, by any means, In fact if anything, adding motion to my skill set has made me a better photographer.

These days, I work with whatever medium that best conveys the message or story that I need to deliver. I not only think about that in creative terms but also in how the story will be delivered and to whom. Last week

Newsweek announced they were no longer going to publish a print edition. Clearly that will have a trickle down effect on paper sales, printers, advertising agencies, on down to photographers. It won’t just affect photographers shooting for Newsweek, but will also have an impact on commercial photographers as well. It will affect many markets.

We, as a society are communicating differently and everything is in flux because of it. People are getting their news immediately and on demand, on their phones and other mobile devices. How can a print edition of a news magazine compete with that? It can’t. How will advertisers react to that? That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? How can an advertiser monetize the “mobile platform”? Do they make a viewer watch a short ad at the front end of a story? As we communicate more and more using smaller devices, advertisers and marketers will need to come up with new ways of reaching their target audience.

Technology is a double-edged sword. It forces change on all of us but it also opens up opportunities. The advertisers will be able to know exactly the audience they ARE attracting, based on information gathered from analytics. Independent photographers can use technology the same way, if they open their minds up to new ideas and start to see opportunities. But that will only happen if they start to see video as just another medium to work with, instead looking at it as a separate market, and telling themselves that’s not what they do.

I had the privilege recently of being a juror on a “motion” competition. I was very encouraged by what I saw and I looked at over 50 videos. I saw something new and different. I saw the “photographic eye“ applied to motion. I saw a different visual aesthetic emerging. Makes sense doesn’t it? Photographers creating in a new way using new tools for a society that communicates differently.

October 9, 2012

Your Inspirational Heroes Are Just Like You

Today, October 9^th is the birthday of two people who have been very inspirational to me over the years – Jackson Browne and John Lennon. Lennon would have turned 73 years old today if he had not been gunned down in NYC when he was only 40 years old. I admire both of these men, not only for their incredible skills in writing but also for their activism and courage to stand behind their beliefs.

I had the honor of meeting Jackson after one of his concerts last October. It was a memorable moment. Jackson had allowed me to use his song, “Alive in the World” in my film, Opening Our Eyes and it had been arranged for me to personally thank him after the show. He was warm and generous with his time and we talked a bit about the blues – a topic that continues to surface in my life.

The blues (music) seems to be the foundation of many of the musicians that inspire me. The blues is authentic and that authenticity comes through in the lyrics of both Jackson and John. Throughout their songs, we get a very clear idea of how they feel and think. They share their frailties and inner thoughts as we see them as real people just like us.

I suppose a lot of us think it’s too risky to be so open with our thoughts and our hearts and choose instead to bury our dreams, desires and fears inside the deepest recesses of our minds. A lot of angst can come sometimes from remembering things that have happened in our past – things we did or wished we had done – things we said and wished we hadn’t said – you know all those fleeting thoughts that seem to haunt us at times. None of us can change the past – it has already happened. But we all can choose how we let our past affect our present and our future.

Some of us try to “block out” the painful things that have happened in our lives. I have found that I can’t really succeed in doing that because there will always be something that will trigger a memory. In fact when I try to “close myself” off like that, it actually just continues the pain, because I’m expending negative energy, trying to “block” it out . Instead, I try to channel those thoughts when they come, into more positive energy by reminding myself who I am, not how someone or something made me feel.

Everyone has ups and downs in their lives – it comes with being human. That’s why the music and lyrics of Lennon and Browne resonate with their fans – they can relate- as humans. I think as creative people we can learn from these two musicians – how to take chances and how to be true to ourselves and follow our own path – regardless of how unconventional it may seem to others . When we are true to ourselves, we will find that our future direction will unfold as it should – we just need to get out of our own way.

“You don’t need anybody to tell you who you are or what you are. You are what you are!” John Lennon

October 4, 2012

Stressing the Story

Years ago, a colleague wrote an article about me for a trade magazine and entitled it “Gail Mooney – Past and Future Storyteller”. Before that was written, I had never really thought of calling myself a storyteller, even though I had lived my entire life pursuing “the story”. In fact, it was because of my infatuation with people’s stories that I became a photographer and filmmaker. The pursuit of the story is what has driven me in making my own choices in life

But having a love for the story is far different than being able to tell a story. Regardless, if the story is told through still images, movies, songs, poems or books, the story must come through in order to resonate with an audience. I’ve been reading a lot about screenwriting lately, and how a story is written and structured for the movies. Certain things must take place within the structure to make a story work.

