Jock Elliott
Hall of Famer
- Location
- Troy, NY
Three things came together yesterday in a way that crystallized a thought: whether you are a writer or a photographer, it’s all about what’s in your head.
The first was participating in Single In January. It forces me to actively look for things to photograph. Often times they are things that I would not ordinarily photograph, but if I want to make the daily deadline, I must be on the alert for something at least marginally interesting to put in the frame. (A confession: I missed yesterday because of watching the inaugural coverage and a medical procedure late in the day.)
The second was an encounter with an ultrasound technician who was interested in what it takes to be a professional writer. Answer: if you want to write, you have to practice. Start a journal, find something to write about every day. Then find something you are passionate about and write about that. Finally, once you have achieved some competence, see if there is someone or some organization that will pay you to write about your passion.
The third was an interaction with the young man who parks cars at hospital where I was an outpatient. He works for a company that provides valet parking services for various organizations, like the hospital I was visiting. “They make us park cars for three weeks before they turn us loose,” he said as he neatly backed my car into a spot. While this may not be his dream job, it was obvious that he had some pride in his work. He was courteous, cheerful, and professional. He seemed to embody the notion that you will value what you pay attention to.
Not long ago, my wife gave me a mug that said, “Something good is going to happen to you today.” That attitude of expectation, I think, lurks in the heart of every writer or photographer, whether wannabe newbie or seasoned pro: today there will be something worth taking note of, worth recording with your pen or your camera. When you start with that expectation, more often than not, you will find what you a looking for, or so it seems to me.
Cheers, Jock
The first was participating in Single In January. It forces me to actively look for things to photograph. Often times they are things that I would not ordinarily photograph, but if I want to make the daily deadline, I must be on the alert for something at least marginally interesting to put in the frame. (A confession: I missed yesterday because of watching the inaugural coverage and a medical procedure late in the day.)
The second was an encounter with an ultrasound technician who was interested in what it takes to be a professional writer. Answer: if you want to write, you have to practice. Start a journal, find something to write about every day. Then find something you are passionate about and write about that. Finally, once you have achieved some competence, see if there is someone or some organization that will pay you to write about your passion.
The third was an interaction with the young man who parks cars at hospital where I was an outpatient. He works for a company that provides valet parking services for various organizations, like the hospital I was visiting. “They make us park cars for three weeks before they turn us loose,” he said as he neatly backed my car into a spot. While this may not be his dream job, it was obvious that he had some pride in his work. He was courteous, cheerful, and professional. He seemed to embody the notion that you will value what you pay attention to.
Not long ago, my wife gave me a mug that said, “Something good is going to happen to you today.” That attitude of expectation, I think, lurks in the heart of every writer or photographer, whether wannabe newbie or seasoned pro: today there will be something worth taking note of, worth recording with your pen or your camera. When you start with that expectation, more often than not, you will find what you a looking for, or so it seems to me.
Cheers, Jock
