Passion – Page 9 – Journeys of a Hybrid

May 6, 2010

Why I Do The Things I DO

Some people would look at the life I’ve lived and say, “She never grew up”. And they would probably mean that I‘ve led my life doing the things that I’ve wanted to do, but not necessarily what I was expected to do according to our culture’s norm. They would be right in that I have pursued my passions and pretty much have done what I’ve wanted to do. Not irresponsibly or selfishly at the detriment to others but actually to the benefit of others.

For example I didn’t go straight through four years of college after graduating high school. I left after my sophomore year and took off on my travels. I eventually went back to college and graduated – when I wanted to – when I was ready to get the most out of it. And when I graduated from Brooks Institute in the mid 70’s and headed to New York to pursue a career in photojournalism at a time when the publishing business was in bad economic shape – everyone told me I was crazy. I guess I was crazy if my goal was to make a lot of money,

Gail _PeaceHotel_Shanghai1983 — Gail-Peace Hotel, Shanghai,China - 1983

but as much as I didn’t want to be poor, my main motivation wasn’t money. I had a desire to document the world through my camera.

These days I go to parties where people my age are talking about their kids who for the most part have just graduated from college. I over hear people talking about getting their kids connected with the “right people” to get the “right jobs” and it’s perfectly understandable – everyone wants their kids to live a comfortable and fulfilling life. But sometimes those two things compete with one another.

I never really understood the concept of the “right people” or the “right jobs” – I just followed the path that I was drawn to – always have. But I’ve also been open to the possibilities in life and was naïve enough to pursue my dreams to the fullest extent. Some things have worked out – some haven’t And ironically, the projects that I’ve pursued with a passion that certainly didn’t look like moneymakers on paper, have turned out to yield the most financial rewards and recognition.

I’ve never had a real job with a boss except for the one-year I assisted a studio photographer when I first got out of school. I doubt that at my age that will ever happen, but you never know. I’m open to the possibilities of life. In fact I’m ready to take off again for a 99 day journey around the world working on a documentary – a passion project. Please follow my journey at Opening Our Eyes.

May 4, 2010

Gearing Up For A HDSLR Documentary

Most people have no idea of how much really goes into planning for even the simplest films. My biggest job was to come up with the right mix of gear that would enable me to shoot both still images and video in a high-end way, yet remaining to be portable and lean as far as what we would be bringing with us. That can be an overwhelming task – but the more I break it down and prepare for it with a Plan A, B and C – the more confident and relaxed I feel as our departure date nears.

Please watch the video that I created (nothing fancy) showing the gear that I’ll be bringing around the world on a 99 day shoot for my passion project Opening Our Eyes.

I’m embracing the HDSLR system since I want to shoot both stills and video but by no means is it streamlining my equipment needs. Quite the contrary, I’m bringing an assortment of lenses that I wouldn’t be taking if I were shooting with a traditional camera, as well as a lot of third party gear to augment audio capture and rigging for stabilization. What you don’t see in the video are the two (redundant) MacBooks that are essential when shooting any tapeless workflow.

Of course there are a million other details to cover for a 3 month trip around the world.
I’m still trying to determine my mobile phone and service needs. I’ve set up Skype on both laptops – yes 2 laptops because when you’re shooting tape less you are totally dependent on a computer and a back up if one fails. I’ll most likely upgrade my Blackberry because it’s been two years and that’s light-years in the tech world of communications. And I need to activate travel/medical emergency insurance as well as register my equipment with US Customs and add new gear to my business insurance policy.

There are also accommodations for 99 nights and a slew of internal airline tickets that needed to be taken care of. Read about it more at: Opening Our Eyes

April 25, 2010April 25, 2010

One Year and 130 Posts Later

A week or so ago, I overlooked a minor milestone. One year ago, I started Journeys of a Hybrid. I have written 131 one posts to date. That’s almost 3 a week. I told myself when I started this blog that I would embrace the idea of writing and sharing and would make it a regular habit.

Quite honestly it’s been very therapeutic for me – a way of organizing my thoughts if you will. While I’m also surprised as to which posts are widely received and which seem to barely get noticed, I’ve always written about what happens to be on my mind, rather than second guessing what I think people want to read.

