Choices; most of us have them, few of us realize it.

            Almost two months ago, I had a small accident while shooting off-piste skiing.  Unfortunately, a quick lapse in my own judgment had me look away from what I was doing for just a little too long.  Before I even knew what was going on, I was on the snow, crumpled over the front side of a mogul, unwilling to try moving myself for the fear that I might not be able to.  I didn’t remember much about what had just happened, except for the horrifying sound of some part of my body breaking.

            I gathered myself and found that I was mobile, and everything was working.  Obviously, that is the biggest relief you can have when you think you may have just gambled it all away.

            I got up, met up with the rest of the group and joked about the digger I just took.  I couldn’t believe it myself, first that it even happened, and second that I was alright!

            A few moments later, as the adrenaline wore off, something felt wrong.  I hesitantly put my hand under my backpack strap and sure enough, there was a bone sticking out.  I had cheated injury far too many times before, and this time it was clear that I wasn’t getting away that easy.

            I came to find out that I had an AC 5 Separation, which basically means I popped my collarbone out of my shoulder, leaving it in a more vertical orientation through my trap muscle.  At that point surgery was the only real option for maintaining the type of activity my life normally entails, so it was time to accept that.

            It was painful, but with the help of Tommy Penick, I was able to stick to my commitment and shoot the remainder of my winter contract with one arm over the next few weeks.

            Back to Choices. 

    Like I said before, most of us have the ability to decide how we approach the events of our lives.  You may not think so, but we do even have the ability to decide whether we are upset by something, or if we can accept it in a different way and see it as a positive.  I truly believe it is all about perspective.

    Obviously, my first thought when this happened was, “I’m in trouble,” but after some time, I realized that there was no point in dwelling on anything.  It happened, I would need time off to have surgery and recover and that was that.  It could have been so much worse, and for that reason, I decided there would be no room for complaining.

    I decided to be positive and to put my energy and focus on what I can do throughout the different stages of recovery.  I have a whole list of personal goals and professional goals that I will be working toward in the next few months and will do my best to enjoy the different stages of this process as much as I can.

    I am now three weeks out of surgery and have made the most of the first few stages of watching TV series and movies (yes, I have become a LOST fan in the process, haha!).  I kicked the pain medication by day 5, the staples came out on day 8, I could shower again by day 10 and I found myself sleeping in a bed again by day 20 (instead of the recliner I named Henry because we were hanging out so much).

    These might seem like small gains, but they are all milestones to me, and I’ve been very happy to reach each one of them.  I even had my first physical therapy session today, and now I can say with confidence that I have never had anything hurt so GOOD in my life, haha!  It’s all progress!

    As I mentioned before, I have a lot of personal and professional goals that I will be working to accomplish during this time, but none of them will mean as much to me as being able to paddle out into some waves and surf with my girlfriend again.  I’m not even much of a surfer, but she is, and being able to be with her in the ocean is one of my life’s greatest gifts.  She and my brother even bought me a surfboard to help motivate me through this process.

    I am a very lucky guy, and as I see it, I have no room to complain J.  I am happy to have that perspective, I am grateful to have chosen it.

    Psyched to get to the next milestone!

            We love to be inspired, but do we inspire others?

            We often think of inspiration as something we take away from a specific scenario that was uplifting and made us want to do more or be better, but what about giving it? 

    It is my position that in life, we are either giving or we are taking.

            That is not a bad thing.  Sometimes it is best to give while other times it is best to receive.  The point I am making is that inspiration is out there.  It exists all over the place, but should we merely pull from the inspirational pot of mojo, or should we also help replenish it for others?

            I pull from it all of the time, and I am inspired all of the time.  I also choose to surround myself with people, activities and mindsets that funnel it in my direction.  My monitor is outlined with sticky notes that tell me to do something meaningful, to embrace vulnerability, to love, to live with integrity, to be better than the person I was yesterday.  I scour the Internet for the latest amazing photo story or moving video.  I make myself smile because smiling always makes you feel better.  I keep a running list of quotes in my phone that I can reference at any time.  I admire and am excited by good work in my own field and refuse to let jealousy rear its ugly stare.  I pull from the vibe I feel from those I look up to and do my best to project that in my own life.

            In short, I reach my inspiration greedy hands into that pot of mojo as much as I can!

