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A Dash of Dreams, A Pinch of Rejection

2008.05.03
Joy

Sometimes a 1/2 a teaspoon of love goes a long way to sweeten your day.

Everybody needs dreams added to the recipe of their lives.

Believe

Magic Measuring Spoons - for that little extra something special when you cook. :)

I don't cook but I like measuring spoons. Weird, I know. But I couldn't resist these.

In just a little over 2 weeks, I will be turning...4...0. *gasp* Actually, I'm not really having a hard time with it but I will be using those 2 weeks to explore some of the good and the bad about me. A zero year birthday is worthy of some reflection. Feel free to skip the ramblings. I won't mind. :)

*************************************************************************
Disclaimer #1 - I am not fishing for compliments.

Disclaimer #2 - I don't think I'm "all that and a bag of chips" when it comes to photography.

But...and this may sound arrogant...I do know my way around a camera. After more than a dozen years reading everything I can get my hands on about photography, I can say that, technically speaking, I'm confident in what I'm doing. I can use a digital camera or a camera from the 40s/50s and know that I will get the photograph. I know how to "see" light. And if something is in my photos, it's intentional. I know the photography "rules", I just choose to break them sometimes.

Having said THAT - being technically proficient does not a photographer make. On any given day, I can look here on photoblog or in a magazine or on photo.net or the Nikonians website and see photos that make me want to hang up my camera. We all go through that, right?

But I don't put my camera away. I keep taking photos because it's what I like to do. How I express myself. Still, every time you put your photos out there you risk rejection. And that is REALLY hard.

Did I tell you I joined a photo stock agency? I submitted an application to Photoshelter in March and I was accepted. But they don't automatically accept all of your photos. Oh, no. They go through an approval process. Right now, my approval rate for my photos is about 65-66%. Which I find depressing. There are a lot of reasons they reject a photo - they have too much of a subject, it's not what they are looking for, it's not technically correct, etc. Sigh.

AND...I also submitted a photo to velonews early last month and it wasn't accepted either. SIGH.

At times like that, I think I have no business giving out advice since it doesn't appear to be working for me!

But I'll keep taking photos because I Love it and it brings me Joy. And I'll keep trying because I have to Believe that my Dreams will come true. My photos may not be for everyone, but that's okay. They are mine.

www.lmg-images.com
20 Comments
sunshineand lovely post.
i like it
sunshineand · 2008-05-04: 00:19
nasser yes lovely post!
nasser · 2008-05-04: 00:51
dquixote I love you pictures...and your advice. I know I haven't been around much lately (life took over hobby) but every time you have offered advice to me, I've learned from it. I said all that to say this...Don't be discouraged. Know that you are doing great things...even if the "publishers" only see it 60% of the time! :-)
dquixote · 2008-05-04: 01:07
etodd80 Well keep doing what you're doing. Keep shooting and submitting and growing with your photography. You have awesome talent and you have excellent skill. 65-66 percent approval is just one company's idea of what they want, and to me thats a pretty good rate if you have just started with them. Don't let the judgment of others ever get you down. I hope you always enjoy taking pictures, because you do it well!
etodd80 · 2008-05-04: 01:19
noptek Vrey interesting objects. I love the tones and the composition.
noptek · 2008-05-04: 01:19
ronin53 love your pics and your disclaimer is perfect: most of people around don't even know what photography means but some are very special open minded, and it's a pleasure to post here on photoblog to share with them the joy of our free souls :) thnx !
ronin53 · 2008-05-04: 01:33
Nayah Well, despite the fact I am a beginner in photography, I always like your shots! So, for me it is always a pleasure to watch your pictures! And only by watching, I try to improve by myself! :)))) So thanks for all the pictures you show to us! And well, my own experience is that sometimes, when it seems you don't get what you wanted, it is only because there is maybe something else which finally is much better or corresponds better! So I wish you good luck! :))))
Nayah · 2008-05-04: 03:34
iagho Very nice spoons : ]
Beautiful post
Alex
iagho · 2008-05-04: 03:48
kangshung Great spoon shots Lisa - what? You don't cook?!! Enjoyed your ramblings Lisa - 40 is no big deal really - it's just about out of the teenybopper phase. 50 is slightly more serious ;)

Lisa that you know your way around a camera is obvious in every one of your shots, both technically and creatively. A few rejections don't mean anything - perhaps that your style is not always in sync with so-called popular views. I would think a 60-65% 'approval' rating is exceptionally high! Keep at it!!
kangshung · 2008-05-04: 08:29
Lynda These are gorgeous. I have just plain metal measuring spoons and would love a set like these. Your photos are great BTW.
Lynda · 2008-05-04: 13:48
????? una series de imagenes de macro muy buena comp@
????? · 2008-05-04: 14:38
Mabi938 Have more nice moments.
Mabi938 · 2008-05-04: 16:15
jwideman those measuring spoons remind me of lindy!

i think you are so very talented! you just keep doing what you love (and do really well!) and forget all those negative comments and bogus approval rate percentages! :D
jwideman · 2008-05-05: 12:31
Nubster Welcome to the big 4-0! I am always stunned by your photography - and inspired. Thank you for continuing to post! Regarding the stock photo agency, rejection is a bummer, but congratulations on being accepted! That is quite a milestone.
Nubster · 2008-05-05: 17:52
rolpa Lovely spoon photos - beautiful light, tonality and composition. Creative work always opens us and makes us vulnerable. Probably a good thing even if we don't always like it or others responses.
rolpa · 2008-05-05: 19:30
SheriJ Awesome shots and I amjust a tad older than you! Not Quite in the serious range like PattyB and the guy above her.. LOL Good luck on submitting photos! I haven't gotten up my nerve yet to try stock photo been think-un hard about it!! What does Velonews know? Yes my husband and I read that mag. Your bike shots were awesome keep trying!!
SheriJ · 2008-05-05: 21:41
TheCrazyCroat First, these spoons are so cute I want to know where I can get some!

The pics are fantastic.

Second, I know you are not searching for compliments, but I love your work. When I first came here my buddy MHJPhotos told me to check you out because your photos were so good.

To have a good and strong foundation of the technical aspect of photography is admirable. I do no and feel like such a fraud because of it.

Keep doing what you are doing because you've got "IT".

Major congrats with the stock agency and happiest of b-days!
TheCrazyCroat · 2008-05-07: 00:53
Jannie I love your photos! You truly inspire me with your talent & your willingness to display your vulnerability to us in your posts. I think you are the most talenter photoblogger that I know. So keep Dreaming & Believing! I plan on learning a lot more from you. So much of what people love about a photo is how it speaks to them. So if those rejections don't speak to the critic then that's their loss!!
Jannie · 2008-05-13: 17:54
ambersunsets I love these measuring spoons! Great take on the theme. I turned 40 last month and it's not too bad.....just hurts your feelings a bit. And also a great time for reflection:)
ambersunsets · 2008-05-15: 08:55
ACH365 Gosh, if you feel that way and I admire your work so much, it makes me feel bad for the hiatus (please forgive my spelling. I was trying to spell hi-ate-us) recently. At least we both picked up the camera again. It's like therapy for people like us, I guess. I hope to know my way around a camera like you do sooner rather than later.

PS - WHERE did you find those measuring spoons?! I want a set!
ACH365 · 2008-06-10: 20:28
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