Good Man Friday Blog

PHOTO | MOUNTAIN BIKING

noreply@blogger.com (GoodManFriday) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:52:00 +0000

We had an awesome weekend out on Whidbey Island at the Budu Singletrack Series Ft. Ebey mountain bike race. Here's some of my photos!

W.O.W. EVENT

noreply@blogger.com (GoodManFriday) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 15:47:00 +0000

Every year at the beginning of March, there's an awesome event in Seattle at my favorite bike shop. It's called Women on Wheels. It's a female only cycling and fitness show that attracts more than 400 female cycling enthusiasts. This year, House Wine donated the wine for the event and my team, House Wine Racing, was on hand to work the bar!

This event was an absolute blast and we met some great people. It won't be long before I have exciting news of the future HWR women's racing team!

And of course some tasty House Wine. If you haven't tried it, you should. It's amazing wine from the Columbia Valley of Washington State. It's well-priced and a great bang for the buck from one of the best wine regions in the country!

We also got to showcase out new gear kit!

It was a great night and a really great time with the lady cyclists of Seattle!

PHOTO TONALITY | MUSIC

noreply@blogger.com (GoodManFriday) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 16:05:00 +0000

One of the best challenges in photography for advertising or promotions is telling a story in one image. This can be accomplished through various changes in subject, posing and light.

But how do you make it different in a portrait for sports versus music? Or fashion versus home & lifestyle? Babies versus dogs? Men or women?

Last summer I did a branding project for a Seattle rapper named Bingx. He's got a great singing voice in addition to writing cool and catchy lyrics. At this point, he was still looking for collaborators, investors, management and exposure. We got together and worked to create a few pieces to tell his story on paper.

Bingx can flow as hard as any rapper...and sing smooth verses and chorus lines with a unique delivery. He can hang with anyone, but didn't want his brand to look "gangster." His songs aren't about pimped-out Cadillacs, dealing drugs or mistreating women...and he did not want to be included in that group. Some are about struggles, but he wanted his image to be a real guy with soft edges and a soul for music. He wanted to convey real experiences and connect with a broader audience. We decided to have the message of these images be "inspired." We wanted to deliver his motivation and passion for music.

We worked to capture images that were tough enough to be associated with rap music, but deep and caring enough to show a serious artist.

These ones came out of a recording session for his song, "I Wanna Hold You." You can here the pre-studio version of that song below.

Video link: Bingx YouTube

We also cooked up a few mock-ups for web graphics with the same vibe.

This was a fun project and I believe the photos we got were everything Bingx was looking for in his image and branding. He's an artist and uses his talent to deliver a passion for music and life.

Video link: Bingx YouTube

PORTRAITS | SISTERS!

noreply@blogger.com (GoodManFriday) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 15:29:00 +0000

Some of the best portrait subjects to catch amazing chemistry and character come from dogs, babies, moms with babies and more. One that I love shooting is SISTERS!

This is Chloe & Kenzie. These are two of my favorite people. They could not be more alike and could not be funnier than when they're together. That spells trouble with a capital "T"!!!

I got to do a photo shoot for a recent project using C&K doing what they do best...goofing around!

Big sister advice?? Not sure....

Meditating is always a good way to get relaxed and ready to model.

Hey! No telling secrets!

Kenzie being funny.

Chloe being serious....

And...when all else fails, shoot with no photographer....

I've done a lot of posts recently talking about "leftover" photos and outtakes. I've explained in a photo shoot of 300-500 shots, you may have 10-15 of the best you will actually want to use. The rest were tests, tweaking the styling or light...or trying out different angles. They are left to be deleted or save for a rainy day project. That's often the case with product photography. You have to find the best way to bring it to life.

With subjects like Chloe and Kenzie.....I took 500 photos....and I want to use 400 of them! They didn't waste a single frame. You can fake the life and character the chemistry of sisters bring to the photos. Obviously they made my job very easy...I didn't even have to stay behind the camera or keep my eyes open to know they were going to produce something great!

If you have a sister, capture these kind of moments! It's worth it! Or come to Seattle and I'll shoot them for you. You'll want to have them to look back and laugh in years to come!

PHOTO ART "COOKING WITH LEFTOVERS" - ROSE

noreply@blogger.com (GoodManFriday) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 16:59:00 +0000

Last week I did a post called "Cooking With Leftovers" where I showed how you should never overlook your extra photos. Often times, in a shoot of a few hundred, you may only use 10 or so. I like to go back and challenge myself to find light or composition test photos I would never otherwise use and turn them into something cool.

This is a bottle of Brian Carter Abracadabra Rose I shot a year or so ago. We're nearing rose season and I figured it would be a fun subject. Rose wine makes for a very difficult subject because of it's translucency and bright color. Too much light turns the whole background pink...not enough makes it dark and orange/brown like you see below.

As mentioned, this photo was for light and position testing. There is very little light balance because it looks like I was still setting up equipment.

To enhance the photo, I first adjusted the contrast and tone of the image. I then worked through the contrast to get rid of those overly-warm hues.

I then kicked the contrast way up and dropped the background shadows. A little further work with the mid-tones and shadows and this is where I landed.

I took out some of the harsh light reflections and cleared up the glass texture.

This still isn't something I'd publish, but it's always a fun exercise to see what you can make of things you would've otherwise forgotten.