            You may think this analogy is flawed in that inspiration, unlike money, is something that cannot be quantified.  There is no measurement for its value in the general terms we like to associate with our efforts.

    So how do we know something is inspirational if there is no measure?  How can you even associate a word with something of no measure?

    Forget numbers or dollars or graphs or scales.  Inspiration is measured with goosebumps, tears, a lump in your throat, a smile, laughter, and usually, a new sense of awareness.  We feel these emotions because something we witnessed triggered them from the depths of our own consciousness.  It could be as simple as a bird landing next to you on a bench, or a child’s innocent belly laugh, or a very well executed film or picture, or the setting sun.  It could be anything, but the one thing it cannot be is negative.

    I truly believe that inspiration is born from positivity and love, and a desire to push further and be better.  I have never known of something negative to lift people up.  You can certainly decide to use a perceived negative in a positive way, but nobody gets inspired by someone speaking, acting or portraying negativity.

    To put it simply, I believe inspiration is about projecting something positive out into the world.  It’s about taking some of that magic inspiration mojo from the pot when you need it, then putting some back when your hands are full.

            A few days ago I learned that someone I once inspired had, through his own efforts, inspired someone else.  That scenario then gave me some inspiration in a time when I needed a little.  In that sense, it is circular and you get out of it what you put into it.

            When you take a bit of inspiration here and there to support your outlook, your dreams, your drive to do something, you are by default adding the equivalent of goosebumps, tears and a lump in the throat back into the pot for others to use for their own momentum.

            There is an equilibrium or circle of positivity and inspiration that exists at any given moment.  How you choose to jump into that circle is up to you.

            I have been pulling from the circle quite a bit lately, so this post is my effort to put something back.  Below you will see a few examples of what I have been checking out lately to keep my inspiration level on STOKED.

    In the words of my favorite new place for inspiration, the wonderfully hilarious and cute Kid President, “You’ve just been Pep Talked!  Create something that will make the world awesome!”

 

      

            Walls; big walls, little walls, red walls, black walls, orange walls, round walls, straight walls, all kinds of walls.  For sixteen days in October, I was surrounded by walls.

            I was checking off a lifelong dream to paddle down the Grand Canyon.  Yes, I was shooting pictures, but not all of the time and not for a client.  I was just shooting pictures.

            It was a very different experience for me since everything in my life revolves around getting the image and telling the story, and working myself to no end in order to do so.  I had to remind myself that this was my vacation and that even though I was in a beautiful place, I was allowed to relax.  Eventually, river time took over and the winding walls lulled me into an almost hypnotic state.  The rest of the world was up there somewhere, faded into the strip of blue sky so far beyond reach.

            I am a kayaker, and I have been through a lot of canyons and gorges, but never one like this.  Instead of getting that “out there / vulnerable” kind of feeling I’ve had in other remote places, I felt protected and insulated. 

I felt safe. 

It was still remote, but the remote feeling was not a result of distance or space this time, it was a result of height, or depth, however you want to think about it.  It was an “in there” kind of feeling.

Obviously people call it “the big ditch” for a reason, but living in the bottom of it, so deep in the Earth, really makes you feel more a part of the Earth while less a part of the world.  Like I said before, the world is going on up there, somewhere beyond the walls and our own comprehension.

            As always, the disconnect between daily life and remote exploration allowed for a lot of reflection.

            I loved kayaking in the Colorado River.  I loved the rapids and the scenery and all of the smiles and laughter going around, but mostly I loved how the whole combination really put me in my place.

            What I mean by that is, when you are in a place that makes you feel really small, you tend to think about your overall significance in the bigger picture.

            I reflect on this all of the time, but this was the first opportunity I have had in years to really do so without interruption or distraction for an extended period.

            It was as if nothing mattered and everything mattered.

           Everyday we would wake up, eat, clean, pack up, paddle, eat, paddle more, unpack, eat, enjoy a few drinks, go to sleep, then repeat.  That was life.  Nothing else really mattered.

            At the same time, everything mattered.  Because there was no interruption or distraction, you could soak it in.  You could be present in one place at a time, allowing for each beach, each rapid, and each story shared by the fire to become a moment and not just some passing memory.  Because life above the canyon rim could not penetrate life below the rim, you could just be.  And just being matters.

