Rip Van Winkled... Where did everyone go?..

As the story goes, the guy drifted off to avoid a domestic dispute, falls asleep and wakes up to a completely new world. While I wouldn't say I was asleep, the story indeed has presented some relevance in my current life.

Don't laugh, it was cool in 1996 before Photoshop evolved...

I opened Prints Charming Photography in '96, after several years of saving my retail earnings (thank you for the matching funds in my 401k Fred Meyer!) By 2002, I had three daughters and a continually growing business. Feeding five of us was great motivation to try harder always. In those 6 years, I had entered my images in just about every category of PPA affiliated print competitions, amidst many other professionals.

My involvement with the Oregon affiliated Professional Photographers of Oregon was extensive, in return for the continuing education I was receiving. However, after my sixth trip to the lectern to receive some nice confidence-boosting hardware as merit (and a Fellow of Photography degree) I decided to stop "competing".

Pondering atop Mt. Constitution at 6am

I was obsessed with some Wayne Dyer tapes (Secrets to Manifesting Your Destiny) where one phrase in particular kept reverberating through me as a must-use affirmation. My goal, "to become independent of the good opinion of other people". Always the one to dodge an argument and, on occasion, to accept blame for a quicker path to peace, it was more than just to avoid the attention of photographic peers. Backing out slowly was not an options, since I have a tenancy toward all-or-nothing, so I quit this organization altogether (denying my upcoming role as President) telling them my need to "focus on my business". Of course, at Soul's core, that was very true, but it was my abbreviated way of avoiding this long explanation that I wanted to prevent an ego/insecurity by continuing to seek merits and trophies.

For several years, my balance of art-to-geek ratio was recognized by an industry leader in online solutions for photographers. More Photos owner and I gelled as being extremely visionary, progressive and he became the brother I never had. His product was merged with software giant Adobe, who had asked him for someone that knew both their product and his to present it at an international convention.

Twas a phone photo, but the only one I took in Vegas this year.

It got me out of that shadow, but safely thousands of miles away in Orlando (or was it Vegas, and staying at the Paris made me feel like I was in France?..) I suddenly had a different experience at photography conventions, but was craving a chance to get back into the photographers' chair for some continuing education.

I got my feet wet last year with several traveling trainers, including some amazing cinematographers. My inner Ansel, jarred loose my inner Spielberg (once I discovered my DSLR's video button - little know fact... The only college I looked into in 1983 was a motion picture college in Hollywood), and suddenly I had a thirst for growth. If you've been in the studio in the last 6 months, you likely know what I'm talking about.

A parallel occurrence was happening regularly, where numerous auction invitations began coming in from my former peers from PPO in the form of "Retiring" sales etc... Knowing I've got at LEAST another good 30 years of youth and vision, I decided to silently wish them well and look ahead to what I've seen as a market that has matured into everything that I desire - MULTIMEDIA!!! (look at any category on our website, and you'll see it creeping in to nearly every session)

So, I suppose you're wondering how I can tie all of this in to the Rip Van Winkle tale... I decided, after several years of Vegas trade shows (purely to assist with product) to cover my own trip and return to the seats of continuing ed.

Where did everybody go?..

I suppose this is a common tale to anyone that decides to return to college after decades, but for me it has only been a few years, and in the same room/group where I am used to recognizing a good number of people - even while I was in Orlando. I seriously felt as though I'd woken up in a room 20 years later, since that would be about how many years younger most photographers were by my side.

I didn't care of course, since I don't look or act my age, (so I'm told) but it was still a surreal experience. Where did everybody go that I knew?..

Portland is touted as having the highest number of photographers per capita in the nation. I know that this includes a WHOLE lot of people that bought one professional camera (yet to discover why we need 2 or 4 of everything) and put together a web site. The general public, not understanding the difference, accepts that "nice camera = photographer". Ansel's timeless quote makes even more sense with today's digital gear: "You don't take a photograph, you make it."

