In this week's episode of "Get Your Shoot Together," join Kira Derryberry and Mary Fisk Taylor as they explore the highs and lows of springtime photography and the unexpected challenges that come with it. From the lush, bloom-filled settings of Kira’s recent outdoor senior sessions to the chilling tales of check fraud that shook her business, this episode dives deep into the realities photographers face beyond the lens. Amidst these narratives, Kira and Mary discuss the enduring importance of authenticity, character, and respect in every interaction—be it with clients, colleagues, or the casual encounters in between. Tune in for a candid discussion on how the core values of decency can impact every facet of our professional and personal lives, making each moment a testament to who we are and aspire to be. This episode isn’t just about photography; it's about navigating the complex tapestry of life with integrity and grace.
This week's episode is sponsored by our friends at Retouch Up! Use the coupon code GYST10 for a special discount!
This episode was written and performed by Mary Fisk-Taylor and Kira Derryberry, produced by Kira Derryberry and edited by Joel North.
In this week's episode of "Get Your Shoot Together," join Kira Derryberry and Mary Fisk Taylor as they explore the highs and lows of springtime photography and the unexpected challenges that come with it. From the lush, bloom-filled settings of Kira’s recent outdoor senior sessions to the chilling tales of check fraud that shook her business, this episode dives deep into the realities photographers face beyond the lens. Amidst these narratives, Kira and Mary discuss the enduring importance of authenticity, character, and respect in every interaction—be it with clients, colleagues, or the casual encounters in between. Tune in for a candid discussion on how the core values of decency can impact every facet of our professional and personal lives, making each moment a testament to who we are and aspire to be. This episode isn’t just about photography; it's about navigating the complex tapestry of life with integrity and grace.
This week's episode is sponsored by our friends at Retouch Up! Use the coupon code GYST10 for a special discount!
This episode was written and performed by Mary Fisk-Taylor and Kira Derryberry, produced by Kira Derryberry and edited by Joel North.
This week's episode is brought to you by our friends at RetouchUp. Retouchup Work smarter, not harder. Welcome to Get your Shoot Together. The photographer's podcast where we discuss studio business life and keeping it all in line. I'm Kira Derryberry and I'm Mary Fishtaylor.
Mary Fisk Taylor:Hi, mary Fishtaylor. Hello, good afternoon Kira Derryberry. I don't know how it feels there, but our nice, nice little spring, spring weather it's freezing. Today I've got a sweatshirt on. I don't know what's happening.
Kira Derryberry:I have a sweatshirt on as well. It feels great outside here. I don't know what the temperature is. I'm going to say it's like 68 to 72. Okay, 68 to 72 is my guess, and it's about to be pure misery here in Florida. So we're just like stretching. Just stretch it as long as we can. All right for your sake.
Mary Fisk Taylor:I understand that, but for my sake I need it to. I need the spring to spring girl. I need, because you know that's like this is my prime money-making season. Yeah, because my plant. We just bought all the new plants for the garden, you know, because it's garden time, right For us to be out in the garden, and I had to cover all my well me, you know, I didn't do it. I was like Jamie, you might want to cover some of those plants because it looks like it's going to freeze for the next two days.
Kira Derryberry:Oh no, Well, yeah. So the weather being really nice is the only reason why I have been doing so many location shoots this last month, because it's not, we're not dying yet and there's lots of flowers out and everything's gorgeous. And so I've done I don't know six or seven senior sessions just out at the park and out, you know, at beautiful locations. I've planted who are you?
Kira Derryberry:I know I have. I'm out there watering plants every day. Lucy's getting so annoyed with me on the way to school. I'm like she goes and she gets in the car. I'm like, okay, just one second, I just have to water the babies on the back porch.
Mary Fisk Taylor:And so I have to do that every day. I bet she's like what in the world? Yeah, sorry, my menace. Little dachshund is irritating Rookie, okay, let's walk away. Yeah yeah, dogs, yum yeah.
