Barrier? What Barrier?

Yesterday, I referenced barriers in my post.  This definitely warrants more discussion.  I’ve countlessly uttered the words, “I can’t” or “but it’s too hard, too complicated, too…” or “I don’t have X so I can’t do Y”

I find for me, that barriers are often excuses.  I live in the land of what if and imagine all of the worst scenarios.  It’s scary to risk failure.  It’s also scary to risk success.

Up go the barriers.  In the days when I was teaching my job readiness program (I so miss that!) I often told my students “Don’t put barriers in front of yourself.”  Every time I said it, I was talking to myself as well.

I can’t travel to exotic places, so I can’t take interesting pictures.  I don’t own a $2000 camera, so I can’t take high quality pictures.  I can’t afford to go to photography school, so I’ll never learn all I need to know.

Barriers – every single one.  If you try hard enough, you can take interesting pictures in a Walmart parking lot.  And to prove the point, I started an “Around the Block” project where, at least once a week, I limit myself to a one block radius of my house and take at least 10 pictures.  You should join me!

You can take high quality pictures with whatever camera you have if you learn how to use it to its best advantage – and have it with you.

And who ever said there was a rule that you had to go to photography school in order to learn photography?  Sure, it would make the process quicker, but with enough practice, reading, and asking of questions, it can be done!

I would be just plain naive to insist that all barriers are simply in our head.  However, with work, creativity, ingenuity, and a bit of hootspa, I would say that most barriers can be overcome.  The question to ask is: how badly do you want it?