This doesn't have to be specifically photography...it could be other art, music, clothes. It's fun to challenge yourself to find new ways to re-use things that were "leftovers" from the past.

You should try it!

PHOTOGRAPHY: WATERFALL

noreply@blogger.com (GoodManFriday) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 14:43:00 +0000

One of my favorite photography subjects is waterfalls. They are simple, but ever-changing. They can never be captured from too many angles...and never caught looking bad. Certainly one of nature's wonders and one of the best photography opportunities.

These photos are from Multnomah Falls along the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon.

Multnomah is located east of Troutdale along the historic Columbia River Highway. If you've never driven this stretch on the way to Portland, it's one of the most beautiful drives in America. Dozens of waterfalls, beautiful expansive views of the Columbia, long foothills on the Washington side and tall trees and rock faces on the Oregon side.

Multnomah is king of them all when it comes to sights along the way. It has two main steps. The upper falls drop 542 feet into the upper pool.

This is my favorite part of the falls from the upper bridges and walkways.

The lower step drops another 69 feet into the lower pool. This section is wider and heavier and compliments the majesty of the top nicely with a more powerful impact and flow.

If you've never seen Multnomah Falls, it's worth the trip. And northern Oregon for that matter. Beautiful country and beautiful sights.

PHOTOGRAPHY | COOKING WITH LEFTOVERS

noreply@blogger.com (GoodManFriday) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 15:01:00 +0000

It's probably no mystery by now if you've read my blog, I love photography. I've got somewhere around 35,000 images on my computer from years of traveling, product shooting, sports and events. Photography and photo art are my favorite form of expression and story telling.

One thing I really like to do is go back to the 'extras.' We all have these. You take TONS of pictures of your vacations, friends, whatever...but you only end up using a few. My typical photo shoot is two to three hours and likely 400-500 photos. I may only edit/publish 8 or 9 of those.

It's fun to go back and find some "leftovers" to work with.

This is an image of LaMarca Prosecco I did a few years ago for fun. It's an Italian prosecco and I found this funky, carnival-looking mask. I never really did much with the photos, as I shot a bunch of different bottles that day.

Yesterday, I was going through old images and I found this guy. I thought it might be cool to do a Venetian-style carnival piece. Whether that was my original vision back then or not, I could use this image to create the story I want to tell.

Here's the original image as I shot it. It was an outtake for lighting and framing. I really like the contrast, so I decided to use it to tell my carnival story.

I took out the warm tones and started giving it the cool Venice night feel.

Then I added some layered shadow background to give it a windy, dark, nighttime effect.

Finally, I decided to make it even darker and take out all of the background to intensify the shadow and drama of the story of the image, make the bottle larger to create more spacial depth and darken out the contrast tones. Then I broadened the framing and finished with this image.

'LaMarca Carnival'

WHY CAN'T WE ALL BE LIKE KID PRESIDENT

noreply@blogger.com (GoodManFriday) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 20:24:00 +0000

ROCK ON KID PRESIDENT!

If you haven't watched the kid president videos, you need to! This little guy is brilliant. He's passionate and inspiring with his selfless ways and there's a lot we could all learn from him!

Even in the business world many people are starting to wonder what the business landscape would be like if we could all still have the dreams and curiosity of youngsters!

http://www.inc.com/jeff-hoffman/innovative-leadership-power-of-childlike-wonder.html

KID'S FITNESS

noreply@blogger.com (GoodManFriday) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 16:44:00 +0000

When I was growing up in the Inland Northwest, I was fortunate enough to be a part of history in children's running and fitness.

My hometown, Spokane, Washington, is the home of Bloomsday. The Lilac Bloomsday 12K (7.46 mile) run is held each year in May, during the Lilac Festival in Spokane...the Lilac City. Bloomsday attracts 50,000 runners from all over the west coast and around the US. Over the past 37 years, this run has grown to be one of the most well-known fun runs in the country.

In 1986, my dad partnered with a good friend and business colleague to take the experience a step further. At the time, Mike (my dad's partner) had two young boys that weren't old enough to compete in Bloomsday. Both being committed fitness activists, they decided to make a special event specifically for the youngsters. It was called Junior Bloomsday. This run gained national fame in its own right, partnering with Nike to bring the kids of the Northwest to the world stage participating in the largest kid's running event in existence. Junior Bloomsday hosted years with over 10,000 kid runners, ages 5-13 on a course ranging from 1/2 mile up to 2 miles.

If you can imagine 8,000-10,000 kids out on a course running....on their own....it was big! After 16 years, in 2002, they decided to re-brand the run to be called America's Kids Run. This allowed the program to launch beyond Spokane, partnering with military bases around the world to celebrate Armed Forces Day. This May will be the 28th running of (what is now called) America's Armed Forces Kids Runs. The program takes place on over 150 military based worldwide. And it continues to grow each year!

There have also been other programs developed for adult 5k runs and summer camp programs for kids living on military bases. In addition, the AAFKR team developed a program called Read, Run & Be Your Best where they work with students of underprivileged schools in a training program where the kids read stories about athletes, write essays on their personal goals, train for the run....AND....at the end....they get a free pair of brand new running shoes for their big day! After 10 years, this program has taken the idea a step further for many kids finding the passion for physical activity. It also continues to grow and make a huge difference with each new school.

