The Really Big Show

50 years ago today, Ed Sullivan introduced America to the best rock band of all time.

I've been watching the celebration, and more importantly, listening to it, on CBS as the Grammys present a tribute to the Beatles.

I was six years old when the Big Show aired. I had no idea of the moments that lie ahead. I learned to play the guitar.  I played bass in a band called Section 8. I was there when Steve Jobs introduced the iPod to the world. I gave Stewart Copeland a PowerBook with GarageBand on it. I enjoy music every day. 

Watching Ringo and Paul singing together on stage tonight made me smile. Along with George and John, they created such a beautiful thing. Ripples in a pond that still shimmer today.

If you've ever wondered why the Nimble Photographer has a bounce in his step. Now you know why.

Feb. 9, 1964

-Derrick

Try Again

Much of what I do fails.

Over the years, I've learned this is the nature of work. I have ideas; others have theirs. I filter out the best, give them a go, and see what happens. I'm blown away by how many don't pan out.

So I try again.

It's interesting that I'm thinking about this at the start of the Olympics. Every one of those athletes who marched out on to the world stage has failed. Many times.

Ultimately, a few triumph. Everyone else tries again.

This is the process of almost everything we do. We should be comfortable with it. But the need to produce results adds pressure, and it often gets in the way.

We all have our theories about the source of this pressure. Technology is to blame. People are greedy. My boss is an idiot. But these are interchangeable parts. If your boss gets transferred, another idiot will surface somewhere else.

Even though I'm saying this to me, I thought you might want to hear it too. Setbacks are built in to the system. They're the building blocks of success.

I'm sure you had at least one crappy day this week. I did too.

Go home, hug your kids, kiss your partner, pet the cat, sleep it off. Then tomorrow, try again.

That's how we succeed.

-Derrick

Old Clippings

I stumbled across a box of newspaper clippings from my high school basketball days. 

What odd timing. I say this because I've been photographing basketball all season for the Santa Rosa yearbook. So to compare the photos I'm taking now to those of me from the past is quite an experience.

For one thing, mine today are better. They should be. We have so many advantages now that reporters couldn't even dream of in the past. Last night I shot at ISO 3200, f/1.8, at 1/400th of a second. 

When I was a reporter in those olden days, I shot Tri-X film, pushed to ASA 800 in Acufine developer. Maybe I could muster 1/125th of a second in those dank high school gyms. And I can tell you, I wasn't firing off 9 frames a second like I am with my OM-D E-M5.

Yes, I was both a player and a reporter in those days. Basketball was fun; journalism was my future. The local newspaper nicknamed me "Million Moves." As you can guess, it was somewhat tongue in cheek. At 6'7" in high school, I had a knack for getting to the basket. I was my team's leading scorer my senior year, an All League selection, and team MVP.

But it wasn't always pretty.

Come to think of it, it's still not that pretty. In many senses, I'm still that gangly teenager trying to score a bucket for my team. I don't think I would have thought about all of this had it not been for those preserved newspaper clippings.

Thanks Dad.

-Derrick

New Gig

One of the things that differentiates my job from those who have salaried positions, is that I have many jobs that fall under the heading of: self employed.

(My father really struggles with this concept. Every time I see him, he asks, "So, what is it you do again?")

My basic business plan is to replace the jobs I don't like with better ones. And in that spirit, I'm thrilled to be working with c't Digital Photography Magazine. (You might want to read the backgrounder on them that I posted on The Digital Story.)

This publishing group is based in Hannover, Germany. My title is Associate Editor. And the focus of my work is to create content for their North American audience. As with most of my other gigs, I'll be spending a lot of time online at their Facebook page and on Twitter. We're also working on a new web site and upgrading the blog.

I'm pretty comfortable with the German approach to business. I have friends in Germany and have spent many extended visits there. Boinx Software was the first sponsor of The Digital Story.

But what's really cool about this are the new people and experiences. New things to write about. New stories to tell.

Now, I just have to figure out how to explain this to my father.

-Derrick

The Superlow: An Unofficial American Holiday

What a snoozer.

I've seen some bad Superbowls in my day. But yesterday's thumping of the Denver Broncos was certainly a low point. 

Even the commercials were uninspiring.

Many refer to the Superbowl and an unofficial American holiday. After yesterday, I might be onboard with that.

• You spend holidays with friends and family: check
• You indulge in food and beverage that you'd normally avoid: check
• By the end of the day you're often exhausted and weary of the endeavor: check

So add the Superbowl to the list of crazy things we do during the Winter in an attempt to lift our spirits. 

Thank goodness it's behind us for another year.

-Derrick