Upon presenting for More Photos at a local trade show, I was overwhelmed by how many of the last generation photographers were still complaining about "today's customer not knowing...".  I silently wished them well, but increased my own awareness on how important it is to educate our clients, educate fellow photographers (we want our industry to have standards and ethics) and of course - to continue educating ourselves.

The whole experience has not only increased my creativity, but it has also re-ignited my desire to teach and share what I've learned over the years. I didn't wake up with a rusty gun or foot-long beard, but I have certainly found myself in a whole new world - AND I LOVE IT!

Check out the new design on our site! Just launched last night. http://www.yourprints.com

Family to Family

I love the fact that I can trace nearly every single client of today, back to someone I can thank in 1996 for the referral to referral to referral... It truly is a Family Tree, when I consider how few ads I've run in these 15 years as Prints Charming.

Though I've never taken ANY of them [clients] for granted, they did get a great deal more gratitude emitted their way after I watched many studios struggle or close since 2008. We chewed our own nails, until realizing that we needed them to keep working - and that we did.

We down-sized, we lowered prices, we COMPLETELY revamped the way we presented our work - but in the end, what made the biggest difference was that our family remained loyal to us. They referred their friends, they returned often themselves and by means of a couple of daily deals, we adopted a few more.

THANK YOU for choosing us, trusting us, referring us and for giving me a chance to do what I ABSOLUTELY LIVE TO DO - Create!

Here's to another 15 Portland (and Long Beach CA - thank you Rivera-Hee family for flying over THOUSANDS of other photographers and still letting me capture beautiful Kai!)

A Leg Up

Driven by a dream to become a recognized master of my craft, I moved to Portland in 1985. Five years in a business that was so well insulated from the recent recession, I didn't even know that one existed. I just worked hard, got the hours and managed to keep paying bills, buying gear and taking photo journeys with my camera in the passenger seat.

Until I arrived in Portland, I had no idea how tight things were even in the food biz. I gave up on my Albertsons connections and networked my way to this one-only, family run market in West Linn named Zupans. Leaving a union store to a higher cost of living, for a lower wage was the least of my concerns. I had a vision to pursue, and was given a chance to make it happen so I took it.

I'll never forget the day I met John Zupan, sitting in the manager's office with his store manager, giving me what felt like a military debriefing. The neighborhood I was about to enter, was not the rural, economically depressed backdrop where I'd learned a mass number of corporate acronyms and STRICT payment policies that required even my parents to still show me their two pieces of ID to put on a check.

"You're not at Albertsons anymore. If someone hands you a check for $200 over the amount of purchase, don't hassle them, just get a phone number at give them the money." Culture shock had just been bestowed upon my rigid training, but just looking into the eyes of Mr. Zupan, I could see the wisdom-of-awareness that he knew where I came from and that I'd adopt.

Though John was seeking property to open more stores, my mission was to get the top spot with a decent wage as soon as possible, so that I could free up my weekends for shooting weddings. Recognizing my ambitions, one of my weekend customers scouted me off-the-floor, and invited me to apply at Fred Meyer. I accepted the job, and gave 14 years in 14 different stores as I climbed my way to the position that allowed me to do what I came to do.

While it was the wage, 401k and management training of Freds that would eventually fund my Studio, it was only because of the leg-up that Zupan gave me, that I was able to bridge my way to this career of my dream.

John, you have touched more lives than you'll ever know by hiring Brian Geraths from Eastern Oregon. I have shared my gratitude for your bridge to this now, with many people, but never got to do it to you directly.

I dedicate this note of gratitude to you, John Zupan, who is now in that Field of all-Knowing Energy.

Thank you for the leg up!
Brian

Are You a Photographer?

Sitting in a study group recently, a statement was made that caused me some quick reflection on what exactly I had chosen for a career. For as long as I can remember, I have been taking pictures. (12 years old) I loved to seek a common subject, study it from different heights and angles, and eventually find the one that gave me the ultimate pang of perfection - a perspective to wrap my four corners of composition around, and fire away. It never occurred to me that I was "a photographer", rather obsessed with using a camera.

