…I’m going to be out of the office all next week. I’m taking some time to recharge my batteries. You won’t see posts from me until Monday the 26th so you’ll have to find something else to do with your time.

So, a bit early, Happy Thanksgiving (to the US readers)!

Look for a new podcast about the same time as my return, too.

By the way, when was the last time you took time off? It’s one of the best things you can do for your business. You’ll be more productive and energized.

There is a great rant by Harlan Ellison going around on video (for all of you who have emailed me about it, yes, I know about it already).

I don’t like to link to it because I don’t know if the people who posted it on YouTube had the rights to do so and don’t want to encourage IP infringement. The gist is that writers should be paid and he says, less politely, that he never does anything without getting paid.

Good advice for all creatives.

Btw, NPR yesterday was discussing the WGA strike and said that in polling across the US the general public is overwhelmingly on the side of the writers. Yipee! This is great news for all creatives.

It’s important for all businesses to have a set of ethics. For some photographers, shooting for tobacco is right out while for others it’s fine. There are no “right” answers to setting your ethical rules, but set them you should and, more importantly, back ‘em up with action.

Sometimes, walking your talk is difficult. It can mean not taking an assignment when you really could use the money, for example. Or, as so many of us don’t like confrontation, it could just be really uncomfortable to do the “right thing” as you self-define it.

I just encountered the discomfort of standing up for my business’ ethics AND the loss of potential income. I had a photographer contact me about working together. One quick glance at this person’s website made it absolutely clear that this business sold royalty-free stock and that, for me, is a big problem.

I had a choice to make: be honest and tell the photographer that I don’t work (at least knowingly) with RF-selling photographers or weasel out with some lame excuse or pursue the job. The last option was impossible for me. The second one would have been easier on my nerves, but the first option was the best one.

By being honest, I have honored my business. It wasn’t easy and it wasn’t fun, but it was, absolutely, the right thing to do.