Read a book...read a good book.

This was a good year to read as much history, economic and business books as I could.
I ended up reading forty-four books. History subcatagories included California, American
and world history. There was John Adams(biography) and a crazy book
titled: Alice Cooper: Golf Monster. Below are some of the books:

The Venus Fixers, Ilaria Dagnini Brey (2009)
The remarkable story of allied soldiers who saved Italian art(Italy's art)
during World War Two. (The author is a journalist who was born in Padua, Italy,
and this is her first book.) It's a good read.

Downfall (2005, DVD)
An Oliver Hirschbiegel film. "Intense and dramatic. Accurate and harrowing." -S.F. Chronicle.
This film is about the last days of Adolph Hitler. Bruno Ganz makes the role of Hitler terribly convincing.

Bismarck, Niklas Zetterling and Michael Tamelander (2009)
The story and final days of Germany's greatest battleship. This ship could outrun and outgun all other battleships. So how and why was it defeated? Great read!

Meltdown, Thomas E. Woods (2009)
This book explains why banks failed and how the government is bailing them out. there is mention of the Austrian School of Economics. Should America use their ideas instead?

Glen Becks Common Sense, Glen Beck (2009)
This is simular to Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" but in present times. Viewpoint: patriotic.

The Outlaw Josey Wales, Clint Eastwood (1976 DVD)
This is one of the best westerns I have ever seen. It has a mix of Civil War, personal values, conflict and humor. Essentially, it's about a man who chooses to avenge the death of his family.

The Millionaire Zone, Jennifer Openshaw (2007)
A proven success plan that enables you to get out of your comfort zone. "It's really about being open to the possibilities around you," says Openshaw.

A Terrible Glory, James Donovan (2008)
This is the last great battle of the American West, General Custer at the Little Bighorn. This book sheds light on major and minor characters: Custer's wife, Libby, Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse. It also details the events that led up to the Generals defeat. Well researched, and it's worth reading.

Arrogance, Bernard Goldberg (2003)
Goldberg shines a light on the media elite. Says Goldberg: "When the New York Times speaks, everyone in network television listens."

John Adams, David McCullough (2001)
Yes. Read it. It's a great Biography. Adams was the voice, Jefferson was the pen.


What's ahead for 2010:
California Government
A Crack in the Edge of the World, Simon Winchester
Empire of Nations, Gordon S. Wood
Something in the Air, Richard Hoffer
More on World War II
Churchill
and more...

Points to remember for those learning to be a better photographer.

Ask yourself: What do you see?

Keep in mind the composition, color and texture of a scene or subject.

Candids are sometimes better than "posed" shots.

Learn to think in black and white.

Eye contact is essential to a great image. If you're working with a model or subject, eye contact
is the best way to communicate.

When you have "the shot" you will know!

Practice makes perfect!

What is the newspaper of choice?

Over the years I've graduated from one newspaper to another. I started

reading the Fresno Bee. In the 80's and 90's I went to Los Angeles Times,

Sacramento Bee and occasionally The San Francisco Chronicle. I then

discovered a classic: the Wall Street journal. I also read the San Jose

Mercury News Sunday edition.

Well, about two years ago I started to read the New York Times.

I look at the editorials and the arts section. It has been said the NYT is

a progressive newspaper. So I keep that in mind while reading about

todays political and economic scene. Remember, most newspapers have a

shift or a bias in reporting news. Journalists and editors try to present

the news bias free and adhere to a code of ethics.

Not for sale...

But it's a remarkably artistic image that conveys blues in music.

This is a work in progress.


For Sale:

Sepia Violin.

framed and signed.

Call for price.
The real picture looks so much better,

including the metal frame, and you can negotiate the price!

An Online Portfolio (in progress)

Ken McCoy, Consultant

Governor Arnold Schwartzenegger

Martha Minuzzi and Ty Tribbet at awards show.

Steve Detweiler (Fresno State)

Family in the park.

Set your mind to anything (a noteworthy goal) with reasonable
expectations, and you can accomplish anything!

Examples of individuals who did just that:

Michael Phelps
Lance Armstrong
Tiger Woods
and of course,
Helio Castro-Neves, 3 time indy 500 race winner.

What are you waiting for?

Economic blahs

So, it has come to the time of addressing the

economic crunch. I could not begin to tell you how

many articles I have read on the economy and on

economics (and they're still coming). I've only

read them to get perspective and knowledge.

The general idea is this: save as much as you can

for a rainy day(or season).

What consumers did: Husband to wife: things are

great honey, I just got a raise and, I want a

54 in. Blu-ray flat screen

TV with eight huge speakers(surround sound

to the max).

What bank executives did: took more than their

share, way more. They ripped us off!

If you have a job, plan your financial future. If you

don't have a job, do everything in your power to

survive. Use wisdom, be ethical. help others when

you can.

There is a book by John Steinbeck called: "The

Harvest Gypsies." It is the predecessor to

"The Grapes of Wrath." It is a bleak, eye opening

look at the dust bowl era, when migrant workers

came to California. They had it rough.

I don't want to wish that on anybody!

Large businesses are laying off varying percentages

of their workforce. This is happening all over

America. What happens to the small businesses?

They dissappear! Like the dot.com startups of the

nineties, the money is gone, the cash flow has

dried up. Technology keeps advancing, restructuring

takes place, and new ideas are born. It is a cycle,

involving a curve where some will win,

some will lose. That brings us to forclosures, not

going to talk about that.

Where is Captured Image Photography?

I know of a business that recently ended it's existence.

It was a small freelance company that had some

good years photographing weddings and dance

showcases. Even though changes were made to

keep up with the digital age, which included

photoshop, the company could not get its hook in for

real growth. The problem that surfaced was in the

reliance of word of mouth, not marketing and

networking enough caused the eventual demise.
You can picture businesses going twenty, fifty or

one hundred miles an hour. Then there are the

ones that go the speed of sound! Picture

a huge freeway with cars and trucks going at

various speeds. That is what todays business pace

is like. Strap in, hang on, and market like crazy!

It may not be enough to know one or two

programs, but three or four

gives you better choices.

Great possibilities, yes. Greater returns.

There was a decision to for the business owner to

return to college and get a degree. A degree was

obtained, right before the economy took a nose dive.

Timing is everything.

Captured Image Photography had some good years

and creative efforts. This will move onto something

else, no doubt. Something better.

After talking to an associate, there was mention of

the market(s) getting flooded due to so many

people out of work. jobs are getting scarce.

"But there has got to be something out there,

I'm not giving up," the business owner said.

Maybe you should become a teacher, I said to him.

"It's possible, We'll see"

Classic Dog Show!

Fresno Fairgrounds

Saturday, January 31, 2009

Gordon and Anne with three russian wolf hounds.

Gordon showing off one of the hounds.
Look at the markings.


Elaine with her hound.
There were many breeds in competition, including pugs.

I thought since I was taking the day to watch the show, I had to get some images of the
russian wolf hounds!