Enlightened Tripod 14

The “Enlightened Action Word” ….

Nascent:

In the process of coming into existence, Just beginning to exists, grow or develop.

The “Enlightened Quote” …

“Note how good you feel after you have encouraged someone else. No other argument is necessary to suggest that never miss the opportunity to give encouragement.” George Burton Adams

The “Enlightened Business Plan”…

Negotiation

I have a mentor that loves to say that everything is negotiable. As a matter of fact, he pretty much negotiates every single purchase or exchange that he makes. He does it in such a way that everyone has fun, but at the same time he gets a good deal. He figures that practicing with small deals keeps him honed for the important ones. In every negotiation he always strives for the proverbial win-win.

Effective negotiation helps you to resolve situations where what you want conflicts with what someone else wants. The aim of win-win negotiation is to find a solution that is acceptable to both parties, and leaves both parties feeling that they’ve won, in some way, after the event.

I remember a portrait session that I did for a family and they loved the portraits. At the time of the viewing we went through all of the images and they placed a sizable order (slightly over $ 12,000). When we finished taking the order the client then said, “Mr. Groot, I respect you as an artist and did not want to negotiate on your artwork, but now that we need to talk about frames I am sure we can come to some equitable agreement.” Wow, what do you say to that? Yes we will, of course.

What are some of the things you must think of before you get into a negotiation session?

1. What are your goals? What are the other persons’ goals?

2. Trades, what do you have that you can provide?

3. Alternatives think about your choices and how bad you want to reach a settlement. I learned a long time ago that you never go into a negotiation without the ability to walk away. Never want something bad enough that you will give up too much for it.

4. Relationships – at the end of the day, all we have are relationships – it’s not the end result, it is the relationships we build.

5. Consequences – what will happen if you win or lose the negotiation?

6. Compromises – based on all the considerations, what possible solutions exist?

At the end of the day every transaction is a negotiation and as motivational speaker Zig Zigler writes, “If you help people get what they need, they will provide you with what you want.”

The “Enlightened Technical Corner”…

Night Photography

One of the neatest tricks I learned in night photography, back in the good old days of film, was to go to my vantage point and take two images. One was made at dusk to record outlines and general details of buildings against the beautiful setting sun. After the initial exposure I would cap the lens, waiting for darkness and the lights to come on, and then make a brief exposure to get the lights from the street and buildings. Of course today with digital imagery this is a lot easier, or is it? Actually, it takes the same patience, but with digital imaging you would need to take two images and then combine them which takes more time.

One of the biggest challenges in night photography is balancing the combination of technical and esthetic considerations. For example what do you do with predominantly dark areas? I have found two tricks that work well:

1. Is to use fill in flash. Now that might sound crazy, but because it is a long exposure, I would have an assistant go to the area and “pop” a remote flash and paint the area with light.

2. A good friend of mine Frank Kristians taught me how to use mirrors strategically placed under the lens to reflect light or other aspects into the dark area of the image. If the mirror is placed horizontally under the lens, you would have a beautiful reflection of the subject in an otherwise bland spot.

Here are some quick tips:

1. With film you have reciprocity failure, which basically means that the longer the exposure (below 1/15th of a second) it takes even more time to affect the film. The rule of thumb is anything longer than ½ a second you must double the time to get a proper exposure.

2. Avoid shooting directly into lights close-up.

3. Wet sidewalks and snow will reflect light back into dark areas.

4. Fog and mist will spread light around.

5. It never hurts to bracket your exposures.

6. Fireworks and Lightning require a simple and basic technique. Set the camera on a tripod, set the shutter to time, lens is set at infinity, and the lens is wide open. Close the shutter as soon as two or three flashes have appeared.

7. A good exposure to capture the moon for combination with other images is 1/60th at f.4.

“Enlightened Marketing”

Networking

Networking is probably the least understood, yet most effective form of marketing there is. It’ probably the best opportunity you will ever have to make connections, build relationships, and help yourself and others succeed.

There are specific networking organizations, groups, clubs, and professionals that you can join. Less specific, but decidedly not less effective, are groups like the Chamber of Commerce, civic groups (Kiwanis, Rotary, and Lions etc.), church groups, sports clubs, and country clubs. Get involved! Develop your relationships you make in your group by doing the following:

1. Thank the person you meet by way of a quick email.

2. Forward links or articles that you think they may enjoy.

3. Don’t reject invitations to events and gatherings. The best way to get a friend is to be a friend.

4. Follow up with everyone you meet.

5. Always, always have business cards with you and give them out freely. I know a person that every time he gave a tip he included his business card with it.

6. Always say, “Thank you.”

“Enlightened Living”

Nootropics or Smarts Drugs are chemicals which are claimed to have mild to moderate positive mental or physical effects such as improvements to memory, cognition, and clarity of thought or "anti-aging" effects. The word nootropic was first used by Dr. C. Giurgea and comes from the Greek words “noos” and “topein”, meaning to bend or turn the mind. Nootropics are referred to as “smart drugs”, “smart nutrients”, cognitive enhancers”, and brain enhancers”.

Nootropics have three basic actions on the brain: minimize damage to the brain and natural deterioration to brain functions, repair existing damage, and enhance brain functions beyond normal levels. They work by improving the brain’s supply of oxygen, enzymes, hormones, and neurotransmitters. They can come in a chemically created form or found in natural foods. Tests have shown that taking these supplements sharpen intellectual performance for everyone.

The following are rich sources with nootropic benefits:

Stress and Mood enhancement:

Nuts – particularly walnuts, Oily fish – particularly salmon and tuna, Ginko Bilboba, Gotu Kola, Royal Jelly, Tumeric, Bascopa Monniera, Rosemary, Caffeine, Aswagandha, Inositol, Kava-kave, Lemon Balm, Passion Flower, St. John’s Wort, Ginseng, Tea, Grape seed.

Specifically for brain energy and improved oxygen supply:

ALCAR (amino acid), chromium, Coenzyme q-10, Creatine, Inositol, Lipoic Acid, Piracetam, Pyritinol, and Vinpocetine.

So there is hope.

Treat your body well and it will treat you well.

Yours in Health, Happiness, and Success Your Friend Chuck Groot BFA, F/PPABC, MPA