Ever since the start of the FIFA World Cup this month, I’ve had this entry in mind. Well, it’s been on my mind for nearly eight years, seriously. The US National Team has advanced to the Round of 16 and nationwide excitement over the team and the tournament has been amazing. Aside from the players, the team has had a major identity shift thanks to their head coach, German-born Jurgen Klinsmann. (Quick bio, Klinsmann was the head coach of the German national team in 2006, leading them to a 3^rd-place finish. And his playing career was a decorated one, winning the Cup as a player with West German in 1990.) As the Cup has progressed, he has proven to be a great coach…….which makes U.S. Soccer’s decision to hire him in 2011 all the more puzzling.

Back in December 2006, there were reports that Klinsmann had accepted the USA head coaching job, but the reports were quashed and such, and those reports surfaced after the US’s disastrous World Cup campaign, being eliminated in the Group Stage. And over the next five years, US Soccer was a roller coaster, with a lot of downs along the way (the 2010 World Cup loss to Ghana, the 2009 and 2001 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final defeats to Mexico and the collapse in the 2009 Confederations Cup Final to Brazil). After the World Cup in 2006, it was clear that the US National team needed to go in a different direction, so it’s still bothersome to me that US Soccer didn’t hire Klinsmann then, especially with what he’s done since taking over and with a roster in transition. And not just with his team and the pundits, the energy he’s brought overall has been rather infectious and humorous. (Attached below is a “sick note” he penned to American employers on the eve of the USA-Germany Group Stage match on June 26.) It may be sycophantic to give such glowing praise to one person, but Klinsmann has been a definite shot in the arm, not just for the national team, but for soccer in America overall. All the watch parties nationwide and massive television ratings can attest to that.

Which brings me to Ann Coulter……..how and why, you ask? Well, in the aftermath of the US-Germany match, Coulter brought herself into the spotlight, essentially denigrating soccer fans nationwide, saying “any growing interest in soccer can only be a sign of the nation’s moral decay.” She also added that in soccer, “there’s no “prospect of either personal humiliation or major injury” and that soccer is only popular in the country “because of the demographic switch effected by Teddy Kennedy’s 1965 immigration law.” After reading it in full, I was nauseatingly amused by her remarks, and that’s saying something considering her track record, especially in the wake of her “trolling” Michelle Obama just a few months ago. Rather than dissect the ignorance and hate spewed out by Miss Coulter, I’ll just address it with the retouched pic below, a pic of Miss Coulter herself:

In short, I am enjoying the World Cup and the progress the US National Team has made under Jurgen Klinsmann, the confidence to dig in and fight and win games that they normally would have lost, and that progression has been great for the game domestically overall. Soccer may never unseat one of the “Big Four” in the US, but it’s growing more and more, and I do appreciate that. It’s a shame that in some circles it’s met with such divisive and juvenile vitriol. But that is the world, isn’t it?

Anyways, this has gone on long enough, so thanks for entertaining me. Best wishes for a great end of the World Cup over the next two weeks. Until next time, thank you and fare thee well.

Good day all, I hope this finds you all well today. First off, many apologies for no blog entries since last December. Work got incredibly busy for me for three-plus months with various assignments for various clients. And frankly, that strain and constant crush of work was pretty brutal from mid-March onward, but as of May 19^th, I’m done for a little while and am ready to enjoy the summer. That and watch a lot of sports on TV.

Anyways, enough exposition, time for the meat of this entry. For years, many people have been asking me how I got into photography and for advice on how to make it in the industry and make it profitable. That topic has been a point of contention for many years, especially since photography is almost exclusively digital now, for better or worse. But really, it comes down to about five simple things: Have realistic goals, be open to all genres, be smart with your money, be willing to sacrifice and be respectful to others. And despite what goes on in some parts of the industry, those simple standards can prove to be very beneficial in your long-term exploits.

Point by Point:

· * It’s best to be realistic about what you want to do with photography, be it keeping it as a weekend hobby or wanting to do it full-time. Have goals, but be realistic about them. Be sincere about keeping photography as a hobby or wanting more out of it because there’s no in-between.

· * Don’t limit yourself to just one photographic genre. The best photographers are multi-talented, and while they specialize in one field, they’re capable of variety as well (i.e. portraits, sports, with or without flash, etc.). And a well-versed background can lead to big experiences.

· * With any business, money is huge, and photography is no exception, in terms of income and equipment. Regarding income, SAVE YOUR EARNINGS, which goes without saying, and it sort of segues into the second part regarding equipment, only purchase what you will regularly use.  

· * The road to success is a LONG one, and there will be a lot of long days and, if necessary, LONGER nights. Photography isn’t just regarding shooting, it involves location scouting, driving to and from locales, meeting with clients, and editing, LOTS of editing. Even if you want to pursue photography just part-time, be prepared to give up gobs of your time.

· * With all things in life, it’s best to have a passion for it, and in photography you can express that passion in your images. But regarding the business side, especially when expanding a client base, be respectful of other photographers and their positions. Undercutting is a nasty and rather unnecessary part of the business, so if you’re starting out or wanting to do more, don’t look to “screw someone over” for any reason, as that is not beneficial to ANYONE involved.

All these points have been brought up before many times by many other photographers, some of whom have many greater experiences than I, but I hope these points prove informative for anyone looking to pursue photography, even if it’s a weekend fun-thing or a life-long profession.

I think I’ve gone on long enough, so I’ll end this entry here. I hope everyone has a great summer. Thanks for the attention, and until next time, fare thee well.

Greetings and salutations all, I hope this finds you well and with your loved ones this holiday season. December has proven to be a busy month, yet productive as well. The denouement of 2013 was one to remember, mainly because of three football games I covered. First was the Conference USA Football Championship between Rice University and Marshall. The game itself was memorable for two reasons: 1) Rice won the game in dominant and stunning fashion over Marshall, 41-17, for their first outright conference championship since 1957; 2) the game was played in viciously frigid conditions, around 36 degrees at kickoff. With a steady north wind blowing, it pushed the temperature well below freezing through the course of the game. It was easily the coldest sporting event I’ve ever covered. But it was worth it to cover an immense accomplishment by the Rice Owls.

The other two football games from December that I enjoyed covering were the final two home games of the Houston Texans’ 2013 season, first featuring the New England Patriots and three weeks later, the Denver Broncos. Of course, all the attention (mine included) was focused on the visiting teams’ quarterbacks, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. Both QBs were magnificent in their victories, especially Manning, who broke (or rather, reclaimed) the NFL’s record for most passing touchdowns in a regular season. But it was very cool to shoot the two greatest quarterbacks in this generation, especially with another head-to-head postseason meeting looming.

The whole month has been rather interesting for me, but I see it as the culmination of the last two-plus years of my professional life, not just to be able to rebuild things and take them to the next level, but to be able to have rather epic days via my craft. And I’ve had a year’s worth of epic days since April 2012. My hope is that it continues in 2014 and onward. And that is my wish for everyone, to pursue your dreams no matter how difficult. I know I’ve said that many times, but that is a sincere hope for everyone in this crazy-as-heck world.

And with that, thank you all for the attention and the support, and all the best to you this holiday season and a Happy 2014. Until next time, fare thee well!