The personal growth class consisted of mostly career-established adults who were seeking to get more from their daily lives, finances or relationships by studying a timeless, 100 year old book called "The Science of Being Well" by Wallace Wattles. At the beginning of our fourth session, an observation was made that there were two photographers in the group. Having been to three prior sessions, I was surprised to discover I had missed that there was another photographer in the room.

As I scanned the others in curiosity, one lady looked at me to say, "Well I'm not nearly as good as you, and I don't have that nice of gear..." At that point, two thoughts occurred to me.

First, the insecure one that left a pit in my stomach that someone who did not depend on photography for a living, was sharing my title as a "photographer", when I knew she made a living in a restaurant.

Second, that I started out the same way, only working in a grocery store. Upon further, less inferior thinking, it also occurred to me that in my history of photo-related compliments, I was also called a photographer LONG before I declared myself professional.

So what, more accurately than a dictionary, defines a photographer?

Taking my camera to a wedding that was being photographed by a professional, I only saw through my lens. I stayed out of the way of the professional, but having gotten a few really great images from a roll of 36, was both jazzed and flattered, after hearing how great they were from my encouraging, though amateur supporters.

Photographing sunrises, sunsets and anything that gave me that nudge to share with others, I was happy with this habit, but when someone gives you that ultimate compliment of having a few shots as great as a professional, you start to ponder... "Hmm... What is the difference between me and the professional if I have the same camera, and desire to shoot?"

Friends would brag about their friend Brian, who "had a nice camera". Those compliments eventually cost me some nail-biting weddings (with one decent camera, and NO back-up gear), photographing my classmates senior portraits (thank God for the auto features when I was sweating on settings) and soon I was a "photographer". Lacking confidence in my skill level, I gave it away, charging barely enough to cover my film, processing and printing. Acquiring the nickname "Joe Photo" in school, somehow kept me out of the bushes. Hazing was common by seniors, and being one of the shortest in my school made me easy prey until a group-influencing Senior named Bill Turner gave me the nickname. "Let him go, he's cool, he can get us into the yearbook..."

Impressed with my photos, classmates often told me I should be a photographer. While I was thrilled and relieved about those 1-in-12 WOW-images that pleased the untrained eyes, there was my private truth that there were still 11 frames that needed some serious work.

It was a long, jagged and expensive (lab bills) path from 8%-80% presentable, but the cost made me think a great deal before pushing the button. Lighting, expression, background and composition all became second nature before I ever felt like a true professional and it took me years to master with portraiture.

Today's digital cameras have allowed us to take a quick peek to make sure that the flash went off and that we didn't overexpose a wedding dress, but they still cannot self-compose, fire themselves or even know what the true effect or feeling that you desire from the image. In the days of film, EVERY image, no matter how great, required some post-process finessing, which was often done by a professional (not retail) lab. "-2 red, +1 yellow..." and then sent back into the printer before the photographer ever saw a "proof" to obtain sales from. Upon presenting and selling that image, further enhancements would be done, such as negative retouching, and then additional touch-ups to the prints, before applying that sweet smelling protective spray. (an acquired taste/smell, but in my mental association, it said "COMPLETE")

It was like Christmas to open lab envelopes, and it took me several years (as a charging professional) to allow those lab envelopes to be opened by staff. NOBODY could look before I did. I didn't want their feedback, since it was hard to critique myself if someone else weighed in, and even more painful for someone to find a flaw before I did... As egotistical or pride-ridden as that might sound, it was my lack of confidence, thus humility that caused me to insist that nobody open them before me. (Shh... I was 33 years old before I let go of that one)

Before I ever knew I'd choose this craft as a career, I sought a mentor to critique my work and tell me how to get from where I was to where I saw him. He used to teach photography in Chicago before opening his studio in Eastern Oregon, so I knew he could help me. His answer... "Start charging money." He simplified it all to these three words that made me question his wisdom until now 25 years later.

He told me, with conviction, "The only difference between you and I, is that I charge money while you give it away."

