Keith Taylor, Photographer, Atlanta:
“You must learn to be content with where you are & what you have, yet still push yourself. Otherwise, you will destroy yourself – mentally – by comparing yourself to where somebody else is at. What somebody else is doing doesn’t matter so much. What matters is what you’re doing with what you have to work with at any given time.”
PHOTO BY KEITH TAYLORI noticed this guy as I walked past him on Peachtree Street. He was looking through the viewfinder of his camera at something or another. Once past him I looked through my viewfinder at him and sharply said, “Hey!”
He looked up at me & I took this shot. Then, I walked over, introduced myself, and explained that I liked capturing random people & sharing a little about who they are as well as any words of advice they had for the viewers of their photo. This is what I got from him:
His name is Seth, and he is originally from Americus, GA. He moved to Atlanta one year ago to pursue his dream of becoming a full-time photographer – something he has been working on now for seven years.
I asked him to share some advice with the viewers of this photo and he said (in the context of pursuing photography professionally): “The key is patience. Don’t get in a hurry. It’s all about becoming a better version of yourself. You’ve got to learn to enjoy where you’re at while you’re there.”
He then apologized to me because he felt what he had just said was “incoherent.” I suppose it could be to some people – but it wasn’t to me at all and I told him so. As a photographer myself, I knew all to well what he was talking about…
Commercial photography does require patience – copious amounts of it. There are very few overnight successes in this field. It requires what seems like a never-ending effort on your part – for years – before you start seeing some of it really pay off. You’ve got to stay in the game during the times you don’t feel like playing anymore.
You’re forced to become a better version of yourself, because you’re constantly having to learn, adapt, & humble yourself.
You must learn to be content with where you are & what you have, yet still push yourself. Otherwise, you will destroy yourself – mentally – by comparing yourself to where somebody else is at. What somebody else is doing doesn’t matter so much. What matters is what you’re doing with what you have to work with at any given time.
So Seth – thanks for reminding me of what I need to be doing – and possibly even some other creative spirit out there that’s feeling like giving up as they read this.
Noticed on Keith’s FB page today.
Visit Keith Taylor Photography.