Kira Derryberry:so you become one of those people, like I see, like memes and things about people and plants and I'm like, huh, I don't get it. You know they're just I don't know. You know, here's the problem. Remember, years ago, when we started this podcast, we used to, I used to tell you my favorite bar was the Whole Foods bar. Whole Foods Happy Hour.
Mary Fisk Taylor:Yes, oh my gosh, I forgot about Whole Foods.
Kira Derryberry:I know, but we don't have that anymore because, since COVID, whole Foods decided not to have the bar anymore, which is such a bummer, because we loved getting in there and grabbing a little drinky drink and getting a few groceries or whatever.
Kira Derryberry:So now, so Tallahassee Nurseries, which is right by my house, between my house and Whole Foods. Actually it's a beautiful place to walk around because they have, you know, of course, they have every plant known to man in this area. But they started serving beer and wine. So I get my little wagon and I go get a draft beer. Yeah, I go get a draft beer and my little wagon and me and Amber we walked around one weekend and I filled it. I just I lost control. I filled it up with so many plants that, but I had a bunch of pots at home to fill. So it all, it all worked out, it all worked out. But but, yeah, I love an outdoor outing that has like a draft beer or a glass of wine. I mean okay well, it was fun.
Kira Derryberry:It was fun, so yeah, so the. So I have hibiscus out there. I have a little yellow flowering plant called a Biden, which I thought was funny and is the only reason I bought it.
Mary Fisk Taylor:That's adorable. I would actually look into that.
Kira Derryberry:Yeah, I have some succulents. I have several succulents out there which are easier to take care of. I'm starting small, I'm not getting anything. That's hard to do. And then I have lemon balm and I have pineapple sage. The lemon balm is to get rid of mosquitoes. Okay, anything lemony is good. And I have spearmint.
Kira Derryberry:And the jasmine is climbing up the pergola now that I planted a while ago. Yeah, everything's doing. Everything's doing in the backyard. It's gorgeous, wow. Well, I mean, I mean you'd think I'd be doing shoots there, but no, I'm just sitting out there.
Mary Fisk Taylor:No, just enjoy it. Well, and now you can. But I guess the thing is is that you only get to enjoy it for a little bit of time.
Kira Derryberry:A brief amount of time. Well, I can look at it when I come home, which is nice, but sitting amongst it is not pleasant after a certain time of year here, because it's just wet outside. Okay so yeah, so right. So right now it's breezy. It's great for walks, it's you know everything is in bloom, all the flowers smell great, it's great.
Mary Fisk Taylor:I feel like I don't even know you anymore.
Kira Derryberry:I know, I know I feel like you've changed. I did. You know what I think it is it's. I'm heading towards mid-forties, Mid-forties, Kira is a plant lady.
Mary Fisk Taylor:A plant girl, Because, yeah, because you're no longer a millennial.
Kira Derryberry:So no longer a millennial right.
Mary Fisk Taylor:Yeah, mary, guess what happened, guess what happened.
Kira Derryberry:Actually, you already know what happened, but I was going to tell everybody else. I got robbed. Oh, kira, yeah, well, I thought I would just do a little PSA for everybody out there. Do it.
Mary Fisk Taylor:I have something to add to that too, so go ahead.
Kira Derryberry:Okay, good, good, good, good. So April 5th, which was my birthday, woo, happy birthday 43. I put my. We were heading.
Kira Derryberry:We were the next day heading to Portugal, and so I put our tax payment check into the blue postal box at the end of my neighborhood. I have a nice neighborhood, nice little convenient post box and I had missed the mailman. So I was like, okay, I better get this out before we leave town. So we dropped it in the mailbox and then when we came back from Portugal, I was just banking. You know, I was just looking at my statement online and saw that the check had already cleared and that you know that in the amount that I had written the check for right and I was like, oh, that's fast, okay, great, I don't have to worry about that. But for some reason I just felt compelled to click the scan of the check. You know, I don't know if your bank does this, but you can click on it, you can kind of see. So I clicked. The scan of my check has been stolen. It looks like my check, it is my check, it's the number, it's the watermark on the check that was on it, it's all my information.