As you can imagine, this is something I've always been very proud of. In addition to being a college professor and owning a marketing business, my dad has spent the last 28 years volunteering to change the lives of over 150,000 young people around the globe...with a simple opportunity to get off the couch, out of the house and go for a run with their friends and community.

Look how cute these 5 year olds are! They're just heading out of the stadium on their 1/2 mile journey...for the first time!

A little known fact...in the 80's the minimum age used to be 4 years old. I was the only ever 3 year old runner!...don't tell! Maybe I'll see if I can find a picture of it for another post.

America's Kids Run has changed the lives of thousand of young kids in the Northwest, and now around the world. They've competed in a unique sports event unlike any other. Something they will never forget. It's taught them about sports...along with important values of confidence, courage, independence and determination.

Over the past 10 years, Spokane, WA has become known as running Mecca...from young kids through collegiate athletes.

Each year there are 10 high school cross-country teams from around the United States invited to the Nike Nationals race. This is a very highly regarded event and recruiting ground for the best college programs in the country...even fielding future Olympians.

There are never two schools from the same state, let alone the same city...EVER.

Over these 10 seasons, Spokane has sent one or two teams EVERY YEAR to this prestigious race of the fastest high school runners in the US. And it's not just one or two high-profile programs that go each year. Six different high schools from Spokane have gone to the nationals race in the past 10 years. I am willing to say this city area of greater Spokane, with 400,000 people, turns out more talented runner per capita than any city in America.

Maybe it's because they started loving to run at the age of 5.....possibly even at an event called Junior Bloomsday. Or maybe there's something magical in the water of the Spokane River. Regardless, this city has something special and built an experience to be shared with kids all over the world each year in May.

Every day I'm proud of my dad and every day I'm proud of my hometown and good people who gave kids a chance to be active. Now, more than ever, kids need to be out running, playing and adventuring! I look forward to the day when I have kids and they get to have some of the same great experiences I got to have...and more!

FOOD CHOICES

noreply@blogger.com (GoodManFriday) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 16:50:00 +0000

For the past few months, I've gone through a lifestyle change when it comes to food. There have been waves of more intensity in the program, but the idea is it's not a diet, it's a change.

I used to be a HUGE lover of Diet Coke, Subway, cheeseburgers, dinner rolls....all the bad stuff.

Since November, I've been working on a food program that is most similar to the Ideal Protein diets. The idea is white is bad. No carbs or sugars. Vegetables and protein with every meal. For the past four months I haven't had any pop, fried food (other than a few small cheats), french fries or fast food.

The people who do this as a "diet" and hardcore program give up fruit too. I exercise a lot, so I've modified it to my needs and kept fruit.

One thing many people forget is vitamins. Make sure you take good daily multi-vitamins. I also take Tonalin (from sunflower seeds) for weight loss and extra Potassium for energy.

Breakfast used to always be cereal. Often times the more healthy cereals, like Smart Start, but lots of it.

I now do blended Raw Meal smoothies with coconut milk and fruit. On faster days, I do Muscle Milk light and a banana. Even the small 8oz pre-blended protein smoothies can last you for hours.

Lunch used to always be Subway, Quiznos, burritos, panini, whatever was fast and on my way.

As mentioned, fruit is tasty and I've kept it in my life. Lots of vitamins. There is a lot of sugar in most fruits, so make sure it always has some kind of veggies. Celery is good to mix. Avocado also works well for smoothies and some people like kale flavor in blends.

For snacks, basic protein bars (make sure it's less than 8-9g of sugar). Almonds are also great. One handful is good. Eat them slowly. I also love small cucumbers cut up with some sea salt as a snacker!

For dinner, chicken, steak, fish! Protein, protein, protein! Rice is ok to get away with if it's brown and grainy. Some nuts are good, but keep it low. Vegetables are big! Salads are great. A big thing about dinner is you have to have a6-10 oz of protein! That's a pretty big piece of meat. Hard boiled eggs make great sides...and eggs in general any time of day.

Salmon is great with some kale and quinoa rice. Maybe even baked asian pears

All of this replaced cereal, Subway/Quiznos, pizza, Diet Coke and all my old habits. Healthy, natural foods. They come from the same store you buy the other stuff at! They taste better, make you feel better about yourself and are fun to prepare and eat.

One other important principle I've adopted. If there are 3 main meals in the day and 7 days a week, you sit down to 21 meals each week. I say if you can make 17 or 18 of these healthier than you ate before, you should easily be able to lose weight and make obvious positive change. Have fun on the weekend. Pizza and pasta are still my friends...and beer and wine. I work hard during the week and have a blast throughout the weekend.

I dropped 18 pounds on this plan in 2 months. I've kept it off for another 2 month and am now preparing for another more aggressive surge. News to come!

New giveaway! Come follow my sites and keep in touch!

CYCLING TEAM

noreply@blogger.com (GoodManFriday) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 16:54:00 +0000

One of my favorite things in the whole world is cycling. After my wife and family, it pretty much goes cycling, photography, skiing for my passions.

