Poem: The Course Bearing Ship

A Day and Life in San Diego-Leroy and the Sea Lion Tour

In search of ocean breeze and sunny skies we headed downtown to a two hour San Diego Bay cruise.  One of the fastest and convenient methods to the city’s activities is to jump on the famous San Diego trolley. As with all public transportation you will meet people from different walks of life. Some are old, many young, well-dressed professionals, and others flocked together in families making their way to a game. 

As we walked into the trolley we came across an Indiana Jones looking man sitting quietly assembling all types of flowers, animals, and creatures from palm leaves. With only a few seats available we were forced to sit near the street artist. Perhaps too close for comfort. In the back of my head I kept thinking, “I hope he doesn’t ask for change”.  I watched him suspiciously over the top of the chair.

This artist wasn’t just forging palm leaf products but also handing them out to anyone who took interest in his activities. Mothers, little girls, boys…he didn’t seem to care. He just sat diligently making flowers, occasionally looking up, and then reaching out to someone with a flower in hand. A gift without asking for anything!

I sat for a moment scanning his worn face, camouflage hat, half beard and his deep set eyes and wondered, “What is this man’s story?” It can be difficult to strike up a conversation with someone you know nothing about, let alone someone who looks as though they have one foot in homelessness and the other in the underemployed world. 

He seemed friendly enough so I swallowed my reservations and struck up a conversation. He promptly gave me a few palm leaf flowers as though to say “thank you” for noticing him.  It didn’t take much to get him talking. Just a simple question such as, “That’s really great…I should do that as a project. Where did you learn that?” For the next ten minutes we discussed his experiences, his search for a job, and of course where he learned the craft of palm art. 

 

Through the normal course of conversation we eventually came to the business prospects of his endeavors.  On more than a single occasion he earned $300+ from people who needed a batch for weddings and parties. He wanted to do more but was limited by the access to clients and the Internet. He can walk, talk, and make hundreds of flowers in a single day.

That got me thinking about how many other people in San Diego need jobs, a chance to use their skills, and an opportunity to find something meaningful to do. Leroy may be underemployed and his skills underutilized but he had the right spirit. If it was possible to get Leroy access to work opportunities, event planners, and wedding stores he might just have a chance to build a small but lucrative business to support himself.

The palm leaves cost him nothing, has no overhead, and can develop a cash business with no investment. He already has a backpack and a bag to store his product. His fingers work fine and his clothing is clean. Leroy didn’t appear much different than the rest of us except his face was a little tired, his grey hair pulled back into a pony tail, and he wasn’t exactly in the latest fashion. That of course depends on whether or not you like the outback style.  

After mentioning the idea Leroy’s eyes brightened and he began to elaborate on the many such stores he passes on his commutes that would have a need for his art. The flowers Leroy gives out for free are nothing compared to what he really can do. Like an artistic master he can weave bouquets, large flowers, species of flowers, picture frames, and a variety of animals. Perhaps, instead of giving them out on the trolley he can contact wedding stores and pass out samples, obtain orders, and share the profits with those who sell them to clients by the dozens. It is a made-to-order small batch production business.

Perhaps you are more interested in the bay tour and where our final destination lay than the skills of Leroy. The tour is normally $120 for four people but we found a special price online for $70. The two hour trip took us in both directions around the harbor. You will sail near the Navy Base and all the way over to Point Loma. It comes in contact with sea lions, commercial fishing boats, military vessels and plenty of sail boats. 

It is hard to complain about taking a seat on the top of a cruise deck and watching the sites in San Diego Bay. The ocean air will cool you down and the California sun will give you a nice tan. You can lounge and have refreshments while learning about San Diego history.  The speaker will discuss some of the military ships and various historical landmarks. Plenty of tables on the deck and the cruise does well managing the crowd so there is ample room for everyone-everyone except Leroy.

