{"id":6268,"date":"2012-09-03T12:56:31","date_gmt":"2012-09-03T12:56:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/?p=6268"},"modified":"2012-09-03T21:43:50","modified_gmt":"2012-09-03T21:43:50","slug":"why-bother-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/?p=6268","title":{"rendered":"Why Bother? – Part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

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First let me say I’m overwhelmed by the response to the last “Why Bother” blog post. \u00a0When Scott Kelby recommends a post, it sure gets a lot of attention! \u00a0Thanks Scott. \u00a0Even more overwhelming for me was your responses, many kind words, and a lot of insight delivered to me as well, thank you very much! \u00a0Several of you asked if I would expand on the original thoughts, and I would be glad to try!<\/p>\n

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Some thoughts on being the best.<\/strong><\/span> \u00a0We are a winner society, we love the Super Bowl winners, the World Series winners, the Nobel Peace Prize winners and on and on, and we seldom remember who came in second! \u00a0There is no hope of remembering number 3 through 10! \u00a0The problem with being number one is you don’t get to occupy that position for very long, in sports, next year a new champion is crowned. \u00a0In photography if today you were considered the best photographer in the world, in 15 minutes you would fall from the top spot. \u00a0So, why bother making that your goal? \u00a0Why not work hard, and get better everyday, and if you get your 15 minutes of fame, great, \u00a0if not, enjoy the ride. Let me dig a little deeper. \u00a0I use to want to be the very best, but not because of my love of the craft, but because of my lack of love for myself. \u00a0I thought, erroneously, that if I was considered the best photographer it would give my life value. \u00a0I was wrong, badly wrong! \u00a0Many other, much more important things, are what gives my life meaning and value, the most important of which is that Christ died for me!<\/p>\n

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Some thoughts on how to get better, but not beat yourself up.<\/span><\/strong> \u00a0Learning is a process, that has fits and starts. \u00a0Some days you shoot like a pro, somedays you can’t seem to get a thing right. \u00a0That is common for all of us. \u00a0Maybe with years of experience the bad moments lessen somewhat, but everyone has an off day every once in a while. \u00a0Having an off day is not the problem, the problem is how do you deal with when you do??!! \u00a0First recognize that you are in a slump. \u00a0Ask yourself what seems to be wrong, often with close examination, you will find that your mind is on other things and your photographic vision is being clouded by the cares of the world. \u00a0Years ago when I took people to exotic locations like Africa and Galapagos Islands, I would ask them, on the first day, to put their watch in there luggage, and leave it there. \u00a0I wanted to emphasize that the next week or two were about the best light, and seeing photographs, schedules meant nothing. \u00a0If you want to paint a wonderful painting, start with a fresh, and empty canvas!<\/p>\n

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Some thoughts on the time table of learning<\/strong>.<\/span> \u00a0We all learn at different rates, it is not a matter of our talent level, but our pace in life. \u00a0Some people get really good, very fast, others take years to mature as a shooter. \u00a0 One thing is for sure, becoming a really good photographer is not an overnight affair. \u00a0I’ve always believed that steady improvement is the best route, it gives you more time at each level to cement your progress and make the new habits a solid part of how your approach \u00a0photography. Building skill level in photography is like building a house, the foundation is critical and then each succeeding addition must be done properly and be tested for strength, only then can you start to put a roof on it and seal it up! \u00a0Good building takes time, and your development as a photographer will too! \u00a0Be patient and \u00a0have fun!<\/p>\n

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Some thoughts on using your photography for some good purpose.<\/strong><\/span> \u00a0You will get a great deal more out of photography if you have a purpose in your work. \u00a0Letting people see how precious God’s gift of nature is to us. \u00a0Showing people the problems in the world that need to be addressed. \u00a0Helping people understand the human condition. \u00a0Sharing the joy of beauty in the world. \u00a0For me it is a way to reach out to others, and share my faith in God. \u00a0Good work is always improved when it has purpose!<\/p>\n

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Some thoughts on giving yourself permission to fail<\/strong><\/span>. \u00a0We all slip and fall, but the most imporatnt question is, do we get up and try again or lay on the ground weeping. \u00a0There is no crying in photography! (I couldn’t help myself, and sorry about that, to Tom Hanks!)<\/p>\n

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Let me end by sharing one of the greatest benefits of photography for me. \u00a0If tomorrow I was to awake blind, I have already seen and experienced more than most people because, as a photographer, I have been trained to see and observe, really see the world around me, and I’ve taken it all in, and seen so much it has brought the greatest joy to my life. \u00a0Even if blind, I could remember all those glorious moments of light, shape, pattern, lines and form! \u00a0Thank you Father for this wonderful gift! \u00a0My prayer for you is that your photography will enhance your life too!<\/p>\n

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In Him,<\/p>\n

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the pilgrim<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

First let me say I’m overwhelmed by the response to the last “Why Bother” blog post. \u00a0When Scott Kelby recommends a post, it sure gets a lot of attention! \u00a0Thanks Scott. \u00a0Even more overwhelming for me was your responses, many kind words, and a lot of insight delivered to me as well, thank you very […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6268","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-chronicles","category-learning"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6268","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6268"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6268\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6277,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6268\/revisions\/6277"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6268"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6268"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6268"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}