I hear this all the time… I’ve said it myself. When I was younger I do not remember saying it. Do you? When I was younger I had different wishes. A better car, a better job, etc. Yes I probably wished I had more time to go party with my friends, but a better job and more money would give me that, wouldn’t it?
I’m charmingly antique now. I no longer care about the better job. I’m very satisfied with my old 2005 Ford Pick-up, and I don’t need the latest and greatest camera gear. Yet, I definitely wish I had more time.
Technically I have all the time I need. I work at what I love. My family allows me to travel all I wish. I am reasonably healthy. However I still wish I had more time. What I’ve realized in that, is I need to manage my time better. Far better! I need to make sure that every minute of every day I am doing what I wish to be doing.
Not so long ago I remember listening to the final speeches of Steve Jobs. Steve was a brilliant man. He had it all. Yet he could not buy any more time even though he had millions in cash. Benny Binion, Howard Hughs, Jackie Gaughan, Bill Boyd Sr., Steve Wynn. These are just a few of the visionaries I have associated with in my life.
I remember another man I worked with named Nelson Itiliano. Back in 1995 or so Nelson gave me a book titled the “One Minute Manager”… At the time I did not really like Nelson. I glanced at a few things but I did not really read it.
As time moved on I worked more closely with Nelson and grew to really like him. I still have that book and I still have not read it. If I did not really like Nelson at the time, why did I keep the book? Isn’t that a bit propitious? That book is on my reading list for this fall.
Have you ever purchased a lesson of some type online? Have you watched all of them? You bought it, and at the time you intended to learn from it, yet somehow it slipped through the cracks. I have found a few of these classes in my files…
I always wonder… “how did I buy this and not watch it?” Even more importantly why?
Time Is Our Largest Asset
Do you manage your time well? Managing my time better has become my number one focus. Yes, finally! I wish I had learned this lesson many years ago. How much time have I wasted? Far too much! How about you?
Now every morning it’s the first thing I think of. What will you do today? How will you spend your time? If today is your last day on earth, did you do as you wished?
Photographically do you invest your time wisely?
Remember the film days? You took your camera out and took some pictures. The rolls of film were 24 or 36 exposures. You might take a full roll of images, and you might not. You would leave the film in the camera till the roll was full.
Then when it was full, you would take that roll in to be developed. You might wait a week or two for that process. Then you’d pick up your pictures and see all the mistakes you made. Maybe a month or more had passed. So now you don’t even remember what you did or how you did it?
If you were serious in those days you took lots of notes. You practiced your craft often in order to rise up and be noticed. You might even invest in the darkroom supplies in order to take full control of your art. If you were serious you really worked at your craft. Others would be jealous of your skill.
Low and behold one day Poloroid invented cameras and film that could be developed in seconds. Yes the quality wasn’t as good but we could check our light setups right away. Or instantly see a pic of Aunt Melvadeen & Uncle Cletus.
Back in the day you also knew a shit ton of your friends phone numbers! Addresses too! I’ll just bet you even remember the address of the house you grew up in, even now. I do personally, and that was quite some time ago. We did math in our heads back then too.
We used our minds…
Enter the digital age…
Now we simply push a button to reach our friends, or ask Siri to dial it for us. On the very same device that Siri connects our call, we can also capture excellent images we see immediately. Then we can even upload that image and show it to the entire world. Instantly!
How about Video? Holly crap Batman! On that Phone we can also record high quality 4 K Video and show that to the world on our own channel! There were three channels when I grew up, and one educational channel. Now? Everyone can have their OWN channel! Holly shit!
This same “simplicity” has also introduced a few new challenges. It’s so simple to capture our memories on our phones in pictures and video, we have forgotten that we need to work at creating an image that truly sets us apart from all of the others.
We have forgotten or misplaced how it actually feels to engross ourselves in the outdoors in order to compose that special image that only we see in our minds. Gone are the darkrooms. Now WE have to do our own darkroom work.
Where we used to plan trips that encompassed weeks to capture all the images we wanted, now many wish to do thirteen countries in four days. Or the Utah Mighty Five in five days… we want instant and many… instead of appreciating what we have.
Now that I am charmingly antique, this summer I really engrossed myself into the landscape. I know for a fact that I have less time in front of me, than I do behind me. I absorbed that power and reminded myself that this could very well be the last summer I spent in every location.
I took it all in. I embraced nature like I never have before. I listened to the forest, and the sea. I more paid attention to the wildlife. I tried harder to become one with nature. I enjoyed this process. This summer was one of my best ever! This winter I will do the same thing in the desert southwest.
If you go shoot with me you should be prepared to take it all in. You should be prepared to place yourself into the total path of awakening for any scenario. Breathe it all in. Absorb it, and then have that transcend into your imagery.
People Tell Me “Life Gets In The Way”
I’m guilty of saying this myself. This is a huge travesty if we allow this to happen! Life should never get in the way, we should live it! We should slow way down and do what is actually important to us! We do NOT need to do it all! Concentrate only on the things that you wish to do!
If that is Photography? Schedule the time to do it properly, instead of looking for that time! If Photography is important to you, and you allow other things to steal your time away from it, it’s YOUR fault, not the fault of “life getting in the way.”
Now a days almost any camera in educated hands will capture outstanding images. It’s the darkroom that will set you apart from others. Work at it! If you do not wish to work at it? Then sell all that expensive gear! Do not waste another single minute studying Photography and the digital darkroom!
Simply use your smart phone and be happy with what you get from it. Think of all the time and money you’ll save!
If this is not ok with you? Then look in the mirror and give yourself a pep talk! It’s time for you to embrace your short time on this earth doing what you love, instead of allowing other factions to steal your time! Associate with others that feel the same way…
Start scheduling your time to enjoy what you love. You do not need to love everything though… you do not need to be pulled in so many directions. Spend a little time today and realize what is really important to you. Crop out the crap that is not.
Thank you for spending your valuable time with me…