Kira Derryberry:Except all of my handwriting, except for my signature, had been erased somehow and rewritten in someone else's handwriting to almost an illegible. It looks like cash for something. Blah, blah, blah. And it was cashed at.
Mary Fisk Taylor:Bank of America for almost $10,000.
Kira Derryberry:So imagine my son in the media panic, just like what? And it doesn't. I was like I didn't even know how this would happen. Like how could this happen? So, anyway, I've since come to learn about a technique called check washing, yeah yeah, which is not new, but involves chemicals that remove certain types of dyes and inks, and then they dry the check out and then they just write it again. Shame on Bank of America, right.
Mary Fisk Taylor:I mean absolutely, and it's going around. So I'm not sure why these financial institutions aren't being like. I feel like there should be a sign on every teller's desk like do not cash a check that looks like this, or don't they have one of those little machines that runs the check through or something? Because my brother-in-law there he's in manufacturing, so they write big checks and they're kind of old school, so they were writing checks for everything and in excess of $120,000 worth of checks were washed. That's nuts. He's still out and he's been dealing with this for not six to nine months. They're still out like over $20,000, still trying to get it back.
Kira Derryberry:I will get mine back because you know the bank is insured. But it's not easy. You know I've got a whole bunch of steps to go through, not to mention the biggest headache that I'm going through right now is because it was a check from my business account. It was. I have to close my business account. Oh no, I have to. And all the way my bank does my profit first is it's I have one business account and then it has all these little sub baby accounts right, I got you and so they're all attached to the same account, they all start with the same account number and then they have different endings.
Kira Derryberry:Yeah, so I can't just keep those and close them, because that's the income account, right that I wrote it out of, which is not something I would normally do. It was one of those times where it was just like trying to get out of town kind of like I'll, yeah, let me just write it and send it.
Kira Derryberry:So I've got to close that account. But before I have 30 days to close the account and before they already opened the new account with all the new little sub-baby accounts. But I have to go through and audit everything that's coming. So my operations account, my overhead account, that where everything comes out of for payments, I've got to go and like make sure that all of the auto drafts that come out of there for, like, my studio insurance and my rent and my uh just every, everything, everything, my uh American express payments, yeah, just so I have a list going right now that I'm just checking. I'm doing a little bit every day, you know, just checking off of like going and like setting up the bank account to draft to the correct place, like resetting up Venmo PayPal.
Mary Fisk Taylor:Oh well, I just that's a 10 plus. You're dealing with the IRS, so now your tax payment is essentially late. So now you have to deal with that and get the you know either what cause there. I know there's whatever. I am so sorry that happened and I just can't believe that it's a thing that nowadays we have to worry about writing checks, but I guess checks are just going away for that reason.
Kira Derryberry:I mean it's rampant. As I've told the story to friends and people, they're like well, why did you send a check in? Why didn't you do it online, the way my accountant has always done it is? She has always, you know, just sent me the form and I print it out and then I mail it. You know, I don't know, it's just what I've been doing for years, right, yeah, so it just wasn't that big of a deal, you know. So obviously now I'm going to try and pay it online. I'm not going to send another check like an idiot.
Mary Fisk Taylor:So I mean I guess that means people are stealing it from the mailbox or they're stealing it in the post office.
Kira Derryberry:Either it was stolen out of the mailbox, which my banker told me is a thing that they have little devices to break into it. Also, postal workers have had their keys stolen you know that have, like you know, box keys and or it could be a postal worker. Actually, tallahassee has no Postmaster right now and they've had a federal investigation coming down here because they've had so many problems with our post offices in Tallahassee. So I immediately thought a post office worker stole this. But then she said well, it could have been, but it's probably more likely. There's a ring, there's a crime ring around the postal boxes.
Mary Fisk Taylor:Well, it's tax time and people know that people are mailing in taxes.
