More Chase, and DIY Professional?

Everyone who reads my ramblings knows I have a thing for Chase Jarvis – he lives the notion that photography is a business, and I have to admire that dedication to his business!! Just because he happens to take an OK image every now and then certainly doesn’t hurt (and Chase, should you ever read this, I really mean “mind blowing awesome image”!!)

But I digress – Chase is doing my head in again, with his throw-away pearls of wisdom!! In a post he did last month (yes, I’m slightly behind on my RSS feeds), Chase suggested photographers should “Stop trying to get everyone to like your work”. He makes a great point, and it’s like Chase is talking DIRECTLY TO ME!!!

How many of us have an awesome idea for a shot – and then over a few minutes, hours, days, weeks, that brilliant idea loses its shine, puts a few doubts in your mind, and before you know it – you hate it! I’ve bin’d so many ideas using this process, it’s a wonder I ever shoot anything!! (Stop laughing at me, I do actually shoot sometimes!!). But Chaswami is correct, I need to “quit with my shifty eyes” and stop looking at what everyone else is doing – and just get on with my stuff!!

Here’s hoping I can convert this concept into more spontaneous shoots – some of the best images I’ve seen and admired came from that breathtaking idea moment being immediately followed up with some action!!

On a side note, I was impressed with the idea of a cheap PVC Flash Bracket for off-camera flash photography. However, what are the chances you’ll ever do a second fashion or catalogue gig if you used one of those on a commercial project!! It’s annoying and irrelevant, but commercial clients will notice cheap gear – it shouldn’t make a difference to the photos, but it will make a difference to the number of zeros you can put on your invoice!