I thought today – I would list my particular favorites:

Finding Your Passion

Breaking the Spirit

Convergence-Defining Yourself by Your Vision – Not Your Tool

You’re Only 25 and You’re Already Making Compromises

Standing on a 10 Foot Frozen Wave

Thanks to all of you who continue to read my random thoughts and collections of information.

April 20, 2010April 20, 2010

How To Survive as a Photographer or Life in General

I’m headed into New York City today to speak to college students who are studying photography. A friend of mine who is an educator and also a photographer himself asked me to talk to his students. My first thought was to talk to them about video, because that is what I have been doing lately – speaking to groups of photographers about video. But then I thought about it more and thought it would be unfair to show a power point presentation about another skill set. More importantly, I thought it would be another talk about another tool.

So this morning I switched gears and I started writing down some thoughts that I feel have helped me survive the life that I have carved out as a visual communicator. I remind myself of these ideas whenever I have drifted from my life’s purpose and it gets me back on track.

Seek opportunities – or better yet take notice of them when they come along – they are everywhere if you open your mind to them. I have found that some of the jobs that I almost turned down because I thought that it wasn’t for me have been the most rewarding jobs I’ve ever worked on. Here’s a blog that I wrote about one of these opportunities that I almost didn’t embrace. “Breaking the Spirit”
Find your passion – don’t define yourself by your tool – whether it’s a still camera or a video camera or something that hasn’t been invented yet. Stay true to who you are and how you “see” the world. I need to be reminded of that every once in a while. Recently, a friend of mine got me thinking about whom I am, and I realized that I’m really that same 19-year-old girl who took off around the world with an insatiable curiosity for people and cultures. I became a photographer because I wanted to share this passion with others and I use my camera as a tool toward that end.
Don’t just “be” a photographer – By that I don’t mean that you should also shoot video – although it wouldn’t be a bad idea. What I really mean is that in order to be a visual communicator, you need to have something to say. When I attended Brooks Institute many, many years ago, the constant tech talk used to bore me to tears. I had just come back from hitchhiking around the world and I knew there were more interesting topics to talk about than f/stops and shutter speeds. The funny thing is I don’t remember the technically perfect photos that were critiqued in class if they didn’t have something else going for them – something that evoked a feeling. It’s kind of like an actor who studies acting technique but doesn’t understand or portray the character they are playing.
Keep learning and growing – I’ve never stopped learning. My college days and days at Brooks Institute are long over, but I’m constantly learning and trying new things. I’m an explorer by heart and there will always be something out there to discover.
Take risks – The most important things that have ever happened to me have been also been the things that scared me the most. Nine out of ten times things didn’t work out as planned or what I had hoped for. But it’s that one time when things did work out that brought great value and rewards to my life. So when I try to talk myself out of doing something, based on my fears, I think about the times when the risk did pay off. If I don’t take the chance – I know I won’t have a hope for anything happening at all.
Don’t listen to the naysayers – I try not to let others talk me out of my dreams. I dodge the roadblocks that people try to put in my way. Surround yourself with other dreamers – not the half empty crowd.
Be a publisher – Don’t wait for someone else to validate who you are by assigning you a job and handing you a lopsided contract that is not in your best interest. Distribution is king in regards to content and it’s never been easier in these days of the internet and social media.

Lastly be true to yourself and love life – all facets of life, the bitter and the sweet. We are all just tiny blips on the timeline of life – make the most out of it in your own way.

April 9, 2010

Should I Be Thinking of Video – Or Not?

I give a seminar to still photographers for ASMP entitled “Should I Be Thinking of Video?” It’s a broad overview of the different facets of video production along with how I have positioned myself in this medium and where I think some of the opportunities are. I’m quick to point out what it’s not – it’s not going to tell you everything you need to know to make video part of your business and it’s not about how to use your DSLR. And if anyone promises that they can teach you that in two hours – they’re lying. But most importantly, I can’t possibly answer the question “should I be shooting video” for each individual in the room. And that’s because there is no ONE answer to that question – that’s up to the individuals to decide for themselves.

