This past weekend, I drove back to my alma mater to celebrate the retirement of one of the most influential people in my career: Professor Kim Pearson.
The celebration may be over, but in true Professor Kim fashion, my LinkedIn feed is still alive with her comments and posts, connecting and amplifying the people in her orbit. Because while the job may be done, the work isn’t. Not when it’s part of who you are.
I was a student at TSC (now The College of New Jersey) during Professor Kim’s rookie year. Even then, she was a force. Her PR and writing classes gave us real-world experience while serving the community. More importantly, Professor Kim challenged us to think bigger about the world around us and the humans in it.
Not to go full Daniel-san and Mr. Miyagi, but I’ve carried Professor Kim’s teachings with me ever since. She made me a better PR professional and a better person. There aren’t many people who leave a mark that lasts decades. Kim did and continues to. I’m grateful to be one of lucky few who had the privilege to learn from her.
Author: Mike
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Lessons Learned: Celebrating a Teacher Who Never Stops Teaching
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How One of My Photos Made It Into a Hollywood Icon’s Documentary
I’ve had some luck as a photographer. A portrait I shot once graced a big Times Square billboard. An image I captured at a student rally made its way into The New York Times. I’ve been in position to capture Tour de France winners, Broadway stars, and even a former President. But if you had told me one of my images would someday be used in the opening credits of a documentary series directed by bona fide Hollywood legends, I’d have laughed.
Yet, here I am.
About a month ago, my phone buzzed (I’m old, but I’m not ringer-on old). It was my friend Tom, asking if I could do a quick shoot for a project he’d been working on. For the past few years, Tom has been part of a talented team of filmmakers creating a multi-part documentary series based in our hometown of Doylestown and the surrounding area. The series, Bucks County, USA, dives deep into the divisions and tribalism plaguing the nation.
Evi and Vanessa, two 14-year-olds living in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, are best friends despite their opposing political beliefs. As nationwide disputes over public education explode into vitriol and division in their hometown, the girls and others in the community fight to discover the humanity in “the other side.”
It premiered this week at the Sundance Film Festival. The documentary is co-directed by the legendary Barry Levinson—Academy Award winner for Rain Man—and Robert May, producer of The Station Agent and executive producer of the Oscar-winning documentary The Fog of War.
One of the images I created serves as the backdrop for the opening title credits. Having a frame I created play a small role in a film premiering at Sundance is an honor beyond words. But what’s even more meaningful is playing a small part in amplifying this important, timely story.
(Note: The header image for this post is from the Sundance program.)
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Dad, What’s Your Favorite Bruce Springsteen Song?
Part of the territory with having kids is that they ask you questions. When they’re young, you get easy ones like “Why is the sky blue?” and “Where do babies come from?”. Then they get into their 20s and ask you a really tough one like my daughter asked me today: “Dad, what’s your favorite Bruce Springsteen song?”.
Bruce is in my Top 2 when it comes to musical acts (RUSH is the other). I’ve seen him play on big stages (Giants Stadium), smaller venues (Madison Square Garden), and smaller venues (The Tower Theater), and even smaller ones (rehearsing with The E Street Band at the Asbury Park Convention Center just before they kicked off The Rising tour). So her question should’ve been a simple one to answer. If, that is, I didn’t have so many favorite Bruce songs…and reasons why each was worthy.
As I wrote down my list of faves, I started seeing patterns:
Inspirational
The Rising
Land of Hope & Dreams
The Promised Land
Downbound Train
Burnin’ Train
Better DaysFun
Thundercrack
Girls in Their Summer Clothes
Redheaded Woman
Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town
Darlington County
Leap of Faith
Mary’s Place
She’s the One
Just Like Fire Would
Local HeroLove
Brilliant Disguise
Frankie Fell in Love
Jersey Girl
Tougher Than the Rest
Tunnel of Love
Dream Baby DreamDeep
Darkness on the Edge of Town
Lost in the Flood
Incident on 57th Street
Jungleland
The Wrestler
Thunder Road
Devils and DustGetting Old
Glory Days
Growing’ Up
Ghosts
Last Man Standing
My HometownBruce has written and recorded hundreds songs over the past 60 years.
How do you choose just one favorite from someone whose music spans decades, each song carrying its own story and meaning for him and his fans? It’s an impossible ask. Is it “Downbound Train,” the first song I saw Bruce and the E Street Band play live? “Incident on 57th Street” for its sweeping, operatic story? Or “The Rising,” forever etched in my memory after hearing it for the first time on WPLJ, stuck in traffic crossing the Hudson River, with the post-9/11 smoke still visible downtown?
Maybe it’s “My Hometown,” sparking memories of sitting on my own father’s lap, my small hands gripping the steering wheel. Or “Redheaded Woman,” with its playful, double entendre lyrics. “Frankie Fell in Love” for its energy and catchy riffs. Or, as the years pass, “Ghosts” for its poignant reminder of mortality.
