As you know from my previous Blog about Imaging USA, I attended Dane Sanders 7:00 a.m. conference the first day that classes started. 7:00 a.m. is eeeearly for me y’all! But I could not have been more excited! I have followed Dane for quite sometime and I adore his Ask Dane bits. He is not only able to laugh at himself but he will laugh with you too…especially when you are his bowling partner and every other ball is gutter bound. Okay, so bowling isn’t my hot point. But photography is! And Dane has truly been such an inspiration to me and so many others. If you aren’t sure who Dane is I strongly encourage you to find out. He is a fantastic photographer, an influential author and a sheer abundance of knowledge and insight into the world of photography.

But that isn’t even what I admire the most about Dane. After all, there are lots of people who know a great deal about being a successful photographer. What sets Dane apart is his approachability. He is just one of us. A photographer with a beautiful wife, 4 children and a home in California…a normal guy. Who happens to have the ability to tug at the emotions of your heart…you know…the ones that you have an ultimate desire to hide from the world. Dane asks you to go all in and be real with yourself about who you really are. Not the you that you tell yourself you are but the you that you really are. Have you ever contemplated the difference between the two? I would venture to say, probably not. We all have that perfect vision of who we “want to be” but we also have that thing called human nature that restricts us from seeing our own potential. Far too often we get caught up in the story that we tell ourselves about ourselves and even worse the story that we allow others to tell us about ourselves. Dane asks that you dig deep and discover the real you. I couldn’t agree more! Let’s stop giving others the right to dictate our story. We need to stand tall on our own merits and begin to believe in our real selves! As Dane would say…are you with me?

Tuesday night was my second opportunity to hear Dane speak and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. He packed the house and dealt with a lot of needy hearts that night. People needed to hear what he had to say. Heck, I needed to hear it…again. Dane is a personality that so many of us can relate too and not feel intimidated by. He just has that candid nature about him. He has the ability to make you challenge that voice inside your head that says “you?! little ole’ you can not make a difference in this world.” I am on a mission to not only challenge but rather silence that inner voice. I thanked him at Imaging, I thanked him on Tuesday and I want to thank him here on my Blog, publicly, for taking time away from his family (especially considering the painful week that he endured) to come here, to Jacksonville Florida, to speak to all of us and ignite a few fires within. Dane, your passion is inspiring. Your enthusiasm is contagious. Your message is needed. I heard you load and clear and I publicly declare that I am ALL IN! Success or failure…I am ALL IN! I thank you for your wisdom and your willingness to be “one of us.” You are one of a kind and this industry is better because of you. Thank you my friend. Thank you.

The man of the hour…Dane Sanders

My fun friends from the Jax PUG group hosted by my fab friend Scarlett Lillian.

Related posts:

1. Imaging USA 2010
2. In Case You Missed It
3. Pure Randomness…
4. Life’s Little Moments
5. Dolls In Toyland