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“The losses that have been suffered in Haiti are nothing less than devastating,
and responding to a disaster of this magnitude will require every element of our national capacity.”
—President Barack Obama

By now we all know of the devastation in Haiti and the horrible aftermath of the earthquakes there. In the spirit of President Obama’s call to action, I will be donating half of the commissions from all portrait bookings during the months of January and February to the American Red Cross and their disaster relief efforts. I do this not only to do my part, but also in the hope that other businesses might donate whatever they can to help our brothers and sisters in Haiti.

This past Monday, marketing guru Seth Godin posted a tale of two lemonade stands.

In essence, there are two lemonade stands; one your typical two-kid operation selling ordinary lemonade for an ordinary price, $1 a glass. The service is quick, and you get exactly what you pay for. You feel good because you helped two kids with their summer business.

The other stand is run by a single child. Her lemonade is free, but sitting in plain sight is a large tip jar. She has a methodically entrancing selling style; she takes her time making the lemonade and explaining her process to you. It takes a long time for your cup of lemonade, but instinctively you feel that this lemonade is worth more. You leave, feeling not only satisfied, but having had a real connection with another human; a child who might be the best lemonade salesperson you’ve ever met.

Read a little more closely into his post, and you’ll come away with this:

Was there a difference between the actual taste of the lemonade? Probably not.
Was there a difference in the presentation of the lemonade? You bet.
Would you tell others about the stand with the two kids or the stand with the entrancing lemonade girl? I’m betting the latter.

There are a few well known business who have already taken this to heart. For example: even though any sommelier will tell you that the vessel from which you drink wine makes no difference, hundreds of thousands of people will tell you that wine from a Riedel glass tastes better. It does because they believe it does. In their minds, the worth of the wine-drinking experience from a Riedel glass far exceeds the purchase price. They’re paying for the experience.

As photographers, our services are not unique; there are tens of thousands of us. In that way, we’re just like the thousands of lemonade stands that appear every summer. What makes you different from the other lemonade stands? Is your lemonade better? In today’s world, it’s easy to follow directions and make an competent glass of lemonade. Which lemonade stand are you? Why is your lemonade worth more than the other stand down the street that churns it out ten times faster? What story do you tell your customers that will leave them changed forever?

Many thanks to Seth Godin for his continued brilliance and inspiration for this post.

On the lighter side, today’s quick marketing lesson: great campaigns don’t always think outside the box, like this one from Mini Amsterdam. Sometimes the campaign is the box. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such an ingenious and attention-getting use of an empty brown cardboard enclosure.

Share your stories about thinking inside the photographic box in the comments!

via Reuters

As most of you now know, Haiti was ravaged by a massive earthquake that struck very close to the capital city of Port-au-Prince. The Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive stated earlier that he believes the death toll to be “well over 100,000.” The scale and scope of this disaster is on the same order as the tsunami that struck Indonesia a few years ago, and then, just as now, we have an obligation to rise to the aid of those who are in need, particularly those suffering due to the ravages of nature.

I ask everyone to please pray for our Haitian brothers and sisters, and that all foreign aid promised is swift in its delivery. There are many charitable and aid organizations already mobilized in Haiti, should you wish to contact one to donate monetary support to their efforts.

After the excitement of the holiday season, the start of the new year always seems to quickly fade into clouds of snow and a cold, misty grayness that continues until the first buds of spring emerge through the frozen ground. Keep the fire of your life’s passions burning strong and neither the cold nor the darkness will keep you from your dreams.

Click on the image above to download the 1280×800 version, or download the large image (2650×1600). Taken near Port Matilda, Pennsylvania.

Updated: links fixed.