Shop Quality Instead of Price for Your Child’s Senior Pictures in Redmond

by admin JMon June 15, 2014 in High School Senior Pictures That Rock!, My Blog, Senior Pictures Sessions

Quality vs. Price | Senior Pictures in Redmond, Woodinville & Sammamish

When you purchase items does quality outweight price for you? Or do you make decisions almost solely on price? From the brand of yogurt and cereal we purchase to our cars and household items, to services such as housecleaning, repairs and photography, we all have our trends.

Knowing an Amateur vs. a Professional: How to Know What to Look For

There’s 100 amateur ‘photographers’ (also know as ‘camera owners or beginners’) for every 2 or 3 professionals in our area and it’s difficult to know the difference at first until you take a really close look at quality, posing, angles, lighting, reviews and customer service. When I’m looking through portfolios and other photography websites I can quickly see who I would trust to take my portrait and who I can tell needs to learn more.

Imagine using a highly experienced attorney or doctor who’s seen hundreds or thousands of cases versus a new doctor or attorney who barely has experienced anything. If your goal was to win the case or diagnose and properly treat your child’s condition you’d be a little concerned. In photography you should approach your next session with this sort of mentality. It takes years of doing quality work, experience working with top photographers and art directors or editors to possess expert level knowledge of the industry. Add in the variable of being great with high schoolers and we’re talking some serious knowledge to capture a variety of amazing portraits you’ll be proud of.

Compare the following:

1) Does the ‘photographer’ sound knowledgeable? When speaking with any professional you should feel like the person is knowledgeable about any question you would or could ask them. Think about if their answers to your questions sound flaky or made up, or are based on a foundation and experience…I know I can tell.

Contact Julian Michael today at 425-530-8820

2) Does their website have a variety of examples? And I’m not talking about just a couple good portraits or 1000 so-so images claiming to have been around forever. Some people can get lucky with a few good portraits, but a true pro can repeat any style of portrait on demand and create looks with ease. Whenever I’m looking through other photographers work I’m looking for several elements, many times related to the variety I see overall in terms of the style of portrait, light, composition, framing, etc…which is more rare to find quality than you may know! And don’t be fooled by cool looking websites with fancy slideshows when the work doesn’t back that up.

3) Are they upfront about pricing for sessions and how their packaging works? Basically, are they willing to share with you how their structure works, or does it sound shady? Working professionals have very set rates that work well for their clientele and there’s a good reason they’ve chosen those packages and pricing after years of trial and effort. An amateur will have no idea how to price his/herself and many times will sound unknowledgeable about rates. How ever nice this might sound for your pocketbook it will likely overflow into many aspects of their work. Most notably is their ability to create variety, to create amazing products and their skill level in Photoshop. And let’s not forget they’ve just recently (within 2yrs) purchased their first awesome camera, they’re ‘learning’ new techniques and Photoshop, and they have no process they’ve established to make it easy for clients and their self following the shoot.

4) Are they willing to accept any price offer you make them, or are they confident in their rates? A true sign of an amateur is that they are not doing photography as a ‘living’ or for their ‘work’, it’s merely a hobby and they don’t mind making a few bucks for it. However, when it comes to top customer service, knowledge of working with students, posing the right angles and creating lasting memories they’re likely not a good choice unless your budget is peanuts.

Anyone can beat a price and you’ll always find a bigger deal, but at what point are you sacrificing quality for your son or daughter’s senior pictures in Redmond. With photography, and especially senior pictures photography you’re likely sacrificing a great deal of quality right away when you steer away from trained professionals into amateurville.

Bellevue Events Photographer: 5 Vital Traits for a Winning Experience

by admin JMon May 22, 2014 in Awesome Events & Personalities, My Blog, Seattle Area, Tacoma & North, The Eastside

Bellevue Events Photographer | Serving Seattle, Bellevue & Tacoma areas

5 Winning Traits to a Great Event Photography Company

Great with People

Hi, hello, please and thank you, you’re welcome…words you’ll hear often by a personable and polite events photographer. Your photographer should be these things plus professional, cordial, assertive if needed, and flexible on-site. This is important at business events and especially at personal events in dealing with a variety of other personalities in a fixed amount of time. Your best Bellevue events photographers will be someone your guests feel they could crack open some champagne with (though not on the job or course)…it’s happened on a variety of occasions with Julian and team!

