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The high cost of perfection

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Walking past booth after booth at the PhotoPlus Expo in New York, I often heard camera company presenters explaining to their uncomfortably-seated, yet nonetheless-enraptured, audiences how they shot the “perfect” photo.

This was typically further explained as having achieved the perfect lighting, the perfect exposure, clear focus from edge-to-edge, etc. — typical technical rules we all know and try to follow, well, until we don’t. I wondered: Where does this obsession with perfection come from, and what is the cost to our creative output?

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Three things you should (not) do if you want to succeed as a photographer

Making a career out of photography requires so much more than your talent: interpersonal and business skills, constant learning, and time management skills, to name just a few. In this video from The Art of Photography, Ted Forbes discusses three things that I think are in common for everyone who wants to be commercially successful or recognized as a photographer. Regardless of the skills, knowledge and the talent you own, these are three things you should (and shouldn’t) do if you want to succeed.

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Make your photography business flourish by relying on five pillars of success

Being in a photography business is much more than just taking good photos. But if you’re planning to go pro, don’t let this intimidate you. In this short, but very informative video, Vanessa Joy shares five pillars of success to help you start and grow your photography business.

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Do you need to be a di*k to be a successful director?

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It seems to be a trend that successful directors act unpleasant when communicating with others. Director Max Joseph has noticed the trend, and he’s filmed a funny and clever documentary, exploring whether a behavior like this is really necessary to get you to the top. He focuses on film directors, but it’s applicable to the leaders of all kinds, whether they are in charge of the movie, the photoshoot, or any other project.

So, do you really need to be a di*k to be a successful director? Or you can achieve by being a kind person who listens to everyone’s needs? Let’s see what Max has discovered talking to the pros in this field. Oh, and keep your headphones on since there’s some strong language.

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Inspiration from Successful Creatives

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Making money as a creative can be is a tough grind.

As an established photographer once told me when I was just starting out: “My job is everyone’s hobby.”

Essentially, what he was saying was that everyone wants to be a famous photographer, musician or actor, but so few have that special combination of talent, personality and luck to actually make it happen.

The reality is that ridiculously talented creatives are a dime a dozen (literally in many cases…), but those who are able to translate talent into commercial success are a very rare breed. 

With that in mind, I am going to look at an example from the musical side of artistic talent that I personally find inspiring because of the way these creatives have leveraged their considerable artistic talent into the kind of commercial success that we all aspire to.

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