An outsider looking in.

For those who know me, they probably know I am not really normal; I do know who some of the readers of “Snap. Shot.” are and they know first hand I can be far from mature, love creativity, have horrible handwriting (thankfully I can now type), and well, I am different.

As I have gotten older, I have become “slightly” more of a risk-taker; not one who will do completely crazy things, but if I believe in it, I will give it a shot. By the way, my record to date has not been great---but then again, I had to find out how bad it could be so I have taken risks.  As Charlie Sheen would say, “Winner!”

Ever since I left the painting world, yes I did that, and picked up a camera, I knew I wanted to do more than just take snapshots. When I would talk with other photographers, they were kind enough to let me know, it’s crazy to think you can actually do it. I believed them on one hand, and ignored them on the other—guess we’ll see if it’s the right one, or thinking I should have left behind.

For example.

While we were at “off-leash dog park yesterday, a woman asked my wife and I, “Are you professional photographers? “ I paused and said, “Well, we do get paid for taking pictures, but it is not our full-time job. So I guess we could be considered professionals.” My wife said, “We just enjoy taking pictures.” Well that ripped my comment to shreds.

This morning, as I sit here in Row 15, seat “F” on a Southwest flight to Newark, I just finished reading an article about Southwest’s 40^th year of flying and the risk and guts it took to get it off the ground. I really enjoyed reading it because it was short, and broken down into 40 different reasons why Southwest worked.

Whereas the only thing I have in common with Southwest, as I sit here typing is, I am on their plane.

However this Fall, “perhaps,” we will have something in common. Starting in early August, our little photography company (and I mean little) will be taking on the biggest challenge of its young life. It all started this past winter, when football was very far in the future that we earned the opportunity to photograph approximately 1300 young men and women who play and cheer for 2 of the “franchises” in our local youth football league.  (To complicate matters, and prove I am really nuts, we will also be photographing action shots for our local high school team.)

Will it all work? Gotta coin?

Actually, I believe it will. Why? Because I have been fortunate to have time to think, sweat, and sell as hard as I could, that as a company we will make it work. Who have I had to sell it? My family, other photographers who will be photographing for the company, and the one person who required the most persuading, begging and convincing of doing it--myself.  Actually, I was the easiest sell.

We are an outsider in the photography world; in many ways we have no reason for doing what we plan to do---but if it all works, I know one thing, I will have a new camera, new lenses, and most important, “memories” to deliver Mom’s, Dad’s and the players/cheerleaders who let us give it a try. 

The photo above was taken in New York City during a snowstorm this past January. Feeling like the same person who is looking at camera “stuff” in the window---I know what it feels to be that outsider looking in. I just want to see if I can make a difference---but, regardless of the outcome, I plan on writing “Snap.Shot.”

Thanks for stopping by.