"The Best Photography Advice I Ever Got" with Rob Sylvan
Job Experience: I am a photographer, teacher, and author of many photography books through Peachpit Press. I’m also the Lightroom Help Desk for the National Association of Photoshop Professionals, the Tech Desk for Kelby Training, and on staff at The Digital Photo Workshops.
Most Notable Achievement: Carving out a way to make a living that allows me to work from home and stay involved with my son’s life.
Favorite Camera: Nikon D700
Advice: The best photography advice I ever got actually came from the legendary Jay Maisel by way of Chris Orwig. Chris was relating a story about one of his photography students who was getting a portfolio review from Jay. The student asked Jay how he could take more interesting photos, to which Jay replied, “Become a more interesting person.”
It was so simple, but for me, so profound. After all, we photograph the things that are around us, we get jobs from people who know us, and the connections we make with other people lead us to new experiences. This inspired me to get more involved with my local community, to take up bee keeping, to volunteer at my son’s school, and to say yes to more opportunities that scare the heck out of me. Not only did my photographs get more interesting, but so did my life.