Starting Out: Play Nice

I think this post is more of a “life lesson” post than a simple photography post.  So, everyone- EVERYONE- gather around.

Ps.  This is not posted because I’ve had a bad experience.  On the contrary.  My mother always taught me, “Save it for the car.”  That is, if you have something bad to say about someone, keep it to yourself until you’re in the car and you’re SURE no one can hear you.  If you forget it by the time you get to the car, it wasn’t worth saying.  If you remember in the car, it STILL might not be worth saying.

Here’s the lesson- be nice.  All the time.  Nice.

Smile at the cashier.  Say thank you to the bus driver.  Hold the door open for strangers.  Tip your waiter.  Wave to the mailman.

Because you never know who they are.  You never know who they know.  You never know who’s watching you.

Imagine this:  someone cuts you off to get into the bus faster than you.  You swear, you spit, you stick out your tongue.  You make it known in a very immature fashion that this person has made you angry.

Then you turn up to the wedding you’re shooting the next week and he’s the father of the bride.

Awkward.

Or imagine this:  Someone is considering hiring you, Googles you, finds your blog, your Twitter feed, your FB page, etc.- finds that ugly comment you made about that friend you USED to have, that one who now makes your life miserable.  And after reading said ugly comment, potential customer is totally put off and doesn’t hire you at all.

Oops.

I’m not saying we should all be pushovers.  I’m not saying we should walk on eggshells just in case a potential client HAPPENS to see us randomly in the street.

I’m saying there’s a time and place and a proper way to handle situations.

I’m saying you have to pick your battles and the way you fight them.

I am saying that YOU are your business.  YOU are your selling point.  Be mature, be polite, be NICE.

And now for a photo of the three nicest boys I know.

Related Reading...