Kira Derryberry:Well, they can see where it's being mailed to. You know what I mean? And it's a PO box, so that's. You know about this? Who runs a bank and she goes. Uh, in fact I was like afraid to tell her because I knew she was just. You put a check where. Well, she's like I could have told you that and I'm like, oh okay, so it's not common knowledge that the uh blue post office boxes are compromised. I didn't know that. I don't know if everyone knows that, but my mom knew it and my banker knew it. But I'm just PSA to everybody out there those things get robbed, so you're better off just taking it directly to the post office.
Mary Fisk Taylor:I only know because my brother-in-law went through so much of it. And there's a special and I don't know the name of it. I'll have to look, but there's a special pen that now they're recommending.
Mary Fisk Taylor:I thought you were going to say special place in hell there is that there's that too, but there's a special pen that, if you have to write a check, use this specific pen model. Yes, I have heard that, because they can't wash it or whatever. But let's take a quick pause for the cause, to hear from our amazing sponsors, and we will be right back.
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Kira Derryberry:So, mary, you know we've talked about you and I have talked about this before, but I don't know if we've talked about it on the podcast before. Judging a character, judging a person's character just based on how they treat those beneath them. So, for example, we've talked about this recently. Like you're out to lunch with a friend and the friend is you're ordering, you're speaking to the waiter and the friend never looks at the waiter, you know, they're just looking at the menu. I'll have the you know steak tips and then whatever Closes menu hands it to waiter never looks at waiter.
Mary Fisk Taylor:Never says please or thank you either.
Kira Derryberry:Never says please or thank you, or you know, I've been out to dinner recently actually, with a friend of mine who just was such a jerk to the waiter and the waiter and the waiters, like they're all understaffed. The waiters like doing the most, trying the hardest to you know to to be fast, but they're relying on the bartender or they're relying on the kitchen or they're you know what.
Kira Derryberry:I mean, like it's not always the waiter's fault, you know so, but just judging character on how you see, because that's kind of where you really see how who somebody is right this is a huge pet peeve of mine, which you you know.
Mary Fisk Taylor:So a couple things that I I relate to that. Um, I was just in Chicago and, like we were in a very nice I was at a out of, I was at an out of industry conference and, um, my brain still hurts, by the way, but we'll dig into that another day. I had more people say to me oh, you're obviously not around here because you're just so nice. I'm like what? And they're like well, I mean, you know, because there was a guy who opened the door because of the hotel, you know he would open the door and I was like good morning and thank you.
Mary Fisk Taylor:And you know, if we got a drink or the ladies in the because there was lunch was included, that would clear the plates. Thank you so much, and look them in the eye and and all that. And I had more people comment that they couldn't believe how nice I was. And I don't think I'm particularly nice, by the way, but I'm kind and I have manners and I think that, just because I don't care if you are the chef or you're the person picking up the dishes, you deserve someone to look you in the eye and say thank you or please, or may I, or whatever.
Kira Derryberry:Yeah, if somebody refills my water from over my shoulder. I always. I may not scream it, but I may go. Thank you, you know.
Kira Derryberry:Just a quick aside you know just to let them know I'm acknowledging that you've done a service for me. I mean, it's the same you would do it if anyone holds the door for you or if anyone you know in other countries, like Japan, which I think is hands down the most polite nation in the world, right, this doesn't exist. You wouldn't be able to judge a character based on this, because everyone is insanely polite, right, right, right. But. But this exists here. You can also hear it when people are. When people are, I saw a meme one day that was like you know, your true self is shown with how you ask for the operator on an automated message. Correct. It's like if you'd like to speak to an operator and you're screaming operator.
Mary Fisk Taylor:Well, I'm going to be honest, I do fail on that. Sometimes it becomes. Well, you can only imagine.
Kira Derryberry:That's your true form, that's your true form.
Mary Fisk Taylor:It can be, but there's nothing. And you know, we've all been in. For example, recently I was working on an event, okay, and I was outsourcing and getting talent or speakers to be a part of the event and when I communicated with them they were over the moon. Oh my God, I'm so excited and this is great and I'm so flattered. And then what they didn't realize is then when I would connect them with other members of the team that maybe were handling logistics, transportation, props and models, whatever. The way they would speak to them, not realizing I was part of the email was appalling. I literally unhired or fired a speaker because they were so derogatory.
