Miami Skyscraper (Espirito Santo Plaza)

Miami Skyscraper (Espirito Santo Plaza), originally uploaded by jamesburden.

I’m on a few different social networking sites. And I find them useful, interesting and absorbing – all the rest of it. But here’s the thing. When I was on LinkedIn I began to feel dwarfed by other people’s job titles. How do you compete with someone who is called Leadership Coach, Facilitator and Organizational Effectiveness Consultant? Or here’s another one: Senior Creative Strategist & Experiential Designer? I kid you not – these are real job titles. Maybe you’re not the kind of person to feel dwarfed by other people’s job titles. But most of us have insecurities. And social networking sites are one area where it’s easy to succumb to the fact that your once spotty classmate is now running a multi-national company.

We spend so much of our time trying to be something that others will be impressed by. I suggest you give up. Where does your worth come from? Here’s an ancient Chinese proverb that I’m making up on the spot: He who seeks worth from others is on a path to self-ruin.

I heard the other day that the company Gore-Tex has only one job title – common across the entire organisation – Associate. If you get a business card from anyone at Gore-Tex it will merely have:
James Burden
Associate
Gore-Tex

And Gore has been on the Fortune list of 100 Best Companies to work for every single time that list has been published.
Go here to see why.

Facebook asked me the other day to “say something” about myself. What do you put in that box? Do you use the five lines to describe your professional career? To describe your large and impossibly well-behaved family? To describe how you singlehandedly brought about peace in a small Middle Eastern country? Me? I put “I make photos”.

The Melting Sun

the melting sun, originally uploaded by jamesburden.

I haven't taken any sunset photos for quite a while - difficult to come up with something that is original and remarkable. Not that I think this photo is particularly original or remarkable - but it's not often you get the chance to see the sun melting on the horizon like this. And I craved some colour today. Do you get days like that?

blue sky thinking... walking on tree tops

blue sky thinking... walking on tree tops, originally uploaded by jamesburden.

I'm at a small conference/forum at the moment in the US. There is a wonderful amount of creative and enthusiastic thinking going on. I've heard the inevitable cliché of 'blue sky thinking' mentioned a number of times - the incredible thing about this forum is the ability of those involved to turn the thinking into doing. I hope you experience a blue sky doer today!

Personally I'm in a win-win situation. I'm giving a 110%, pushing the envelope and really trying to deliver on maximising customer satisafaction in a totally web2.0 kinda way. At the end of the day it's all about the low-hanging fruit.

If you want more great clichés then visit www.squidoo.com/businesscliches - truly absorbingly wonderful. Enjoy.

Glen Etive

glen etive, originally uploaded by jamesburden.

We all have special places. Those of us who take photos often go back to these places to try and find that elusive shot - that new angle. This is my place. Glen Etive is one of the most beautiful places in the British Isles.

It breaks some of my landscape composition rules. But to be honest that's what I like about this shot. I like how I can't see what's round the corner of that tree. This is a photo that draws me in, that makes me yearn, to turn my head to the right and watch the sun setting over the distant hills.

I wish I was there today.

My Son and the Plesiosaur

my son and the plesiosaur, originally uploaded by jamesburden.

This is my son at the Natural History Museum in London. His question today: "Why did they cut me out this shape?"

Answers on a postcard...

The End of the Rainbow

The End of the Rainbow, originally uploaded by jamesburden.

A dark stormy day on the Island of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. I know this is a really dark photo - but it really was that dark! I've already upped the exposure by a stop and a third.

I feel sorry for the house. He was so nearly a pot of gold!

What's Black and White and Blue all over?

it's not a dandelion, originally uploaded by jamesburden.

I like this shot. It conveys what I think about the world. There is black, there is white - and there are some tones in between.

The Leaves of Late Spring

the leaves of late spring, originally uploaded by jamesburden.

There's a tree at the end of my road which has the most beautiful soft translucent leaves I've ever seen. For me it is the sign that summer has started. These leaves only last a few weeks in their translucent state then they become quite ordinary.

I hope you see something extraordinary this weekend!