C.C. Chapman's Blog, page 6

The First Days of 2019

Flipping the calendar to a new year stirs emotions inside of many humans.

We’ve been conditioned that this simple act is the start of new things, the ending of the old, a reset button and an excuse to party our minds out.

Yet, while I tend to start getting reflective the middle of every December as my birthday and the holidays approach, New Years has always baffled me a bit. The fact that it happens in the middle a season has always been the strangest thing to me. Wouldn’t it make more sense th...

The Tool Should Never Get In The Way Of The Art

During a recent conversation I ranted a bit about how many of us believe that with a better tool we can create better art.

Yes, sometimes you need a more powerful camera to create the photograph in your mind. You might think that a new Freewrite is what you need to write the next great novel.

I love gear. I love gadgets. I always have and I always will.

But, I never want the technology or the tool to get in the way of me creating.

Take for instance the new DJI Osmo Pocket that was announced yes...

A Note To My Students

After several years of teaching, I've noticed that my approach to education may differ from what you've experienced up to this point. I've also seen the same mistakes and assumptions made over and over so I thought I'd write this note to you in the hope that you don't make them again.

No matter if I'm your Professor/Teacher/Instructor I have one goal for you and that is for you to be inspired and learn.

While you will need to memorize definitions and terms in the subjects that I lecture on, the...

Two Days of Amazing Things

You all know that a few years back my book Amazing Things Will Happen hit bookshelves and Kindles around the globe.

You may not know that while I’m not much on superstitions, the idea that things happen in threes is one of the bits of chaos that I firmly believe in because it seems to happen over and over.

So, as I type these words I’m pondering what the third thing will be that will give me a big smile because yesterday and today I came across announcements that made my day.

The first was that...

Perfect Photography Holiday Gift - Steve McCurry A Life in Pictures

Anyone who loves photography most likely owns one or more photography books.

My house is full of them and any time I need a creative kick of inspiration I grab any of them off one of my bookshelves and begin flipping through.

I’ve always appreciated the work of Steve McCurry. He goes out into the world around him and captures the stories, faces and scenes he sees. His images have always inspired me because that is how I like to take photos. To go out, walk around and find the faces and moments...

Fall Catch-Up

Every morning I read the words that Seth Godin has written to share with the world. Some days there are only a few sentences, others lengthy paragraphs.

He writes every day and I respect that level of habit and discipline. 

I noticed as I was working on my site this weekend that it has been over a month since I last wrote something here. That doesn't mean I haven't been writing, but it has been in other places and not all for public consumption.

Last week I did a fun interview on the C...

The Quiet Moments

Every day I wake up to a warm embrace and a wet nose from my youngest pup Jaz. She sits quietly next to my side of the bed first to see if I’ll wake up and when I don’t she jumps up to say good morning. This happens at four am every day.

This has been going on for at least a year now and I’ve grown used to it. Sometimes I even wake up moments before she does and I’ll grab and hug her when she says hello. It has shifted my night time routine to going to bed earlier than I ever use to so that...

The Quiet Moments

Every day I wake up to a warm embrace and a wet nose from my youngest pup Jaz. She sits quietly next to my side of the bed first to see if I'll wake up and when I don't she jumps up to say good morning. This happens at four am every day.

This has been going on for at least a year now and I've grown used to it. Sometimes I even wake up moments before she does and I'll grab and hug her when she says hello. It has shifted my night time routine to going to bed earlier than I ever use to so that...

The End Of A Great Summer of Work

This summer was busier and more rewarding than I ever imagined it would be. The hours spent teaching, mentoring and managing the Wheaton Innovates (WiN) Team of students challenged my mind and filled my heart.

If you’ve been following along with my weekly posts, thanks for reading. If not, to catch you up I was given the reigns of the partnership between Wheaton College and MassChallenge. The ask was to choose a group of student and turn them into a successful consulting team that would work...

The End Of A Great Summer of Work

This summer was busier and more rewarding than I ever imagined it would be. The hours spent teaching, mentoring and managing the Wheaton Innovates (WiN) Team of students challenged my mind and filled my heart.

If you’ve been following along with my weekly posts, thanks for reading. If not, to catch you up I was given the reigns of the partnership between Wheaton College and MassChallenge. The ask was to choose a group of student and turn them into a successful consulting team that would work...