Not too long ago I was down in NYC for a little adventure I thought I'd share... a while back I got an e-mail from a lovely little airline, JetBlue requesting some info from me - they told me I'd been nominated to be profiled on their TrueBlue [customer loyalty] website, on the TVs on their planes, and on posters in the airport. I was humbled indeed, and the truth is I never shy away from an opportunity to talk about what I do and why I think it is important. So I was flown down to Chelsea and spent a day being shot and interviewed by British phenom, Alan Mahon. He was great, the folks from the production crew and ad agency were gracious, mellow, and witty - just my style - despite being in a city that I clash with something serious. I felt like I could actually breathe and relax, which is more that can be said about when I used to live there.

So the campaign has finally launched - I've been getting little notes from random people that saw me on the back of their airplane seat just saying hi, or telling me that in a world where it seems like people's relationships are being turned into commodities it is so refreshing to hear someone not talking about table linens, flowers, and silly vintage typewriters. That warms my heart. I don't do this because of the stuff. Lord knows I don't do it for the money.  It seems like people are constantly being told by magazines, billboards, and tv commercials that they aren't beautiful enough, thin enough, cool enough, or anything enough.  The truth is, you are. I love that about you. You are perfect just like you are.

I do what I do because I honestly feel that the preservation and aid in establishment of family legacy is of the utmost importance. We are who we are because of the people that have come before us and paved the way. We seem to live in this crazy weird society where everything is so focused on youth, staying young, looking young... forget it. Sage and wisdom comes with years and with experience. Be silent while your elders are speaking and otherwise show them deference.

So here are the two videos I'm in. THIS ONE is the intro and I close it out. THIS ONE is the little interview piece that you'll see on the airplanes. Fun times. Thanks to everyone involved - it was an absolute blessing to share some time with you.

Be Joyful. Seek the joy of being alive.

eric

Sometimes I think of storytelling as a movie poster. You've got the names above the title, the title, the rest of the cast and crew... I like to think of where people fit in that hierarchy and spend the appropriate amount of time exploring their starring role or investing in the way that their relationship supports the storyline and how they interact with the main subject and throughline.

Sometimes I think of storytelling as a tree. There's the big trunk and roots that support everything and all sorts of branches that offshoot from the main body. What's so great about this thinking is that, if you pay attention, you'll notice that every branch, like the tree itself, has a beginning-middle-end as well. Those branches are gold - you can learn so much about a tree just by exploring its branches, buds, and even the fallen leaves. If every tree out there just had a trunk, the forests would be bare. Don't forget to explore the branches. I very humbly present to you one of those branches from a recent celebration in Boston...

Throughline of a Flower Girl [Click me!]

seek the joy

eric

Recently out in southern California documenting a celebration I took some time to go off an do a little adventuring. I even dragged my camera along for some of them :] It's a nice area of the country. Granted, I can only take so long out there before I itch to be back among the New England people... but I always enjoy my visits. This year has been filled with trips out to the west coast for commissions - the flight seems to be getting longer and longer and I begin to notice things about the the cultures and people that call this place home starting with folks on the airplane.

My curiosity is constantly piqued. 

be joyful. seek the joy of being alive.

eric

Took a little break from the blog for a while. Getting my life in order... or something :] Actually, to be  completely honest, I've been too busy shooting to blog. As I'm sure [and hope] you can appreciate, my first responsibility is to my fabulous clients, so blogging always takes a back seat for me.

Above are a few of the slides that were playing on a loop before I gave my Personal Vision talk at Inspire Boston. The subjects in each image are the authors of the words in the slide. I got to interview so many incredible people for this talk - some over e-mail, some in person, some on the phone... quite a remarkable process that taught me so much about what is important. Folks from all walks of life.How would you define Personal Vision?

Can you articulate your Personal Vision? Do so.

Where does personal vision come from? Ingrained or Acquired?

How did you go about taking your personal vision and putting it into practice?

How has your personal vision changed over your lifetime?

Have you ever compromised your personal vision for any reason?

Have you ever questioned the authenticity of your personal vision?

How, specifically, does your personal vision translate into something tangible?

What happens without personal vision?

What feeds your personal vision? What inspires your personal vision to grow?

Thanks to some amazing folks! Here's some info on the people above :: connierenda.com,  ajkingbakery.com, danielheidkamp.com, studioatticus.com, myspace.com/mattcusson, shootQ.com, lacourphoto.com, peakbrewing.com, corepoweryoga.com, emilieinc.com, natalietherese.com, idealfusion.com, matchbookproductions.org, siggraphx.com, stacyedits.com

seek the joy

eric