Looked through the African Air photography book by George Steinmetz.\u00a0 One of the best parts was the introduction. It had one of the most powerful quotes I saw.<\/p>\n
In Steinmetz’s intros, he describes how he exited college and hitchhiked across Africa for over two years.\u00a0 Most of the time completely alone, no knowledge of the language or customs, battling illnesses and unrest, and often found himself sleeping on police station porches or living off the generosity of locals who he couldn’t even talk with.\u00a0 It was there, with almost no knowledge of how to even use a camera, he started shooting photos.\u00a0 Those early pictures are an fascinating catalog of visceral encounters.<\/p>\n
On returning to the states, he managed to get a meeting with Bob Gilka of National Geographic’s photo department and get some kind of job with National Geographic.\u00a0 Gilka is apparently famous for his harsh, critical style and a sign outside his office door that said “Wipe knees before entering”<\/p>\n
So Steinmetz, after hard years in Africa, he put his photos on the slide carousel. Gilka held the advance button without stopping. This then happened:<\/p>\n
He stopped once when he saw a photo he didn’t like.\u00a0 “Doesn’t work” he said curtly.\u00a0 I tried to explain some of the difficulties of the situation but he cut me off.<\/p>\n
“Is that an excuse?” he asked.
\n“Uh, I guess so,” I said.
\n“Well, we publish photographs here, not excuses.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\nOuch.<\/p>\n
Wow.\u00a0 What an introduction to the professional world; however, it really helped Steinmetz in the end.\u00a0 Gilka\u00a0admired Steinmetz’s tenacity and determination; but told him to come back when he’d learned more photographic techniques, how to use artificial lighting, and could handle a wider variety of situations.<\/p>\n
I guess it’s always a good reminder to me that to be good in your business\/field – you should look at it that way.\u00a0 Don’t make excuses, make improvements.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Looked through the African Air photography book by George Steinmetz.\u00a0 One of the best parts was the introduction. It had one of the most powerful quotes I saw. In Steinmetz’s intros, he describes how he exited college and hitchhiked across Africa for over two years.\u00a0 Most of the time completely alone, no knowledge of the language or customs, battling illnesses and unrest, and often found himself sleeping on police station porches or living off the generosity of locals who he…<\/p>\n