Preparing For The Upturn

In the distance I can see sunshine peeking through the clouds.

It's still cloudy and in places the rain is pouring down. Hard. It's going to be OK, though.

I stopped off at the auto parts store and bought a new set of wipers and an air filter. I recently had my oil changed and my tires are at the right pressure. With what I've planned for and done, I will weather this storm. I still want to get the new Kid Rock and U2 cds for the journey, but the road will still be treacherous for many more miles. I still need to concentrate.

The sunshine after all is still in the distance.

Photography's Big Picture

It's almost lunch time on the East Coast and today the Dow Jones Industrial is up almost 4%. Hooray.

This blog is supposed to be about my photography, creativity and things related to the industry. It's not really for photographers (you can get your shutters clicked in a million other places). But I'm glad you're here.

I've mentioned in the past that because of the economy I had to take a part-time job. I wasn't going to take just any job, though. It had to be a job related to photography. So I took a part-time teaching gig at a charter school in Scottsdale. One of the things that I tell my students is that photography isn't only about taking pictures. Photography is about life. Not only do you capture beautiful pictures in interesting places, but photography forces me to have relationship with people and my environment. Photography is so much deeper than the obvious picture.

A year ago I was incredibly busy. I heard that a recession was coming. For some reason, I didn't realize the full impact of what was being predicted. In July I shot a huge project for a wonderful client. We had a lot of fun and made great images. Also in July the Dow Jones Industrial began to fall. By August, I could see that I was getting fewer hits on my Web site and the phone wasn't ringing as much. My brother David, said, "It's not you, it's the economy."

I wish we never had a recession. It's terrible. Yet behind every dark cloud is a silver lining.

I think this recession has helped bring this nation a little closer together. We're not perfect but we elected a President who would have been, during fatter times, been criticized for drug use, his age and other things that may not matter. This recession has also exposed the greed of those who are already so wealthy that during their lifetime cannot possibly spend their bonuses, let alone their salary. I'm appalled at the thought of someone getting a bonus that's akin to everyone else hitting The Lottery (while many across the nation are losing their homes). It seems they should be the ones bailing out America.

During the good times, I bought an HDTV so big that they can see it in Space. Yesterday I unplugged the satellite connection. As I pulled the plug on the receiver, I remembered buying high-performance cables that cost about $100 per cord. The satellite is lost in space. I still have my cords. The time has come for us to conserve and see what was already here all along.

Over the weekend, my wife, Susan, and I were talking about how good things really are (despite all of the tribulation). We've discovered a place where we can get coffee that is $7 for three pounds and it tastes almost as good as Starbucks. We now buy perfectly good things that previously were never considered. (Yet we also have conversations that we start by saying, "When we're rich... ")

At dinner we had wine. I'll admit that the $5 wine isn't as good as the $20 version. But we're having wine tonight too.

Right now it's a little after 9 a.m., the Dow is up almost 4½% (7599 points). We aren't where we were in July, but the phone is beginning to ring again. I'm shooting on Friday. The week after, I will be delivering 17 giant sized bags of beans to the St. Mary' Food Bank.

What I do for a living merely involves photography but it's really all about life and relationship with people. If you are a photographer and have read this far, you need to find a way to help others. Donate. Give. Volunteer. Sometimes we need to plant a tree that we'll never sit under.

Photography can save the world.

As You Like It

Shakespear wrote:  All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players...

If all the world's a stage, why are we still sitting here? 
Find your spotlight and perform!

Beans, Beans the Magical Fruit

Some really good things have started happening since I started the "Working Hard To Save Others" campaign. People as far away as Maryland, Chicago, and Texas have written to encourage me. Leslie Burns-Dell'Acqua featured me on her blog.

Right now I'm prepping for a shoot that I have from an agency in Canada. My client says she's "freaked out by the slowdown" and is glad to be helping. You probably don't realize that for 1 in 7 Americans, hunger is a reality. This means that millions of hard-working adults, children and Seniors are struggling with hunger. In a land of plenty, this is unacceptable.

312,966 Arizona children under age 18 live in poverty,
representing 1 in 5 of Arizona’s children.

Bev Damore at the St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance says they need: peanut butter, tuna, canned soups and stews, cereals and juices, rice, beans. I'm thinking that because of our neighbor to the north, we can buy a lot of soup, rice and beans.

In case you are wondering why I'm doing this, you need to know that for two decades I was a photojournalist and I realized that my photography had the power to change people's lives. The days of the newspaper are behind me, but my power has never waned. Even if you aren't in a position to hire me, you can go shopping and make your own donation.

You and my photography can make the World a better place. Now let's get busy!

