Ladies and gents of the Internet, I’m here this week to hit home a point!
I’m Dave Williams and I’m here at Scott Kelby’s Photoshop Insider every Tuesday, which is more commonly referred to as #TravelTuesday. You can catch up on who I am over on my little website – capturewithdave.com – or on the Gram. But enough #ShamelessSelfPromotion, I have a serious point to make!
The title right up top there, “Time is Precious,” kind of makes the point itself. What I’m telling you is that if you have a goal in mind, you absolutely need to get up and go for it! Do you think Ansel Adams would’ve been who he was had he not gone out and worked hard? Do you think Annie Leibovitz would be where she is if she hadn’t gone out asking to shoot people’s portraits? How about Kaylee Greer? Had Kaylee not gotten up and pushed for what she loves and wants she wouldn’t have the cover of NatGeo. Dave Clayton wouldn’t be such a graphic design guru without tireless hours working out what’s what in the world of fonts and line art, nor would Richard Branson be such the entrepreneur that he is if he hadn’t invested the dedication required to be the master of his field. So, that said, answer me this: what is your goal and what’s stopping you from reaching for it?
If you want to shoot travel like me, get on Skyscanner and find some cheap flights, spend a few minutes finding an Airbnb, and get out there shooting! Build your portfolio, pitch your work, and get the recognition you deserve!
Portraits? Get out in your local area and shoot somebody’s photo. Make them look great, make yourself known, be approachable, and be good!
Weddings? Somebody you know knows somebody who knows somebody who’s getting married. Don’t go ruining their big day if you’re not ready for it yet, but you have to start somewhere so why not offer them a pre-wedding shoot. Take an hour or two out of your day to take a beautiful couple to a stunning place and shoot them so good that they tell all their engaged friends at their wedding!
Want to shoot real estate? Well, that’s easy – just go shoot some houses near you! Make sure you have an excuse ready for when you’re busted by the homeowner when they come outside and see you standing there with your rig on a tripod, though!
Ladies and gents, what I’m trying to say is this: –
The only way you’ll get where you want to be in your photography (and, in fact, other walks of life) is to get out there, put in the time rather than letting time pass you by, and work hard at being the best you can be. No excuses, no postponing, no false evaluation of where you are already, just work hard and make the most of your time. Time is precious. Too precious for “what if?” Get out there and work hard!
To plug where a plug is deserved, you can improve your base knowledge by taking courses from KelbyOne and you can seek inspiration from Instagram, 500px, and I hear that even Flickr is still a thing, however nothing but nothing beats getting out there, making the most of your time, and working hard to realise your ambitions!
Much love
Dave
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