I think perhaps I should point out some reasons why one shouldn’t be thinking of video:

• Fear – Because you are consumed with fear of your future. It’s understandable to be afraid when the world as you know it, is changing. But if you are so focused on the thought that you have to do something because technology has changed your business to the extent that it just isn’t there anymore, instead of focusing on how you can use technology to grow your business – then you’ll paralyze your mind to new possibilities.
• The Camera – If you are getting into video because your still camera is capable of shooting video and you’re not concentrating on thinking and seeing in motion, then you’ll end up with isolated video clips that have no relation to one another and you’ll have a rude awakening in the editing room when you realize you have no clue on how you’re going to put together a cohesive story.
• Because everyone else is – With all this talk of video of late, everyone feels they need to jump on board. The truth is video may not be the answer for some photographers. And it may not be the best medium for the markets you work in.

You should be thinking of video if:
• You think that motion and sound is the best way to visually communicate your clients’ story or message.
• You recognize the power of collaboration in this medium
• You understand that there’s a learning curve and there’s no magic bullet.

I cannot tell you if video is the answer for you – that’s up to you to make that decision for yourself. I can only tell you what’s involved and guide you through the process.

When my daughter was growing up, I was always careful not to make all her decisions for her. It was a hard thing to do because many times she wanted me to and I wanted to but I didn’t. I knew if I made all her decisions for her that I wouldn’t be doing her any favors in the long run – because sooner or later she’d be out on her own without me there telling her what she should or shouldn’t do. I think it was one of the hardest things I had to do as a parent.

It’s been challenge this year scheduling time for my production business, along with traveling around giving these seminars. As much as I enjoy sharing information with others through these seminars, I know that I need to be doing what I love most and that is being a visual communicator. So, I’m taking to the road on May 25th – around the world actually, working on a personal project Opening Our Eyes. I need to get back to some real quality time of creating. And the best part – my daughter decided that she wants to join me and be part of this – and she made this decision all on her own.

April 1, 2010

Serendipity

I have been completely buried with details, the last few weeks – everything from applying for visas, to booking flights within particular destinations to securing lodging for 98 nights – and doing it all on a shoestring budget. It’s been challenging, frustrating and necessary in order to get Opening Our Eyes off the ground.

I recently stumbled upon some interesting connections and communities while doing research for our travel needs. My daughter Erin had sent me a couple of links to insightful articles on Matador Network. I started exploring this network and website and was really impressed not only with the information that I found here but also by the “community” that had been built. Yesterday I had a great phone conversation with Matador’s CEO, Ross Borden and we discussed some very interesting ideas about how we could collaborate and share – so stay tuned and if you love travel and life – become a member of the Matador Network.

When I started my backpacking adventures over 35 years ago, I didn’t have an online community like the Matador Network – didn’t even have the Internet as we know it, or cell phones, Fedex or any other quick way to facilitate communication – I was pretty much cut off and out there – alone. Yet, I did have a “community” – meeting and talking with other travelers along the way – sharing tips and info, along with cautionary advice. There was definitely a community and it was in real time, face to face but unpredictable.

I started thinking about then and now when it comes to traveling and there is one thing that resonates with me as much today as it did then and that is making sure that I allow serendipity to happen when I travel. Serendipity – the things that happen that aren’t planned – the things that can only happen when you open yourself up to the unknown – when you are willing to take a chance – see what’s out there – follow your instincts and see where they take you.

So my daughter and I have built in “time” for our trip – time to linger and really absorb where we are – to get outside of ourselves and our own little “unit” and become part of where we are. My experience and wisdom from traveling all these years have taught me to plan ahead – but my instincts tell me to leave a little up to chance – and more importantly to be open to possibilities and opportunities. It’s the things that you never would have thought to plan – that are sometimes the most rewarding of all. But you have to open your eyes, take notice and cross into the unknown. That’s hard to do when you are traveling with other people because it’s easy to stay within the comfort of your own “tribe”. That’s one reason why I’ve traveled solo most of my life. But this time around my daughter and I will venture into the unknown, with a lot of trust, gut instincts, thrills and trepidations and see where it takes us – but also knowing that we have each other’s back. And that’s the best of both worlds.

March 18, 2010March 18, 2010

Sustaining the Human Spirit

It’s been a tough year for a lot of people. It hasn’t been all that great for me but I’m thankful that I’m still able to make a living doing what I love – telling stories through still imagery and video. But it hasn’t been easy and this month in particular has truly taxed my spirit.

So how does one keep going when faced with the frustration of not getting “the job” and all the rest of the feelings that come with that – feelings of insecurity or hopelessness or worse? What does one do to rise above the negative feelings that will only lead to more negativity, anger and despair?

