Day one of the Mt.Rainier workshop that I am co-leading with DPE podcast co-host Juan Pons was spectacular. Here are a few of my shots - and a few tips.
Above: Expose for the highlights. Move the histogram to the right - but make sure you don't have spike on the right. Also, get up super early to capture the sunrise. You can rest when you are dead. :-)
Above: Use slow shutter speeds to blur moving water. Start with a 1 second exposure and then try 2, 3 and 4 second exposures.
Above: Compose with different lenses. Here I used a Canon 14mm lens on my Canon 5 D Mark II to capture an extremely wide-angle view of the this beautiful waterfall. The lens is actually "seeing" ahead and down at the same time.
Above: Look for texture. The moss surrounding this waterfall adds a nice texture to the flowing water.
“The challenge is to focus on the work, not on the fear that comes from doing the work.” – Seth Godin
The ability to accomplish anything in life is directly tied to your convictions and confidence. The talent lies not in some innate genetic disposition, but in learning to see past the minds own limited perspective. But there is another element that is often overlooked – generosity.
Many of my accomplishments were the result of throwing caution to the wind, trusting my instincts, and slowly learning that I could accomplish whatever I set my mind to – regardless of my fear. Here are two ideas to commit to heart – NEVER doubt yourself and think BIG – things I’ve done throughout my life. There will be significant setbacks and disappointments, but out of that growth and experience, the kind that really makes a positive difference.
BUT, I still struggled and wondered why it was so hard to do what I loved to do – photography. Then I started to think differently about my goals, my failures, and started focusing on what matters – doing the work. Now when I see others that have the ability but fail because of commitment or execution, it makes me frustrated, but more than that, it makes me want to help.
Much of what I have learned has come from asking for help. When I have asked for help from others, I accepted that help without reservation and didn’t let my ego interfere. This serves two purposes – it keeps me humble, and it reminds me to help others along their path. And nothing will bring you closer to achieving your goals than generosity. Sure it may take longer, and in our culture of instant gratification, this will not be a popular option. But the results will be so much more valuable and lasting.
The Importance of Generosity
On a workshop
In my opinion, there is no better feeling than being generous, and I have not been disadvantaged by this in any way whatsoever, on the contrary it has enriched my work and my life. I give my knowledge freely and without waiting for anything in return. Then I try and accomplish my own goals, no matter how far fetched they are – simple concept, yet not always easy to practice.
Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them. – The Law of Compensation – Little Go-Giver Book
Think about what you want to accomplish in your life – whether that involves photography, work and business, or personal issues. Then think about how you can help someone else in some small way. I can guarantee you from personal experience that once you think this way, you goals will begin to move towards you faster than ever before.
Check out Robert's website for images, workshops, webinars and more: LINK
Break out the short lenses, it’s time for bird photography!
Wait, did I really write that?
I’m a bird photographer (when I grow up and get really good I’ll be an avian photographer) and I’m usually lugging around a 600mm with a big old tripod and gimbal head. Of course, I’ll get comments such as, “What magazine do you work for?” Or, “That sure is a big camera!”
The comment I get most from photographers is,“I’d love to be a bird photographer, but I just don’t have a long lens to use!” Don’t sell yourself short.
Not all bird photographs are close up portraits of our feathered friends on a perch. You can make stunning avian images with your short lenses, even your wide angle. I like to call them “birdscapes”.
The key to making great birdscape images is to get yourself to a place where you can find both pleasing vistas and a large amount of birds. We’re talking beaches, fields, large bodies of water and such. Chances are your back yard just won’t do. National wildlife preserves will be your best bet.
One of the nice things about shooting birdscapes, in addition to not having to haul around heavy lenses, is that you don’t have to hunker down in camouflage or in a blind, hoping you don’t spook your subject. You do however, still need to get up early in the morning or stay late in the evening, for best light. If you want birds in full view, keep the sun at your back. For silhouettes, just the opposite.