Mary Fisk Taylor:To my dear, dear friend Tish, who helps me organize and does so much work you know, tish, yeah, so much work but she was a nobody to this person and the way she treated her and our marketing person. I said we no longer need you, but thanks. She doesn't know why. If she listens she might know now. But that shows your true colors. Don't you dare come at me because you think you can. I'm going to, you think you're going to and this sounds so conceited. Please take this. But people say think that I'm a lot more than I am or I'm going to be able to get them something or do something for them that I probably can't do, by the way, but the way they treated me was so different and I'm like no, ma'am, you're going to treat us all the same and this is I could. Tears are going to well up in my eyes when I tell you the story. I know that.
Mary Fisk Taylor:You know that for a long time I was very involved with Operation Smile. We still support it. I've done several trips and Dr McGee and his wife Kathy are two of the most amazing human beings I know, really lucky. They're right here in Virginia Beach, virginia, and I visit them every other year or so and go and see them.
Mary Fisk Taylor:But years and years ago Alex was very involved and we were doing a mission trip together and Dr McGee was there and he's talking about his children and he has like a you know engineer and a neurosurgeon and an attorney and he goes my kids, I just I'm so proud of them and I went out and I was at the Mayo Clinic and I went with my son and you're not going to believe I was so proud of him and I'm thinking, yeah, you were, he works, he's a neurosurgeon at the Mayo Clinic or whatever it was. And he goes and we roll in the parking lot and they're like oh hi, dr McGee, your space is all ready for you. And my son said thank you so much, john. How are the kids? And he said and Mary, I cried, I'm thinking huh, that's interesting.
Mary Fisk Taylor:And he goes. Can you believe he said the fact that he remembered and he treated John at the parking lot the same as he treated a fellow surgeon or anybody, and he goes. That is, and I thought I could see chills. I thought, wow, that, and I know this and I mean this is I'm going back, probably 15, 16 years ago. This happened, or maybe even more. But I remember thinking that's pride, like that's when you know, as as a parent, that you've done your job. Yeah, your core values are so good and so.
Kira Derryberry:Your children are like that. Your children are so polite, so polite Like I mean. You know, I beat their butt.
Mary Fisk Taylor:No, I'm just kidding, I would not. I know I've already did this to my kids, but I give them a stern look and nobody wants the MFT look. You've probably seen that look. Nobody wants that look.
Kira Derryberry:So yeah, yeah, I agree, big deal I think of also, like Mike Hanline, for example, when he was working at.
Kira Derryberry:White House and he toured me all around this massive facility in Minnesota. Like he knew every employee's name Exactly and there's a lot of employees at White House, you know what I mean At White House Custom Color. Like he knew every employee's name exactly, there's a lot of employees at white house, you know what I mean at white house custom color. Like he knew everyone, he asked them how their family was. And like you know everything, they just smiles, everyone's smiling, everyone's upbeat, everyone. You know what I mean it, just it, he, because they feel acknowledged. I would, I would assume like, oh, this is the owner of the company, the company, and he knows who my children, like my children's names, or my husband's name, or you know my wife's name, and it's so. You know, that's the mark of somebody who is going that extra step to show respect all the way around.
Mary Fisk Taylor:Right and I think in today's world and just FYI, like I couldn't agree more obviously about White House and pretty much all the employees at White House that I've ever been in touch with.
Kira Derryberry:They're the nicest people, the nicest human beings.