The team that I manage and race for, House Wine Racing, is my proudest project for my personal fitness, favorite hobby and business. I can say that a year and a half ago this team didn't exist. I had an idea and approached a number of acquaintances about it. One thing led to another....sponsors were pitched, marketing plans drawn up, riders recruited...and now, we're one of (if not the) fastest growing teams in the Northwest in terms of quality and exposure. This team is made up of dedicated riders and community members who love the sport of cycling.

In addition to racing road, mountain, track and cyclocross seasons (with multiple sub-disciplines in each), we're active with local charities and advocacy groups, dedicated ambassadors to our sponsors and an all-around fun group of people. I really care about these guys a lot and pinch myself every time I look at all we accomplished in our first season. 2013 will see more exponential growth. We added 6 new riders, we're looking to add a women's team, travel schedule is broadening to Oregon and Idaho and we're hosting a 5-race mountain bike series with some awesome organizations!

Here's a pic of some of the guys making an appearance at a rooftop trade tasting for Washington Wine Month last August.

When many people hear the word cycling, they tend to picture road race (like Tour de France). This picture is from our spring training last March. Road racing also includes criterium (time-based laps) and time trial (skin suit, aero "pointy" helmets).

HWR races year-round. The spring is busy with road season and mountain biking season. Our mountain racing group competes in events starting in March through the summer. There are also multiple disciplines in mountain...cross-country and enduro.

During the late spring and summer, track season hits full speed. Track racing takes place in a velodrome. This is a very high-intensity style of racing on a fixed-gear (no brakes) bike. There are multiple formats and event-structures.

The fall and winter are focussed on cyclocross. Cross is HUGE in the Northwest. There are two big series and a large scene in Seattle, as well as throughout the Oregon, Idaho and British Columbia. This is a format that is very big in Europe, primarily in Belgium. Cross bikes are similar to a road bike frame, but with a thicker, treaded tire and many have disc brakes like a mountain bike. Essentially it's a road bike that can ride mountain. Best of both. Cross events are giant obstacle courses where you have to get off the bike and jump over barriers, run up hills, through mud, beaches and more. It is an absolute blast.

Here's some of the marketing swag House used last summer to cross promote the team with in-store point of sale materials.

Team summer training with a few of the guys. Fortunately I'm taking this picture so you can't see how tired I am on this break!

This pic is from the first ride of 2013. The "Stinky Spoke" is an popular mountain biking event with a KILLER hill that is legend around the area. You get a medal if you make it to the top without getting off your bike. Out of thousands of contenders, few made it to the top with the frozen ground and 25 degree weather. I wasn't one of them....I got cut off half way up the hill....that's my excuse!

House Wine Racing is a very cool organization and something I'm very proud of. Whether you're into cycling or not, you should definitely check out our website and follow us on FB or Twitter to keep up with the action. It's fun to watch and fun to be a part of!

www.housewineracing.com

www.facebook.com/housewineracing

Twitter: @housewineracing

TRAVEL: LONDON

noreply@blogger.com (GoodManFriday) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 17:07:00 +0000

When I was 10 years old, my parents took my brother (then 6) and I to Disney World in Florida. Though it was a lot of fun, they had some interesting revelations about childhood experiences. Disney properties are great fun....but SO expensive and SO crowded. At that point, my brilliant parents were saying to themselves, "We could take our boys anywhere in the world for the cost of Disney World." They thought my bro and I could learn about history and art and life in other countries/cultures from the first hand experiences. We could have more fun and learn a ton along the way.

So the next year we took our first trip abroad. Since then, every summer our family takes a trip overseas and we rotate who gets to choose where we go. As I result, I believe I've had the good fortune of visiting 35 countries on 6 continents. Now that we're grown up and live in different cities (and I'm married), it's a blast the five of us still do our special tradition every summer.

It was just decided by my dad that we're going Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia this year! With a few days in Belgium on the way there, this is going to be a very cool one.

Through the coming posts, I'll likely share a lot of stories from these adventures. I thought it would be fun to do different countries/cities each week.

So last year we did London on the way to Vienna, Austria. We traveled by train from Vienna to Zurich, Switzerland. From there we flew to Amsterdam, Netherlands.

For this post, I'm going to do picks from London. I've been a few times and it's one of my favorite cities on the planet!

When in London, definitely hit the double-decker bus tour at some point. It may seem mainstream and gimmicky, but that's because it is. It's the fastest way to get all around the different boroughs and see individual monuments and landmarks in one afternoon. You can also get a boat ride along the River Thames with the same pass.

This tour will take you past some of the BIG landmarks like the London Bridge, Tower of London, Westminister Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park and more. They'll point out where all the famous monarchs, musicians and diplomats lived and played.

A good stopping point is the London Eye. Built for the new millennium in 1999, it is the tallest ferris wheel in Europe (443 ft). It's also the most popular tourist attraction in the United Kingdom with 3.5 million visitors annually.

Definitely check out one of the traditional pubs of Old London and some shops along the way. Piccadilly Circus is my favorite center for shopping. It's young and fun. Home of Lillywhites, one of the largest (and coolest) sporting goods stores in the world. There are also dozens of good restaurants nearby and just blocks from St. James Park, lots of theaters and other good shopping. Harrods is the largest department store in Europe. It's over one million square feet with 330 departments. Located in Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, Harrods is home to some of the nicest designer collections in England.

Getting around using the Underground is very fast. You can see Paddington and Waterloo....some of the big famous train stations in London.

