The editor's mind
Before I write, I think to myself, what can I communicate that will bring value to my readers? Should I write a gear review because these kinds of articles get the most interactions, but they get the least meaningful responses? When I write about value, meaning, purpose, finding yourself, discipline, these articles get far fewer readers but more significant responses. The question is, do I want reach or depth? But even contemplating this kind of thought is what I call The Editor's Mind – thinking and trying to control something before it has even happened.
When I'm writing, I am just putting down my thoughts and ideas without the care for perfection. I'm being purely creative. Writing is like talking to me; the words just flow from my mind to paper. I hope for the same creative flow when it comes to my photography. I hope for the images to just come to me, without thought or The Editor's Mind.
We all have that editor in our head, saying, "Be careful what you say," "Think before you speak," "How are you going to do that?" "What do I need to get the desired result?" "Where should I start?" "What time is the best time, place, location?" "You need more money, gear, experience, time, skill." The list of self-sabotage, self-editing can go on for eternity, and it does for many of us.
This editor's voice is the reason many of us don't start; we edit before we even create. The editing should come after the creative process. Ask yourself when do you edit a photo? Before you take it or after? Most people will say after, and a few will say during and before, like the smart asses you are. The majority of us edit our photos after we have created them. So why don't we do this for everything in our lives?
It's because we're afraid to fail. A photo is cheap and easy, and you can take them in abundance. The cost of failure in photography is very low, so we edit after the fact. But our editor's mind comes into play more when the cost is higher, be it the price tag or the immense risk or change that could happen to one's life, say, losing your job or respect or home. But the people that get things done, get it done because they create in spite of these risks. They accept failure and jump in headfirst, and edit after committing to the creative process.
Why can't more of us just treat life like we take photos? Create, be in the moment, experiment, try, embrace failure, and reflect on what we have learned. Edit after the creative process, learn from reflection and the experiences from trying, regardless of the outcome, so you can better yourself for tomorrow. Accepting that failure will happen to you is truly freeing to our creative mind, and it conquers The Editor's Mind that is self-sabotaging. Go out there, try, create, embrace the moment, and worry about the minor details later in the editing.
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