This Conversation with Jed Taufer

My brother Kippy is just a year behind me. We grew up and were thick as thieves. We played together (for and against each other), fought together (for and against each other), grieved together, and celebrated together. And no matter what the situation was, we always had each other’s back. In adulthood, we’ve had our ups and downs. Most people that know us are aware of this. But I’m here to tell you, even though there have been times when I felt like shooting him, I’d take a bullet for him right now. When I got to sit with Tom and Mario Muñoz at WPPI this year, I saw the same thing in them. Like other relationships, the bond of brotherhood is a one that’s tough to describe if you don’t already have it. But if you do, you know it when you see it. Tom and Mario exemplified brotherly love to me. I could see it in their eyes. And I’m here to tell you, after spending some time in person with those boys, there’s no way I’d ever think of crossing either one of them. To have a problem with one, is to have a problem with the other. Or as Tom would say, to have an event with one, is to have an event with the other. Whether you have a sibling or not, there’s some great stuff here, friends. I hope you are all safe and sound. Stay strong and stay safe.

As a husband and a father, I find myself looking at other guys are who married with kids and comparing myself. Now, these comparisons are by no means rational. I very little about most of these other guys. I just base my comparisons on what I see and hear and experience. I do the same thing with other married couples. I observe how they act in general and how they interact with each other and I can’t help but compare sometimes. In doing this, I discover those couples whom I consider to be standard bearers for myself. Phillip and Eileen Blume are one of these standard bearer couples for me. I haven’t known them super long, but they have consistently come across as genuine and honest and vulnerable in exceptional ways. And in these trying times, they are the type of people I look to for guidance and wisdom. As we all go through this pandemic together, we are finding out what it is like to collectively suffer…at all kinds of different levels. I’m here to tell you, that for me, it’s people like Phillip and Eileen who set a standard when things are quote unquote normal, that when applied in our lives can really help the rest of us when things aren’t quite so normal. In short, they strive to celebrate life in a way that isn’t dependent upon circumstances or…normalcy. And that’s a mindset I can really use right now.

What have you learned about yourself in the last few weeks? When we get to the other side of this pandemic, how will your choices have evolved as a result of this challenging time? As I re-listened to this conversation I had with Parker Pfister and his partner Elizabeth Alina from Imaging USA in Nashville this past January, I came at it from a completely different perspective. Our lives have been collectively altered. Things will be different on the other side of this whether we like it or not. And that “different” will look different for everyone. But, after hearing this again, it made me wonder, how much of my different can be altered, or in some cases, tempered, by my choices? Some things, no doubt, are out of our control. Some things we just need to accept or deal with, even if it’s only for the time being, but there are many things, I suspect, that are determined by choice. And that’s the crux of what the three of us spoke about a few months ago. Obviously we had no idea that this life altering event would occur, but now that it has, I’m thinking some of the messages we discussed might be more important than ever. I hope you are safe, friends. I hope you are healthy, and I hope we are close to the other side.

You know those conversations where you start off going down one path and it’s turns into something you never saw coming? Brooke Shaden and I sat together again to talk about, “What is Weird”? We also wanted to cover the concept of “selling out” and some other things, and we did that. But with Brooke, you always get more than you bargained for. She’s very adept at underpromising and overdelivering. She’s also wise beyond her years…an old soul, so to speak. And for me, that means she always has something new for me to learn. So yeah, we discuss the concept of what weird is among many other things, and, as has happened many times before, I walk away with some fresh perspectives. I think you will, too. Stay home, friends. And stay safe. This, too, shall pass.

There are many things I love about Josh Hanna. He’s nice. He’s funny. He’s a great photographer and an absolutely gifted compositor. But I think my favorite things about him are that he’s grounded, self-aware, and honest. To me, the best thing about photography in general is that it’s about so much more than photos. Josh embodies this. And we can talk about it all day, but at the end of the day, Josh lives it. That is a beautiful thing. I think you’ll hear quite a bit that you can relate to in this one, friends. And that might be the best thing about Josh…he’s so relatable. Enjoy.

Hey everyone. This episode with Joel Grimes was recorded several weeks ago at WPPI so obviously we didn’t take the pandemic into account. Joel mentions a workshop, The Photo Creators, he’s scheduled to teach at in Tucson and I just wanted to let you know that workshop isn’t being cancelled but postponed to this Fall. You can find out more information at thephotocreators.com Thanks for listening. Stay safe, friends.

I remember when my dad turned 40. I thought he was so old. You know, there’s that “over the hill” thing that happens at 40 and all. Now, I’m 45, and 40 doesn’t seem old anymore. In fact, 60 doesn’t seem old anymore. On the other hand, doing something for 45 years does seem like a long time…but in more of a notable achievement sort of way. Something to be admired and strived for. John Hartman has been photographing for as long as I’ve been alive. He’s an absolute master at his craft and he has some fantastic insights for newcomers and for veterans alike. One of my favorite parts of this conversation is when he addresses retirement and says “people retire to do what I do”. How awesome is that? If you’re on the front end of this business, consider those words and that concept. You’ll be 45, or 60 or beyond before you know it. And if you’re still blazing trails the way John has been during his career, you’ll have something special to look back on and to keep you moving forward. Just like him.

