I think over the course of the last 72 hours I have spent more time staring at my Mac then working on it. Over the last few days I have been reading and listening to other photographers talk about passion and vision. Talking about doing what drives you, doing what makes you happy or gives you satisfaction. It has made me think about where I am and where I want to go. In other words, what do I want to be when I grow up!
As my photography business has grown, I am amazed at the people that I have met and the ideas that they have. It has made me appreciate what I do and how I do it. Through all of the ups and down, my wife, Priti, has been there for me. While sometimes she thinks that I spend too much time on a project; she is always supportive and understanding about what I am trying to do. But maybe, as I sit here, it is not about what I am trying to do, as much as where I am trying to go. Priti will tell you that I am having a mid-life crisis. I am not sure I am old enough to be having one of those, but she may have a point. I am always looking for a direction; Where do I want to go and what do I want to do. Photography for me is not just a job, but it truly is a passion. It is something that I think about, dream about and even fantasize about. I love being able to take the tool that I have and create a story without words. I know that I “got the shot” when the person’s eyes tells the whole story. That single focused goal is what makes me get get up each and every day to do what I do
If there is something that my mother instilled in me many years ago, it was to never stop learning. To recognize that you are not the best at something and that there are always people out in the world who know more then you do. She told me to learn from them and to never stop having a passion for knowledge. Those thoughts, I believe, have taken me to where I am with photography today. I am a prolific reader; I will read anything on a subject that fascinates me. I will listen to anyone who I think knows more than I do (and that is most people). There are always 50 some odd podcasts in my iTunes folder that I need to listen to ( I never seem to get caught up); Always books by my bed that I am always in the middle of. But that is how I am. I want to learn; I thrive on it. If my mom had any mantra, it was to never stop learning, no matter how old you were.
I have learned a lot over these past years trying to find out who I am as a photographer. I have gained a tremendous amount of knowledge and technical knowhow. But, maybe after these 72 hours of thinking, I am now realize that I am at a point where that knowledge needs to become wisdom. I need to learn how to do that.
