Staying Strong

Staying Strong

Sunrise in Red River Gorge

Welcome everyone, happy to be posting again. Today I am going to talk about something that recently happened and how to process disappointment in a way that you can stay strong and push through it.

I had an art show recently and I was super excited because my last couple went great and this was my first of 2023. The show was going great at first and then I had this wave of four or five people come to my booth and proceeded to make some of the rudest comments I have ever had said to me in my art career.

“Good luck selling any of your cheap work, I showed here once and couldn’t sell anything.”

“Why would I buy a photo of a location, when I could just go there.”

“Wait one second, I have a photo that looks just like that location”

“Had someone ask about doing a metal print and then starts ranting about how much I told him it would be.”

Now I had some great interactions and really enjoyed my time for the most part but those four individuals really brought down my mood a lot. Even the woman in the next booth next to said that the people had been overly rude to me and couldn’t figure out why.

I was visibly upset and just tried to shake it off. After the show I went and had some food and vented to friends who checked on me after words (Thank you by the way for listening to me.)

About five days after the show I noticed that I wasn’t feeling good and usually when that happens I have to figure out what is going on with everything. I realized that I was still upset about what happened which is something I think all artist go through. I did two things to help with this issue as it hit me. Talk to someone, anyone and make sure they will listen. Don’t get a person who will try to one up you with worst news, they aren’t listening if they do that. Find someone who will listen and help you through the moment. Then go through the statements that bothered you and tell proof them wrong but only to yourself. I will do mine just to show everyone this exercise.

STAYING STRONG EXCERCISE:

Take the statement that was said and proof it wrong. Then never focus on it again. This is something I have learned that will help with moving forward and developing a stronger mental capacity not only for your art but yourself.

“Good luck selling any of your cheap work, I showed here once and couldn’t sell anything.” I know my work isn’t cheap and this is why. The phone of Dog Slaughters Fall is already one of my most popular photos of 2023, already sell copies of it to people who loved the image.

“Why would I buy a photo of a location, when I could just go there.” When you buy a print of a location like the prints I create, it takes you to that exact moment in time, one that will never be capture like that again. Which is goes for the next one. “Wait one second, I have a photo that looks just like that location” No one has the same photos period. We are artist. You can stick 100 photographers in a location, give them all the same gear and everything. All 100 photos will look different and have a different approach because EVERYONE is different.

“Had someone ask about doing a metal print and then starts ranting about how much I told him it would be.” This is someone who tried to make me devalue my work and the process it takes to create everything. This was someone who wasn’t being serious.

Reflection is really big in development and growing. I hope this helps everyone and I look forward to sharing more with you in the future. I am going this weekend to shoot photos at a familiar location while working on some images for an art gallery coming up. I can’t wait to share the videos, reels, shorts and everything from my trip. Until next time IT’S SHOW TIME FOLKS!!!

Thanks for reading,

Jimmy