The journey — from nothingness to success
Is there a secret formula behind success? Is it a five step program? Or perhaps even ten steps? What does it take? I believe there are a few keys which unlock the door. But, before we move on; what is success? We will discuss that in more detail at the end of the article.
We will start out with two of my images. This first image was shot back in 2013.
Fast forward to 2019:
What does it take to go from an image which almost no one noticed to an image which was awarded an Editor’s Choice at National Geographic?
I firmly believe there must be a some sort of inner resolve. That’s the first step. A quality decision which states: I desire to improve and I am willing to pay the price in order to do so. This resolve rests on a foundation of honesty where we have admitted to ourselves that our work is found wanting and can be improved.
As a math teacher I have seen this principle in action many a time. It is easy to see when a student has made the inner resolve. The improvement is almost instant. Of course I try to motivate my students, but outer motivation doesn’t last and swiftly dwindle when the going gets tough.
I made this resolve in October 2013. I know it is the main reason behind any success I may have had.
I also believe it is important to set a goal. For my students it may be a grade which will qualify them for further studies. I set the following goal for myself:
If I can produce one image that is good enough to reach 500px’ first page during my lifetime I will be happy. And I was willing to pay the price knowing many many hours behind the camera and the computer would be necessary in order to hone whatever little talent I had.
There are no short cuts. Instagram PODs, bots, spamming, always buying the newest gear — I honestly don’t believe any of that will make us better photographers. They are just tell-tale signs, I am afraid, that we are not willing to pay the price.
I have found it immensely helpful to watch and read processing tutorials and to study other’s work. Even repeatedly shooting the same subjects has led to progress. When we begin to learn new things and our work slowly but surely starts to improve the desire to evolve doesn’t fade. It pushes us onward, also through periods of frustrations, failures and creative blocks.
What I so far have written about success rests upon a limited and instrumental definition and understanding of the word. Depending on our ambitions success can also be so simple as having found a hobby which enriches life and offers us plenty of moments of sheer fun. In this regard photography definitely has been a success for me. What about you?