I got to sit with Roberto Valenzuela at WPPI a couple weeks ago and it was legit. He’s a force. He’s one of those “you can’t stop him, you can only hope to contain him” type of guys. And he really knows his stuff. I love his philosophies and the way he sees things. Roberto is a great balance between an artist and a business person. He’s a master producing amazing images and he has a very strong acumen for numbers and value and time well spent. On top of that, he makes me laugh…hard. Roberto is a Canon Explorer of Light which means he’s also all about teaching. And teaching well. Get ready to laugh and learn, friends. Enjoy.

I think one of the greatest joys for us on this Earth and in our lifetimes is finding someone to love and to be loved by. It’s an amazing thing to experience for yourself, but it is also something to behold when you see it in others. Like, when you spend time with two people that just compliment each other so well that you can just say, “yeah, they just make so much sense together.” Tony and Mandy Corbell are like that. They just fit. And it’s wonderful to get to spend time with them. One of the things I love about them, is that even though they make a super strong team, they’re both so powerful in their own right as well. And yes, Tony may be the living legend, but as he says, Mandy can outshoot him, out edit him pretty much out everything him. And while maybe that’s true, and maybe it isn’t, I can tell you with certainty that Mandy has the best lighting assistant of all time.

You never know what someone’s going to say if you just give them the chance to say it. This is one of things that struck me when I got to sit with Richard Sturdevant for a conversation at Imaging USA in Nashville a couple weeks ago. Richard is one of the most accomplished, award winning photographers I’ve ever met. He’s the Mr. T of the photo world. I say this not only because of his award bling, but also because even though he’s a big, burly guy, he’s got a soft heart…just like Mr. T. And I found that he just needed a little space to open up. Take heed, friends. Richard has accomplished things that many of us aspire to, and he knows about traps we have yet to face. He has made mistakes in business and in life. He’s learned from them. And now he’s offering advice on how we can, too.

“Don’t let what you do steal your joy. Don’t let it define you. Use it to refine you.” This is a big part of what Cris Duncan and I talked about at Imaging USA in Nashville several weeks ago. Cris is really focused on refinement in his business and in his life. I took away quite a bit from our conversation but I think the main thing that resonated with me is the struggle of what refinement can look like. When a weapon or a tool is refined in a forge, it’s thrust into an intense heat. Then it’s taken out of the fire and flame and beaten with a hammer in order to harden it. Then the process is repeated. I think that’s what refinement looks like for us sometimes. It isn’t always pretty. In fact, it can be painful. But many times it’s necessary in order for us to get to where we need to be. I think Mr. Duncan knows this. He’s lived it and he continues to learn from it. In fact, as you’ll hear, he has about 18% more to go.

Value is based on perception. We’ve heard it a thousand times. And yet, it’s so true. So let’s say you’re on board with that. Let’s say you concede that value is, in fact, based on perception. What then? What are some things you can do to really influence your client’s perception of you and your business? Enter Tavis and Amy Guild. Tavis and Amy are powerhouse entrepreneurs from Yakima, WA and they incorporate some fantastic ways of interacting with their valued clients. In order to be profitable, building value is a must for them so they’ve developed strategies revolving around five touch points they have with each client. Listen in as we discuss.

Don’t you just love spending time with people who have a strong, symbiotic relationship? For me, a perfect example of this is Mary Fisk-Taylor and Kira Derryberry. They host the podcast “Get Your Shoot Together” which you should definitely listen to if you haven’t already. I’ve actually interviewed both of them individually for this podcast, but it’s a completely different experience when you get to sit with them together. It’s the whole Reese’s thing…chocolate and peanut butter are both delicious by themselves, but put them together and you have some truly epic. And that’s really the crux of what we talk about here…the power, beauty, importance, of having other people in our lives. We laugh a lot on this one, but some of that is just so we don’t start bawling like babies. Take this one to heart, friends. And don’t be afraid to reach out to somebody soon. You’ll be doing something good for yourself, and for them.

When I was a kid, I thought I was going to be a doctor. Even in high school, that was the plan. I job shadowed an anesthesiologist and everything. It was all laid out in front of me. And then, as I got older, I realized that I didn’t want to be a doctor. In fact, I realized that I had no idea what I wanted to do. Through circumstance and because of experience, I’ve found myself here. And it’s been an amazing ride. I think Zara Ashby can relate. For various reasons, she’s found herself photographing boudoir. She may not have planned on it initially, but she’s embraced it. And she’s thriving as a result.

Ed Monahan has achieved expert status in many things. Here, he talks about who we are selling to as professional photographers and entrepreneurs.