Keep in mind that your best birdscapes will be filled with flying birds, so in addition to light, you need to pay attention to the wind. Birds take off and land into the wind, so if you don’t want images of a bunch of bird butts, keep the wind behind you!
Most importantly, still bring your tripod. You can get wonderful shots with long shutter speeds. Mentally, think of the birds as an element of your landscape. Still pay attention to landscape features—foregrounds, skies, mountains. Add the birds to these features.
Blurs of birds in flight can give you a beautiful abstract feel. Start with shutter speeds around 1/15th of a second and experiment. Watch for birds on the ground while other birds are flying about. Long shutter speeds here can give you a cool combination of static and blurred subject.
If your birds are all hanging out on the ground, you can still get some cool shots. Try a “zoom blur”. Clamp your camera and lens down on a tripod, and select a long shutter speed like 1/10th of a second. Focus manually, then trip the shutter while you are twisting your zoom ring. Fun stuff!
Want to get some images like these? Most of the photographs in this post were taken at Bosque del Apache, just south of Albuquerque, New Mexico. I’m honored to join Rick and Juan Pons (an accomplished avian photographer) as an instructor in their Bosque Workshop. The first workshop is sold out, so they are getting ready to add another. You can get on the wait list here.
Sometime you want to take pictures without your feet on the ground. Here are some tips for keeping your gear safe while shooting from a kayak. In this video, New Hampshire based conservation photographer Jerry Monkman explains how to keep your camera gear safe while shooting from a kayak.
Check out Jerry's fall Cape Cod workshop here: Eco Photography
[toggles active=0 speed=500][toggle title="Transcript"]Hi, everybody. This is Jerry Monkman from Ecophotography.com. I'm often asked how I keep my gear safe while paddling. So today, I'm going to give a few tips on how to shoot from a kayak.
First off, obviously our main goal here is not to get our camera immersed in water. Everything we do is to keep our gear safe, and the first thing you need to do to do that is to know your own limits as far as paddling. If you're not good at keeping a boat upright, don't take your camera out when you're in a boat. If you can't handle big waves out in the ocean, don't take your camera out when you're in the boat.
Otherwise, if you've got those skills, there are some things you can do to minimize the water getting on your camera. One thing I do is use this really cool camera vest called a cotton carrier, which holds the camera snug against my body so I'm not banging it with my paddle and water is not dripping down my paddle onto the camera.
It's really a pretty neat little gizmo. It's got this Velcro strap to hold the camera snug, and then you just twist and turn and get your camera out and you're shooting.
When I'm shooting, I'm shooting for shutter speeds of 1/250th, 1/500th of a second, a little faster shutter speeds. If I need to use a faster ISO, ISO 200, 400, something like that, I'll do that. There's a lot of movement when you're in a boat, obviously, so you need to use that faster shutter speed so you don't get camera blur.
Before I had a cotton carrier, I would just cinch my camera strap up so the camera was up here, a little more snug, not down here where it was more likely to get some water on it.
That's pretty simple kind of stuff, but that is the basics of what you need to do when you're shooting.
Now, if you're in really extreme conditions but need your camera out to shoot, you're going to probably want an underwater housing. If you can't afford a real expensive one, do what I do. I'm kind of cheap, so I've got this U-A Marine housing. It's still a few hundred dollars and it doesn't give you access to all your camera controls, but if you use auto-focus and auto-exposure, you can shoot all day long with your camera in here safely. If the waves are crashing over you, you don't have to worry about your camera getting ruined. This is a good investment if you're going to be shooting in that kind of stuff.
Also, you can store your camera and other gear in a dry bag, either in your cockpit so it's easily accessible if there's room, or in the hatch where you'll need to, obviously, stop the boat for a moment to get out and get your gear.
Let's see, what else. Lastly, I always have pockets in my PFDs so I can get at extra camera gear easily, such as a memory card holder. These Geppie holders are great because they're waterproof and they float. If your memory cards fall in the ocean, you can just paddle over and pick them up.