Julian and his team will make your guests feel relaxed and when needed you’re barely notice they’re there.

Thank you so much for doing a terrific job with our event! Everyone was thrilled with the pictures! – Jeff, Junior Achievement Annual Fundraiser Event Chair

Sometimes, the photographer must be unobtrusive and capture candid shots of the event’s guests. However, not every picture-worthy moment arrives organically. Some shots are posed shots of couples, groups, teams or important executives or award winners, for example. Having a photographer whom your guests are comfortable with can most accurately direct people (who many times are used to the being the one giving the orders!).

Ability to Improvise

No event is identical. No set of guests are the same. Every event is unique and improvisation is paramount!

Skilled improvisers can think ‘on the fly’, ‘get it done’, and work well under pressure, like Julian and team. This might consist of preparing shade, reflection, props and illumination from available objects, bring different groups of people together for staged shots, and handle changing weather for outdoor events. Always choose a photographer with light feet and a nimble mind!

Excellence in Composition

We want to capture the entire setting from wide to close up! A professional knows how to compose a scene the moment it happens, 10min before, and identify other moments that others may not see. For your corporate fundraiser or annual function your keynote speaker may be on-stage for anywhere from 10 to 30-minutes and we want to capture several angles, expressions and reactions.

During the reception or silent auction we will aim to capture the setting and features of your function, while aiming for excellence in composition and lighting with natural expressions and vibe. The best Bellevue events photographers will quickly observe the surroundings in any scene, seeking out foreground elements available for depth of field and any potential distractions in the background. Aiming for excellence in composition seems like a simple task, but is a detailed planning process that is continuous and produces the high quality imagery you expect to see for your event to look larger than life.

Timeliness & Planning

Obviously your event photographer should show up on time to make sure they capture every valuable second of material, but equally important is the timely delivery of the raw and edited photos—these days people can’t wait to get pictures of their events on Facebook and other social networks. A timely photographer makes sure your friends and guests can start tagging themselves right away!

Efficiency

Time is of the essence! Once the event begins there’s no time for planning, it’s ‘GO’ time. Thus, your events photographer needs to be quick on their feet with a clear focus of the objectives in mind. Your best Seattle & Bellevue events photographers will have the location already mapped, have a clear idea of what shots need to be captured and when, and they’ll have a great point person to direct them when/if needed. They’ll usually take a variety of angles and provide options to the client.

Making every action count with no downtime is what separates the best Seattle & Bellevue events photographers from the amateurs. This ensures that you get the most out of your photographer, whether at a wedding, birthday, cocktail party, business conference or keynote. I know that’s what I would want!

By Julian Michael > Contact him for your event today!

Why Hire One of the Best Seattle Headshot Photographers for Your Company?

by admin JMon May 20, 2014 in Headshot Sessions | Seattle - Bellevue - Tacoma, My Blog, Professional Business Headshots, Seattle Area, Tacoma & North, The Eastside, Uncategorized

Best Seattle Headshot Photographers | Serving Bellevue, Seattle & Tacoma

What’s Your Company Headshot Worth to You? A thousand words typically! It’s the way you’ll be perceived by new clients. It’s your initial perception or final pull when connecting with you on LinkedIn. It’ll represent you, whatever you’re using it for, to whomever sees it. Do you want to leave something so crucial up to an untrained amateur with a point-and-shoot camera? I know I wouldn’t. Or would you want your first impression one of the best Seattle headshot photographers with 15 years experience working with a wide variety of people and personalities?!

Professional Equipment with a Professional Touch

It’s easier than ever to take a picture today—everyone has a camera in their pocket at any time ready to shoot any and everything. But no one would ever claim that a handheld iPhone is going to capture the same quality of a DSLR (digital single lens reflex camera) on a level tripod. The difference in equipment quality and capability is obvious, and it’s exactly the same situation when comparing who is taking your professional portrait.