"What?... I can't create a portrait like that (pointing at the wall) when I don't even have a studio, lights or know-how..." I replied with my own certainty.

"Yes, but if you charge, you must perform. If you are required to produce, you will improve. If you improve to the point that you like your work, you can charge more... Come, I'll show you how this stuff works..."

Today, there is an industry-damaging misunderstanding that a good camera can allow one to become a "photographer" by deleting a few images, burn to CD, and charge a few hundred dollars less by not finishing the job.

So what's the difference between taking pictures, and being a photographer?
MONEY? Certainly money, but more than that, it's dedication. A professional photographer charges more money than a hobbyist, because they've achieved enough happy clientele to quit the day job - this is it! My professional portrait-artist-mentor Louis M. Ver Baere gave me the royal crowning to say I was a professional. The day I learned to be satisfied enough with my work to charge a professional rate for my services. This began the never-ending responsibility of attending seminars to grow, improve and to keep my axe sharp!

In most businesses, it takes a HUGE amount of right-action, to offset one error that might send an unhappy customer off to vent on a review site. In this business, it seems ironically inverse, that the barrage of DIY brides instead brag of how little they pay, vs. the artistic quality of the images they receive.

Yes, a botched wedding, will get it's due reviews, as will "the ego that couldn't fit inside the body of the shooter" - these things, I often hear from disenfranchised brides maids at friends' weddings... It is odd, however, that an invited guest can shoot over the shoulder of the composing professional, get a similar shot and be touted as a photographer.

Since it is not necessary to become a PPA Certified Photographer (and I confess I am not - yet), there are at least a few things that we as professionals, and you as clients might consider.

1 - Are you exclusively doing photography for a living?
Though I can say I've been shooting since I was 12, there is an awareness that only a professional knows or understands when you cut that umbilical cord of other-income-security, and MUST out-perform your prior amateur self.

The fear of sustenance-dependency (needing photography for survival) intensified my need to NEVER stop trying to improve my work. It does NOT happen overnight, however. I worked (literally) 16-20 hours per day for 4 years (graveyard, 2 hour nap, photographer, 2 hour nap...) to get my studio started from nothing, while still feeding my family. There are easier ways, but I was driven by a dream - failure was NOT an option.

2 - Do they have accolades or certification within their craft?
In August of 1996, I hung the proverbial shingle, and joined the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) as an official member (vs. associate to my mentor's studio "Ver Baere Studio"). I also joined the state affiliate, Professional Photographers of Oregon (PPO). Why? Because my mentor, at age 70-something, was ALWAYS reading pro magazines, especially PPA's, and commenting... "Ah, I hope one day to take great portraits like that". In my opinion, he was already there, but his humility and desire for greatness kept him on a client-pleasing pursuit of a consistent, calculated excellence that set him apart from "a nice camera".

If you are a client or photographer that is new to the process, winning a PPA (or state affiliated award) is not a "luck" thing, nor a bias of a judge knowing who the photographer is. It is a feat that can only be achieved by creating images that pass the agreement of certified judges. Jurors that themselves must have attained a great deal of accolades, and then trained in what makes an image "worthy of merit", and furthermore awarded. They do not know who's image is being judged, it is all based on the "Twelve Elements of a Merit Image", with disputed scores being called back for further review until agreed.

If the photographer you are hiring has been awarded, there is a reason that their image was selected at a PPA sanctioned event. It is not because it got the most votes via social networking, as is the case with many contests. A professional that has collected enough PPA merits (via print awards and educational credits), and has passed the rigorous test of PPA Certification, you can expect to be worthy of the higher price they deserve to offer in trade for their excellence.

3 - What is the level of your photographer's competence or confidence?
We can all discern between an ego and a photographer's level of certainty. Let's face it, an ego is not an easy thing to work around all day if you're the bride. A photographer must be confident enough to verbally direct any desired groupings (without offending or annoying subjects) and be as stealth as a ninja for the rest of the day. That doesn't mean hiding around the corner with cake and champagne, it means being everywhere at once without disrupting the event they are there to illustrate.

