XtremeCamera

Perhaps I should start my first blog as the newest staff member here at Xtreme by introducing myself however, I promise not to be too tedious. Obviously, I’m Sarah. I’m 38 and married with children. I’ve had a camera in my hand for a very long time, beginning as a junior in high school, taking a photography class. When my children came along, it became a tool to chronicle their growth and achievements. Having been raised by an artistic family, it was natural for me to gravitate towards a creative career. By trade, I’m a flash/web developer but by passion, I’m an artist. Someday, I hope to be able to say my career is that of a photographer.

I spent the good part of this week thinking about what I would talk about with this blog post and I kept coming back to this idea of being a beginning photographer. Late last night, I went and looked up the exact meaning of the word amateur. According to the Merriam Webster Online Dictionary, an amateur is one who engages in a pursuit, study, science, or sport as a past-time rather than as a profession. Well, hmm….I don’t think I fit that definition at all! I’m more than someone that is pursuing photography purely as a past time. I pondered a bit about this idea and thought I would look up the word novice. The definition of novice is a person new to a field or activity; a beginner. Now that’s what I’m talking about! I’m not pursuing a hobby – I’m working to become a professional, but I am a beginner. This is a definition I can live with. I’m fairly sure that is part of the reason I’m here – because I offer a slightly different perspective than the other folks that work here at Xtreme. I’m a beginner with aspirations beyond that of someone that is looking for accolades from family, friends or other new photographers.

What does it mean to be a novice? Once upon a time, a novice was someone in a religious order that had not taken their vows. Basically, they weren’t committed. They took on the role of novice in order to study the religion and doctrine and to prove themselves worthy to those that were already committed to that particular faith. The path of the novice was not an easy road – it was full of trials and tribulation before one was given the fruit of his labors. Really, I think this is exactly who I am in the realm of photography. I have the passion required to pursue this religion but I don’t have the knowledge that is required to join the ranks. I am going to have humble myself a little bit (or maybe a lot) so that I might learn from the already initiated. They not only possess the knowledge but they also have the experience that I lack. I also have to bow my head to those that are my equals because while their path is similar, it is not the same and they might be a little farther along than I. Regardless, their perspective is valuable to me because they simply see the world differently than I
do.

All of this sounds a bit out there now that I have written it out but the analogy is a good one, I think. Before I came to XC, I had a lot of folks telling me how awesome my photographs were. While good for the ego, I always felt a little bit let down after hearing Great Job! for the 100,000 time. Don’t get me wrong; I love hearing that I’ve touched someone in some way and I love that anyone would even bother to look at my work and comment but, I felt I needed something more or different to supplement the praise. I knew in my heart that I was missing something in the big picture, so to speak. My passion was there, my natural eye was there but well, I was feeling dissatisfied. It just wasn’t enough to be a member of the congregation. I needed more! It wasn’t until I came here that I realized what I was missing was objectivity. I wasn’t going to improve much if all I ever heard was how perfect I was doing it. I knew that it wasn’t perfect. I knew that I was lacking the creative control that I needed. I knew that I was falling short but I didn’t know what to do differently. I lacked direction and I lacked a mentor.

I took the plunge and put up my first images (my best images, to date) and got good response. And then I put up some others with varying response. I was surprised that it didn’t make me feel badly but rather, it made me feel happy. It validated what I knew deep in my soul- I’m just not there yet. Ah! Finally! It felt wonderful to have people that I felt knew the art AND science of photography tell me where I went wrong and what I did right. It gave me the direction I was seeking. I didn’t have to pretend to be the tortured artist that can’t quite capture the visions I saw in my head. I could simply be an initiate that has passion and I hope, talent but lacks training. I like that place for now.

I suppose the point of all of this is that each of us here at XC and those that are just exploring needs to understand that this is a temple of learning. It’s a college of art and a bastion of education. It’s a place to grow because it is a place where people are willing to invest in your work and ultimately, in you. While I don’t see it as a social site, I certainly do see it as a place where you can build relationships with like-minded folks. Photography is after all art and therefore, emotional and infused with relationships with others. Just as in a convent or a Buddhist temple, you will find people that you like and those that you don’t but each of us has something to offer the other. I also don’t believe that this is a site for “amateurs” given the true definition of the word. There isn’t anything wrong with being an amateur – Olympic athletes are amateurs (or at least they used to be). There are all kinds of benefits to being an amateur but if you are here at XC, you are here to take it to the next level, whether that be for financial reasons or purely emotional ones. You are a novice.

Embrace being a novice. In the end, I believe, you will become an initiate and can know that you got where you are through hard work, study and passion and because someone else wanted to share their knowledge and expertise with you, simply because they can. In turn, maybe you can initiate someone else. What could be more fulfilling?

Sarah Daniels-Campbell
XC Staff
Editor XC Newsletter