I also keep a lens cloth in here somewhere. There we go. Inevitably, you are going to get a few drops on your lens and your camera, and you'll want something to wipe those off. I keep that handy in here. I'll also sometimes throw in a polarizer. It's where I store my lens caps, things like that.
It's good to get a PFD with pockets.
All right, those are my photo tips for the day. Get out there, have fun in your boat, be safe, and enjoy your photo adventure.[/toggle][/toggles]
If you’ve never been on a photo safari in Tanzania, you’ll get a taste of one by watching this video. Andy Biggs of Gura Gear fame shows us travel, accommodations, relaxation and wildlife in this video of a typical photo safari.
You’ll want to go, or go back, after watching this video. Thanks Andy!
Hi, I’m Andy Biggs, and thank you for taking the time to look at this brief introduction to an African photographic safari. The reason I put this together was to really explain what we see on a typical game drive. We have beautiful wildlife. We have beautiful landscapes. And then to also show you our accommodations, how comfortable they are, as well as take a look at our professional wildlife guides
Photographic Safari Client
When you get to be around my stage in life you’re looking to fill your bucket list, and Africa was number one, has been since I was a child, actually. So when I chose to come to this safari, I had high expectations. They’ve all been met and exceeded. You walk in here, you walk around the campsites, you get in the vehicles, you see Africa, and it’s sort of becomes part of your soul.
Photographic Safari Client
My favorite moment was, for sure, the encounter with the cheetahs at the water’s edge. There was a little stream with cheetahs, and the reflection was just awesome, all blue. I got some awesome shots from that.
Photographic Safari Client
I also just like the general massive herds just trucking on through. Don’t worry about you. They’ve just got a place to go. That’s all they’re worried about is where they’re going, and it’s impossible to describe these masses of animals just moving along.
Photographic Safari Client
My favorite part of the trip so far – because this is my first time to do anything like this, any type of vacation – was actually when we flew into the airport. There was a pond of hippos below us when we flew over. So that was kind of, “Okay, we’re in Africa now.”
Photographic Safari Client
The accommodations have been great. We have warm beds, a self-contained toilet that we can use, a hot shower in the evening. The food’s been great. I eat a lot of food at home and have not gone hungry here. I’m also a very picky eater, and I’ve definitely liked the food that we have.
Photographic Safari Client
The accommodations here have just been fantastic for tents. It’s like you’re in a hotel or a lodge actually, because you can walk out. The food’s been great, and the beds and everything has been fantastic, comfortable, warm.
Photographic Safari Client
I’ve been on Safari now for about eight days, and I can honestly say this is one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had. The wildlife has been amazing. We’ve seen everything that I was hoping to see multiple times and more. The guides are knowledgeable, friendly. One of the things that I like about Andy’s safari is that, as a photographer, you get the time to work with the animal as long as you want. You can recompose. The drivers are accommodating. If you need them to move around for different angles, they’ll stay with the subject as long as you like. If you want to wait for better light, you can wait for better light. There’s no rush.
Editor's note: Welcome Andy Biggs to the blog! Andy has been a long time supporter of OPG, and is the designer and manufacturer of the wildly popular Gura Gear Kiboko bag. In addition to running Gura Gear, providing commercial stock images and teaching workshops, Andy conducts incredible photo safaris to Africa. Andy heads overseas six or more times a year, covering nearly every accessible part of the African continent. Having traveled with Andy myself to several stops in southern Africa, I can tell you that Andy's safaris are first class, and that you'll have the photographic experience of a lifetime. You can find out more about Andy, see his images and learn about his safaris at his websitewww.andybiggs.com. We look forward to more articles and videos from Andy in the future! –Chris
There are many different types of safari vehicles in Africa, and this is the first in a series of videos to try and explain what the vehicles are like. This video specifically describes what the pop-top, or open-roof vehicles are like in east Africa. There are other vehicle types in east Africa (Tanzania and Kenya), however this video specifically addresses the open roof type. I'll shoot similar videos in Botswana and in Kenya later on this year, and my goal is to use these videos to visually explain what the vehicles are like before travelers get to Africa.
