The cover of one of my books is actually one of my favorite photos in the world. And yes, I took it. But the story behind the picture is really what fascinates me. There is a chapter in the book entitled, “I Quit…Waiting For The Perfect Picture. The chapter is all about making sure to not be paralyzed by waiting for perfection. Sometimes it is more important to act, to move, to go for it, or to just try.
In September of 2005, I was heading home from a day of selling in New Orleans, LA. It was a hot and muggy day, not quite sweltering, but close. As I came across the causeway from New Orleans into Covington, LA., I noted a number of beautiful sailboats sailing quite close to one another. I assumed they were practicing for a regatta or some kind of race. The captains of the boats were moving back and forth as they jockeyed for position.
I excitedly pulled off the road and walked down to the waters edge with my camera hoping to get the perfect shot of boats racing in the water. But as I worked to get the shot the boats seemed to be camera shy and slowly but surely worked their way off from where I was situated. As the sun began to go down, I realized I would never get the shot I wanted.
But I also noted the sunset was quite lovely. So, I maneuvered my camera so as to get some shots of the sunset. One particular shot, the one of the cover of my book, turned out really well, although I didn’t know it at the time. The setting sun shimmered across the water beneath a set of docks and piers on the lake. Within one week, hurricane Katrina came ashore and wiped out everything in that picture frame. Although much of it was rebuilt, it would never look as it did on that day at that time.
That’s what I mean by quit waiting for the perfect shot. It may never come. But what you get may turn out to be an amazing moment in time that takes your breath away twenty years later.
All the best!
Rodney