RichardLavigne
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I've been seeing a lot of posts lately, asking for opinions on websites, logos, to blog or not to blog etc... and I think they all come back to one point.
What is your why? simple enough... why is it, that you do this?
Is it even important to have a why?
As business people, these are questions that are important... they define why we make the decisions we do and in what direction we want to run our company. But to us, they are actually more important. We are not just business people, we are artists. Our business is defined by the art we sell. For us, the "why" isn't just a business statement, its a driving force.... yet, still I'm amazed at the number of posts that seem to be asking for help on something that should be entirely unique and can only be defined by you.
From a business perspective, it is important because it will separate you from the pack. Chances are, the other photographers that your couples are meeting with, do not have a why? If you do, they will book. Why will they book? Because they are not buying a what, they are buying a why. They are not buying photographs. We are all selling that.. and chances are, we are all selling the same what... photographs created by either a Nikon or Canon, printed on either fuji or kodak, bound in either a Fiano, LC, Kiss, Graphi, etc. So what separates someone from the pack and allows them to charge more and get more? It is the why? Simon Sinek explains it masterfully...
http://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action.html
From an artists perspective the why gives us vision and direction... it helps to define the choices we make and why we make them. Why should our logo look a certain way, what feeling are we trying to convey? what message are we trying to send? What is important about our work? the killer portfolio image or the story told by a series? These are not things that are static.. they will change. Your perspective on life and what's important will change and so will your why.. but if you don't have a why defined, you're just treading water... you're not really going anywhere.
I think it's complete bullshit to sit here and talk about all of this philosophical stuff, without giving some honest evidence.
So what is my WHY?
Over the last year and a half, my WHY has changed... changed profoundly. In Oct. of 2010, my son was born. By anyone's measure that is a life changing event.
http://www.pbase.com/dropcivc/image/129435125/original.jpg
I was on top of the world, life had meaning and direction. Everything we were working hard for had a new focus... to provide for this amazing little man. Then, a few months later, I was shown a harsh reality. A year ago, one of my good friend's children was diagnosed with a brain tumor... it came out of no where. He had been complaining of a headache and they thought maybe he needed glasses. He was just 8 years old. We had done several family sessions with my friend, so I knew little Stephen well... when I looked at him, I saw the same adventurous spirit that I saw in his father when we were boys in 1st and 2nd grade. I saw a desire to explore, to catch frogs in the pond behind his house, to build tree forts in the woods. I saw a boy that was kind and strong in determination. I laughed when his parents told me that he had worn a groove into the yard doing laps around their house on his bike just so he could put 100 miles onto his electronic bike odometer. I knew he was like his father because when we were boys, his father had rigged up a radio to his handle bars so we could all listen to music while riding our bikes.
Within a month, the tumor had taken its toll... they had visited every children's hospital in NYC and Philly, nothing could be done, it was too deep in his brain and growing too fast. He passed quickly and I'm comforted that he didn't suffer too long. I attended his wake and funeral and after paying my respects, I stepped to give his mother a hug. Here I was, a new father, so happy and excited by my son. Seeing him grow and experience new and amazing things everyday. I could hug my son and hold him.. and I was looking at my friend and his wife who could no longer do the same. We embraced, tears streaming down both of our faces and she whispered in my ear, "thank you so much for the pictures that you took of our son. They are the best photographs we have and I wish we had done more. Take photographs of your son everyday." Even thinking about it now brings tears to my eyes and makes me emotional... those are powerful words, coming from a mother, and they've brought focus to my photography and my life.
What we are shooting is important.... so important. Couples and families are asking us to photograph the most important people and moments in their life.. more important than any material items that can be bought. At a wedding, I'm imagining that I'm shooting my sons wedding... when I hear a father give a speech, I'm imagining that its me giving that speech. They are asking us to tell their story, to record their lives and hopefully preserve a piece of them forever.
So what is your why? Please share....
http://www.pbase.com/dropcivc/image/141766721/original.jpg
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