You can find the Kinesis Safari Sack described in this video in the OPG Store here.
So I’m here today to talk about how to photograph out of a Land Rover in Africa. Here we have one of my vehicles that we use in Tanzania, and the vehicles are very similar in Kenya as well. But these are what we call pop top, open roof vehicles. Some vehicles do not have a top. I prefer the ones that provide shade because you’re out in the bush all day long, and that sun just beats you down. So I’d really prefer to have one of these tops, these canopies.
The main location you’ll photograph from will be from the standing position. You’ll be in your vehicle. You’ll find your game, what you want to shoot, and you’ll stand up. Here we have a generic bean bag underneath my 200 to 400 lens. My preferred bean bag is from Kinesis. It’s their Safari Sack. It’s kgear.com is their website, and what makes this bean bag really great is it’s got the ability to cinch it to the posts here and keep it in place. You could put a bean bag on one side of the vehicle and another on the other and just leave them there all day long.
When I mount my lens or I place my lens on the bean bag, a lot of times I am using the lens foot. I have a replacement lens foot here from Really Right Stuff, and the reason why I like to use the replacement feet is because they’re typically lower, a lower sense of gravity. You’re not creating a big pendulum on top of the bean bag. That’s my recommendation there.
If my subject distance isn’t changing very much, I do prefer to move that lens foot around to the side or to the top so I have more surface area to hold the lens. The downside of that is that you can’t tweak your manual focus very well, and it’s also hard to zoom if you’re using something like a 200 to 400, a 100 to 400, just some other type of zoom. But for the long zooms, the focusing ring and the zoom ring really do get in the way, so I do like most of the time to just leave the lens foot in place on the bottom.
Now, this is really the best place to photograph if your subjects are farther away. But if your subject is very close, you’re going to want to be shooting from a lower position. And here on the bottom of the vehicle I have a 70 to 200 mounted on top of another bean bag and just sitting out of the window. This is great for those big cats and subjects that come really close to the vehicle because you don’t want to shoot down on your subject. You really do want to shoot at eye level, if at all possible.
This also allows a different view where you can get things and your subject in your frame, like the horizon. I find that is a good storytelling item in an image. The second thing is that if you’re shooting at the same aperture up here, like let’s just say F8 versus F8 down here given the same length of lens, you’re going to have more shallow depth of field, i.e. a blurred background from shooting from a lower position. Why? Because your background is physically farther away from the lens.
I also have two bean bags stacked here in the middle of the vehicle. This is really great where, maybe, if you’re uncomfortable and you need to create a little bit more height but you still want to shoot from a lower position, this can work well. The caveat with that is that if you’ve got some sort of predator walking by the vehicle, you’re not going to want to have that bean bag fall out. That’s a really bad time.
Here is a Land Rover from East Africa and how we shoot from them.
On a recent visit to one of my favorite locations in the Hudson Valley, I was fortunate to find some very unique weather conditions. Recent sub-zero temperatures and lots of snowfall created some really strong foreground elements, and I was able to “walk” out on to the frozen Hudson to try and capture some interesting perspectives. My goal here was to emphasize as best as I could the relationships between the foreground and the mountains in the distance. This included lines and shapes, highlights and shadows, as well as the color variations as you move from the cool foreground to the warm and bright light in the distance.
More than anything else, I wanted to capture how I felt, which was mostly excitement, incredibly alive breathing the crisp air @ 5°, but also warm from knowing I was doing exactly what I wanted to do.
These are all part of the “ingredients” that I talk about in my workshops that help contribute to an image that is visually interesting, and hopefully conveys the feeling and mood of the scene. Of course, capturing the image is only part of the process – interpreting the RAW file to achieve your ultimate vision is just as important to the overall workflow. The creative decisions made in the processing stage is the focus of this video, the “why” of moving a slider in Lightroom. I hope you enjoy this podcast episode – I have several more coming in the near future. As always, please leave any questions or feedback in the comments section below – I always enjoy hearing from you.