Mary Fisk Taylor:It's like you know, it must be just a joyous place to be and work. But you know our clients, you know we treat our clients well, right, because we want a transaction with them. Right, we want them to hire us, we want them to give us money for what we do. But authenticity is key and I not too long ago had a person come to me and they how do I say this? They ended up they hired somebody else and it went so poorly that they came to us and they told me their story and essentially it kind of this is kind of the foundation. The bottom line is is that this couple they're older, not models a Black couple getting married next year, second marriage, and they're just very unassuming, but great people. And they hired a different photographer and the photographer, all to their face, was, you know, blah, blah, blah. And then they oh, I know it was at a show, like a bridal show, and then they just happened to see that same person like in the concourse later, like ordering a lunch or something you know, like on a break, and she said the way they treated the sandwich guy or the barista was so appalling that she knew, right then there was nothing authentic about them because their face. They thought oh you're. You know by the line, you know sunshine, rainbows, unicorns, the whole nine yards. But then she turned around and saw the way they were treating the barista or the sandwich person, um, in the convention center, and said no, and they immediately knew that was not going to be their person.
Mary Fisk Taylor:And I remember hearing that story and thinking oof you know, because I do sometimes yell operator, at least it's not a robot, it is. And you know, even now they say you have to be polite to GBD, like you get better answers if you're nice to the machine. So that's scary, but it's something I heard a lot last week. But the point is, is that it does? I mean, I think that your character, true character, shows through and her and I were talking about this and she said you know, and I kind of felt it like when we were talking, I didn't feel like they were genuine, I didn't, I didn't feel the authenticity, I didn't feel the warmth, and I think people are smart and something that I heard a lot last week.
Mary Fisk Taylor:By the way, I spent an entire week on AI and again I just I'm still in trauma, like I can't talk about it very much yet, but one of the things that was an overall thing is that even in this world where we're moving into that being more and more obviously, it's been here for a long time and it's just going to get bigger and bigger what I think you are going to find is that, in order to dance on the edge, you've got to have a really strong core, and I thought, huh, that's true. In order to dance on the edge, in order to do whatever, you have to have a strong core. We hear that, whether you're talking about physical fitness, mental health, whatever, but a strong core, and that strong core is absolutely rooted in authenticity, absolutely. And I believe that, even though AI is this big, bad, scary thing that a lot of people are like, eh, get me away, it's a great thing, but we're always going to come back to authenticity and that's why I warn people like you know, if you're going to use these products, make sure that you're building out your own GPTs or you're doing whatever to make sure it's your voice. Like.
Mary Fisk Taylor:I remember the first time I used chat and the first thing that spit out I was like I've never used the word bespoke, I don't use the word tapestry, like it was all the like. I felt like I was a Taylor Swift album. I'm like this is beautiful, but this is not me, and our clients are going to know more and more. If they're reading posts and seeing things, they're going to know. If it's not me like, if it's not my voice, you know what I'm saying and the truth in that and the fact that the proof and what I'm saying, in my opinion, is this more than ever right now, as popular and as big as AI is, we are more than ever having. Why in the world would people care and pay thousands of dollars to see a concert Taylor Swift, beyonce, whatever or spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars on vinyl records or hundreds and hundreds of dollars on books if they wanted everything to be AI? So I'm going to just keep. I hope that and I hope I'm not going too far off subject.
Kira Derryberry:But it goes back to that authenticity.
Mary Fisk Taylor:And you know so. Using these tools is amazing, but the authenticity in the real is so freaking important and book sales are higher than ever. Lps, as you know, have made a huge—Lucy is all about her albums. Did an entire video review of every one of her albums.
Mary Fisk Taylor:Like you know, and that's Lucy's age. You know that Jax is a massive collector of vinyl. You know Alexandra only reads books, which is why she needs an entire second suitcase when we go on a trip, together with all of her hard copy books. And that's why the fever pitch of a Taylor Swift ticket broke the internet, because people want to be in person and they want real. The good news is is that we are real, we are in person.
Mary Fisk Taylor:So being authentic, I think, is such a huge part, and that authenticity has to go beyond this salesy pitch thing that we might do to our client's face, where behind their back, we're not that person. I think, more than ever, people are going to sniff that out and if you're not real and authentic and genuinely warm or whatever your personality is, just don't be fake. You don't have to be. You know, you don't have to be. I mean, I know people that like they, just when they talk I feel like I'm gone to church. We know these people. We were just with some of these people. You're like gosh, they speak so well and that's not how I speak. You and that's not how I speak. You know, and if I tried, my clients would go. Who are you?