We didn’t see Leroy on the way home. Perhaps he was busy giving samples to stores or alternatively crawled up under an overpass somewhere. He may still be busy giving out gifts to San Diego tourists and asking for nothing in return.  Something to brighten their day. He gave me a gift and I gave him an idea. I guess that is how a society works. Perhaps we can learn something from Leroy.

Adjusting Aperture to Highlight Products in Marketing Images

Aperture in photography is important for encouraging more artistic shots. Artistic shots help to improve upon marketing messages contained within the picture. Companies regularly seek out photographers that are capable of creating different kinds of art products that highlight key points within a picture. Aperture is just one of the main adjustments to stronger photographic results. 

Aperture changes the depth of the field within the picture. You will find the front sharper than the rear. This is great for taking pictures that highlight a particular item and blur out a distracting background. Advertisers may change the aperture to ensure that the product stays in central focus and that the eye naturally rests at a particular place within the picture. 

Different types of people see different things within a picture. Helping potential customer’s focus on a particular aspect of a message is part art and science. It requires the right angles, scenery, content, and artistic shot. Photography is a powerful tool that creates a personality and brand image that helps companies get their message out (Pritchard & Whishaw, 2012). 

Companies can often connect their themes and messages to create an image. They have the ability to use different mediums with similar messages to ensure that customers within their core profile are attracted. The more relevant the messages the more motivated the customer. Great marketing reaches out and snags the interest of motivated buyers. 

Aperture is part of the three main pillars which include ISO and shutter speed. When aperture is adjusted so will the shutter speed (1). Aperture is the area where the light reaches the lens while the diaphragm blocks the light. A diaphragms size is designated as f/stops on a camera and has a corresponding number (2). The larger the number the more light blocking the diaphragm does.  

You will notice when adjusting the f/stops the speed of the lens will change. As the f/stop increases the speed of the lens will slow down and if the f/stop is smaller the speed of the lens is faster. Playing with the distance from the lens and the aperture will change the focal point of the picture. Generally, lower f/stop numbers increase the background blur while higher f/stops decrease this blur.

Pritchard, L. & Whishaw, Z. (2012). Commission photography or stock images-which is better? Design Week.

Are all Businesspeople Artists?

Art and business are often seen as two radically different fields that appear on the surface to have very little in common with each other. Art is for the romantic while business is for the realist. Art is a dreamer’s occupation and business is for the hard-nosed adherent to the facts of life. This artificial mental barrier may not be true as we think for art and business are integrally tied to the ability to see possibilities.  

There are obvious connections between the two once we start digging into the nitty gritty of their existence. For example, in marketing business requires the use of art to create stories, messages, and themes. It would be difficult to attract new customers in an atmosphere of marketing fatigue unless you are willing to do something unique. Most of us remember the really creative commercials that take into consideration visual artistic design. 

Let us move a little deeper into the use of art and business for product development. Successful business are able to convert products and services to new forms that generate higher value on the market. Art allows one to visualize something new, explore a previous unknown form, or ponder improvements while understanding how people will view them. Without a level of creativity these new products and services will never enter the conceptual stage. 

At an even deeper level we can find an association between theory and creativity. All theory is based on imaginary models that are tested for validity. The ability to visual how different components work together and interact in theory is similar to understanding how the varying colors work together to create an entire picture. Finding, formalizing and testing is all mental play that can generate great products like electricity or airplanes. 

There are differences between art and business but these are surface differences. Art is exploration of human experience while business seeks to reinforce that experience. It is difficult to sell products if you do not have a clear understanding of how self-identity influences the type of products people purchase and the underlining human experience that influence motivations. 

As a business person you may not view yourself as an artist. However, you are the maker and the creator. The better you are at your craft the more likely you are to sell that ability on the market. You must be able to see the options and opportunities through your abstract thinking to make strategic decisions. Failure to see new possibilities, build new products, and generate new sources of revenue means the eventual collapse of your business. 

Type of Art: music, painting, sketching, mechanical drawing, photography, acting, dancing, etc…