I Promise To Fail...Yes, You Read That Right

What kind of photographer promises to fail?  This one. I read that line in a fascinating article last week and I wish I could reference it, but my memory fails me (see I fail all the time!)

The fear of failure derails some people. For instance, my son Andrew is an amazing basketball shooter (yup, bragging!) He has been encouraged by dozens of people to enter a free throw shooting contest at a local college. He. Refuses.

At first I was annoyed, the kid makes 9 of every 10 free throws. Then, I saw me in him. The fear of failure. What if everyone sees him miss? What if everyone decides he ISN'T as good as they thought?  He won't put those fears into words, he's 11. But, I know it. I feel it. It's exactly what he is thinking.

In work, it's the same. We only promote our good selves. Instagram and Facebook can attest to that.

But, get this. I fail. I don't always capture what I want and I don't always like what I do. In that failure though, I am getting better and better. In fact, I've learned to embrace the times I don't execute to perfection because it's time to get better.  I may even share some things on here that I don't like, just so you can see - I'm striving, every day, to be better.

Lighting, posing, colors, framing, - they have all had their moments of failure.  In those moments, a better photographer has emerged. Failure is the key to success.

I promise. I will fail.

(Now if anyone has an inkling as to how to talk to my son, about this...I'll gladly hear it!)