Yesterday was one of those days for me. Got a couple of emails that didn’t destroy me but left me pretty well bruised. For me many times my hurt manifests itself as anger – at least at first – which only makes things worse. So I try to put things in perspective and also try to understand. I try to understand why I didn’t get “the job” and use this knowledge to raise my own bar, so the next time I will land the job.
And if I’m feeling rejected on a personal level – I try to get outside myself and understand how my actions or words have affected someone else.

Sounds easy – but it’s easier said than done. Sometimes I don’t want to “understand” but rather I want to be understood. And when that doesn’t happen, I put up walls – barriers meant to protect me from being hurt again. That ends up doing more harm than good because it also prevents any positive things from entering my life. And many times those barriers that I erect give me a temporary safe haven – but end up being an empty place to be.

I am a passionate person and many times people are drawn to me because of that. I open myself up to people giving too much – too soon. People are drawn to my spirit and my strength and my ability to face my fears. They also know I’m the type of person who is there for them – they just know. A friend recently told me that during a difficult time – he knew I was there. Even though there was nothing I could do to make things right – he knew I was there and that was a comfort.

I think that pretty much sums up a basic need in all of us – to have someone we know who is there for us during the rough patches of life. I think we all need that and we all need a little understanding. If we know that or even sense that – we can get through difficult times.

Photographers are more vulnerable to bad times than most I think, because they are such independent creatures. They are usually out there doing a solo act. If they don’t have a support system in place with friends and family – they generally have a real hard time dealing with slumps.

One thing I love about working in video production is that it is a collaborative effort. You work with others and draw from their strengths. When working with the “right” group of people – it’s a wonderful thing. Even if you’re in charge and the buck stops with you – you know you have people who you can count on. That’s so important and basic to human happiness.

So when I have a bad day and I feel like my support system is non-existent – what do I do? I try to dig deep and find that inner strength in myself that others seem to find appealing and even take comfort in. And I hope I find it.

March 17, 2010

Driveby Culture

Seth Godin’s blog post today “Driveby culture and the endless search for wow” really hit home with me. Godin writes:

“Should I write blog posts that increase my traffic or that help change the way (a few) people think?”

I think about this a lot – should I write about something that I know will get a lot of eyeballs or should I write about something that I’ve been thinking about that may make others think? Ironically, when I don’t think about what will attract an audience and just write from an open and honest point of view – I end up with a lot of eyeballs. And those are the eyeballs that I want to attract – the ones who I click with.

Godin goes on to say:

“More and more often, we’re seeing products and services coming to market designed to appeal to the momentary attention of the clickers.”

“Mass marketing used to be able to have it both ways. Money bought you audience. Now, all that buys you a mass market is wow and speed. Wow keeps getting harder and dives for the lowest common denominator at the same time.”

We live in a culture of “shock and awe” and sound bites. We don’t read anything lengthy – we want bullet points. Magazines don’t run stories anymore – they do survey pieces – the ten best………….. We want packaging and fizz – wowy zowy. We want exotic imagery and special effects. If it doesn’t grab our attention – we’re bored and off to the next thing. We’ve become so busy clicking around and multi-tasking we hardly take notice that we’re not getting satisfied. We’re left kind of empty feeling even though we’ve just been to a smorgasbord.

Every once in a while something comes along – a simple movie with a powerful message – an image that lingers in our minds – a story that took us to another place. Timeless thoughts, ideas and imagery that continue to resonate with the human spirit and every now and then we take pause and notice. Something makes us all stop and think – beyond the glitter, the eye-candy and the headlines.

Godin questions:

“What works to change mindsets, to spread important ideas and to create an audience for work that matters? What’s worth your effort and investment as a marketer or creator?”

For me the answer is just being myself – open and honest. There’s only one Gail Mooney and that’s what I have to share.

March 12, 2010March 12, 2010

Frozen Waves and Instincts

A couple of weeks ago I stood on top of a 10 foot frozen wave on Lake Superior. I was in an amazing place, both physically and spiritually. The next day, we had an 8-hour drive from the Upper Peninsula to Detroit. I pulled out my computer and I wrote a blog about my experience on the ice, the day before. I really didn’t think much of it at the time – I just jotted down my thoughts.

