Three Artists Who Walk the Talk

 A long time ago I tweeted a quote I found that I simply love. It's an old Swedish proverb and unlike so many things that never translated during my Hasselblad years, this one does fine in just about any language!

                                                                "Those who wish to sing, always find a song."

I'm thinking about all the photographers, so many of us consider great artists. For most of them, while a specific image or something to do with their skill set might have hooked us to begin with, our attraction is to their personalities. It's their passion, attitude and optimism that draws us in.

We're an industry often caught in the "perfect storm" between changes in technology, consumer trends, and the economy. We need more photographers to find their "song".  There isn't room to list everybody whose work I love and attitude I respect, but I wanted to highlight three artists, just to make the point.

• Have you ever seen Kevin Kubota on anything but an even keel? Sure he has frustrations, just like we all do, but his ability to stay focused on his passion for the craft never seems to slow down. He's constantly reinventing himself, not to mention, actions that make your life easier.

• Then there's Tony Corbell. I've been hanging out with Tony for close to thirty years and the only thing that's changed is his skill set, which just keeps getting better. His passion for education as both a teacher and a student has created the "Corbell Factor".  It starts with never compromising on the quality of anything he does. Then, it's combined with a non-stop quest to keep raising the bar on his skill set while at the same time pushing all of us to do the same.

• Michele Celentano is an artist who, as I've said many times before, is proof that hyperactive kids grow up and get jobs, careers and build businesses. She's constantly pushing herself to expand her skills while staying focused on all the things, both in the industry and out, in which she believes. Spend some time with both her and husband, Paul, and you'll meet two people whose lives have been built on a solid foundation of love for photography, life, their friends and each other.
  

I just picked three people out of my head at random to get you thinking about how you look at the career path you've chosen. I'm not suggesting Kevin, Tony and Michele don't have bad days. However, their priority to be the very best they can be is constant. It never changes, no matter what they're doing.

So, if you're waking up with anything but a smile on your face, maybe it's time just to step back and think about what's missing in your life. What's the missing ingredient in your professional or personal life you need to help you raise the bar?

As I've written before, you can't create images that tug at people's heartstrings if your own heart isn't in it. 

Happy Friday everybody! Wishing all of you a terrific weekend and one filled with nothing but moments that make you smile and your heart beat just a little faster!