A great test for brides... Carry on a conversation with them at your initial inquiry. Of course they must sell themselves on you, so first impressions might be hard to gauge, but ask yourself -

"Is this a person that I can imagine sitting at a table with my friends?"

If your answer is no, then you should seriously consider the expression they will be giving to your photographer's camera. No matter how great the exposure, color and composition are, it's likely that you want your memory book or album to reflect comfortable, genuine, cheerful expressions.

4 - Trust your gut!
It is painful to think of the countless time I've tested my intuition by defying it, but we all do it, yes?.. If you are not comfortable with your interactions, no matter how great the selected display images might be, then don't be surprised if it shows in your captured expressions.

This message is for photographers too. Several years ago, I was referred a nice couple that was planning an incredibly extravagant wedding. The couple was very well established, and money was not an issue. Despite my grounded approach, cheerful interaction during our engagement session, and confidence that I could serve them well, the bride-to-be was clearly not comfortable.
I had plenty of accolades, trophies and testimonials, but I could see in her evasive eyes that she was not at ease. The fact that I was starting out in my basement (albeit very well decorated) combined with looking 19 instead of 36 years old was all that I could assume to cause our lack of chemistry.

Just the same, as I walked them to the front door after the session, I suggested that they should visit another photographer friend of mine that was a bit older and had an amazing property established for his home-based wedding business.

On a backpacking trip with him that next summer, I asked if they booked. "Yes, and it was probably the biggest order I've received to date - except I have never spent this much time working with a client to finalize an album." Considering the fact that I shoot portraits throughout my weekdays, I could not fathom being available for the number of hours that he was able to provide her, regardless of the price.

While I could have used the extra money in the early stages of building my business, I knew that what I did was best and was glad to hear that the client was able to trust him enough to desire this many images. Though I have always been able to adapt to the personality and needs of my clients (and their family dynamics) I was not willing to risk this bride's dream-day images for my own financial gain when I knew another option was available. (the perfect segue to the next tidbit of wisdom...)

5 - Is your photographer part of a professional network?
I admit it, I rarely hang out with other photographers. I am not a "gear-head" that likes to discuss gear etc., so I used to avoid photographer peers. HOWEVER, one of the greatest membership benefits with PPA and other organizations is the vast network.

I was giving a presentation in Las Vegas a few years ago when the hotel's only available projector broke down. Giving a photography presentation without a projector was not an option, so I logged into the PPA website, located a nearby photographer and with no questions asked she loaned me her projector. It only took a few calls to find a willing photographer, which speaks volumes to the amazing benefits of a fellow professional "having my back" in a time of need.

If you are a bride, you can only imagine the peace-of-mind that this access can provide you. Knowing that your photographer is trusted enough by peers to cover them if gear is down or he/she winds up on crutches the day of your wedding. (and yes, this has happened with another PPA success story)

In a bargain-driven market, I hope that these tips will help you determine if your photographer is in fact a "Photographer", or a budding amateur with a nice camera. There are great bits of wisdom in many planning guides, but as an insider to this craft, I can assure you that this short list can give you a better insight to the artist that holds the camera.

Cheers!
Brianp

Magdalyn Grace

Last month my wife and stepsons stopped in at the Paradise Bakery for a "play-hookie-from-school-day-to-become-permanent U.S. Citizens-treat". I was at the coffee decoration-station, patiently stirring in my raw sugar when I glanced to my right.

There was this big-eyed, dark-skinned and STUNNING little girl in a bright pink dress staring at me. "At me" is hardly accurate. More "through me" was how it felt as I kept glancing, doing my best not to look like a questionable male looking at a little girl. (sad we have to think that way, but it does sort of take the fun out of being a beauty-loving photographer at times)

I went back to the table, convinced I wanted to photograph her, but certain that her mom would be put off by my asking. I sat with my family, my back to where they were seated. Finally, I thought - "life's too short..." as I fished out a business card to go ask. I looked over my shoulder to discover they had left. UGH! - Brian, you've got to seize your opportunities, I silently scolded myself in thought.