When I got to Detroit, I uploaded the blog to my wordpress site and didn’t check my email or look at any social media sites until very late the next evening. When I did, I saw that the hits on my blog had gone through the roof – over 2000! When I checked my email, I noticed there was one from a wordpress editor telling me that my blog had landed on their home page. No wonder. Judging by the dozens of comments people had written – I realized the blog has resonated with people. Not just the icy image, but my thoughts and feelings that I had shared. I had written from my instincts.

I’ve lived my life taking chances and trusting my instincts. You kind of have to trust your instincts when you take chances – that comes with the territory. If you don’t – most likely you won’t be putting yourself out there. I honed my instincts in my early years, when I was a 19 year old woman hitchhiking around the world. I had to make snap judgments about people when they pulled over and offered me a ride. Should I or shouldn’t I get in that car? I developed a sixth sense if you will – and to this day I go where my gut is telling me to go.

The funny thing is my instincts aren’t always right – not 100% anyway. Maybe only 70% or 80% of the time. So that means that 20-30% of the time – my instincts are wrong. When that happens – I fail. And when I fail – it’s really hard to trust my instincts again. But if I question myself (and I do) and I talk myself out of doing something – I know – I’ve guaranteed – that “something” has absolutely no chance of happening.

Sooner or later, I usually get another idea to pursue or an opportunity presents itself and I have to make a decision on which path to follow. And once again I need to trust my instincts. It’s scary – it’s always been scary. That’s why it’s called risk.

I’m pushing myself in a lot of new directions at this point in my life. I’m not going to pretend that I don’t get afraid – because I do. So I need to dig down deep inside myself and trust my most basic instincts and hope they serve me right.

March 8, 2010March 8, 2010

Funding A Personal Project

I have learned from past experience with other personal projects that getting funding for an idea is no easy task. But I have also found that with a lot of careful planning, saving and budgeting I have been able to self fund my projects and have been compensated on many levels later on – after the projects are underway or near completion. As I continue to blog and to talk to people about Opening Our Eyes, the documentary my daughter and I are creating which involves us traveling around the world, I get asked a lot of questions. One question that is asked quite frequently is “who is funding your project?” The short answer is – we are self-funding our trip and our documentary.

I had managed to save up about 330,000 miles with Continental Airlines and another 329,000 points with American Express over the years. I was saving them for something, just didn’t know what until a few months ago when I decided to cash all my points and miles in to subsidize our journey around the world.

So far, I have exhausted all but 4,000 Continental miles in ticketing my Round The World plane ticket as well as getting my daughter and I to, from and around South America. My husband Tom donated his Continental miles to my daughter Erin for her Round The World fare. I will still need to pay for airplane tickets to Iquitos, Peru from Lima as well as for flights to Nepal from Delhi, India. That still leaves picking up the costs of air or train tickets from Istanbul to Warsaw and Moscow. I will use about a third of my Amex points to pay for the flights from Lima to Iquitos, Peru because those tickets are costly.

I’ll use the rest of my American Express points to fund some of our accommodations, along with any hotel points that I have. We’ll be staying at guesthouses, people’s homes and budget hotels whenever possible. We’ll use public transportation for getting us around once we get to our destinations because renting a car isn’t in our budget.

Of course there’s food and miscellaneous expenses on the road like Internet and admission fees. The vaccinations for the two of us have cost more than $1500 and the visa costs may reach $1000. And we’ll both need backpacks and other personal needs for the trip.

My biggest expense will be for photo/video gear but that is the purpose of the trip. I have pretty much figured out the gear that I’ll need: read my blog entry Putting Together a DSLR Video Kit. When all is said and done, including buying an additional laptop as a backup, I’ll have spent about $12,000 on equipment needs.

So, how will I pay for it? When my mother died about six years ago she left me a little money. I never really wanted to spend it and was fortunate that I never had to – so I will use it for this project and this trip. Somehow, I think she would love the idea of what her daughter and granddaughter were doing. And if she were still here she might very well have wanted to join us.

I’ll be reaching out to Canon, Apple and others as potential sponsors. I’m also reaching out to my friends and connections that I have made over the years for donations in kind. If you have any hotel points that you may not be using and would like to donate those points to our trip it would be greatly appreciated. Or any other type of “in kind” donations you may provide.

Please email: gail@kellymooney.com or call 973-543-6868

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