So, class, what did we learn today?
I’ve probably said this a million times over the years (several times in this book, if you’ve been paying attention) that, as a professional photographer and problem solver, you simply can’t have a bag of tricks that’s too deep.
Unfortunately, many of today’s photographers seem to think that an automatic camera and computer will save them from every problem. They are dead wrong, in my humble but justified opinion, because they can rise only so high in the industry, a level of mediocrity on par with many of their peers. It’s the Peter Principle as applied to an industry rather than a particular organization: “In any hierarchy, a person will rise to his or her level of incompetence.”
If you are serious about your photography and the rewards, both personal and financial, that could accompany it, you must ignore the Peter Principle by continuing to rise throughout your career. In truth, you must banish all thoughts of it from your mind as you practice your craft, progress in technique and execution, and leave your competition behind, wondering why their pop-up flash images seem, somehow, lacking.
That said, let’s apply another axiom to the craft of photography. (I say “craft” instead of “art” because “craft” is what gets the job done. “Art” is the end result we all strive for.) Murphy’s First Law (of five) states that, “In any situation, anything that can go wrong, will go wrong,” but my favorite is Law Three, “Nature always sides with the hidden flaw.”
I wrote this book because I’ve learned, or been forced to figure out on the fly, many tricks to deal with hidden flaws. While I’m a fan of high tech, I’m also a huge fan of low tech because it requires an ability to recognize how a $3 can of spray deodorant can save a $3000 advertising shoot. It’s just another application of the lubricant I wrote about earlier.
My wish for you is that you never stop discovering new approaches to your craft and that you learn to effectively apply those tricks not only to your work and the amazement of your clients, but also to your bottom line.
Shoot well, and prosper.