My knowledge and experience affords me the ability to know just the right angle to accentuate your features while utilizing the best lighting and background that conveys what you want your portrait to communicate to your target audience. In a typical session I’ll take several portraits usually in different angles to ensure you have options prior to image post-production. Working in this capacity is one of the reasons I’ve been ranked among the best Seattle headshot photographers the past few years and clients refer me often.

Knowing Seattle Locations & Local Flavor

How well do you know the area? In my 30+ years in and around the greater Seattle, Tacoma and Bellevue areas I’ve got to know the Emerald City like the back of my hand. For any session I can capture unique team portraits done at Gasworks Park, a corporate headshot on the Two Union Square plaza, and a business headshot during the golden hour of hidden Seattle sun in your home office. It’s all about location, location, location, and from Georgetown to Queen Anne to Northgate, I know them all.

Rain City has been my home for a long time, which has helped me learn how to cater to the unique local audience, as all the best Seattle headshot photographers know. Maybe one week I’m capturing a tech startup CEO headshot in natural lighting outdoors that needs to convey a laid-back, smart style with a little nerd street credibility; the next week I’m working with a top local Bank to capture traditional portraits on-site with a pre-set studio look. I know the local vibes, which helps me give the complimentary pre-session styling and posing advice I offer. I look forward to working with you and your team!

by Julian Michael > Contact him for a session today!

5 Reasons Your Headshot is Special With the Right Seattle Headshot Photographer

by admin JMon April 23, 2014 in Headshot Sessions | Seattle - Bellevue - Tacoma, My Blog, Professional Business Headshots, Uncategorized

What Makes Your Portrait Special? by Your Seattle Headshot Photographer

What makes your headshot special? Is it the tilt of your head, or the depth of the background, or maybe the angle of the light? All these little details change from person to person, but on the other end of the camera is the one who always knows how to bring all the elements together—the photographer. There are plenty of people who own a nice camera in Washington, however experienced photographers need more than just great work. So why should you choose me as your Seattle headshot photographer? I’ll tell you!

1. Customer Service Always Comes First

You can choose to shop anywhere, but you’ll always prefer to buy where you’re treated well and received warmly. It’s the same with photography—you can hire anyone you like to snap a photo, but ultimately it comes down to communications and relationships and someone who understands how to take quality ‘portraits’. I’ll always take care to take my clients’ wishes, listen and listen more, and provide them with first class service because I value each and every interaction.

2. Honoring Our Agreed Deadlines & Turnaround

Is there anyone who wants to wait two weeks to see proofs? Sadly I’ve heard many stories of photographers that make their clients wait far too long. I’ll make it easy for you and always make certain you’ll view your images in 2 to 4 business days tops! Ultimately it’s about respect and commitment to your clientele. I respect your time and in working with important and busy professionals I know well that the sooner you’ve seen your proofs and chosen your winners, the sooner I can edit and get you the crisp, professional headshot you deserve.

3. Reliability is Guaranteed

Far too often I receive communications from someone needing an Seattle headshot photographer or event photographer because another person cancelled on them or couldn’t honor their commitment. This simply shouldn’t happen. Never have I cancelled on anyone less than a week out unless I was deathly ill or had a family emergency, and those combine for the one time I had to reschedule in the past six years. Once I’ve agreed to a session we are a GO and I will be there with bells on! This is a clear example of what separates amateurs/hobbyists from professionals. In my 15 years of experience I’m well aware of my client’s deadlines and expectations. In today’s marketplace you have your word, your reputation and your portfolio, not necessarily in that order. When you have my word, you can trust I’m yours during the time specified.

4. Follow-up, Follow-up, Follow-up

We’re all super busy…understood. Instead of just waiting, I am proactive in making sure your project is completed on time and all questions are answered. Whether it’s a potential headshot session we discussed that I’m checking in on to schedule, or a quick call to see which proof you’re leaning towards, I will always take the initiative to open up communications because I want to be certain your needs are met and your expectations are exceeded. That’s what you should look for in an Seattle headshot photographer.