            We are honing in on the holiday season when it is very easy to feel overwhelmed in the hustle of making plans, figuring out schedules and family logistics, traveling, buying gifts, and cooking elaborate meals.  It all happens at a whirlwind pace and before you know it, it is all over.  You are exhausted and you barely remember what just happened.

            This holiday season I will remember that just being matters.  I want to be present in the scenarios I will take part in.  I want to live in those moments without distraction.  I want to appreciate the people around me.  I want it all to have meaning, because in the grand scheme of things, that is all we can really do.  That is all we really are.  We are the experiences we share.  Beyond that are just the details and white noise that distract us from ourselves and from each other.

            The Grand Canyon made me revisit my thoughts on how I would like to spend the time I have.  I want to spend it slowly.  That doesn’t mean that I want to just sit around, but it does mean that I want to embrace each experience a little more.

            So in keeping with river time and life Grand Canyon style, let’s all just slow down a little and appreciate who we have and what we have right now.

            Happy Thanksgiving everyone, enjoy every moment!

Image by Rachid Dahnoun

            The Yukon Territory.  Just saying it evokes my deepest thoughts, feelings and memories of true wilderness as the ultimate teacher.  It’s where I first learned how to experience the natural world without distraction, without intrusion.  It’s where I learned to let go of what doesn’t matter and focus on what does.  It is where I learned to live in one moment, and it set the foundation for my life outside, and most likely for my life inside too.

            The Yukon Territory is where I learned who I wanted to be, not just what I wanted to be.  It has been ten years since my summer of soggy bushwhacking, so when the opportunity came up to shoot a great project in a place that taught me so much, I jumped on it!

            Last September I went back to the Yukon Territory with my good friend and fellow Aurora Novus Select photographer, Rachid Dahnoun, to work with Highlands & Islands Adventures Worldwide on a promotional video to help launch their newest mountain biking destination.

            Like it sounds, it was a dream-come-true.  I was back in the place that positively changed my life with a good friend, shooting a fun project with great people.

            To my ultimate joy, the mountain biking was also really, really good!  It was fast and flowy with some technical sections you could really get into.  The trails were remote (some much more than others), and the people few.  To top it off, we stayed in the nicest yurts I have ever seen with mountains of fresh, organic cuisine each night.  In all, it was a mountain biker’s paradise.

            Check out the video and you’ll see what I’m talking about!

            Sending a HUGE thanks to Tommy Penick for working so closely with us on the edit and Highlands & Islands Adventures Worldwide for the opportunity!

Have you ever struggled with how to bring all of the photo and outdoor equipment you need in the field under your own power?  

I do all of the time.  It is part of what makes adventure photography what it is.  Throw video production into the mix and you are in an entirely different category of, "oh man, how much can I bring?"  Go even further and make it a mountain biking project accessible only by mountain bike and the equation gets even more tricky.

You need fluid movement tools for the camera (jib, slider, etc...), a tripod, adequate layers, spare bike parts, water, food, a first aid kit, camera gear, radios, GoPros, and heavier lenses than I would normally bring for a still project with the same parameters (f/2.8 lenses instead of f/4).

These are all of the things I was thinking about as I racked my brains on how in the world I was going to bring everything I would need and ride a mountain bike.

Good friend and fellow Novus Select photographer Rachid Dahnoun and I were heading to the Yukon Territory in northern Canada to shoot a video project for an international mountain bike tour operator.  We had all of the tools and grand ideas for a great project, but were struggling on exactly how to streamline our gear and how to get it where we would be going.

We approached the good folks at Lowepro with our predicament and to our absolute fortune, they were on the verge of releasing a new backpack built just for this sort of scenario, the Rover Pro.  They sent a few our way in hopes that their newest addition to the lineup would solve our problem and let us focus on shooting.

And they did!