Characters should be well defined and developed in the first third of the film. The audience will need to get enough information about the characters in order to care, one way or another.

Stories should have conflict and contrast – just like life. In every good film there is usually a low point right before a character prevails or a situation turns itself around.

Cinema has a language all of its own in how it tells and drives the story. The choice of lens or the way the camera is moved and from what angle, conveys to the audience a feeling. Make conscious choices and decisions as to what cinematic tools you use and why.

They say editing is the last line of defense for the story. Every cut an editor makes has a profound effect on how the audience will feel. An editor is able to tell a story in a hundred different ways, based on what clips they choose, how they cut them together and their selection of music.

I was very fortunate when I first started learning video. I took the Platypus Workshop with PF Bentley and Dirck Halstead and they always stressed “the story”. I remember that I couldn’t even begin to shoot my project until I got my “commitment” (story) ok’d by Dirck or PF. In order for them to commit to my story, I needed to commit to it first and they knew I wouldn’t be able to do that until I knew the story well enough to tell it.

Knowing and communicating your story in any medium simply means always being present in what your doing. When the choices and decisions become obvious and effortless, then you know that you are telling the story you meant to tel

September 6, 2012September 6, 2012

Forcing Accountability

Yesterday was one of those days that I had a hundred things to do and only a few hours to do them. I had to give final approval of an ePub I was wrapping up, package and send out exhibition Blurays and posters to film festivals that I have been invited to and finish a video job I was editing, all before heading into NYC to moderate a panel discussion on video for the NYC chapter of ASMP. My mom used to say, “If you want something done – ask a busy person”. I never did understand that when I was younger but I know now, that the busier I am – the better I am with utilizing my time.

I was also fine-tuning the presentation that I was going to be giving to the students at Brooks Institute next week. As an alumna of Brooks,

gail brooks institute — Gail Mooney as a student at Brooks Institute
© Chad Weckler

I was honored when I was asked to speak. I was also taking this responsibility seriously and I was getting a bit stressed over it, which is uncharacteristic for me. I’m usually very comfortable with public speaking. I knew I wanted to talk about the value of “community” and how being part of the ASMP has played into that, but I didn’t want to sound “canned”. I knew that I needed to personalize that message and really boil it down to what that has meant to me. But I also knew I needed to come off as someone who is still relevant and not be perceived by the students as just someone whose their mother’s age. I needed to show my spirit inside that hasn’t aged at all since graduating from Brooks all those years ago. I knew I needed to put myself in their shoes and see through their eyes in order to really connect with them. I started thinking in terms of what I know now and what I wished I had known back when I was a student at Brooks.

So, as I headed into NYC, I had a lot going through my mind. The ASMP event was great. It was a packed room with an engaged audience and terrific panelists. But the best part of the evening was the networking after the event. That’s where the real sharing of information happens and a sense of community is felt. It’s easy to get disconnected these days from the human connection because we all spend so much (too much) time online. That human connection will never be replaced by technology. That was one thing I wanted to point out to the students when I talked to them next week – to physically get “out there”.

I got home late and woke up early and needed a good jolt of coffee while I checked my emails. One email jumped out at me. It was a newsletter from Jonathan Fields who I started subscribing to after hearing Jonathan speak at the World Domination Summit this summer. The newsletter had a link to a video of Jonathan interviewing, Chris Guillebeau the founder of the World Domination Summit. Chris writes a blog that I follow, called the Art of Non-Conformity. As I listened to the interview, it became clearer as far as what I wanted to say to the students in my presentation next week. Chris said one thing that was right on target. He was talking about pursuing an idea and he said that by putting your idea out to the world – by telling someone about it – you were in fact “forcing accountability”.

I thought back to when I first had the crazy notion of traveling around the world with the purpose of creating a feature documentary about individuals on six continents who were making a positive difference in our world. The idea had been tossing around in my head for months before I told anyone. Then one evening as I was walking back from dinner with fellow ASMP board member, Blake Discher, I decided to put the idea “out there”. It was something I did on impulse, but as I look back on it now, Blake was probably the right one to “test run” this crazy idea on. He responded with an affirming, “thumbs up”, but not overly exuberant, which was exactly what I needed. Blake is a very grounded person, so for someone like him to not look at me and tell me that I was out of my mind, was the nudge I needed. So, it was that short, impulsive, casual conversation that forced me to be accountable with my idea.

I went on to make the movie that I set out to make and even better, I got to share the experience with my daughter Erin. It has changed both of our lives for the better. That’s not to say that everything has worked out in ways that I may have wanted or thought I wanted. But it has been a journey that I was meant to take. I have met people that I never would have met in the process and that in turn has led to so many more incredible experiences and adventures that I couldn’t have possibly imagined.