5. Variety Makes Everyone Smile

I love to see and make people smile, and from different angles, lighting and composition. Instead of photographing my clients from just one angle, I constantly aim to represent variety by finding the best and most flattering angle to best represent their visual image. Most of my clients have a difficult time selecting their favorite single or set of images because there are so many positive selections to choose from!

by Julian Michael > Contact him today to look your BEST ever!

Lynnwood Headshots Photography, Time to Update for Spring and Summer!

by admin JMon April 8, 2014 in My Blog, Photography Home, Professional Business Headshots

End Your Search for Lynnwood Headshots Photography and Hire Julian for Your Company’s Next Visual Update

Julian will get the job done correctly for you the first time! What are your specific needs? If you’re in need of quality portraits for your team, staff, admin or executives, get in touch today. Scheduling is typically 2-3wks out depending on availability.

Take advantage of GROUP RATES SAVINGS with a minimum of 5 professionals or more. Have 10, 15 or more and really save per person! Julian will come out to your offices or you can visit his studio in downtown Redmond.

What to Expect:

Every session is unique so Julian aims to tailor each session to your particular needs and wishes. Some things you can count on however:

– Julian will be on-time and ready to go
– You will have all your questions answered prior to your session
– Basic retouching/enhancement of your headshots is included
– Sessions are quick and easy for your professionals since they’re busy
– Expect excellence in communications and project management

Call Julian @ 425-530-8820 to speak with a real person today!

About your photographer:

About Julian: I’m originally from the Seattle area, having roots on the south end back to my track & field and cross country days before running at Washington State University working for the Daily Evergreen there as a photojournalist and editor. These days I’m based on the Eastside used to traveling up and down I-5 and I-405 to service my clients’ needs. I enjoy great BBQ, pasta and all pizza just like the next guy. I’m frequently on the golf course or out running on Greenlake or cooking and gathering with friends. I’m down to earth, I like to carry a good conversation and I enjoy what I do for a living.

Lynnwood headshots photography

5 Tips to a Successful Professional Headshot Session

by admin JMon January 23, 2014 in Headshot Sessions | Seattle - Bellevue - Tacoma, My Blog, Professional Business Headshots, Seattle Area, Tacoma & North, The Eastside tagged bellevue, business headshots, corporate headshots, executive headshots, headshot photographer, julian michael, kirkland, photographer, photography, professional, professional headshots, redmond, seattle

This month: 5 Tips to a Successful Professional Headshot Session

At least every month I’ll be posting a video clip with useful information for your professional business headshot session, corporate photos or commercial photography needs. These will range from tips to best practices to what to look for when shopping the competition (not that I’m recommending this of course, but I understand!).

See the video: https://vimeo.com/83710961

Tip #1 – Get Your Outfit Ready the Night Before – You know what looks good, but in a rush (i.e. the morning of) sometimes you’ll forget something or not be thinking straight. Get your outfit prepped and good to go for your professional headshot session the next day!

Tip #2 – Enjoy Yourself – Gotta have fun! ‘Nuff said. It’s not pulling teeth but sometimes is approached this way so keep in mind it will go by quickly.

Tip #3 – Trust Your Photographer – Julian has been a trained photographer for over a dozen years and has photographed thousands of people and dozens of businesses. Trust that he can deliver and that working with you will produce the high quality image you’re looking for.

Tip #4 – Keep It Simple – The simpler the better! Keep outfits simple, including prints, accessories, and hair.

Tip #5 – Be At Your Best! – So many of us forget to give ourselves enough rest, to prep the night before, to bring the necessary hair/makeup products with us, etc, that contribute to not looking your very best. I like to make my clients look really good and I hope you are at your Very Best!

Following these tips will lead to a much more successful business headshot session for you and/or your company when updating your portraits. It’s critical to take this seriously since this is your visual identity and brand. Think to yourself…how often do you actually have a new professional headshot session done?