I could go on and on, but for London on one page, there some of my picks!

Cheers!

WINE CHOICES

noreply@blogger.com (GoodManFriday) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 16:04:00 +0000

As mentioned in earlier posts, I'm a huge wine enthusiast. I also dedicate a lot of my time and work to photography. I thought it might be fun from time to time to showcase some of my favorite wines and photos I've taken of them.

Please forgive my bias for Northwest wines. I'm from Washington and it happens to be one of the fastest growing wine regions on the planet... I'll branch out more in the next round.

Also, if you ever need a wine suggestion, hit me up! I'd be happy to help.

Here's some of my favorite wine and photos.

This shot is of Browne Family Cabernet Sauvignon. This is an awesome cabernet from the Columbia Valley of Washington State. Smells of cherry and cocoa compliment a deep palate including hints of vanilla and plum. This stuff is delicious.

Hudson Shah Malbec is a fun and affordable wine from Woodhouse Wine Estates in Woodinville, WA. Definite tastes of cinnamon and pepper with a great, full body. Very tasty wine.

Owen Roe is based in St. Paul, Oregon. This blend is called Abbot's Table. It's primarily Zinfandel and Sangiovese, with rare grape Blaufrankish and light use of Merlot and Malbec to round it out. Great tastes of raspberry and cherry.

DETERMINATION: PART TWO

noreply@blogger.com (GoodManFriday) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 17:10:00 +0000

In DETERMINATION: PART ONE I talked about the iconic drive of runner Steve Prefontaine and how I look at some of his most famous philosophies in my own life.

"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift" is my favorite quote of Pre's, but he also had some other ideas that apply to this conversation.

So part two.

"A lot of people run a race to see who is the fastest. I run to see who has the most guts" - Steve Prefontaine.

As Pre says, the prize doesn't go to the fastest racer, it goes to the one that wants it the most. The mental drive is more important than physical nine times out of ten.

This is also easily applied to modern business. In today's new economy, many people have been forced to push themselves out of the box and try new things they previously didn't think they could do. As a result, there are thousands of people opening their own businesses for supplemental income or to recoup lost income.

What they're discovering, as many bloggers have discovered for themselves, is that we're coming to a crossroads as a society where power is no longer defined by education and experience, but by networking and communication skills. If you have a phone and a laptop, you can run a business from anywhere. There are professional bloggers, travel writers, fashion consultants who make their living from home...or a plane....or a beach.

A modern philosophy to parallel Pre's sports quote is the idea that "Efficiency is doing something right. Effectiveness is doing the right thing."

If you know how to connect with people that will help you...and how to deliver your message...you've got it made. The entire world is within reach by one click of a computer mouse or phone touch screen.

For me, when I got to my final year of college, after being involved in dozens of jobs, clubs, teams and competitions, I decided I wanted to go to portfolio school and become a creative director at an advertising agency. That was my dream! I had the training and determination to make it happen. I was prepared to move across the country and follow my dreams, proud of the work I had done and confident I would make it all happen.

By semester break of that year, after a number of presentations, interviews and meetings, another (very different) opportunity was presented to me. I was recruited into a management development program with the world's second largest wine company. It didn't take much thought to make up my mind. Although art school sounded awesome, even coming out of the best program in the country and interning for top agencies in New York, I'd still be making next to nothing. That wasn't going to fund my hopes and dreams, nor give me the challenge and opportunities to grow personally and professionally. It's just the nature of the industry. In the beverage sales business I could be a part of an ever-evolving industry and have a chance to climb the corporate ladder. I took the job!

I LOVED that job (and the others since). It really beat me up and pushed me to my limits, but it was so worth it. Still proudly working for the same company, I can tell you with confidence I knew from day one to now I made the right choice for my future.

After I got settled in Seattle, I immersed myself in the alcohol business and became a specialist in everything I could. I still had the hunger for creativity though. Just as when I was growing up....I liked a lot of different things. So I'd put 50 hours a week into my career and did freelance photography and design work on the side. Some said all I did was work, but I love photography and design...and meeting new people. That's what I did for fun. I never saw it as work.

(Photo: Inspiring Portraits Collection. I shot this image around the same time as the story from today's post.)

Now that a few year have passed, I've moved up in my company to a place that I LOVE even more. I can honestly say I love my job and the people I work for. They respect and appreciate me, as I do them. I could easily work for this company for a long time. That said, my freelance projects also snowballed over the years. I worked with local businesses and sports teams and fashion models. I designed websites, did promotion plans and shot family portraits. I LOVE photography and design. So I spent all my evenings and weekends working on fun creative projects and studied to be the best I could be at my career. I was a single guy and living in a big city, there were lots of opportunities. I was always learning.

After I met my wife, I knew I needed to start saving money. I had less time to do the "extra-curricular" projects and needed to focus on saving all my pennies for an engagement ring! I dropped some of the projects that consumed most time and investment. I grew some new relationships and projects that could be more income-yielding. I was making good money at work, but putting my regular income toward dating the love of my life, traveling and growing together, it was fun (and worth it) to have all the side resources saved toward the ring and later wedding.

