This post will be a little different than anything I have blogged about before.

Facebook.

 The good and the evils of it.

 I am part of a few photography groups on facebook where local and international photographers gather together and chit chat. A lot of good advice and discussion topics come on there. It is an awesome resource. It is also an awesome place to go where people completely understand you and know where you are coming from. Whether that is to vent about a tough situation with a client or to ask a question about how to get the red out of client’s eyes that had an allergic reaction during a session. It is nice to have somewhere to go, where you have support.

 Unfortunately lately, what I have been noticing, and not only on these particular groups, is that ever since photography became some what of a trend, there is more bashing on one another than there is support.

 I am the first one to say that lately my personal statuses on Facebook have been terrible, negative and immature. I am finding it hard to find the balance of taking things personal and running a business. Being accused of things that I can prove are not true, it gets to be a bit much.

Or maybe I am finding it hard to continue to keep my mouth shut about it. Either way, it’s tiring.

 Just in this past week I have talked to three very talented, very well known, fabulous photographers. They addressed me with concerns they were having or seeing come across facebook. It was so sad to hear they have dealt with the same or similar situations as I have. The more we got taking the more I felt a bit relieved that I wasn’t alone. I know it might sound selfish. But these are photographers that I look up to. So to hear that even the best of the best are dealing with the nastiness of facebook, kind of made the feeling of mad go away, and be replaced with a feeling of ease. If people are bashing on these photographers that are award winning ect, then this is just completely absurd and meaningless.

 I have no problems telling photographers they are wonderful, or fabulous at what they do. Exactly the reason why I take on second shooters, or offer up blogs on advise that I could keep all to myself. I wouldn’t be where I am if the people that had helped me didn’t so why wouldn’t I help others.

 I have come to realise in the 2 years that I have been shooting that this isn’t a competition. As much as photography has become a competitive industry, this isn’t about the photographer; it’s about the people we are creating memories for. If we would all stop and realise how great and unique we all are as photographers, maybe we would all remember why we became photographers in the first place. And I guarantee that it wasn’t to be better than the next photographer out there. It was because the first time we picked up that camera and attempted to do a session, the person that was on the other end of that lens had a big smile and was so happy to be part of something great.

 So this is my positive spin on things this week or if anything it was my little rant.

So I challenge you to go out, tell all of those photographers that inspire you….

THANK YOU for being as fabulous as you are!

                                                         There is a ton of talent out there. All different, and all great in their own ways!

 I will leave you with a favourite quote of mine that I always say over and over to myself in this crazy thing we call life. I am sure you can all relate to it.

 There are good days and bad days, and this is one of them!

 ~N~