I am reminded of the classic movie My Cousin Vinny and the scene when Vinny gets his Caddie stuck in the mud. And, anyone who has been stuck in the mud in Alabama knows that no matter hard you hit the gas your tires just keep spinning. My photography is in the Alabama mud.
When I heard Zack Arias speak at Photoshop World this past September he made mention that if he had a nickel for everyone who ever said that they had the passion to be a photographer but just could figure out how to be a photographer he would be a very wealth man. I am finally starting to come to terms with the gravity of what he said. I have often times talked about my own passion to be “professional” photographer and give up my day job to have the chance to live my dream job. What I am dealing with these days is that my dream requires a lot of work and time is a very precious thing and I am running short on both.
I am not sure where it all went sideways, and I got the feeling that I was stuck in the mud. Maybe it is all in my head and maybe it is all really happening to me, but I can’t seem to find a way to get myself out of the place I am right now with my lack of creativity and desire to create. Everyone says you have to shoot through it, but you can’t shoot through something when you can’t seem to pick up a camera.
I have had several people tell me that it is all a part of the process. But I know that for the people who follow their passion they find a way to work the experience and continue to create work. I think that is what makes them better than the rest of us trying to follow our passion. They don’t actually have to follow anything. They are their passion.