I became present to my family again, just as I saw her mom carrying her from the back of the restaurant. It turned out they'd just left for the restroom, so I stopped the mom on her way by.
My wife, thank goodness, backed me up by saying - "I've never seen him do this before" as she read the mom's understandably discerning look.

We had a nice chat, and the mother shared that Magdalyn had been recently adopted from Ethiopia. An act of love by some deserving parents got her to America with an amazingly accepting family with three other kids. I am just grateful that I overcame my timid behavior to capture these, and even more so, to hear about her incredible journey.

Appropriately named Magdalyn Grace, she has a Divine personality and fun to work with. It was a 90 minute drive from their home in the Columbia Gorge, and unlike her routine for sleeping on drives (and at that time) she decided to stay awake and test my skills at extracting some joy from a tired toddler.

It was not her typical mood we discovered, yet it was still fun to capture this amazing little girl who's life has fully evolved from fate-fueled circumstances. We hope to see you again Magdalyn, and thank you Cheri (and family) for investigating enough to know that I was not TOO weird, thus worthy of your trust.

She REALLY wanted my job!

TOTAL CHARMER!

Woo Hoo!

Is there really any photographer that could claim that they are "best", "top" or other potentially ego-inducing words? Really, only the couples and their wedding parties get to decide that what they experienced was worthy of praise.

Thanks to ours, we received this amazing honor that we have to thank you for. Check out the press release we just received this morning!


Portland Oregon – 1/25/2011 - WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, is thrilled to announce that Brian Geraths of Prints Charming Photography has been selected to receive the prestigious annual WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 for Wedding Photography!

Recognition for the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 is determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire newlyweds. Prints Charming Photography's past clients are among those that shared their experiences on WeddingWire, the largest wedding review site in the nation.

Prints Charming Photography stands among the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire community, representing quality and service excellence within the wedding industry. Awards were given to the top wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and were based on the overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

“WeddingWire is honored to celebrate the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire community,” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “With the annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ program, WeddingWire has the unique opportunity to recognize the best wedding professionals across the US and Canada. We applaud Brian Geraths and his team at Prints Charming Photography for their professionalism and dedication to enhancing the wedding planning experience last year.”

We are happy to announce that Prints Charming Photography is among the very best Wedding Photographers within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding and Weddingbee.

"We would like to personally thank our past clients for nominating us to receive the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011, and those that continue to refer us by word-of-mouth. You've given us even more reason to keep trying to outdo ourselves!"

For more information, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today at http://www.weddingwire.com/biz/prints-charming-photography-portland/7f4d3d0ff7a15341.html.

For more information on the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011, please visit www.WeddingWire.com.

About WeddingWire, Inc.
WeddingWire.com, the nation's leading technology company serving the $70 billion wedding industry, is the only online wedding planning resource designed to empower both engaged couples and wedding professionals. For engaged couples, WeddingWire offers the ability to search, compare and book over 200,000 local wedding vendors, from wedding venues to wedding photographers to wedding cakes. WeddingWire also offers an online community and a suite of cutting-edge planning tools for weddings, including wedding websites and wedding checklists, all at no charge. For wedding professionals, WeddingWire provides free online management tools creating the only market opportunity that gives local businesses control over their clients, reviews, leads and performance. Businesses that join the WeddingWire Network appear on WeddingWire.com and other leading sites, including MarthaStewartWeddings.com (NYSE: MSO), ProjectWedding.com and Weddingbee.com (both part of eHarmony), and Celebrations.com (part of the 1-800-Flowers family of brands, NASDAQ: FLWS).

Thanks again,
Brian and Cathy Geraths

Be Yourself

It's a bonus to my work, the opportunity to develop personal working relationships with people of all career paths, belief systems and personalities. Since my portrait style is to capture genuine expressions, it's always been my policy to avoid canned phrases in the camera room, that prompt a canned expression, especially with kids. (who very masterfully just show us their teeth while looking strained...)

