Defining Success as a Photographer

You can only become truly accomplished at something you love.
Don't make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing,
and then do them so well that people can't take their eyes off you.
Habits for Wellbeing

by Skip Cohen

​Wandering through cyberspace, I follow hundreds of photographers each year. Put them together with IMs, phone calls, and catching up with friends at various workshops and conventions, and there are hundreds more. The younger the artist, the more they're focused on the numbers - especially bottom-line dollars.

It took me years to find a definition of success. I've learned that it's waking up every morning smiling and excited about the day ahead. I won't deny the financial side of business is essential, but it took me years to realize that being happy helped me stay focused on all my goals.

"You can't create images that tug at people's heartstrings if your own heart isn't in it."

​And there you have it - if you stay focused on what you love to do and capture/create images that move people, your reputation will grow, along with brand awareness, and the business will come. But the quote below from Mark Twain takes it all one step further.

"The two most important days in your life are the day you are born
​ and the day you figure out why.”

None of us can go back and change our lives, but I'm suggesting you learn from my mistakes - focus on what you're most passionate about and then figure out your "why?" Keep the negators in your life on short leashes and don't let anybody stand in the way of your dreams.