Photo Corners headlinesarchivemikepasini.com
A S C R A P B O O K O F S O L U T I O N S F O R T H E P H O T O G R A P H E R
Enhancing the enjoyment of taking pictures with news that matters, features that entertain and images that delight. Published frequently.
Anything Your Heart Desires
10 December 2013
A year ago today, we launched Photo Corners as a way of "continuing to discuss our passion for getting the picture," as we put it that day in our first story. But it was more about your passion than ours.
You love photography.
We enjoy writing about photography but we always looked on this job as a trust. It was never about us and what we wanted to do. It was always about you and what you wanted.
That's what an editor does. An editor serves.
We spent the five days prior to the launch designing Photo Corners and writing the software we needed to feed it original and timely content. We launched on a Monday and when Friday came around, we were in full gear.
The stereo was tuned to the jazz station and, as we finished the chapter, we were charmed by a singer we didn't recognize performing 'When You Wish Upon a Star.'
It was not an ordinary Friday, though. It was the first Friday in 13 years we had not sent out a newsletter at 9 p.m. to 50,000 readers. We had published two stories that day, neither of them news, both unique to the site. We didn't know how many people had read them.
But anyone could. We had built a better ballpark for both of us.
That Friday evening, instead of polishing an 8,000 word newsletter, we sat in an old chair in our living room reading a long chapter of Jane McGonigal's Reality Is Broken.
McGonigal's argument was simply that people find something in games they do not find in real life. Playing a game makes you feel good because you accomplish something.
In real life, nobody ever accomplishes anything much. Real life is a downer. But it isn't too late for reality, she was quick to add.
Considering our situation at the time, we found this an intriguing world view, let's just say.
The stereo was tuned to the jazz station and, as we finished the chapter, we were charmed by a singer we didn't recognize performing When You Wish Upon a Star. She sang quietly, as if only the two of us were in the room. It seemed personal.
We looked up from the book through our picture window with a view of the ocean. By then the sun had set. There were just a few lights from the crab boats still out at sea. Above them hung a golden crescent moon, with a star to keep it company, just as if they had been Photoshopped in.
The scene seemed to promise, like the song, whatever our heart desired.
We had never heard When You Wish Upon a Star as a jazz vocal, certainly not a warm and gentle Susie Arioli vocal. It was simply arranged, only a guitar accompanying her. A lullaby still but not to put someone to sleep. To encourage them, despite broken reality, to persevere.
We made a wish.
What did our heart desire? Just the chance to continue to help you, in our particular way, enjoy this wonderful art of photography.
We have to say, we've gotten our wish with Photo Corners. And today, on the first anniversary of our launch, we'd like to thank those of you who've helped make it come true. And invite you to wish upon a star.
We'll do everything we can to make your dream come true.