(Photo. Tuesday June 14, 2011. Marnie & I got engaged on the beach at Praia D'el Rey, Portugal)

Be it from Steve Prefontaine, the modern business word, my personal experience or yours, determination will always prevail. It's not about who the fastest, strongest, or smartest competitor is. It's about who wants it the most. We live in a day and age where David can beat Goliath. In fact, the little guy can often 'out-gun' the big guy with more than faith and chance. The internet has given us power to connect and deliver on dream and ideas that may not have been possible ten years ago. But what did exist then, and absolutely does now, is courage and determination.

If you want it, you can get it. You just have to decide what you want and learn what it will take to get there. REACH OUT to the people who can help you on your way. Research the most EFFECTIVE path to get it done. Make a PLAN. Then ATTACK! Don't hold anything back. Believe in yourself and show the world, wherever you stand on your journey, that you have the GUTS to get the job done!

DETERMINATION: PART ONE

noreply@blogger.com (GoodManFriday) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 16:55:00 +0000

Prolific runner and sports inspiration Steve Prefontaine once said,

"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift."

This is one of my all-time favorite quotes. First of all, if you don't give your all, you'll never know how good you could be. You don't have to know exact, tangible measurements or benchmarks as to what you "best" is. Nor do you have to know exactly what your specific "gift" might be. You just have to know you're working your butt off at things you love and you will continually surprise yourself with what you overcome and what you learn about yourself along the way.

To me, the term "Good at everything, great at nothing" also has very deep importance. When I was a kid, I was very fortunate to have parents that let me try anything I wanted. I would go from swimming class to soccer practice, horseback riding lessons to trumpet lessons, art class to skiing lessons, language class to hockey camp.....you get the idea.

Later, more around the late-high school, early-college years, I began to realize I admired the people who grew up doing things like ski racing, swim team and gymnastics. ONE sport. One activity to be a "specialist" at and dedicate all your time to.

Now that I'm 'wiser' in life, I've come to understand for many of these people their passion, though inspiring and impressive....ruled their life and social development period throughout those important years. Many were always gone at competitions and missed out on a lot of the growing up experience. Many burned out by college and quit their dreams all together.

Though I'm now glad I wasn't one of them, I look back on playing soccer and football wish I had been into cycling, running, swimming, cross country skiing instead. Life sports...for fitness, lifestyle, competition, whatever. An argument can be made for the importance of team-building and leadership skills, but for the most part, I always knew I wasn't going to play soccer in the future... In high school I was always late and somehow behind because of the number (and difference) of activities I did. I'd show up to football practice and get heat for being late because of jazz band rehearsal, I'd go to trumpet lessons and get heat for having my smelly football pads on....then Spanish club carrying all of my art portfolios....you get the idea.

This carried on through college. I was a DJ, drew cartoons for the student newspaper, had a job as a graphic designer, volunteered with various organizations, played music, trained with multiple sports groups, held offices in different clubs, internships....it was never enough. You can imagine how complicated dating was!

These laundry lists aren't meant to be a brag-a-thon about all the things I got to do, but rather an illustration of the fact that I felt like I never got to find what I was great at because I had a lot of different things that I was good at. Consequently, I never knew which ones to drop because they all added value and confidence to my experiences. I mean, you never know when being a college DJ will come in handy, right.....

I knew all along though, as Pre would say...I had to give my best or I would be disappointed later. Similar to rock climbing...sometimes you can see the top and sometimes you can't, but when you look down (or back), you realize how far you've truly come and press on knowing it will be worth it.

Regardless if you know what you are "great" at, it doesn't matter. If you give your heart and sole, you will succeed. It's okay to have too many dreams.....as long as you have dreams to chase. Never get intimidated when you stop climbing and look back at how high you've reached. Just know you're getting ever-closer to something great!

SWAGGER | Valentine's Ideas for Your Man

noreply@blogger.com (GoodManFriday) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 17:25:00 +0000

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While rounding out my first week of blogging, I've come to observe that fashion blogging seems to be really big out there. Many of these writers are female. I thought it might be interesting to do a "ideas for your man" post from a guy's perspective.

Forgive me, as I was in a super hurry to get to work this morning and these are only iPhone quality shots.

TOP HALF

(Shirt: Any black fitted | Tie: Express plaid skinny tie | Vest: H&M gray pin stripe)

Business casual. Weekend trendy. Date night dapper. They can all be pulled off in one outfit if done correctly! I LOVE vests. All guys fit differently though. find colors/trims/patterns that will go with anything. Black shirts always make a nice contrast. And the skinny tie can take this from buttoned-up business-ready to out-on-the-town hip.

BOTTOM HALF

(Boots: Cole Haan Air Colton Winter Chukka | Jeans: 7 For All Mankind Austyn Relaxed Straight Leg)

CHUKKA BOOTS are my favorite! They are super in style right now, guys can wear them with work clothes, wear them to the bar with jeans....just about anywhere (except with shorts of course....yikes!). My favorite men's shoes are Cole Haan. They are expensive, but up until last November, Cole Haan was owned by Nike. Though they've changed to a private owner group, all of their shoes will still use Nike Air technology hidden in the soles and arches. Super comfortable! Dress shoes, boat shoes, tennis shoes. I wear all Cole Haan. Keep an eye out for their online holiday sales. They usually do 30-40% on the website.

