How Dedicated are You?

Saturday Ambassador

Stop and consider for a moment, "how dedicated are you?" If you are pursuing a degree, it is a costly endeavor in a variety of ways: Financially, of course; but the rigorous schedule also exacts a toll on your stamina, your ability to pursue other interests, even your sanity. Is it worth it? The answer to that is a personal matter, as each individual possesses a different set of priorities. However, if you decide that your destiny lies in the vastly competitive arena of photography, consider arranging your priorities accordingly.

For me, this is a life-changing career move in an uncertain economy, so it is very important that I succeed. I have set aside much of my personal life and made some drastic changes in my spending habits to make this feasible. Pursuing an education is so very important to me that I have cut the amount of hours I work in order to do both my job and my school work well. In turn, this negatively affects my income. It is a delicate balance, as I have only the one income and a host of financial responsibilities. However, this situation won't last forever – there is light at the end of the tunnel, as I have one class remaining next term.

I currently have a class which is totally incompatible with my job as an OTR truck driver; I am required to shoot a number of residential interiors and other assignments I simply cannot complete while on the road. I planned far in advance for this class and scheduled appointments with owners of all the structures I needed to photograph. I obtained a guaranteed time-at-home from my employer, so I could shoot six week's worth of assignments in 4 days. I do not recommend this to anyone, because, in order to do it well, you must also research extensively to master the required techniques for each shoot. In four years, I've had to do this 3 or 4 times, and I've always been successful because I possess a phenomenal amount of will power and determination. I strive for excellence in everything I do, and I do not believe that anything is impossible.

 

To exacerbate the situation, I fell off a ladder and injured my leg rather severely earlier in the week. My foot and leg swelled, there was significant bruising and a large hematoma formed on the shin (not to mention that it hurt a lot). Still, I had to conduct these shoots, for when else could I complete the assignments? In 4 days, I put 413 miles on my vehicle, walked around downtown Phoenix and several other locations, climbed ladders, knelt on the ground and carried equipment. I worked from before dawn until long after dusk and slept a few hours in the interim.

I don't recommend this either, but it got the job done, and admirably at that. You don't have to hobble about with an injury or shoot assignments weeks in advance; in fact you shouldn't. However, when extreme circumstances intervene on your road to success, rise to the occasion. You will gain valuable skills and a reputation for excellence.

~Saturday Ambassador

Balancing Your Life and Education

Obtaining an education and balancing the time it requires with a demanding lifestyle can be a challenge. Many students attend classes online because they have other responsibilities, such as work or family obligations. Others, perhaps, simply find it convenient. Regardless, pursuing your degree, be it your first or one of several, is one of the most important things you will do in your life; it is your gateway to a brighter future, a greater income or fulfillment of your grandest desires. Allow me to offer some advice about how to achieve a viable solution:

• Get your priorities in order. Though perseverance is required, your education is your ticket to a more promising future. The people you love should be able to understand that you have a commitment that will demand a great amount of your time for the next few years and afford you the space to attend to it.
 
• Curb your social life. You don't have to be a hermit for the next four years, but putting real effort into the work you produce will pay off in the long-run.
 
• Budget carefully and expect the unexpected. Plan for contingencies, because life is rarely predictable.
 
• Start assignments early. Reading them for the first time on the day they are due is asking for trouble and will likely not elicit your best work.
 
• Produce exceptional work - every time. If your assignment requires forty photographs, don't shoot forty images and submit them all. Create 100 images and select only the best. If your work on an unfamiliar technique or subject could be better, shoot it/write it again before submitting it. The worst that could happen is that you'll learn something.
 
• Embrace new techniques and media. Just because you enjoy nature doesn't mean you shouldn't learn portraiture. Exploring new realms will ultimately make you a better photographer. 

Check out this video demonstrating how an OTR truck driver pursues a Bachelor of Science degree online in the Art Institute's Photography program.

The AI Experience 

 

The AI Experience, Deva Mayorga-Malone, 2013

 

~Saturday Ambassador

 

 

 The AI Experience

Ode to My Friend

Saturday Ambassador

Pursuing a degree is an important step toward a brighter future, but it can be a stressful and challenging endeavor, as well – particularly when it is coupled with a full-time job or other responsibilities. As students, we rely upon family and friends for support, both physical and emotional, and it is this that provides the delicate balance that helps us to succeed.

I've been an OTR truck driver for 13 years. My job keeps me away from home for weeks at a stretch and comes with its own unique set of stresses and challenges. For the past 4 years, I've been hauling lighting equipment, camera gear and props, along with the customer's freight; I've been obliged to approach complete strangers in the small hours of the morning and ask them to model for me, as well as creating fabulously realistic production sets in a remarkably small space. In the process, I've learned to be resourceful, patient and extremely creative.

12 ½ years ago, my employer paired me with a co-driver based upon geographical location. Over the subsequent years, he and I have explored every corner of this country, utilizing the travel inherent to the profession to enrich our lives. When time permitted, we visited museums, national and state parks, rivers, lakes, forests, deserts and all the myriad wonders which piqued our curiosity. In the process of indulging our shared interests, we became close friends. For the last four years, my friend Walt has been model, assistant and hole-in-the-fence-finder. He has also been my inspiration when I'm out of ideas, produced solutions when everything was going wrong, bolstered my confidence when it was flagging and lent me the emotional strength to pursue my dreams under the some of the most challenging circumstances I've ever encountered.

Today, my friend is being medically retired for a problem that may or may not exist. The transportation industry is one of the most highly-regulated in the nation, and the mere hint of any disorder that might preclude the safe operation of the vehicle will place the driver out of service.

This is an ode to my friend: Thank you for being my inspiration; the help you provided, the challenges you posed and the patience you have shown have made me a better photographer and a better person. Your sense of humor has been every bit as valuable an asset as your advice. I cannot imagine how you tolerated my presence when my temper flared out of frustration, but I'm glad you did. All the projects we engaged and everything we accomplished has contributed to my success, and I owe a great deal of that to your efforts. Above all else, thank you for being my friend.

 

~Saturday Ambassador