I dodged the bullet and my health is steadily improving. I am beginning to get clear headed again, the recent fogginess resulting from lungs that were not sufficient to make oxygen for the brain.

The docs say the heart came through it with flying colors, even miraculously so, and I am getting stronger and stronger each day.

However, it has put me a bit “out of phase” and it is a bit difficult to explain what I mean.

Words do not seem the right vehicle for this roadtrip, but they are the only means I have to convey the thoughts.

When I remarked to my wife that I felt “out of phase” we both laughed and began recounting Star Trek episodes where someone was out of phase with the crew, or the universe, or time, or themselves.

“Well, kinda like that….” I laughed a bit and then we got quiet.

“My life feels different. I got another shot at something – anything… everything. When I was in the ICU, they brought in 5 more people. Three of them did not leave that floor.”

My wife smiled a wry smile and said she just knew I would be alright… “You are too tough to leave us”, she said.

Maybe.

I feel both lucky and perplexed. Alive is wonderful – perplexed at how the fickle finger of “you are most definitely screwed’ plays out.

So what now?

One of the things one thinks about when they are told not to plan for tomorrow, is what we did with yesterday. And the day before that.. and so on.

Was it worth something? To someone, somewhere?

I am a good dad, and a pretty good husband. And I have lots of friends all over the world. And for that I am most grateful.

But I want to do more, to see more, to meet more people and help as many reach their dreams as I can. I know I have lots to offer, and now I need to find the ways I can deliver it to the most people.

So I have plans.

Lighting Essentials is my flagship, although I may be the first to acknowledge it is less about “Lighting” these days as it is about the philosophy and action of photographing. I want that to continue, but I also know that there is more to do – more to teach – more to learn.

I have more plans for Lighting Essentials than I can execute by myself… but that is back to normal for me. I look forward to working with the site to make it more of a valuable resource to those who want it.

I read a couple of great essays lately, but one that has stayed with me is one from PetaPixel on the photography instructor no one wants… experience.

It made me realize how much I love doing Project 52, and how it delivers real world experience to photographers all over the world. No, it is not the same as actually assisting a photographer – but it as close as we can get with the limitations we have.

I also have two versions of the PRO group running and the work they are cranking out is exceptional, Project 52 PRO is one of our groups that started this summer, and they are ripping it up with exceptional work and creativity.

Recently there was a photo competition held on CreativeLIVE. Out of the thousands of images that were submitted, only twenty were chosen to be reviewed. Of that twenty, four were Project 52 members. That is pretty cool and I think a great testimonial to the work the photographers put into their images when they are in Project 52.

We will be doing it again next year, and will also be doing some “Business Talks” webinars for those who want to get the info quickly, find the clients and get to work. It is not easy, it is not fast, but it is a proven method. (In fact, Kyle Johnson who was recently on CreativeLIVE discussing the transition from amateur to professional pretty much laid it out. I go into more specifics, but it was very gratifying to see someone else extolling the methods and techniques needed to get out there and find commercial clients.

I have decided to do four workshops next year. After the grueling period a few years ago, I had to stop doing them. I was burned out on the curriculum and I was getting tired of the backend hassles to set them up.

These workshops will be quite intensive and not geared for the beginner, but instead to the photographer looking to get kicked in the butt and launched a few rungs up in both lighting and concepts.

Watch for more, and offer suggestions if you have any.

I am looking forward to posting more here – especially to other posts I find interesting.

Please consider signing up for the “newsletter” – In The Frame – it goes out every Sunday and is the kind of content you usually do not see in photographic newsletters.

Thanks for continuing to follow Lighting Essentials. And remember… Movement is Life. Remember to get up and stretch every hour or so, and get a good 5 minutes of movement in for every two hours you sit.

It can save you a lot of problems… heh.

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