Because knowing answers to these questions will remove your excuses.
Last night, this was about the mechanics of light in photographic applications. Yeah, I’ll explain 🙂
First, though, I’ve been rabidly curious since I hit the ‘why’ stage (and I have no idea when that was – for my own kiddo, I preempted it and started explaining things when he was a year old. Maybe younger. Why? Because that’s how my brain works, and curiosity is a thing we need more of in the world. So I fed his).
Next, this is what keeps me on my toes. It keeps me aware that there’s always a better solution – whether that means simpler, more elegant, cheaper, more time-effective – ‘better’ takes many forms when you train your mind to avoid limitation.
It also gives me the mindset that there’s always a solution.
No excuses.
There IS a way to figure it out.
So! Last night I get home after six hours driving the munchkins back from Pappy’s house and I realize that the little cactus that has slowly been dying still has some pieces that are alive!
Cue squeaking – he’s adorable, and his name is ‘cactoose.’
There I am starting to take him apart with tweezers and I realize I AM SCREWING EVERYTHING UP. Why? Because this should be recorded for my future customers!
But shit. I don’t have my photo backdrop steamed yet (it came all wrinkly from being folded), much less hung up. The granite counters in my kitchen won’t work as a backdrop – too much going on visually.
What am I to do?
Know the why/how/what.
Okay, what things does my studio have? Backdrop with a nice curve to avoid shadows. Good lighting (which my kitchen does NOT) arranged at 45 degree angles.
I yell to my son to bring his little flashlight because Mr. Cactoose is having a photo shoot. And I grab a plain piece of printer paper, stick it on my counter with the end going up the wall, aim the light, and…
Voila:
I guarantee I looked pretty ridiculous, iPhone in one hand and flashlight in the other, trying to aim both and brace my hand so I wouldn’t get a blurry photo. In the studio I use a remote so I don’t even have to touch the camera, but these will do in a pinch.
So! Ask yourself this today:
“What things am I allowing to stall my progress?”
“What do I think I need in order to move past this (read: what excuses am I making for myself)?”
“How can I work around that? What’s the simplest solution to this issue? Will it get me to an acceptable end product? If not, what’s one step up?”
Break past the need for perfect and GET MOVING.
Happy September, all.
Get out there and kick your own ass 🙂