Growing up in India, one thing you can't miss is seeing millions of people dependent on clean drinking water. You'll see lines of people swirling around villages, waiting for trucks to deliver much needed water. Or, another common sight are clusters of women (I've almost never seen guys do this for some odd reason), carrying heavy pots of water on their heads, from wells or hand-pumps to their homes. I've also witnessed people eking out a living in parched landscapes thanks to an extended drought and corrupt politicians whose policies almost always fill their own coffers. It's enough to make me feel blessed with what I have access to on a daily basis.

Water has been on my mind for a long time and because we are all equally dependent on it for our very survival, I figured this was the year that I would step up and offer my services to Thirst Relief International for their annual mentor auction that kicks off on February 6th. I join over 50 other photographers who have chosen to donate their time and even some goodies for those who bid and win the Ebay auction. Lots of details about how you can find and work with a photography mentor here.

As I said, there are lots of choices and some truly amazing and generous photographers. While I am not asking you to bid only on my mentor auction, I would be thrilled to work with you.

I wanted to know more about Thirst Relief and so I asked Adam McKibben, the organization's Director of Communications to take a few minutes to discuss how the group came to work with photographers and what its plans were for the future. I suspect what you are about to hear will inspire you.

More about Thirst Relief International.

Mr. Farnsworth was a terrific music teacher. Affable, yet stern. He would tell me each time I would return to take drum lessons, “Seshu, failing to practice is practicing to fail.”

It’s taken me nearly 30 years to absorb that. Sometimes, it would be obvious that getting my stuff done in time was beneficial and sometimes procrastination would get the better of me and I paid dearly. Still, creating a plan or a workflow and being organized simply has not come naturally to me.

Is that how you feel at least a few times a year? Do you feel that being organized would create at least a semblance of efficiency? Have you struggled to keep track of your client contact information or sales tax deadlines? Are you sometimes delivering your client orders later than when you promised them?

My friend Eric O’Connor, a wedding photographer in Chicago, tried to get me to think in about workflow. Several times. I remain in awe at how his allows him to photograph 30 weddings a year and be a father and a husband.

“Creating a system,” he told me once, was the ticket to being stress-free and happy.

I have a short stack of scratch paper filled with workflow ideas and what I would do the minute a potential client rang me. I had steps that I would follow after the portrait session was booked. But what would come after the shoot and in what order? Sadly, I had too many ideas and no action. This is mostly because having and maintaining a system requires clarity of thought and the “D” word … discipline.

Thankfully, Design Aglow is the photographer’s friend. I lean on the team there to provide me with ideas and templates. Just in time for the start of the new year, they launched a photographers’ studio planner called The Big Picture.

Like all their templates, The Big Picture, does not disappoint when it comes to how it is presented. Minimalistic design meets elegance. The introductory section says, “it’s a repository for your hopes and dreams.” So true.

The Big Picture guides you through a short writing exercise where you enunciate your goals. Then you are gently coaxed into breaking down your goals into actionable tasks. Huge win for me.

There are templates for daily, weekly and monthly activities surrounding your studio. The exercise is in writing it all down and being able to refer back to it constantly. I think this is brilliant because it instills that sense of discipline and accountability to oneself that I mentioned above.

Keeping track of clients, venues and vendors (mostly for wedding photographers) is now easy as 1-2-3. There is a questionnaire and a time table that helps you through your online and off-line (local) marketing.

Want to track your website and blog statistics? Yes, there is a rather intricate table for that too. The Big Picture also includes income and expense reports that you fill out and also a mileage tracker (which I have usually forgot to log in the past).

The Big Picture ends with a long list of recommended business books one should read to stay informed and inspired. There were quite a few in this list that I hadn’t even heard of before. So, Design Aglow, thanks for that too!

I don’t think this team has missed any detail when it comes to putting this studio planner together. I know as I launch my new website and business this month, The Big Picture is going to help me stay focused and remain efficient through the year. It’ll be a binder that I take with me to client meetings and I’ll refer to it when I am trying to assess my business. It promises to provide me a macroscopic view of my business and will tell me about its health from month-to-month. I no longer have to fret about keeping tabs on my workflow or if my quarterly sales tax payments are late.

