Photographer Politeness

Walking through life, going about my business, doing what I gotta do when all of a sudden….

BAM!

There it is. 

Can’t deny it.

It doesn’t feel good.

Conviction.

Makes me feel a little off and like hmmmm, what am I going to do about this, but if the discomfort isn’t too severe then I can go on.

Walking through life, going about my business, doing what I gotta do when all of a sudden….

BAM!

There it is.

Can’t deny it.

It doesn’t feel good.

Conviction!

Over the same thing as before. Maybe I should do something about this.  But the discomfort isn’t too severe so I go on.

Walking through live, going about my business, doing what I gotta do when all of a sudden….

BAM!

There it is.

Can’t deny it.

It doesn’t feel good.

CONVICTION!

I would like to say that third time is a charm and I change my ways, but the reality is that it has taken at least ten of these occurrences and about six months for me to get it.  My dad always did say I was the most stubborn of his children….he might have been right.

So what have I been convicted of?  Not a conviction in the criminal courts of our land.  This is the kind of conviction that hits in the heart and soul, the kind that moves us to action.

When I started this formal photography “gig” I decided I no longer needed to spend money on all the sports, school, and event photos for my children (I have ten, it gets pricey). After all, I reasoned, I can take them myself.  That was a two-and-a-half years ago.

Reality check – I have exactly ONE set of photos of NINE of my children on the wall (number ten was born last Summer), I have formal sports photos of exactly THREE of my children (8 of them play football, basketball, baseball, softball, soccer or cheerleading), and I have exactly ONE formal photo of ONE of my children from a theater production (9 of them are in plays, choir, band and other activities at school or in the community).

These small moments of conviction have come when the order forms for photos come home.  The especially big ones have come when I am with one of the younger child waiting for their turn to be photographed and telling them, “No we aren’t buying photos,” as the photographer looks on.  The real whammy came this Fall when I was sitting by a fellow photographer friend at soccer team photos with our 6 and 8 year olds.  We were talking when I noticed, in her hand, was the order envelope for photos.

As photographers we need to support one another.  If we cannot support one another, how can we expect others to support us?  And let’s face it, we cannot possibly photograph everything ourselves anyway.  Family photos?  Children’s weddings?  My oldest daughter and I already have an agreement that I will probably get to photograph the engagement happening and formal engagement photos, but the wedding is all someone else.   Our own children?  By nature, children behave and “perform” better for someone other than mom or dad.  And all those sports and event photos?  Unless that it your business, it is someone else’s and we really do want those photos for our memory albums. 

With that I shall leave you with this quote:

“It is a wise thing to be polite; consequently, it is a stupid thing to be rude. To make enemies by unnecessary and willful incivility, is just as insane a proceeding as to set your house on fire. For politeness is like a counter--an avowedly false coin, with which it is foolish to be stingy.” 
― Arthur Schopenhauer, Wisdom of Life and Counsels and Maxims

It’s just another Manic Monday…..

Monday Ambassador