I started thinking about my life’s journey and all the things I have learned since my days as a student at Brooks. And then I thought, “what if I knew then what I know now? “ The thing is, if I had already known all those things back when I was a student, I never would have had the journey that I’ve had. Everything happens in its own time and when it is meant to happen. And that’s what life’s all about – the journey along the way and that only happens when we leave room for the unexpected.

September 4, 2012September 4, 2012

Saying Goodbye to a Friend and Colleague

Today the photo world is mourning the loss of Susan Carr. Susan died yesterday after her long battle with cancer.

Susan was perhaps the strongest woman I have ever known. She was also the most giving. She gave above and beyond, everything and anything she put her mind to. She tirelessly gave to ASMP (American Society of Media Photographers) and many of her colleagues will attest to that. But I will remember Susan beyond her work for ASMP I will remember Susan for her positive spirit.

One fond memory I have of Susan is the day my daughter, Erin graduated from Northwestern University. My husband, Tom and I were the only “family” members to attend Erin’s graduation because most of our family lives on the East Coast and Chicago isn’t exactly around the corner. We were going to have a nice, but simple celebration lunch and I called Susan and asked if she would like to join us. She happily accepted our invitation and was humbled to be included in our celebration. Her presence that day was so joyful and she made the day even more special. She was part of our family that day and she helped us celebrate one of life’s wonderful moments.

Susan and I didn’t always agree, but we always had the utmost respect for one another. We were both women in a business that was dominated by men – at least that’s how it was when we first started out in our careers. That’s changed over the years as more women have entered into the business of photography, but back then – you had to be a strong woman to compete in what was then, a “man’s world.”

But as strong as Susan was, she also had a heart of gold and a deeply intuitive nature. You could see that in her work. Her ongoing project, photographing people’s environments, really showed her spirit to be true. She gave her still images of these environments a “voice”, even though there was no sound. Even when no people were present in her photographs, you could hear and feel the inhabitants of the environments that she selected to shoot. She leaves behind a wonderful legacy with her work and a testament to the time she lived in.

I will miss Susan in many ways, but mostly in how she encouraged me. When I first started giving seminars and had a few bumps with some negative feedback, Susan had faith in me. She supported me and gave me helpful advice that was right on target and just what I needed. She was also a big supporter of my film, in many ways. On September 20^th, Opening Our Eyes will screen at Valencia College in Orlando, FL as part of a celebration for International Peace Day and The Global Peace Film Festival. After the screening, the students will congregate outside and make a human peace sign – each one bearing a lit candle. Those candles will be for you Susan – your life on Earth was far too short but you burned so brightly while you were with us and you will always be remembered.

“To find your calling is a gift. A purpose provides the drive to pursue
excellence along with an unwavering belief that your work is of value.
When you can take this resolve and turn it into a vocation you achieve
a rare and extraordinary feat.”
~ Susan Carr, “The Art and Business of Photography”

August 29, 2012August 29, 2012

ePubs and Seminars – Why Some Inspire and Some Don’t

I’ve been working on an ePub about the “Business of Video”. I have one ePub selling now and

another one at the formatter, and I finally had time over the weekend to fill in, the middle chapters of the “business” pub. I had already made the decision to approach this ePub, the same way I would, if I was editing a video, by starting with the beginning and the ending and then filling in the middle.

As I was working on this book, it occurred to me that I should add a prologue – something that would explain the “why” I was writing the book in the first place. I had decided to write this ePub after receiving countless phone calls and emails from still photographers who had questions about incorporating motion into their own businesses. The emails and calls started slowly at first, when I began writing this blog, which is geared toward still photographers who were moving into motion. It was after I started giving seminars and speaking at various venues, that I quickly became overwhelmed with the correspondence that I was getting. I realized something had to give, when I was spending more time talking to photographers and associates about their projects, than I was on things that I wanted to do. I was also keenly aware there was a hunger for this type of information, so I began the process of writing an ePub about the business of motion.

It wasn’t until I received this email from someone who had taken my seminar, that it became clear to me of how I should approach the direction and content of this book.

They wrote:

“ I just wanted to tell you that your seminar was extremely inspirational, even though I can’t really say I learned anything new. Thank you.”