– Julian Michael

Bellevue & Seattle Corporate Headshots

Lifestyle professional headshots > Alliant Benefits in Seattle

by admin JMon November 26, 2013 in Headshot Sessions | Seattle - Bellevue - Tacoma, My Blog, Professional Business Headshots tagged bellevue, business headshots, corporate headshots, executive headshots, headshot photographer, kirkland, photographer, photography, professional headshots, seattle

Casual. Approachable. Lifestyle. Headshots.

These were the three words I remember thinking when talking with my client at their Seattle offices for their new headshots look for their company.

“Can you make our people look like ‘this’,” said Alliant’s West Coast Marketing Director to me in a preliminary meeting for their new corporate headshots. She and her creative team lead were showing me their favorite samples of lifestyle-like portraits from a Google and Pinterest search. What I remember most is how similar the style was to how I like to photograph my high school pictures clientele (i.e. very relaxed, warm, fun), always completed outdoors. When they posed the question to me I provided an exciting ‘thumbs up’ that I could deliver upon their request!

Over the following month I worked on-site at their downtown Seattle offices on three occasions to photograph nearly 50 of their staff, administration and executives, including their CEO, who was the inspiration behind this fresh style of business portraits. Each professional was photographed in at least two different poses, standing and sitting with some variety in background at my discretion. All of their new headshots were completed around a large city block radius outdoors with Seattle fall lighting and my discretion of background. What a great time working with Alliant!

See business headshots portfolio or Schedule a professional headshots session

Seattle & Bellevue Professional Headshots Photography for Corporate – Groups – Business – LA

Headshots With a King5 News Bonus! > Kerry Wallingford of Seattle

by admin JMon November 25, 2013 in Awesome Events & Personalities, Headshot Sessions | Seattle - Bellevue - Tacoma, My Blog, Professional Business Headshots

New look, New Portraits, New Vibe. Coming to You ‘Live’!

On-location lifestyle headshots with Kerry Wallingford of Wallingford Financial & College Planning

Only a year after I first offered to update her professional headshots we came out with some fabulous new results! Between lots of business travel, speaking engagements and changing hairstyles and color, and of course the ‘I want to look my best’ syndrome many of us suffer from (lol), I was able to capture Kerry at her very best.

That Friday morning we had already scheduled her headshots session when I receive an early text saying simply, “Julian, I’m being interviewed by King 5 News at 10:30!” She was to be interviewed about strategies for college planning and the impact this has on a family’s overall financial planning and goals for a segment that aired recently on November 21st.

Excited for my client, I headed out earlier than planned to her offices in Burien from Redmond, luckily with no traffic. Upon arriving she was dressed her best, glowing with excitement and her office was about as tidy as anyone’s ever seen it!

“Wow, these look amazing,” she said halfway through her session to her surprise. I had to inform her that my goal is nothing short of making all my clients look amazing every time!

Professional Headshot Season for Corporate Groups and Businesses: Best Day of Session Tips

by admin JMon November 13, 2013 in Headshot Sessions | Seattle - Bellevue - Tacoma, My Blog, Professional Business Headshots tagged bellevue, business headshots, corporate headshots, everett, executive headshots, headshot photographer, kirkland, photographer, photography, professional headshots, redmond, seattle, woodinville

Time to Update Your Business’ Headshots? Bellevue Headshots Photographer

So many times I receive calls from companies that have some very outdated business headshots or poor quality professional headshots and are looking for something fresh and clean to present their visual brand. Some companies prefer a more traditional headshot portrait photography look, which Julian can deliver with absolute top grade quality as well. Whatever your business portrait photographer needs Julian can deliver on-time, with ease and everyone might even have fun!