Learn more about Robert, his images, his blog and his workshops at his website: www.robertrodriguezjr.com
Juan Pons and I were recently acting as assistants on the sunset hula shoot at the Maui Photo Festival.
Great fun! Great dancers! Great light.
As usual, something interesting happened. After Juan and I set up the reflectors and diffusers to control the harsh light, I ask the crowd of maybe 40 photographers, “Can you guys see the difference in the light when using these accessories?”
Silence.
I asked again. Silence again.
Although I sometimes find it frustrating that no one answers (because I know the photographers can see the big difference), I am also understanding of the situation – because I know it’s not uncommon for people in crowds to remain quite when someone asks a question. Folks in crowds expect others to speak up for them. That point is mentioned in the book, The Tipping Point – which I recommend.
Also, some people are shy about asking a “stupid” question. On a workshop my friends, there is no such thing as a stupid question. Everyone is there to learn! And that includes the instructors.
Anway, you’ll get the most out of a workshop if you speak up, ask questions, offer suggestions, share your pictures on site - and stick like glue to the instructors. Keep in mind that the workshop leaders are good photographers and instructors – but they are usually not good mind readers.
Explore the light,
Rick
P.S. If you are interested in learning about lighting, my newest app, Light It!, is all about making professional quality people pictures using a flash and affordable lighting accessories – including reflectors and diffusers. For info and an intro video, click here.
From books, to iPhone apps, to podcasts, Facebook and Twitter, Rick Sammon is everywhere. A Canon Explorer of Light, Rick is also everyman’s photographer. One of Rick’s basic photography tenets is that he “Specializes in not specializing”.
When we talked to Rick for this article, his opening comment to us was “I never thought, in 1969, when I was 19 and dancing naked in the mud at Woodstock, I’d have 36 books and a bunch of iPhone and iPad apps”. We knew we were in for a good story.
After Woodstock, Rick attended the famous Berklee College of Music in Boston, receiving his formal education in Arrangement and Composition. He wanted to play jazz, and play he did. Late night shows and jam sessions over the next few years left him plenty of free day time, so to stir his creative juices, he began shooting images and submitting them to publications.
In 1978 Rick submitted an image and article to Studio Photography Magazine. On this first submission, the magazine invited him to be their editor. Rick traded in one keyboard for another, and entered the publication world.
Good editors get noticed, and the giant (at that time) Minolta Corporation’s main ad agency came in and snapped Rick in 1980 up to head up Minolta’s ad campaigns. Rick now had to wear a suit and tie, and was nested high up in Rockefeller Center. In the 80’s, life as Minolta ad manager was good—Minolta was rocking, the photo industry was exploding, and yes, Rick went to Studio 54 now and then.
Rick’s desire to capture images and get them published still burned. But as an ad man for a camera line, Rick wasn’t allowed to publish, at the peril of his job. Rick’s solution? Submit his images under made-up names! No, we can’t disclose those names. Suffice it to say that Rick continued to be published.
Rick had always had a passion for scuba diving as well as photography, and in 1985 he developed a specific five-year plan for a career change. For the next five years, whenever possible, and on every vacation, Rick dove and stocked his portfolio with underwater images. Five years later, in 1990, Rick had amassed enough images to leave his advertising job and publish underwater photography books. Going from an office 70 stories up to a studio 70 feet under, Rick published five underwater photography books while traveling the world over the next few years. He became a full time photographer, albeit a wet one.
In 1998, in Rick’s own words, “the world had seen enough images of a Clownfish”. Rick crawled back on land, and began to capture images of the people and of the cultures he had encountered in his travels while diving. That trajectory, from specialization to not specializing, has propelled Rick to the worldwide photography stage.