I used the Rover Pro 35L AW and was able to pack everything mentioned above, plus a prototype lightweight camera crane / jib and Manfrotto 745 CX3 tripod with a 701 HDV head.  The camera gear in the bag still needed to be slimmed down to the bare essentials, but here is what I was able to put in the bag:

-       Canon 5D Mark II

-       Canon 70-200mm f/2.8

-       Canon 16-35mm f/2.8

-       Canon 15mm f/2.8 fisheye

-       5D Batteries

-       Genus 8-Stop ND Filters

-       LCD View Finder

-       Sandisk Extreme Flash Cards

-     GoPro + Multiple Attachements

-     First Aid Kit

-     Spare Tubes

-     Tire Pump

-     Headlamp

-     Leatherman Multitool

-     A Few Cliff Bars

-     Water Purifier

-     2 Liter CamelBak Reservoir

-     2 Motorola Radios

-     Spare Parts & Weight Bag To Balance The Crane / Jib

-     Patagonia R1 Pullover

-     Patagonia Houdini

-     Patagonia Super Cell Jacket

-     Beanie

I’ll say this, the bag was still a bit heavy on the mountain bike, but that is due to everything else I brought, and is just the nature of it for all of us that shoot self-supported projects outside (and especially video).

With the pack on the heavy side (for mountain biking), the new trampoline-style suspension system really helped alleviate the stress points of the pack on my torso.  That is something we have come to expect in the outdoor world, and now it is available in an outdoor photo bag too.

On top of all of that, it held up really well.  I certainly put the attachment points to the test by carrying a medium sized tripod and lightweight crane on the sides while bumping over boulders at high speeds.  No rips, tears or indications of wear which is HUGE when you are somewhere like the Yukon Territory.

I even took a really nice, over the handlebars digger off of a five-foot drop onto large boulders and everything was okay, including me!  In that scenario, the pack probably saved me from what could have been a serious injury.

In the end, our mountain biking video project in the Yukon Territory was a great success, and it was due in part to the fact that Rachid and I could focus on the content instead of how to deal with our stuff.

For Rachid’s take on the Rover Pro 45L AW, please visit the blog portion of his website.  Be sure to check out some of his awesome work while you’re there!

For more information on the new Rover Pro, visit the Lowepro website and check out everything they have put together on this bad boy.

            It was February 8^th, 2011.  My stomach was in knots, my nerves were shot and I had the brand of jitters you can only earn through massive amounts of coffee and sleep deprivation.

            I hit Enter in a few windows on the desktop and committed.  I was going to Uganda to tell a story and that was that.

            I had no money, I had no jobs lined up and I had no client picking up the bill for my time and expenses.  All I had was a hunch, and I guess that is all you should ever really pay attention to.

            I had met Jessie Stone of Soft Power Health a year or so prior, and even then, I knew I was going to tell her story.  As I said in that committing blog post on February 8^th (Sharing Stories of GOOD), “timing is everything, but it never seems like the right time to take a risk.  You can talk yourself out of it every time thinking that way.”

            Instead of talking myself out of it, I posted my Kickstarter.com project and started out that day with 0 Backers, 0 Dollars pledged and a fundraising deadline long after my return from Uganda.

            I had no set plan on how to get this story out into the world.  All I could promise the backers of my project, and the people involved, was that I would do my very best.

            That brings us to today, a year and a half after it all started and I can wholeheartedly say that I did my very best.  I worked and waited patiently for the right avenue, not wanting to spill the beans before giving the project the most potential to be seen.

            It is now all said and done, and I am proud to announce that CNN licensed the project, giving access to its 900 North American affiliates and 200 affiliates Worldwide.  Jessie’s story can now be seen in the Impact Your World section of the CNN website as well as my Vimeo channel and under the “Motion” section of this website.

            At this point, I truly feel that I have done everything I can do, so if you like what you see, please share it with your network of folks!  Recommend, Share, Tweet, Email, etc...  It would be truly amazing to see this take off!

            Thanks again to everyone who supported this project and really made it happen.  I truly believe that you have helped make a difference for GOOD.

            In photography, and especially adventure photography, you not only need to be mentally and physically ahead of the action, you also need to have the proper equipment to allow you to do so.  Kayaks, paddles, packrafts, skis, boards, bikes, drysuits, wetsuits, layering systems for varying scenarios, tents, ropes, cook gear, sleeping bags, pads and the all important camera gear are just a few of the items needed to make it all happen.  Most important to note, you also need to be very experienced in all of the activities that require all of that gear.  

            Ultimately, your garage or storage area becomes a small scale REI, complete with inventory spreadsheets and the whole shebang.  That is all great for getting out there and back, but what about also getting your camera gear out there and back, and doing so in a way that doesn’t impede on your ability to move in, around and ahead of the action?

