Practice and Compassion

Last summer I took a digital photography class and weaned myself off the "auto everything" camera mode.  Ever since, I've been using Program Mode, which gives me a lot more creative freedom.  I miss some shots when my hands aren't quick enough to change the camera settings, but those times are much fewer in number than the times I've caught a satisfying photo that just wouldn't have happened with Auto Mode.

Now I'm taking the intermediate digital class.  I'm weaning myself off of Program Mode and moving to Manual Mode, basically controlling everything on the camera.  Tonight I wandered around in the fading sunlight with my classmates, trying out our new camera knowledge.  At one point I glanced up from my camera screen and had to smile because everybody else was doing what I was just doing -- peering at their notes and then slooooooowly taking some practice shots.  Their facial expressions -- like mine must have just been -- moved from baffled to thoughtful to triumphant.  Even though we love photography enough to take a class in it, we had to give ourselves permission to regress and really stink at it so we could stretch our skills.  Practice, practice, practice.  It takes a willingness to fail umpteen times in a row, to risk asking embarrassingly simple questions, to look silly, and to plod.

On the way home from class, I got to thinking about Little Guy.  When you're three, you stink at everything you try from a balance bike to a rope ladder to figuring out strategies for picture puzzles.  As a grown up, I can look back on many things I mastered and this gives me courage to try a new skill.  Eli has improved greatly or even mastered quite a few things in his forty-one months, yet he doesn't have nearly so much life experience to draw from.  So how can he be utterly cheerful about forgetting how to pump his legs on the swingset, falling off his scooter, or figuring out how to turn a raisin box into a whistle like Mama can?  Thinking about how slow and stilted my camera progress was tonight, I felt a flood of compassion for my brave little boy and his tot buddies.  When it comes to flexibility, a willingness to try, and tenacity, they are my teachers.

 

Comments

[Maša]

after I read Julien Smith's Flinch (kindle version is free on Amazon), I started to compare myself with children when feeling fear before trying/learning something new. I admire how the most of the kids are motivated to take risks. :)

[Christine]

Such wonderful perspective in your words and in the shot <3

[Valerie J. Frey]

Thanks Masa and Christine. I will have to check out Flinch.