The secret to being a great photographer
Now there are so many ways and paths one can go down to make a great photographer. Everyone has their own style, process, history, personality and way they produce their work. But the one thing that great photographers have in common isdetermination, grit and perseverance.Now I bet your thinking, great… another motivational blog post, but hold on a moment. Sure there are a few once in a lifetime opportunities that some people get. But I assure you they put in the work so when the right moment crossed their path they were ready for it. Sitting on your couch isn’t going to put you in the best opportunity for luck to cross your path.
“Today I will do what others won't, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can’t.”- Jerry Rice
Grit is the power to persevere and push through the hard times and the lonely unrecognised struggles. The power to withhold giving up in the face of rejection, lack of resources, attention and skill. Let me put it this way, if you did one push up every day for a week, you would be instantly better off then the person who did none. Slow progress is what separates the good from the great.A while back I wanted to sell my prints. I researched the perfect paper I wanted to print on (archive grade, matte museum, 100% cotton paper). I got the best printer I could afford that printed pigment instead of low-quality ink. And I put up an e-commerce store on my website. I had the mentality if you build it they will come. But in truth nothing really happened, I only sold 3 prints. After a few more months I gave up and took down the store because of my lack of determination and grit. Because of this guess how many prints I’ve sold, none. I learned a valuable lesson. You have to do the work, but what I forgot was to get the word out there, I didn’t tell a soul that I was printing my photos. I didn’t advertise, I didn’t keep doing the work. In-reflection of this, I now know I lacked grit when it came to selling my prints.What is it that you want to achieve? Where do you aspire to be in the coming years? Are you doing everything in your power to get there? To be honest, I’m currently not doing everything in my power to achieve my dreams, but because I know this now, I’m going to start. You should start too.
Other articles
Featured posts
The Zen Photographer - Leica.com
How to shoot minimalist photos - PetaPixel.com
Internet addition is killing your photography - DigitalRev.com
Have I finally found the perfect camera? - DIYPhotography.net
Are you a photographer or, just a camera operator - PetaPixel.com
Why I got rid of my photography gear - PetaPixel.com
Finding style and voice in photography Leica.com
Use deliberate practice to find your photographic style - PetaPixel.com
Why I only use one lens - PetaPixel.com