            The answer is that you need dedicated outdoor camera bags designed for the types of activities you will be shooting.  Without that, you just can’t do your job.  When I am out in the field with all of the variables of the natural environment, safety, endurance, group dynamics, etc…, the last thing I want to worry about is whether or not my camera packing system is going to hold me back from shooting.

It is with that sentiment that I am proud to announce my new partnership with Lowepro, the best camera bag company in the industry.  I have been working to help on a few new designs and was even used in a few videos to launch their new Flipside Sport series of bags.  The video below shows me using it in a trail running shoot, but it was also great shooting my ski resort contracts all winter.  The people at Lowepro really do have the photographer in mind with all of their products and design direction, and I am truly excited to see what all they come out with next!

Speaking of what comes out next, I am extremely proud to announce that the podcast, The Dirtbag Diaries, has just released the story of kayaking doctor Jessie Stone.  All of the audio was captured during interviews I did with Jessie while working to tell her story in Uganda last spring.  It’s free on iTunes and on The Dirtbag Diaries website, so head on over and immerse yourself in the world that is "Dr. Jessie."

For those who haven’t followed along on this, I set up a Kickstarter.com project so I could go to Uganda and tell Jessie’s story.  The project was funded, I went and more than a year later we have found a home for the audio interviews, multimedia project and photos.  The full monty will be released soon and I will certainly update everyone on where to check it out.  In the meantime, take a listen!

In other news, images and my written story of an exploratory mountain biking trip to Nepal have published in a few international magazines.  Below is a 16-page spread in International Mountain Bike Magazine as well as another great spread in New Zealand Mountain Biker.

            Keeping with the writing theme, I was also asked to write an article for Sidetracked, an online magazine, about my experience in becoming a photographer and living in a van for almost three years in order to make it all happen.  It’s an honest look at some of the struggles along the way, the decisions they have yielded and the person they have shaped.  I hope you enjoy!

                Why do I do what I do?

I have reflected on this blog, in interviews and even on the radio about this question, but I’m pretty sure I have never given myself the opportunity to answer it on my own terms, so here goes.

My point of view has always been that images are a representation of one tiny moment in time.  They are the proof and remembrance of something that happened once; something we will never get back.  They freeze fractions of a second into lasting memories for the people, environments or events they portray.  Images convey ideas and realities to others, they bring awareness to issues otherwise unseen, they inspire and motivate, they educate and open minds.  They hold the power of truth, the beauty of simplicity, and the bond of meaning.

For me, photographs are pure.

I know someone out there reading this is thinking about every way to counter what I have just described with editing software, set up situations, paparazzi, etc….  But that is not what I am talking about.

I am talking about the real pictures that hold meaning to real people.  Whether it is a picture in National Geographic that changed your perspective or a Polaroid of the diapered child version of yourself that your Mom keeps in her favorite photo album, photographs have an innate ability to stir deep emotion.

            In the midst of all of the chaos that comes from making a career out of shooting pictures, a photographer can forget what is most important, and it is in those periods that your own world of photography will help remind you of it’s purest intentions.  I have learned that as a photographer, your photographs actually affect you the least.  It is the people around you, in your life and in your photographs that are the ones who feel the ripple effect of your work.

            I spent last weekend saying goodbye to a lost friend (Life IS Short Pt. III) in a special place.  It was not an easy thing to do, but we had some images on hand that showed moments of his life ranging from childhood to fun outdoor adventures to his wedding with the love of his life.  Over time I have contributed a few images to the pot of visual memories of our friend, and at the time they just felt like cool fun images.  Now, they all hold much deeper meaning to everyone in our group.  When I look back on it all, I can’t imagine how things would be if I had not clicked the shutter those few precious times.  Would we otherwise lose those treasured moments in the flood of visual and emotional experiences we have everyday?

            Maybe not, but one thing is certain, pictures bring those memories and the quality of those moments front and center.  They help you remember small details and particulars you can’t explain.  For me, they brought back the voice of my friend.  When I saw those pictures of him I remembered the sound of his voice when he was completely engaged in conversation.  It was nice.

(Our pal Mike making us laugh and serving up his famous tartiflette.)

            Photographs bring it all back, but they also have a way of paying it forward.