MAN JEANS. Many guys say they don't care about jeans, but the fact is they do (or would if they had nicer ones). Maybe not so much about the overall appearance, wash, stitching, etc...but feel and look. I love Seven (7 For All Mankind) jeans for guys. A good place to find a large selection of Sevens is at Nordstrom Rack. They always have a lot and they're significantly cheaper than in the main stores, boutiques or online. You can usually find a pair for $100 or so. Some guys would find that too spendy, but this is your chance to take care of your man! A few key things to keep in mind. Many guys don't like tight jeans. Stay away from the 'Slim' and have a careful look at the 'Straight Leg.' Often times it's the safest play to go with the 'Regular' cut or the 'Bootcut.' Another good brand that isn't too expensive and you can find many places is Joe's jeans. Similar sizing and cuts.

ACCESSORIES

(Watch: Kenneth Cole Link)

WATCHES. Guys don't typically wear a lot of 'extra' stuff. Sunglasses and watches are really your only shot. However, if you got him a Rolex or nice watch for your wedding or a big birthday, he probably won't wear another watch. Guys don't swap these things frequently like girls do with earrings and necklaces. If he doesn't have a really nice watch yet (wait until 5 or 10 year anniversary) this can always be a nice thing to get for any occasion, similar to how women can't have enough scarves, necklaces, bracelets, etc. I usually go to Macy's for watches. They have lots, they're always on sale and for good prices to begin with. Check out Kenneth Cole. They make AWESOME trendy watches that only cost around $140-180....which look like $500+. I love this watch and would easily buy 3 more of the same one. It's oversized, exposed gears, automatic and awesome.

Have a GREAT weekend!!!

ANNELISE

noreply@blogger.com (GoodManFriday) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 15:08:00 +0000

I've been blogging for 4 days now. I can honestly say I've learned SO much from reading about interesting people and their lives! It's a world I wish I had discovered years ago!!!

The person I have to thank for this experience is my beautiful sister-in-law, Annelise. She's been blogging for a few years now and done a number of different blogs & topics throughout her evolution as a writer. She grew a lot of her popularity and creative wings with a pledge blog project called Bye Bye Beehive. Aunie took on this project wherein she gave up hair products and tools for a whole year. She didn't use any sprays, gels, blow dryers or flat irons and blogged about hair styling without using any harmful products. She saved money, saved the health of her hair and learned new things about the reality of beauty. Throughout this project, she dedicated a year of her life (and blog) to showing other women and young girls the beauty of being natural and minimalist techniques to do so.

(Photos: From ByeByeBeehive.com)

Annelise went out of her way studying, sharing and creating new hair styles and accessorizing with NO products. Though the project ended last fall, you can still visit ByeByeBeehive.com and see all of her fun styles! And she still puts up fun new ideas from time to time!

(Photos: From ByeByeBeehive.com)

Annelise's main (ongoing) blog is called Aunie Sauce (auniesauce.com). She writes about life experiences, family, spirituality, fitness, fashion and inspiration. You can always find something new and interesting on her page!

Since we're talking about hair....and Aunie, I need to show you some pictures I had the pleasure of taking at her wedding in December!!!

Annelise and Daniel got married on December 1st, 2012. It was a BEAUTIFUL ceremony and a blast to shoot. I'll definitely share more photos from the event in coming posts.

(Photos: Andy P - Good Man Friday Photography - Rowe Wedding - Boise, ID December 1, 2012)

If you can't wait to see more pictures from this wedding, you can see more details on her post here

Make sure you check out Annelise's blog, Aunie Sauce. Learn about Aunie, her stud muffin husband Daniel, their cute dog, fun stories and adventures! It's a great time and a fun read. She's a cool gal and I love her very much. Thanks for introducing me to blogging!

OUTLOOK

noreply@blogger.com (GoodManFriday) — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 15:46:00 +0000

I had a professor in college that used to frequently repeat this interesting saying. It wasn't something derived from scientific formula or advanced philosophical research...just an intriguing way of looking at how we do things.

He said, "Life is 10% about what happens to you and 90% about how you deal with it."

As I get further into my blog-exploring experience, I'm starting to realize that this is an immensely populated universe of unique, but like-minded individuals who all look for similar things. Self-expression, networking, friends, outreach, advice....regardless of your hobbies or blog theme....we're all here to share our thoughts and read/learn about other people with similar experiences. It's a fast way to share what you're going through, good or bad, and much more immediate than waiting for the weekend when you get to see your close friends whom you would normally share these stories with.

(Photo: From my 'Inspiration' collection. Snoquamie Falls. Fall City, WA)

This is also a place for people to go when they're having a hard time or getting through something they didn't foresee. My only problem with social media sharing of personal experiences is many times writers don't follow the philosophy of my brilliant teacher. They tell one-way stories about something bad that happened.....but that's it. It's like reading a story with no ending. It's breaks your heart as a reader and leaves you down. They don't say, "I'm going to try something new to move on", "I'm ready for the next step", "Can someone give me advice?"

You don't have to know what the "resolution" is, but I tend to be one of these people that immediately thinks "What are you going to do about it?"

There are people out there, like Taylor Swift for instance, who write "he done me wrong" type of stories all the time. She uses it to make millions of dollars, but many of us just share things like that in hopes that someone might reach out to you and tell you it's going to be better (on and offline). Or advice for coping with said breakup, situation, injury, etc.

