Think About What You Will Gain

Think
Think

In early 2013, my wife and I moved from Chicago to Milwaukee.  In doing so, we moved away from an underwater condo, lots of friends, and 2 steady well-paying jobs not really knowing what was going to happen.   She was going to find a job aligned with her passions and I was going to try my hand at freelancing animation / motion graphics while also trying to make life as a photographer a reality.

There was a lot of fear – we (or probably more likely I) had no clue what was going to happen.   2 1/2 years later, I’m still freelancing 3D/2D and doing pretty good. I’m an apprentice AND a Master (!!) in the Arcanum – Magical Academy of Artistic Mastery, teaching a photography class at a local community art center this month, while shooting and selling my work online and in various local stores.   My wife is a stay-at-home mom to our now 18-month old son. Wow.

The reason I’m writing this is I came across the following entry in my journal from June of that year.  It’s my musings on facing fear and getting out of a life rut.  I wrote that plan of action – and promptly took a left turn and went off script.  BUT (and that’s a mighty big but), I got to where I am now because of it.   The point is, no one will do it for you.  You have to make the first step toward what you want to be.


June 19, 2013

I haven’t fully given in to the concept of being a photographer – or for that matter – a freelancer.  There is definitely fear.  It’s like I’m waiting for something to happen or for someone else to say it is ok, “You have permission.”  And I won’t ever get that.  Only I can do that – to give permission to move forward. What am I afraid of?  Failure.  Not being accepted.  Not being good enough.  But as Adam Savage of Mythbusters says,  “Failure is ALWAYS an option.”  How else will I learn?  How else will I truly be happy?  If there is no risk, how can there be a reward?  You’ve got to just get out there and do it.  Write a plan of action and then follow that or at least use it as a jumping off point.  Think about what you will gain… 

By Scott Norris

Emotion. Mood. Feelings. This is what I capture through my photographs. Whether it is landscapes, architectural elements, still life, or macros - it is a very personal journey as my own fears, triumphs, beliefs, and shortcomings are exposed with each photo. In the end, it is all about telling compelling stories.