    My world of photography sent me another, more upbeat reminder of why I am in love with pictures over Memorial Day Weekend.  I was in Sonoma, California with my girlfriend and her family and had the fortune of meeting her two younger cousins.  They are both involved in their local Boy Scout troop and have been looking at my images in Boys’ Life Magazine for as long as they have been scouts.  30 seconds into our introduction, the older of the two pulled out the most recent Boys’ Life and pointed out the cover story, which I shot.

            In that moment I saw the excitement in his face and the curiosity in his mind.  He began asking questions about that trip and others like it.  He thought about his own troop, and what it would be like to go on a trip like that.

            Those images meant something to him (and his five year old brother), and I can only hope that they mean something to the other 1.5 million Boy Scouts that read that magazine.  Though I have always known the magazine’s circulation, I never had the connection to Boys’ Life readers that I do now.  Now I can see the face of young and unbridled enthusiasm and curiosity.  I can hear the gears turning in their heads, thinking, “Maybe I can go on a trip like this one day?”  Now I know that as much as photography has given to me, I am also responsible for paying that forward to others.

            My pictures had inspired these two, and in turn, they have inspired me right back.

            In its purest form, photography is still as honest, beautiful and meaningful as it has always been.  Every picture means something to someone, and THAT is why I am a photographer.

Thank you Liam and Kieran, I will keep doing my best!

(Most recent Boys' Life cover from a trip to the Bahamas.)

            It is with great pleasure that I introduce Tommy Penick, the first Studio Assistant here at Trevor Clark Photography!

            Tommy is coming to the TCP office from Boone, North Carolina where he has one more semester at Appalachian State.  Majoring in Technical Photography with a Minor in Communications, Tommy brings his experience as a photojournalist for the Winston-Salem Journal, photographer for an adventure travel company in Costa Rica and photo assistant for the New York Knicks. 

Most recently Tommy shot a front-page story for the Seattle Times and even had an image run in a story for The Wall Street Journal online which posted yesterday.

            When he is not in class or working on his next photo project (like a photo essay he shot in Nicaragua), Tommy can be found kayaking, mountain biking and skiing throughout the southeast, Colorado and now California.

            In short, Tommy’s love for visual storytelling, outdoor adventures and his obvious work ethic make him a genuine fit for this office and the Tahoe area in general.

    Welcome Tommy!  I'm truly excited to have you on board!

And we’re back!  A lot of time has passed since my last post, and in fact, this period has been the longest I have gone without posting in more than three years.  It is certainly not due to a lack of motivation or desire on my part, but more a reflection of just how busy things have been around here.

Besides being a photographer and everything that entails, lately I have been taking on the role of a writer, adventure model (more on that below), producer and overall crazy person with projects on all ends of the spectrum.  And what I have learned from all of this is that I wouldn’t want it any other way because when it is all said and done, we are all capable of much more than we know.

I am honored to show the clip below from today’s Wall Street Journal.  I shot the images for the project, but I also wrote the story.  That was a completely new challenge in it’s own and I am proud to share it in print and in such a prestigious place.

With a new sponsorship opportunity solidifying in January, I also spent quite a bit of time (between shoots in New Mexico and Death Valley) testing some new gear and working, as an adventure model, with a great crew to put a video piece together for the launch of the company’s newest product in late April.  Unfortunately, I cannot say too much about it right now, but will post about it as soon as possible.

Keeping up with the travel routine and forward motion, I spent a few weeks in Hawaii working with Red Bull and enjoying some family time and a birthday.  The islands recorded some of the heaviest rainfall in history during my stay, which made shooting very difficult, but in retrospect, spending time with my family and girlfriend for my birthday while shooting such a great assignment was truly special.  That is one birthday I will not forget.

(Red Bull Athlete Levi Siver shooting portraits and getting some air time.)

Since my return, I have been on 24-hour weather alert in order to finish up winter shooting contracts with Heavenly Mountain Resort and Northstar at Tahoe.  It's been one tricky season with wild weather, but it is all coming together and we've been blessed with a late season storm to kick off one last weekend of winter shooting!

Between shooting and riding the chairlift, I am also working out plans and logistics for potential summer stories in Alaska, Uganda, the central US, Haiti and maybe even Namibia.  More on that as those projects develop.

Also, TCP will be welcoming our first summer intern in the next month.  I'll write a separate post for his arrival and give the full introduction.

Lastly, here is an interview I had with the good folks at Pictureline.com.

The next few months look to be as busy as the last few, but I wouldn’t have it any other way J.