The other day my daughter, who is a very gifted photographer, sent me a link to a fellow photographer’s site with the comment
“this is so my style! now I just need to break into that field of photography!”
She was certainly right, the style is very much in alignment with her vision. As I was looking at the images I couldn’t help but wonder why my daughter was putting up the breaking in barrier before she’d even tried. I could, in my mind’s eye, see her taking similar pictures although different. So I wrote her and told her,
“you don’t need to break in; just start taking pictures of people.”
That led to her explaining that she didn’t have the locations to choose from that this other photographer had. True, but so what? Some of the images I saw on that site were not location specific. In other words they could have been shot anywhere and the image would still stand on it’s own merit because the focus was the couple, not the background. I do understand that a good background/location can help but unless the photographer is shooting a place then the place is just a setting and not the focus.
The more I thought about this conversation the more I realized that I use similar tactics to avoid failure, rejection, fear. I rationalize myself out of doing something because I’m afraid of failing, afraid of being rejected, or even afraid of succeeding as ironic as that sounds. I even mentioned to a guy in a news group something about this and his response, which I have a death-grip on for life, was
So, perhaps, you would have to work real hard to be equal to the job, or maybe even suffer the ignominy of being fired. So what? Get up, spit the floor grit out of yer mouth and find another challenge. Nobody ever got anywhere without trying.
I’ve always contended that the greatest legacy I will leave my children is what I do or do not do in my life. I believe in leading by example rather than merely telling someone how to do something. Granted, this isn’t a favored tact to employ in the business world where the adage most applicable is
don’t do as I do, do as I say
but nothing changes if change doesn’t start with me.
So, today I am going on an interview for a freelance editing stint. Will I succeed? I have no idea but I know that I won’t if I don’t go and procrastination isn’t going to achieve anything but making me look terrible. So, in about 1 hour I’ll finish my hair, do my makeup, put on my navy blue slacks and pink top/shirt, get in my car and drive myself somewhat northward. I’ll take the test, answer the questions, and comport myself as the professional I am rather than the fearful nitwit that seems to like to visit me when I least need her to be there.
Wish me luck? No, luck really has nothing to do with it. They’ll either find my editing skills useful or not. I know what I know and I also know that a test is just that, a test. It’s part of a process, usually, not the entire process (well unless you do so poorly that it can clearly indicate a complete lack of knowledge). If it is the entire process then maybe that’s not a something I need anyway. One thing’s for sure, I will be able to say I tried; if I don’t go I will only be able to say
What if I’d …
and I’d prefer not to get into the “What if’s” from now on.
