Focus On The Good & Not The Bad

This cat came cruising by in his wheelchair a few weeks ago when I was dropping Jerry off at the bunkhouse he was staying at. I mentioned to Jerry that I'd love to do a portrait of him and before I knew it Jerry was hollering for him, asking him to stop and come back and meet me. I didn't necessarily mean that I wanted to do a portrait of him right at that moment, but that's what I ended up doing. The only camera I had on me was my iPhone. I would have rather shot him with one of my actual cameras and lit him -- but I had to seize the opportunity while it was in front of me. So, rather than focusing on all the things I couldn't do with my phone -- I focused on what I could do with it -- and that my friends is the key to making great images. Don't use what you don't have as an excuse for not doing good work. Figure out how to make a great image with what you have on hand at the time. The same can be said for life in general; learn to recognize and appreciate all the good things you have going for you in life rather than focusing on and letting what you don't have get the best of you.

Click on each image to view it larger.

Both shots were made and processed with a iPhone 4.  

This is James everybody. He's 57 years old and is originally from Shreveport, Louisiana. He moved to Atlanta in 1983 and was a truck driver until a series of three strokes left him unable to drive or even walk again, thus being why he is now in a wheelchair. I ask him what one thing was that he would want anybody that reads this post to take away from it is and he said:

"Find out who God is and get it right with him."  

While we're talking about God, I should thank him for giving me the ability to just be able to approach people I don't know like James, and have them feel comfortable enough with me to let their guard down and let me do a portrait of them. A client of mine seemed blown away this past Monday when I approached a total stranger and asked for his permission to do something -- I thought nothing of it though. This brings me back to my original point: It can be so easy to take the talents, opportunities, and people you have going for you for granted due to being too focused on what you "need" or want. Focus on the good and not the bad, y'all.