Ten or fifteen years ago, I may have taken that remark in a negative way, but I actually took it as a huge compliment. It was also a very telling statement. These days, we are overloaded with information. There is a wealth of content online (much of it is free), and there are days I simply get lost in this sea of information, spending way too many hours sifting through it all. On top of that, there are books, ePubs, podcasts, webinars, seminars, and workshops galore. It’s become so easy to disseminate knowledge; that we end up receiving a lot of the same information, just regurgitated and repackaged.

I started thinking about the “why” in terms of what people hoped to take away from a book or a seminar. I believe that most people are hoping to get information that they can use and apply it in their own businesses. Statistically, only 2% of workshop participants will actually act on what they have learned. Many times people end up feeling so overwhelmed, that instead of applying the information learned, they end up giving themselves excuses why they can’t. So, when I read this comment from someone telling me that I had inspired them, I realized that should always be the end goal for both the giver and for the receiver – to inspire and get inspired. I knew that if I wanted to inspire people to take action as my end goal, that I needed to do more than simply deliver the same basic knowledge that already existed in other books and seminars. I knew that I needed to deliver the information in a way that was unique to me, through my own voice and my own experiences.

If I can do that, and inspire people through my own passion, I will succeed in moving them to take action. Stay tuned.

August 24, 2012

Moving Into Motion – What is Your Why?

Over the last couple of years, in addition to maintaining my video production company and making a feature film, I have been teaching seminars and consulting still photographers who are thinking of getting into “motion”. Many times I start out by asking participants why they want to get into motion. The most common answer I get is “because it seems like that is where everyone is headed”. That is perhaps the worst answer and reason a photographer – or anyone else, can give.

I suppose I could just do a show and tell and demonstrate the cool gear I have and how to use it, and I do talk about gear, but I would be remiss if I didn’t stress the “why” question. Video is a medium that is all about story telling. While a still photograph can also tell a story, video, by it’s very nature of incorporating visuals and sound, has the power to deliver a message or story in a very emotional way. This is why many non-profits use video in their fund raising efforts – they have found that when they deliver their message with video – people give more money.

I got a call recently from someone who had just lost a close relative and they wanted their personal affects photographed. My first question of course was why. The obvious answer would be that they wanted these “things” archived. But what they really wanted or the why in this case was that, these items evoked memories and memories are attached to feelings and it is those feelings that people want to archive when someone close to them dies. So, I felt my job was to capture and preserve those feelings for the ones who are left behind. I knew if I didn’t approach the job like that, I would end up with images of just “things” and that would be more like a catalog of objects.

I was trying to unravel the “why” because that is what I’m best at. My cameras and other tools of my trade – don’t do that for me – my heart and mind play a major role in that process and I believe that many times, this is what sets me apart from my competition. Photographers who don’t question the why, end up with images or video that may be beautifully executed but don’t emote or tell the story in a meaningful way.

I thought that perhaps the best way to approach this “job” would be to add a voice to it. Even though the deceased can’t tell their story – their family and friends – can. I also knew that I didn’t want to confuse the issue with video interviews because it could be a distraction, rather than add to the overall piece. The decision was made to approach the job as a multimedia piece, using still images and sound recordings from relatives.

Interviewing is an art and it’s also something that can either make a piece strong – or end up as a disaster. Like a bad script, an interview can either strengthen a piece or just as easily, weaken it. It really is dependent on the person who is doing the interview. When done well, interviews will bring a unique voice and point of view to a project and that cannot be copied. For example, I could do an interview with someone and hit all the right marks that I’m going for, as far as tone, emotion and connection. I could give someone else the same list of questions and ask them to interview the same subject and they would get entirely different results. It all comes down to rapport and that is not a one size fits all type of thing. Interviewing skills are difficult to teach, because invariably people want more of a black and white list of do’s and don’ts of the process. A great interview is really about having a good conversation with someone – but you leave your part out of the piece, when you edit it. It’s comes down to good listening skills and rapport. Sounds easy, but people either have these skills or they don’t.

I’ve thought about this a lot over the years that I’ve been shooting video and I always start with the “why”. Why is it that I am really good at interviewing my subjects? I can’t really pinpoint the reason(s), other than to say that I’m really interested in what people are telling me – and they sense that. That’s just me and it always has been.

I became a photographer because of my insatiable curiosity in peoples’ stories – not because I was interested in photography. My camera is a means to that end, whether it is a video camera, a still camera or a camera that is capable of shooting both. I always start with the “why” and pick the camera and medium that best answers that question.

I am currently working on my 3rd ePub. It is about the business of motion/video with lots of great tips and advice that will help you stay in business as you cross over into other mediums. Stay tuned and in the meantime – start defining your “why”. Check out Simon Sinek’s TED talk – it will inspire.