That’s the magic of Bruce Springsteen’s music: it covers so many parts of what makes life worth living. It inspires us to hope. It challenges us to think of others. It reminds of our own journeys of love and loss. It has fun. And, well, it rocks.
So, my answer to my daughter? “It depends on the day, kiddo.” Because, with Bruce, the best song is always the one that finds you right when you need it most.
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Stories That Stole the Spotlight: My Top Picks from the Big and Small Screens This Year
The work that pays the bills (and funds the fun) also happens to be something I love: crafting and telling stories. I’ve been doing it for more cake candles than I care to count. But great storytelling doesn’t happen in isolation. To tell a good story, you have to immerse yourself in others — reading, listening, and watching as much as you can. This year, I had the privilege of watching incredible stories on both the big and small screens, created by some of the finest storytellers in the craft. Here are the television shows, movies, and documentaries that stood out to me this year:
Movies
Lee
Civil War
Wicked
Anora
Road Diaries
Television
Black Sails
Shrinking
Resident Alien
Loudermilk
Acapulco
Somebody, Somewhere
Bad Monkey
Nobody Wants This
Man on the Inside
English Teacher
Documentaries
Nothin’ But a Good Time
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My Top Pic Picks for 2024
It was another mixed bag behind the lens this year. I had the opportunity to work with some amazing subjects — rock bands, an impromptu modeling session at the pyramid in front of the Louvre, an Up-like hot air balloon in upstate New York, a memorable capture of a former President, seascapes in Maine, landscapes around Bucks County, national and World Champion bike racers, and one very, very special marriage proposal.
I did my best to whittle this year’s best down, but figure a top 55 for my 55 years on this big old space rock does the trick. I hope you enjoy. -
Nature’s Light Show: A Shared Moment and Tech’s Perfect Snapshot
Maybe it’s just the jolt from that first sip of coffee this morning, but two things stuck in my brain from last night’s spectacular light show by Ma Nature:
1. It was a collective, shared experience that echoed the unity in the early days of the pandemic lockdowns.
2. Apple could not have scripted a better global ad for the iPhone’s camera capabilities.
The cosmos and technology never cease to amaze and inspire me.
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The true secret to photography…and life
“When you’re present and you’re always looking, that’s when you discover things,”
Nat Geo Photographer Offers Three Tips to Improve Your Images | PetaPixel -
Is it the medium or the artist?
Marshall McLuhan would have loved this thread I saw on Reddit this morning.
Throughout my career, I’ve told stories using words, weaving sentences with nouns, verbs, and the occasional sprinkle of adjectives and adverbs to infuse them with a little creative flourish. When I’m not storytelling for the ear — which is how I like to write — I get behind the lens of my camera to tell stories for the eye. The two crafts share common ground. Each is an art form whose ultimate goal lies in making another human feel something.
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Reflecting on a Year of Photographs: My 2023 Best-Of Collection
As the curtain falls on 2023, I find myself in the familiar territory of retrospection, sifting through images that have defined my year as a photographer. Narrowing them down to a traditional Top 10 was a struggle. A struggle in which I failed miserably.
This year marked a significant shift in my photographic tools. While my trusty Canon often took a backseat, the iPhone 15 Pro Max emerged as a surprising daily go-to camera. Its 120mm zoom was a revelation and the one thing that held back previous versions from taking a stronger hold in my quiver. It really changed how I shoot and what I see. Is it perfect yet? No, but the iPhone is a game changer.
My portfolio this year reflects a diverse collection of moments and experiences. In the studio, the precise control of off-camera flash melded with the subtleties of natural light to create a number of portraits that rise to the top of my portfolio. The streets, always a canvas for unscripted stories, came alive under my lens, each scene a raw and unfiltered slice of life. Exploring low light and abstract subjects pushed my creative boundaries, while the majestic scenes provided by Mother Nature were a reminder of the ever-present beauty in our world and in my own backyard. The Bucks County Classic, true to tradition, added more favorites to my collection.
A highlight of the year was seeing my photographs play a role in a hard-fought school board campaign that drew national attention. This experience was more than just an ego boost; it was a powerful reminder of the influence and inspirational capacity of photography.
I’m excited for what 2024 holds. I’m ready for new creative challenges and fresh perspectives. Here’s to capturing more compelling stories in the year ahead.
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The beautiful game (of business)
Eleven players on the pitch. One — the inimitable Lionel Messi — plays on a higher plane than everyone else. Maybe two planes. Three even.
Yet, even with his astro level skills, he still needs his ten teammates to win. He needs his team to set him up for goals or put the ball in the back of the net when he gives them the ball.
It is like that in business, too. Teams need their Messi: a leader who generously shares their skill and experience to make the whole team better, whose level of play challenges and drives individual players to elevate their own game, who passes the ball as much as they take the shot themselves, and whose presence and enthusiasm excites and inspires those around them to push harder and think bigger.
Who is your team’s Number 10?