Four Headshot Photography Essentials to Improve Your Portrait Session

Wardrobe: Think about your wardrobe choice at least the day before your session. People tend to make better decisions about their headshot portrait sessions when they do it in advance.
Hair: Get your hair styled the day or two before your photography appointment so you have your best look ready to go. Some women even have their hair cut and styled the morning of their headshot portrait session to take full advantage of this.
Be natural: Most people are good smilers in their professional headshot sessions, however some of us need a little coaching in this department. Help yourself have a better business portrait session by practicing in the mirror or ask a friend or spouse to share what your best natural smile looks like and teach yourself how to create this smile effortlessly.
Day-of styling: Although we’re getting our business portrait during the day. Sometimes we get busy, go outside in the rain or wind, and our hair goes nuts or we pick up lint, wrinkles, etc. Think about wearing a different shirt or sportcoat for your session, about bringing styling products with you to your headshot session, and about styling yourself a few minutes before your appointment.

What to Expect at Your Bellevue Headshots Photographer Session with Julian Michael:

– Reliable, professional and courteous with your company’s team, staff and/or executives
– Fast turnaround time (usually within 3 to 5 business days from selection)
– Travel within one hour on-site of Seattle/Bellevue area
– Easy coordinating for ‘day-of’ by a experienced portrait photography professional
– All group sessions done IN YOUR OFFICES for convenience and efficiency

See business profiles & headshot portfolio samples

Contact Julian via phone at 425.530.8820 for personal service.

Julian Michael Photography Bellevue Headshots Photographer

Seattle Photographer Chase Jarvis Rocks ‘Creative Mornings’ Presentation About Bravery, Art and Imperfection

by admin JMon November 9, 2013 in Awesome Events & Personalities, Awesome Resources I Dig, My Blog

Im[p]erfection | An Inspiring Look at Creativity and Art At It’s Core With Seattle-Grown Photographer Chase Jarvis (aka Rockstar)

November 8, 2013 from Starbucks in Newcastle because it sounded like fun to write this.

by Julian Michael, Kreate Media

Face your fears. Be brave. Embrace your message. It won’t be perfect. It definitely won’t be perfect the first time. All touchpoints for today’s conversation at the Experience Music Project at Seattle Center with bigger-than-life yet so down to earth, Chase Jarvis.

“What an awesome f%cking town we love in,” Jarvis opened his talk with. Who would argue with him, he’s right!

Keeping with the vibe, I was absolutely f%cking inspired to be in the presence of a modern day legend in the creative and photography community worldwide. Today Jarvis made me take a long hard look at what I’m doing with my life, with my creativity, how fear and passion work hand in hand, how I need to get more work out there instead of talking about it and developing it in my own im[p]erfection. Without knowing it, Jarvis made me shift a gear this morning forever.

Boasting some of the world’s prime Fortune 100 clients such as Apple, Nike, Microsoft, Toyota, REI and many more premium clients around the globe he’s had the chance to see many perspectives and many things most of us would dream about in our highly centralized lives. We’re allowed to dream, though…right!? I mean that’s what his talk was really about, about getting your dreams into reality through whatever channel that may be.

Projects = Bleeding Passion & Pure Creativity. We need to do more of these.

“Did you know Ansel Adams used to sell his paintings for 25-cents or up to three dollars,” riveted Jarvis about the famous landscape portrait artist during his 90-minute chat. Jarvis shared that Adams was actually a musician first and that he used this channel with high-end audiences to divulge his love of photography. “Are you willing to sell your art for 25-cents or three dollars,” Jarvis asked the audience inadvertently.

Hearing his account of Adams really made me circle back to when I was starting out trying to capture the sports and lifestyle modeling agencies’ attention in the northwest. A few years ago I embarked on eight months of pro-bono portrait sessions with talented models I hand-selected for three to four-hour sessions up and down the west coast looking to rid myself of the imperfections and find the very best to present agencies. It worked! I landed dozens of jobs for leading agencies and produced some amazing images during this period. But only after thousands of dollars in expense, thousands of hours on-site, countless hours buried inside my laptop burning the candle at both ends on the Photoshop and Lightroom wave. I was passionate. I was churning out my creativity daily with imperfection, fear or failing and ambition leading the way. That was awesome! That was was flashed though my head today.