I haven't personally had to go through a lot of troubled times...or at least I work hard to speed through them. I did go through a period of time where I really struggled and had to say things like the 10%/90% theory to myself frequently. In November 2010, I got in a car accident. It wasn't super bad, but it did $12,000 of damage to my car and I was a little beat up. It involved ice and I was in the smaller car... Not to mention I was in the most difficult time of year at a very physically and mentally demanding job. I was also in a young relationship and it was hard to always be hurting and not be able to explain to her why or what I was experiencing.

I ended up starting physical therapy and getting a new car after the new year...a bigger car. I grew up driving in snow, but I've come to realize there are a lot of people who didn't and still anything can happen. I traded in my fast sporty little car for an SUV.

After a few months, things were getting worse with my back. I switched therapy, got weekly massages and monthly check-ins with a specialist at the spine clinic. In late March, I was on my way to fill out more paperwork with my company and a girl (texting) slammed into me....ANOTHER ACCIDENT....in my brand new SUV. My company barely believed me. I had to go three months of having another employee help me with my work....then another 6 months of physical therapy. The problem here is, if you have a broken arm...everyone can see that your arm is broken. If you have spasms and swelling in your back and knees...no one can see. SO I constantly felt like a 'complainer' and that I was being 'accommodated.' For 8 months I did 2+ days/week PT, 1+/week massage and average once every other week with a doctor. Getting hurt at work is bad. Insurance hammers you and they constantly need to evaluate your progress.

After 6 months of PT....I finally started getting my groove back a little bit. In November of 2011, I was working with a client and stood up suddenly as someone called my name. I managed to slam my head into a metal fuse box that just happened to be exactly 6 feet off the ground. BOOM...concussion.

That was a year after my first accident. Three accidents in one year. By then, I was thinking I was a pretty lucky guy... It took me until around March 2012 to finally be over the back issues. I was promoted to a different position in the company. We stopped constantly provoking the back issues...and life was getting better. Over the year and a half, I'd lost a lot of strength, put on 25 lbs, hardly any cycling, running, skiing...my passions. Weight issues are very difficult. 20 or 30 lbs doesn't sound like that much, but when you think about 3 bowling balls and the effect that must have on your back.....yikes!

(Photo: Shilshole Bay, Puget Sound. From Golden Gardens Park. Seattle, WA)

In November of last year, I started a new eating, training, life program....but it's not a program, it's a lifestyle. I haven't had fast food, fried food or soft drinks in 3 months. I've lost 18 lbs, en route to 30. I'm reading more, writing more, training with my team and feeling better about myself.

You have to ask yourself when faced with challenges, "This has happened. I can't change it. What am I going to do about it?" Your outlook will change your experiences and result in stronger confidence, relationships and quality of life. Don't worry little Annie, the sun will come out tomorrow!

(Photo: One of my favorite inspirations. Whatom Falls, Bellingham, WA)

I love the words of my professor. He has been an inspiration for me in a lot of things I do. I'd like to slightly change his concept and leave you with this.

Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% what you do about it!

COUPLE PHOTOS - STACEY & TONY

noreply@blogger.com (GoodManFriday) — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 14:58:00 +0000

I do a lot of engagement photo shoots. It's always a blast and a fun experience to share the with the couple. These photos are from a recent shoot with Stacey & Tony! They are a fun, goofy pair.

They didn't want anything too mushy, while still capturing their spunky sense of humor and fun together.

These two are getting married in November in LAS VEGAS. Joined by family and friends, they're getting hitched at a beautiful waterside park venue outside of town, then taking the party to the strip!

I hope you enjoy these photos. Come back for more soon! I'll be sharing plenty of couples, weddings, fashion, animals, travel, sports and more.

Cheers,

WELCOME

noreply@blogger.com (GoodManFriday) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 14:20:00 +0000

Hi, my name is Andy and I'm a dreamer.

I'm also a husband, an entrepreneur, a photographer, brother, pizza lover, movie fanatic, cyclist, mamma's boy, wine enthusiast, business analyst, designer, investor, traveler and friend.

I live in Seattle with my beautiful wife. I work for a great company that I'm proud to be a part of. We have lots of loving family & friends nearby and tons of new fun things to try whenever we want. I'm a very lucky guy.

When I'm not working, cycling or spending time with my wife, I'm developing new creative ideas and ventures. I'm an an addict of social media, marketing, photography, design and learning about new people and places. It's safe to say I have a lot of hobbies (my wife would say too many!)

Over the past few years, I've been very fortunate to work with a number of amazingly talented individuals. One awesome freelance and collaboration project after another lead me to build Good Man Friday Marketing (name is from a family story). At GMF, we work with small businesses, startups and non-profit organizations in branding & marketing consulting.

We also work with independent artists, musicians, designers, models, athletes and photographers to give them the tools to promote themselves and collaborate on various projects. Everything from music videos to event sponsorships, wedding photos to websites, we love to help other dreamers...and have fun doing it.

I'd like to use this blog to share with you stories of people who inspire me. Some that will hopefully inspire you too! I'll share stories of fun places I've gotten to travel to, GMF wedding photo shoots and bridal design work, info on up-and-coming musicians and artists, blog video performances, events and more.

Sign up to read my blog, join our group of friends and come dream with us. And if you have an idea, I'd love to hear it! Maybe we can do work together!!

Cheers,