(Above photo from my “Downtown LA in Color” series, 2012)
I believe firmly in the idea that talent is overrated, not only in street photography but other facets of life. We look at those who are successful in their fields, and we clamor how talented they are– and how they must have some innate skill or insight that nobody else was born with.
After reading many books on talent and success including “Talent is Overratedâ€, “Outliersâ€, and “Image: How Creativity Works” the findings are quite similar. Hard work and “deliberate practice†is what makes people great in their fields, rather than being born with talent. Talent isn’t an adjective to describe ourselves. Rather, talent is a verb– something we must nurture and constantly work on over the years.