Kira Derryberry:That's not who you are yeah, you've got to be you, and that's why clients come to you, right, it's because they resonate with you. I mean, I was thinking about just full circle. Coming back to the bank encounter, right, like, what I was surprised about was that the both bankers that I worked with at my bank because it was over two days, right, they both said to me multiple times like you're handling this so well, like, thank you so much, like they kept thanking me because I think, obviously, when this has happened in the past, that this is not a new story for them, correct? Then you know, people have come in raging and I was talking to mom about that. She goes, oh.
Kira Derryberry:Then you know people have come in raging and I was talking to mom about that. She goes. Oh yeah, this happened to one of her customers at her bank, right, and he came in screaming at everybody because, because he was so mad that it had happened. But it's not the bank's fault, like this, his bank is not the culprit. His bank didn't cash the check, His bank didn't write the check, his bank didn't do anything but just report back to him that his check had been cashed.
Mary Fisk Taylor:That is so true. How often does that happen, guys? Something comes in wrong or something's bad in a restaurant and they delivered the thing. This happened not too long ago and I was like, oh, this isn't correct, this isn't what I ordered. And they're like gosh, I'm so sorry. I'm like, hey, it's not your fault. And they're like you could just see the relief, like because they were just ready for it to be apology robot, because people are going to scream at the server or the barista or the delivery guy or whatever it is, because it's wrong. It's not their fault, it's wrong, they're just trans, they're just bringing something. It's not their fault, it's wrong, they're just bringing something. It's not the bank's fault that some thief out there stole your money, but it's human instinct to just start blaming and accusing.
Kira Derryberry:Oh yeah, to just start bringing that energy. And there's something we've talked about, that before too. There's something to be said when somebody comes at you with a negative energy, it's often met with negative energy.
Mary Fisk Taylor:A hundred percent Right, but it's reminding me too, though it could go the other way around, like I was at a pizza place with friends and the pizza came out wrong.
Kira Derryberry:Was it a pizza pie or just a pizza? It was a pizza pie. The pizza pie came out wrong, not as I had ordered it.
Mary Fisk Taylor:Right, If John Cress is listening. He just cringed, Not as I had ordered it. Right, If John Cress is listening he just cringed.
Kira Derryberry:And but the girl who delivered it to me is not the girl I ordered it from right.
Mary Fisk Taylor:So, it's.
Kira Derryberry:This girl didn't do it, so she brings it to me. And I went oh okay, huh, this is not, this is not how I asked for it. And she looked at me like well, idiot, yeah, what am I? What do you mean? She? She offered no solution. There was no, nothing in her face that said she wanted to help me fix it. And I went you know what? It's fine, I'll just eat it like this. And then I was grumpy about it the whole time and Ian's girlfriend kept saying Ashley, just kept saying I'll take it back up. There I was like no, no.
Mary Fisk Taylor:Don't just eat the pizza now.
Kira Derryberry:Now it's like my whole experience is ruined. And if I go, you know what I mean. Like it's that now it's like it has to be met with. Like usually when this happens, it's like you're nice to the waitstaff, the waitstaff is nice to you and everybody is happy. But if you're like, okay, well, now the waitstaff makes so I'm just not going to complain about it.
Mary Fisk Taylor:And now I'm unhappy and the waitstaff doesn't care and, like you know, it's just yeah, now everybody's unhappy, and that happens in our studio and I can, with a lot of regret and remorse, because I can think of a time when I did I was that waitress and I remember it very clearly and I'm going back 20, some years ago, but it was a wedding couple and they had driven me up one side and down the other. I'm going to be honest, I'm sure you this is not the same, but I was so done by the time their album came in. I could not deliver it fast enough and I'll be darned if when I opened that damn gone box, I didn't look at it before they came in. My mistake.
