What I Missed Yesterday

Yesterday, as I drove to get lunch, I passed past a beautiful old car. It was white with a red accent all the way around. The mirrors were those old-fashioned circles and its tires had that iconic white ring. The car was so awesome that even I (knowing nothing about cars) knew it was valuable. As I pulled up next to the driver at the stoplight, I continued admiring its beauty. Quickly, however, the light turned green and it was gone—a moment missed. If I could go back and relive that moment I almost certainly would roll down my window, compliment the man's car, and hand him a business card with an offer to photograph his ride.

That is just one example of the many moments that pass us by every day. Each one contains an often unconscious choice—a choice I would submit most of us take for granted; I certainly do. We allow ourselves to become "busy" or "in a rush" oftentimes for something that we need not be and at the expense of every single opportunity that may reveal itself during that period. My lunch certainly could have waited a little while longer in order for me to pitch a shoot for a killer car. On a simpler level, what conversations do we miss with strangers every day as we simply walk past them? How often do we stand in awkward silence in an elevator filled with people with stories each unique as our own? Only yesterday, I walked next to someone for 5 minutes with our only communication being a mutual head nod. How many connections would we have if we genuinely lived curious lives?

As an introvert, it takes a lot for me to desire to put myself out there, but it is something that I have been training myself to do. While it comes naturally to some—particularly those extroverted—it is a skill worth developing in all of us. Those with entrepreneurial minds should see the value in this skill to a greater extent, so I'll speak to them for a second. You are your startup business' best advertiser. Almost all startup businesses originally grow by word of mouth. In other words, the more people you tell the faster your business will grow. Now, many other factors play a role, but as a general rule: the more people that know about your business the better your results will be. Take practical steps to sell yourself.

As a practical step last semester, I wore my camera everywhere I went. No matter where I was, working or not, my camera was at my hip. Practically, that is something that every photographer should do at some point because it will allow them to capture moments that he or she would never have thought of. I cannot tell you how many times I have been out doing something and have seen a perfect photo only to not have my camera. But from a business perspective, it gives you the ability to start conversations about your services. Better yet, it will draw people interested in those services to you. I gained two customers in one day just by eating at Chiloso wearing my camera. That being said, there are many other important things to remember while selling your services, but maybe I'll write a whole blog on that later.

Most of the moments mentioned earlier have involved another person. But what about the moments we miss when we're alone? I took the picture above driving home one-day last year. With the windows down, I noticed a herd of cows with spectacular horns grazing in a pasture on the side of the road. Not having anything better to do, I pulled into a nearby parking lot and pulled out my camera. As I moved closer to the cows, they began to stir, coming closer to the fence—it was as if they were posing for me. What followed was an amazing time of content creation as I squeezed through the fence (trespassing laws are just suggestions for photographers) and attempted to get the cows to do what I wanted. I combined so many things I loved: photography, animals, the outdoors, etc. However, I would have completely missed out had I just continued my normal drive home.

Small moments like these surround us every day, but it takes an aware person to notice them. I guess one takeaway is to take a long way home every now and then. Be spontaneous when you can. Take chances. Live life. Meet new people. You never meet a friend until you've met a stranger. You never know what you're missing out on until you're missing out on it.

-Luke