Working Hard to Save Others

Integrity: The quality of being honest
and having strong moral principles;
moral uprightness.

To me, integrity is doing what's right — even when nobody else is looking. For some, rough times are often seen as a time of having license to do things they wouldn't ordinarily do. I've heard of people breaking into vacant homes and businesses and making them their personal shelter. I suspect that shoplifting is on the rise because people need to eat and feed their families.

President Obama recently outlined his rescue plan that will help many — but unfortunately not all. I really don't think we can wait for lawmakers to save us. We need to do something to help each other. I have an idea.

Working Hard to Save Others is a program I've created that will feed those in need. What I am going to do is, for the rest of 2009, donate 25% of my photographic licensing fees to the St. Mary's Food Bank (or food bank of your choice — maybe the one in your city).

Critics might argue, that I'm just trying to drum up business. I am. And I'm donating a portion of my income to those with no income. Together, we can make a difference.

Magazines, ad agencies and other corporations have budgets. There will be no misappropriation of funds, you will simply be hiring me to take beautiful pictures and I will go grocery shopping or make a cash donation.

Here is the promo I'm sending out. Look it over, leave a comment, but more importantly, tell someone else about what I am doing (especially if they are an art director, photo editor or art buyer):

Working Hard to Save Others

I think we can work hard to save others.

In a repressed economy, people don’t have the resources to give. People with the least resources suffer the most. Together here is what we can do:

From each project with your company, I will donate 25% of my licensing fees to the St. Mary’s Food Bank (or food bank of your choice).

Why the food bank? It boils down to trust. I don’t want us to invest in any more golden parachutes. And by donating to a food bank, we can be assured that the right people are being helped.

I plan to continue “Working Hard to Save Others” throughout 2009. You may not have a project right now but you can RSVP for sometime this year by replying to this e-mail or calling me at 480.329.8178.

With a little imagination, you and Tony Blei Photography can make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate.

In the World's richest nation, nobody should be hungry.

Failure Is The Only Option

What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail? You probably wouldn't do anything. There's no reason to. Not failing is safe. It's warm. All of your friends are there.

When failure isn't an option, there's no risk. Without risk, there's no character development. Without character, there is only mediocrity.

Failure hurts and is costly. But there we stand. It's dark. We're wearing tight white spandex and holding a pole. Your left foot slides onto a rope stretched over a big drop. The people on the ground look small. Don't look down.

Your mouth is dry and you can hear your heart beating.

Plant your right foot as your palms sweat. You wonder what in the hell you are doing here and you adjust your grip.

Take another step.

We could stretch our tightropes at twelve inches, twelve feet or 120 feet. At twelve inches, there is no risk. At 120 feet, the tightrope walker needs to be sharp and in tune. At 120 feet everything is being risked. At 120 feet, the tightrope walker is truly balanced.

Sometimes it's dark, cold and lonely. Sometimes I don't know where to plant my foot. Sometimes I wish I were on the ground where it's safe. Yet daily I slide my foot along the rope. I have to. It's the only way.

What would I do if I knew I couldn't fail? I would quit my day job and embrace a career where failure is an option with significant consequences.

I'm mixing my metaphors here, but anyone can get that which hangs low. For the sweetest fruit, you need to go out on a limb.

Just don't give up.

Barack Obama In My Backyard

President Barack Obama unveils his rescue plan
at Dobson High School in Mesa, Arizona.

I previously posted that President Obama arrived on Air Force One and that I photographed him at the airport. I also photographed him as he unveiled his rescue plan.

Members of the media, and other, set up their gear
and for the next four hours, wait.

Barack Obama made a visit to Dobson High School, which is within walking distance from me. To photograph him, I needed a credential, which I was able to get (calling the White House was kind of cool experience), and I also needed to wake up at 4 a.m., so that I could arrive, find a spot and then leave so that the bomb-sniffing dogs could do their part. This means, be set up by 5:30 a.m., leave and not come back until 8:30. The President was scheduled to speak at 10:15.

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer shows off
a newspaper headline regarding the President's trip.

Just before President Obama spoke, the Presidential Seal is placed on his podium.


During a long wait, a member of the audience
takes a picture before the President arrives.


President Barack Obama is greeted by his supporters
as he arrives at Dobson High School in Mesa, Ariz.

I've now photographed seven US Presidents. Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton were my favorites because they broke protocol which allowed me to get pictures of them doing something interesting. Sadly, I can't tell you what they spoke of because most of the Presidents were usually campaigning. I think that with this President, I'll remember that he wasn't talking about doing anything for himself, he came here to outline a plan that will help Americans keep their homes. Yesterday I photographed President Obama in my back yard as he gave us hope.

The conclusion.