Creative minds think similarly in their function. That little mouse wheel is always turning and if there’s no outlet, the wheel just keeps on turning and turning, many times with a new mouse on the wheel. CreativeLive, ChaseJarvis, Seattle 100, and Songs for Eating and Drinking are all recent Chase Jarvis endeavors where a different mouse jumped on the wheel, was fully explored and evolved into real life enterprises, businesses and/or experiences for many.

Phenomenal. Just absolutely phenomenal to take action on so many types of endeavors (projects) and create, build, learn, grow, get it wrong and get it right. I’m in awe.

Macklemore, helicopters & the line at Zoka and the power of boots

“He was just out of rehab, living out his parents’ basement,” Jarvis said about the now famous R&B megastar Macklemore pertaining to a video clip he showed from his ‘Songs for Eating and Drinking’ series he produces. “(Macklemore) was so vulnerable that day,” he added. You could see it in his eyes.

Jarvis’ clip shows Macklemore reciting ‘Wings’ and other popular lyrics that eventually went multi-platinum. It’s casual, cool with an ultra-live feel. It’s #epic what Jarvis is doing with this series of bringing together silos of creative Seattle-based talent in a variety of musical arenas for a concerto of sorts that drive the creative bus to new horizons…including the top of the Sorrento Hotel apparently, according to Jarvis.

Zoka: The Birthplace of the ‘Best Camera‘ App

In Seattle there are a chain of coffeeshops called ‘Zoka’, which are quaint and cozy, usually larger than most, and darn if they don’t have rockin’ customer service and coffee drinks (yelp.com where are you?). Jarvis was standing in line at Zoka in 2008 (-ish) waiting for his daily dish of espresso when his buddies continue to give him sh&t about taking pictures with his (ghetto) flip-phone, spending way too much time trying to edit them, then attempting to share them. He had an epiphany…why is there nothing out there capable of all this in one!?

Apps, as in iPhone apps, etc, were just coming out and legitimately Jarvis’ new app claimed first to market with amazing potential. Many of us now know the very popular app ‘Instagram’ sold for a whopping amount of money to Facebook. Jarvis admitted to failure by missing a window of opportunity that was ultimately due to not embracing the Im[p]erfection that accompanied such an endeavor. A learning experience worth billions, almost literally. The audience was a little more silent during this segment.

“Entrepreneurs are artists. And artists are entrepreneurs,” Jarvis almost muttered. “I wish I would have known that at that time.” I found myself nodding my head uncontrollably during this segment. I meet dozens of entrepreneurs on a weekly basis, many of which forget or haven’t fully acknowledged their true contribution to society and the world. This quote will forever resonate with me.

Boots (as in Bootstrapping): CreativeLive is Alive

For most entrepreneurs ‘bootstrapping‘, or using one’s own funds (typically in limited amounts) is the preferred and often the only method of getting their idea, business model, technology and/or concept, into the world. For Jarvis, this was just another endeavor that started small and made a big impact.

“Our goal is to transcend the barriers of three most common barriers to education: Geography, Cost, and Access,” said Jarvis about the ‘why’ for creating this online educational platform.

CreativeLive is an endeavor he believes will grow even more influential than his Best Camera app, which was voted a top app by the New York Times, according to Jarvis. This medium opens the doors to creatives and people in general to learn directly from the leaders in the creative world on a live platform brought exclusively to their front internet door! #epic!!

“Done is better than perfect,” is really what I heard emphasized throughout his talk. This was a quote from a friend of mine in the professional organizing world, Denise Rosemont of Simply Placed. Little does she know this single quote has allowed me to accomplish so much the past few years that my perfectionist mentality (common for creatives) was holding me back from. Thank you again Denise!

Combine this quote with those of Jarvis’ words and I’m ready to kick some Im[p]erfection ass in the near future with a side of fear overcome! Holler back atcha Macklemore and thanks millions Chase for a great morning of inspiration.

To learn more about ‘Creative Mornings’ visit their Seattle site at http://creativemornings.com/cities/sea.

Julian Michael is a Seattle-based Photographer and Creative Director who enjoys capturing people, sharing and telling stories and working within a variety of creative fields to keep the fire going. Cheers! Reach him at jm (at) julian-michael.com

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