This post marks a milestone.

I have now written 600 daily posts in a row to this blog.

And this milestone marks a new path for me and this website.

I have decided to put more energy into another online venture. (I will tell you more here about that venture as soon as I am ready to share the good news.)

The result: I no longer, as far as I can see or predict, will be blogging daily here.

I instead will add to this site for one of two reasons:

1. I have something super-significant to say here about better communication for smart people, and my other venture affords me the time to say it.
2. You contact me about something that I find of interest to this site’s readers, and writing about it here requires little time.

In the mean time, I encourage you to check out my Articles section for a handful of in-depth discussions related to better communication.

And remember that you can go to the Archives section for access to every one of my blog posts.

If you have made a daily habit out of visiting my blog, then:

1. I thank you very much for your readership!
2. Please sign up to be notified by email the next time that I post something new to my blog.

Until next time …

Better communication is not just about language.

Visitors to this website recognize that photographs play an integral part in human communication today.

And this made me wonder: What are three recommendations that I would make to anyone who wants to improve his or her photographic skills?

The answer? 1. Watch your angles! 2. Watch your lighting! 3. Watch your distance!

1. Watch your angles!

By watching your angles, you can dramatically improve your photos.

My first recommendation is to watch for vertical objects behind the people in your photos.

My second recommendation is to look for the best profiles of the people in your photos.

My third recommendation about angles is to “mix it up” a bit.

2. Watch your lighting!

Photography literally means writing with light, so photography is meaningless without light.

I recommend that you watch out for a mixture of shadows and light on faces.

I recommend that you augment lighting where possible.

And I recommend that you be mindful about your shutter speeds.

3. Watch your distance!

Watching your distance requires appreciation that viewing a photograph is not like viewing a scene.

My most important recommendation is to take close-ups whenever possible.

My second recommendation is to notice the depth of field in each photo that you are about to take.

My third recommendation is to pay attention to focus.

The burden of better oral communication does not belong entirely with the speaker.

It must be shared by the listener.

This got me to wondering: What are three recommendations that I would make to anyone who wants to improve his or her listening skills?

The answer? 1. Give undivided attention! 2. Listen proactively! 3. Summarize!

1. Give undivided attention!

Giving undivided attention is an honor that you pay to a speaker, as well as a crucial part of better communication.

Put yourself in the speaker’s shoes.

Eliminate external distractions.

Sublimate your agenda(s) while listening.

2. Listen proactively!

“Proactive listening” is more than a buzz-phrase. It is a significant approach to better communication.

Proactive listening means body movement.

Proactive listening means acceptance.

And proactive listening means appropriate interjections.

3. Summarize!

Summarizing ensures that you understood what the speaker said.

Summarizing in its simplest form requires parroting the speaker’s words.

Summarizing in a more complex way requires rephrasing the speaker’s words in your own words.

Summarizing in the most complex way requires analyzing what the speaker said and then synthesizing it into something new.