Best Business Practices for Photographers [243]
One last thing about seminars: The death knell for me is when the seminar is titled "Ansel Adams on Getting the Most out of the Zone System," and I arrive only to find him talking about all his photos and the challenges he surmounted in accomplishing them. Were it titled "An Evening with Ansel Adams," then I'd expect to hear his stories. If it's supposed to be an educational seminar and I end up hearing mostly "war stories," I'm going to be miffed. There are numerous photographers whose work I admire, whom I would greatly enjoy hearing speak about their experiences—their war stories—but I will choose those; I don't expect to hear about them during a seminar designed for me to learn about a style or technique.
Subscriptions and Research: How to Grow from the Couch
I subscribe to more than a dozen photo-related magazines. I usually learn something from each issue when I can find the time to read through them. When I find something that's important, I will tear out the article from the magazine and save it for later referral or a deeper read. There are a number of times when I find myself with idle brain cycles. Among them are when I'm temporarily indisposed when nature calls, during takeoff and landing while traveling, and when I arrive early for an assignment and have time to pass. These magazines and the torn-out articles have allowed me to maximize what would otherwise be unproductive time.
Another thing that I find myself doing is web research. When on a conference call or awaiting an instant message from a colleague or client or an e-mail that will allow me to move forward with contract or estimate preparation, with one ear to the call or one eye on my message notification icon, I will peruse blogs, review sites, and explore other resources online. It's simply amazing what information is out there, and other readers validate much of it. When a blogger posts something on a site about product capabilities, for example, other readers can (and will) comment on the fact or fallacy that's been presented. Of course, being sensitive to this, with a little effort you can separate the wheat from the chaff.
One absolutely untapped period of free time that photographers don't maximize is drive time. The time commuting, the time traveling to and from assignments, and that otherwise unproductive time in the car is frequently frittered away. You can rent audio books—almost all the recommended reading in this book is available as audio books—from the library, and within two weeks, you will have completed an entire book on self help, business growth, or the like. Although you might think that there is never enough time to read a book (and I hope you work to change that!), begin by listening to books in your car or on your iPod. It's an amazing untapped resource.
The Dumbest Person in Any Given Room Thinks He or She Is the Smartest
There is an ancient axiom: The only thing that a truly wise man knows is that he knows nothing. I have found myself in rooms full of rocket scientists (literally), where there were geniuses in residence, some parading around their intelligence like peacocks and others being more responsible stewards of their knowledge. Yet, take the rocket scientist out of his element, and that peacock's tail feathers wither. He might be an expert in his field, but he knows little about the endless specialties outside of his. As such, the peacock's attitude often causes him to miss opportunities to learn about other things.
One of the really wonderful things about the work I have done and the people I have worked with in the past is that I have had the privilege of being in rooms full of amazingly smart people. Their knowledge humbles me each time, and I take the opportunity to garner just a few insights