Simplified Formula: Canned words = canned expressions = loss of essence in an image.

This means, that I get to do what I love to do most. Meet, greet, listen, study and ultimately say just the right thing while the shutter releases at the perfect reaction. The result? - Cheese-free portraits, and in many cases - great new relationships, as I get to show people their most stunning self.

During my first seven years in business, I felt like I kept clients at arms length. 20 years of retail interactions, had my communication distilled down to short, superficial, often repetitive conversation at best. It took a while before I realized that these things were not only an inversion of my own personality, but prevented me from "showing up" as what my clients truly needed.

We can all look our best when we stand in front of a mirror, tweaking our lips, eyes and head tilts to just how we want to be seen. When you enter a camera room, your background is, of course, behind you, only allowing you to see lights, gadgets and a talking camera - with a puzzled look of wonder, regarding how you and your setting will look.

The "talking mirror" that I've educated myself into, has allowed me to extract the best results from my subjects. It took me many years to allow my interactions to evolve from a reclusive outdoor photographer, to a fluent, compassionate, sometimes witty personality director/extractor.

Though I have always been a quick study of people and personality types, it has taken me decades to transfer this skill into the domain of other business relationships in my life. Today, I think it's safe to say that I boldly took that step with a very skillful orthopedic surgeon.

Tuesday 9/21, we met to review my MRI. He spouted off a slew of technical terms that were being typed by an intern (I assume) who likely crafted them into the holographic view of what he needed to do for the repair. I was impressed, but probably put even more at ease by the wit that he incorporated into his empathic awareness of my painful experience.

He asked me what I did for work, and I simply stated "Photographer". We stayed on business, and scheduled my meniscectomy for two days out. Since my medial meniscus was completely torn free, fixing was less probable than removal, but offered the needed, quicker recovery to allow me to work.

The best course of action would not be decided until I was sedated and unable to weigh in. As I left, my confidence in him did not wane, though it occurred to me that he didn't know enough about how this knee was used as a photographer to make this decision for me.

Odd as it might sound to many, my wife included, I typed him a short letter that was basically to say what my knee meant to me as a photographer. Crawling on the floor to photograph babies, running squats to dart from one side of the stage (or alter) to the other on weddings/events, and leaping on rocks at rivers for high school seniors or my own backpacking photo excursions. "This knee has seen 10's of thousands of miles cycling, and wants to do more..."

I signed my letter, "The Knee of Brian Geraths" and tucked it into one of my favorite scenic cards. My wife stood there with me watching his expression as he read and I awaited sedation. She was half cringing at her odd-ball husbands way of being, unsure that he would accept my odd sense of humor.

As he read it, he smiled, called me a poet, laughed at a few bits, and in the end thanked me for my kindness. "In 30 years of doing this, I've never gotten a card..."

Yes, even I had questions about following through with it, but I figured, if someone that doesn't truly know me or my needs has to make a choice about my physical fate, I was going to help him make the right choice. The talking mirror was about to get fogged up...

And just to make sure that the decision was made for the correct knee, I wrote some instructions on both of my knees.

He laughed and pulled out his own black sharpie to put a bigger "X" on the exact spot, and again thanked me, as he showed off his card and letter to another Doctor.

In my camera room, I'm in my domain, free to be me in my fullest manner. To step out of this comfort zone, into the unknown, perhaps too-serious realm of a surgical center filled with a likely left-brain population, I was not as easy.

While there may be a few of my friends that could imagine me doing something this bold, I felt like it has taken me the full 45 years to trust my instincts this much. To truly be, as my license plate affirms "B-YRSLF". I work up the urge, and dismiss my gut, in worry of judgment or being misunderstood. In this case I could not have felt more certain that I needed to step out of my fear of just being myself. I may never know the surgeon's thoughts while he was working on me, but I felt far more relaxed that my bold humor, exercised in my work, has somehow helped someone else while they were doing their work on me.