When you see Rick talk in person, or when you watch his video podcasts, his enthusiasm for photography—all types of photography—is infectious. Although he knows the technical side of photography and processing inside out, he doesn’t bog down on those minute details. He stresses the basic values of photography: preparation, planning, vision, awareness, and applies them to facets of our craft too numerous to mention, be it HDR, panoramas, processing, gear and more. One basic theme permeates all his thought, tips and tricks: photography is your hobby, your avocation, so make sure and have fun!
Rick’s list of accolades and achievements are almost too numerous to mention. His books have won the Golden Light Award and the Ben Franklin Award. He’s a Canon Explorer of Light, has been nominated to the Photoshop Hall of Fame, and is a member of the elite Explorer’s Club. Rick has photographed in nearly 100 countries around the world, and gives dozens of workshops each year.
Rick has embraced new technology and the current trend of social media. He’s actively producing apps on iTunes for the iPhone and the iPad, and you can find Rick on podcasts, Twitter, Facebook and more. As always, Rick is not sitting still. Who knows what his next five-year plan will be?
Editors note: Speaking of workshops, I’m pleased to be assisting Rick this October in beautiful St. Augustine, Florida, at the St. Augustinescapes Workshops. Come join us! For more info seewww.staugustinescapes.com.
You can learn more about Rick’s books, workshops, apps and more at www.RickSammon.com
Catch Rick with Juan Pons on their website The Digital Photo Experience at www.dpexperience.com
I am not much of a landscape photographer, I tend to concentrate more on wildlife, but sometimes the landscape is so majestic, as it is in the Grand Tetons, that it is hard to make a bad image. I made this image (MAKE SURE to click on it to enlarge it) last week during my Spring Yellowstone & Grand Tetons photo workshop. We had some pretty uncooperative weather the first few days we where there, but we had a few occasions during those rainy days where we had a pretty clear view of the mountains.
That morning, I took the opportunity to make a large HDR & stitched panorama. This image was made by taking 18 individual frames. Here is a quick rundown of the process to making an image such as this.
Level the base of your tripod as best as you can (having a bubble level on the tripod helps)
Level your camera as best as you can (use a bubble level on your cameras hot shoe)
For this panorama I kept my camera horizontally, but sometimes it makes sense to set the camera in a vertical orientation, and a good “L” bracket is a must for this.
Pan your camera from left to right while looking thru the viewfinder to make sure your camera is level.
While panning also make sure you are capturing all of the elements of the landscape you plan on including. In the image above, I had to make sure I had a wide enough lens to capture the top of the mountain and the foreground.
Set your camera on manual mode and manual focus.
Point your camera to the most important or prominent part of the landscape.
Focus and set your exposure appropriately.
Take a picture of your hand or create some other kind of marker to make it easier to spot your HDR and/or panoramas when you download your images.
Set the HDR bracket on your camera. In this case I used a 3 image bracket, -2, 0, +2 to capture the brightest part of the image as well as some of the darker parts.
Swing your camera all the way to the left (or to the right, it’s up to you).
Using a remote control or the timer on your camera take the first bracket set.
Swing your camera right (or left) while overlapping at least 1/3 of the image. What works for me is to peer thru my viewfinder, while fixating on an element of the landscape that is about 1/3 into the image from the right of the frame, then swing my camera right until that element is about 1/3 from the left of the frame.
Continue doing this until you you reach the end of your panorama.
Now you’ve completed half of the work, next up you need to process those images. In the case of the image above of the Grand Tetons, I ended up with a panorama that was 6 images wide, and since I created a 3 image bracket for each I ended up with a total of 18 images that I needed to work with. Keep in mind that the more images you create, the longer the processing is going to take and the more memory you will need on your computer to work with the image. Just to give you an idea, my final image file, after HDR, stitching and cropping came out to a 50MegaPixel image, at about 1GB in size!!!
Here is a basic workflow for creating the final HDR, stitched image:
Select the most important or prominent bracket set from all the images you took.
