What does a portrait have to do with uncertainty?
First of all, what the devil does a portrait have to do with uncertainty and the struggle to remain authentic?
Well my friend...SO MUCH!
But we'll get to that in a moment.
Because this moment we're going to dive into the topic of uncertainty and authenticity at the same time.
You see, I don't need to preach to the choir about this. If you're like me then you've faced your share of uncertainty...be it financial, entrepreneurial, personal or all of thee above (that's me!). No matter what the particular genre there's usually one solution. Persistency.
And yet, how do you persistently try to be authentic when your uncertainty is about authenticity in the first place? Two answers: community and positive feedback loops.
So what does that mean? Well, like our good friend Warren Buffet said, "It's better to hang out with people who are better than you. Pick out associates whose behavior is better than yours and you'll drift in that direction."
Thanks Warry, we agree!
Community should consist of people who inspire you, who represent your values and the ability to make them actionable. By surrounding yourself with a community of this sort it becomes easier to be authentic simply because you to learn the behavior necessary to voice and act upon your values as a human being.
The second part is where portraiture comes in...positive feedback loops.
You've heard me say it before and I'll say it again; a portrait is a story that we tell ourselves. It reflects the good or bad depending on what we're feeling and how we carry it into the photoshoot.
A good photographer’s job is to create an environment that’s safe and absolutely bursting with love and positive energy.
Now, a good photographer's job is to create an environment that's safe and absolutely bursting with love and positive energy.
They should also coach, direct and encourage well beyond what's expected of them because it's their mission to help create an image that represents the absolute best of any given person, especially if that person doesn't know how to articulate it themselves.
When a photographer takes these steps he/she can offer their client an image that sings to their hearts. In short, a positive feedback loop.
So going back to our title and the idea of persistency we can't really access our community at any given moment...but we can access our photos.
A strong, positive feedback loop in the form of a portrait helps drive the behavioral lessons we learn in our community of role models. It helps reveal our authentic selves even when we're not feeling it.
Why?
Because a portrait is about accepting that we are awesome. Accepting that we're seeking our goals, striving to be true and facing struggles on the daily. It's about taking a stand against stereotypes and other people's expectations...about saying "this is me and I'm damned proud of it."
So here's to chasing authenticity and being persistent. Build your tribe with role models, be respected by the people you respect and above all remember that you are beautiful, vibrant and so completely, entirely, totally worth every ounce of self love you can possibly muster.