Interview

I interviewed Samuel Downing, a working professional in the photography field. He said his best advice to someone really interested in becoming a professional photographer, in any aspect, is to intern anywhere and everywhere. Whether it be for a magazine or a studio. Free help is always wanted and usually appreciated, and gives you the best skills. After your internship is over, you either get the job or you don't. If you do, super-cool! If not, you learned valuable lessons and you move on to the next place. Eventually you will find the field and the place you fit best and feel most suited for. That is where most likely you will form the best relationships with your co-workers and employers. Another word of advice he had for me was to remember that I won't have the perfect skills for everything and to not put other's ideas aside. Personally, I have difficulty coming up with ideas, yet I am very good at taking ideas and running with them. You have to be able to accept the fact your idea is not, will not always be the best for the situation. You have to be understanding and be able to take criticism. Criticism, as he put it, is just part of the job being an artist. Your work will not always please everyone, no matter how perfect you think it is. One of my favorite photographers, and one I strive to be like is Scott Serfas. He works for several of the top extreme sports magazines such as Transworld Snowboarding and has multiple cover shots. However, he also takes a lot of pictures in several categories such as portraits and still life.

The A-word

Attitude plays a huge part in how people act and react. People with positive attitudes tend to act positively, nothing can seemingly tear them down. THey always find the good things in life and everything always rocks. They also tend to react in ways that are positive and not debby downerish. Whatever happens to them happens so something else better can happen. It also can affect the way people act and treat another. Someone with a positive attitude tends to have more friends and have more opportunities available to them than one who is negative.

Problem vs Challenge

In my opinion, as if it really meant a whole lot being merely 18, is that there is a huge difference between a problem and a challenge. What most people would see as the same thing, I find a huge difference. A problem is something that one can not do anything about it. Time and patience are all it takes, one must "hunker down" as many say. On the other hand, a challenge is something that through hard work and dedication can be overcome. A problem might be a sickness but a challenge might be a broken computer. There is not much one can do to heal a sickness but sleep and wait till it passes, yet an IT employee can be called in to fix the computer.