Bring those images into Photomatix and work the settings in Photomatix to create the look you want. There is no ONE right set of settings here; They will certainly vary depending on the subject, the bracket set, and your taste. In my case I prefer a more realistic look.
Once you have worked the settings in Photomatix to make the image the way you like it, save those settings as a “preset,” make sure to name it something that you’ll recall back in a few minutes.
Now go back into Photomatix and under the “Automate” menu select “Batch Processing…”
Here you want to provide Photomatix with all the files you took for this HDR stitched panorama, in my case all 18 images. Also you need to tell Photomatix how many images you had in each bracket set, again in my case 3, and then tell it which preset to use; the one you created in the step above.
Let Photomatix process all your images and when finished, the result will be one HDR processed image for each one of your bracket sets.
We are not done quite yet. Now you need to stitch the images together. In my case I use Photoshop to do the stitching but there are other excellent tools that also do a great job.
So bring those HDR images (in my case 6 of them) into your stitching program and let it go thru the images and merge them together into one image.
Now you are ready to do some of your final processing on the image. First make sure your horizon is level, crop the image as necessary or use the new content aware fill in Photoshop CS5 to fill in those empty spaces, and make all your contrast, color and sharpening adjustments you normally would do. Remember at this point you are dealing with a BIG file so make sure your computer is up to the task.
That is it! I hope you found this quick tutorial on HDR stitched panoramas useful. As always if you have any specific questions, feel free to post them in the comments below.
If you don’t own Photomatix and are interested in getting a copy, you can get a 15% discount when purchasing Photomatix, simply make sure to use this code upon checkout: “OPG15” to receive the discount.
Here are a few other articles on DPE on both HDR and Stitched panoramas that I thought you might find useful.
From books, to iPhone apps, to podcasts, Facebook and Twitter, Rick Sammon is everywhere. A Canon Explorer of Light, Rick is also everyman’s photographer. One of Rick’s basic photography tenets is that he “Specializes in not specializing”. 
Focus On What Makes a Difference
Thursday, August 18th, 2011Anthony's Nose, Hudson Valley
“The challenge is to focus on the work, not on the fear that comes from doing the work.” – Seth Godin
The ability to accomplish anything in life is directly tied to your convictions and confidence. The talent lies not in some innate genetic disposition, but in learning to see past the minds own limited perspective. But there is another element that is often overlooked – generosity.
Many of my accomplishments were the result of throwing caution to the wind, trusting my instincts, and slowly learning that I could accomplish whatever I set my mind to – regardless of my fear. Here are two ideas to commit to heart – NEVER doubt yourself and think BIG – things I’ve done throughout my life. There will be significant setbacks and disappointments, but out of that growth and experience, the kind that really makes a positive difference.
BUT, I still struggled and wondered why it was so hard to do what I loved to do – photography. Then I started to think differently about my goals, my failures, and started focusing on what matters – doing the work. Now when I see others that have the ability but fail because of commitment or execution, it makes me frustrated, but more than that, it makes me want to help.
Much of what I have learned has come from asking for help. When I have asked for help from others, I accepted that help without reservation and didn’t let my ego interfere. This serves two purposes – it keeps me humble, and it reminds me to help others along their path. And nothing will bring you closer to achieving your goals than generosity. Sure it may take longer, and in our culture of instant gratification, this will not be a popular option. But the results will be so much more valuable and lasting.
The Importance of Generosity
On a workshop
In my opinion, there is no better feeling than being generous, and I have not been disadvantaged by this in any way whatsoever, on the contrary it has enriched my work and my life. I give my knowledge freely and without waiting for anything in return. Then I try and accomplish my own goals, no matter how far fetched they are – simple concept, yet not always easy to practice.
Think about what you want to accomplish in your life – whether that involves photography, work and business, or personal issues. Then think about how you can help someone else in some small way. I can guarantee you from personal experience that once you think this way, you goals will begin to move towards you faster than ever before.
Tags: Acadia, books, business
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