Mary Fisk Taylor:Number one, number two well, number one, I should have never let them hire me. Number two I didn't open it before, I didn't proof it before they went in and when I opened it up it had her name first and his name second and she very. This was also one of those weddings where she obeyed, she's going to obey and all the things. So it was. Yeah, it was icky for me.
Mary Fisk Taylor:I'll throw it around, so anyway, and she goes.
Kira Derryberry:Well, this isn't what I ordered looked at her and I rolled my eyes and you know, I've, you know, my, my, my eyes.
Mary Fisk Taylor:My face sometimes speaks before my mouth. But I was so disgusted by that point and I'm thinking I just I did not handle it well. I should have said, oh my gosh, you're absolutely right, I will. And of course I did fix it. But honestly, I went back in my notes I didn't see anywhere where she said that. I guess she just thought I should have known that. But bottom line is, I handled it terribly and I'll never forget that.
Mary Fisk Taylor:Like, that was a I'm, I'm better at customer service than that Um, but I've done it. We all do it. I mean, we make mistakes, is my point, um, but that's a big one. Like it's how many times you go to deliver something, and I and I hear this a lot, and because I do a lot work with a lot of studios, I'll like monitor their calls or their interactions with clients. I'll have them record things and something comes in wrong and they're like well, it's GPS's fault, it's FedEx, it's the lab, don't guys, guys, guys, guys, yes, and when the day is done, it's not your fault. But at that point pie server's fault.
Kira Derryberry:She didn't take the order. It really wasn't her fault. She didn't write it round down, but she should have said oh my gosh, I'm so sorry, let me go get this. Yeah, what, what did you order? Can I fit you know? Is it correct? Correct?
Mary Fisk Taylor:same thing with us if it comes in wrong from the lab. I'm so sorry. I'm going to take care of this right away. My apologies, sorry for the inconvenience, xyz. Not just start making all these excuses why it's not your fault. It is your fault. It's your company.
Kira Derryberry:It's your business.
Mary Fisk Taylor:It is your fault, even if it's not your fault, right, like there's a lot to be said about that. And again, going back to just where we are in the economy right now, where we are in life right now, with, I mean, things are moving faster than they've ever moved. I think the more grounded we can become, we can get in amazing customer service, customer care, you know, really living in that artist paradigm, so to speak it's going to just make us more and more successful. I really believe that as, even as things become more artificial and automated, because I think the realness is going to rise to the top, absolutely. I don't know.
Kira Derryberry:I don't think we could end it any better than that.
Mary Fisk Taylor:Mary, let's go, yay All right, yeah, plus what you guys don't know is Mary's had 75 technical issues trying to get one podcast done, so yeah.
Mary Fisk Taylor:Before what happens again, let's sign. Yeah, so this is going to come out this week. So, guys, the exciting thing is we're going to be in Dallas. If you guys are around in Dallas this weekend, kira will be there, world Cup is happening and then, of course, the best little photography school in the country will start. That's their slogan, not mine. On Sunday, texas School will start. So the good news is is maybe we'll get to see some of y'all this coming weekend in Dallas. It'll be a rare Mary Kira appearance. I don't think we've made a photography appearance together since Louisville.
Mary Fisk Taylor:We've been together, but yeah, not in a business capacity. A public scene, not in a public photography scene yeah exactly, but yeah if you're around this weekend, please come say hi. I know we'll both be at World Cup on Saturday night. Kira will be there doing her chair of the board thing. I'll just be there. I'm a door greeter. That's what I'm doing. I'm greeting people at the door, so I'm going to be real nice.
Kira Derryberry:I'm going to be a very nice girl.
Mary Fisk Taylor:I'll be nice to you, thank you, and I'll be very nice to all of you people and I will greet you all with a smile and some of you with a hug.
Kira Derryberry:All right, guys, let's wrap this one up. You can follow us on Instagram at Get your Shoot Together. You can follow us on Facebook at Get your Shoot Together. You can email us at girl at getyourshoettogethercom and subscribe to us everywhere where podcasts are played. We will see you, guys, next time.
Mary Fisk Taylor:Thanks y'all.