Now, there are a couple of things I would have liked to have seen in The Big Picture download: 1) InDesign files to further customize the templates and 2) perhaps down the road, an electronic version that we can refer to while we are in the field, say an iPad application that could display all of these bits of information?

[UPDATE: Both InDesign & Photoshop files are included! I had failed to open all of the folders that came as part of the zip'd download file! Sorry about the error!]

That said, The Big Picture is a remarkable achievement because it so neatly brings so many elements of one’s business in an easily accessible folder or binder. I know there are several other options in the market but as a die-hard Design Aglow fan, I have to urge you to take a look at this product first.

On January 15th (that’s tomorrow), the introductory pricing of $69 ends. Make this the first business expense you enter into The Big Picture for 2014!

In other words, buy it now.

The Canadians celebrate the day after Christmas as Boxing Day. As a Yankee, I had to go look that up. But when Canadians throw a party, well, how can one refuse, right?

Today's post is to let you know that a couple of Canadian companies are kicking off some sales for photographers that are not to be missed.

Red Leaf

As the ad says, 30% everything in their store. I think their presets are one of the best in the business. Simply use the code “REDLEAF” at checkout.

Photography Concentrate

My friends, Lauren and Rob Lim have opened their store again to a special 30% off sale. This IS the time to grab one of these products:

1. Extremely Essential Camera Skills
Learn to take control over that snazzy camera of yours

2. Super Photo Editing Skills
Become an editing ninja, and conquer Adobe Lightroom

3. Simple Wedding Photography
Discover the art and business behind wedding photography

4. The Creativity Field Guide
Defeat creative block, and take your photos to new heights

5. Backup or Die
Learn exactly what to do to backup your photos and keep them safe

6. How We Did It: Lobster Island
Come behind the scenes with us on a photo adventure on the high seas

7. Awesome Album Design Skills
Fall in love with designing albums in Adobe InDesign

Now is the time to ramp up for 2014. Making smart decisions on what educational or workflow tools to buy now will help you through 2014. That's a promise.

As always, I recommend products and services that I have tried first hand. I wouldn't feel right about promoting anything without giving it a shot first to see how it would help my photography business.

If and when you do buy any of the products mentioned above, come back here and let me know below. Email me your receipt (showing me your mailing address) and 3 of you will receive Gary Vaynerchuk's new book: Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook: How To Tell Your Story In A Noisy, Social World.

Seems appropriate since it is Boxing Day today!

It's perhaps one of the few times in the year when I think living in Connecticut is cool. No, really, when the Mystic Seminars are announced by Walter van Dusen, its founder, I get quite giddy. As I have mentioned in the past here and here, there are a ton of reasons you should go to this photography conference.

This year, like the last few years at Mystic Seminars, the speakers set to present are from around the world. This probably makes Mystic Seminars the only regional conference that is international in scope.

So, you are probably wondering why it's important to hear from photographers outside of the US. The simple answer is to glean a different perspective. Right around this time of the year when business grinds to a halt for some, it's easy to get stuck in the way you did things back in 2013. I've been there and done that too.

What's great about the timing of the Mystic Seminars is it's the first thing you get to do when things are slow that jolt you back into action. And, hearing from photographers who live far away from you can be just the thing your creative brain is looking for in January.

So, I highly recommend Mystic Seminars.

The early-bird discount is already in effect now though December 23rd, and you get the 3-day conference for $469. I just spoke with Walter and he is offering a special discount code (TIFFINBOX) where you can get an additional $25 off. Apparently no other discount codes exist, so thank you Walter! I hope to see some of you there.

If you do decide to go and you use the code above, would you please come back here and let me know? I don't get paid to promote the conference. I just think it is incredible value for photographers.

The first 10 of you to send me your receipt (showing me your mailing address and that you have paid for the conference) will receive Gary Vaynerchuk's new book, Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook: How To Tell Your Story In A Noisy, Social World. Receipts may be emailed to me here – seshu AT tiffinbox dot org. There will be other goodies mailed to you as well, but you'll have to wait and see what those are.