"...true, authentic swing..." Yeah? Hows about we just settle for OK?

In a quiet little movie that I like, one character tells another that within each one of us is a 'true, authentic swing.' Now he is talking about golf, actually as a metaphor for life, and how we are capable of doing great things when we find our 'authenticity'. He is attempting to have an individual who is wallowing in self doubt and pity pull himself up to become what he is truly capable of.

Andrew recently posted about being unique as far as portfolio delivery bags are concerned, also as a metaphor for all of the things that you do to set yourself apart and make a unique footprint. But is unique really good enough on its own? Would Andrew's orange delivery bags make a difference if the work sucked. A golf swing that is authentically awful may not be good enough to make the green.

What happens when the search for 'unique' ends up being an end in to itself instead of a journey that could lead to excellence? Being unique isn't enough. You have to be unique and interesting and technically proficient and gracious and egomaniacal in a gentle way and capable of following directions while also going your own way to create something that is rare. A good photograph. Hell with a great photograph, most of us would be happy with a few hundred good photographs in a lifetime.

I hope you know that the bar for 'good' is quite high. I don't mean acceptable, or "good 'nuff" - I mean really good. Great... well, that's a label that others attach to work that hopefully started out as good.

On the VH1 mess on being the next great fashion shooter which I unfortunately had the misfortune to watch, the confusion that people have about unique and good was on full blown review. (Yes, I could have turned the channel, but I was tired and, well, wtf....)

The host is a seemingly pleasant guy with the affectation of a demi-god. His dreadful critiques of the work were so angst infected and contrived that they came off as silly. His own work does not place him in the place of judge.

And the photographers that they had assembled were an amazing bunch as well. How could they find so many petty, self-absorbed, naval-gazing wannabees? The egos on this bunch are simply unexplained from a lay person without any kind of formal psychiatric training. They were simply so sure that their crap and the way they worked was superior to everyone else that it really made for entertaining TV... kind of like watching Randy and Simon listen to the crazies sing while dressed as an elephant.

Only difference is that on that show the know-nothings don't make it to the show. We didn't get to see the level of entrants that were screened to get this terrible group of dysfunctional boneheads together. Damn, that would have been amazing if this is what they ended up with.

Ok, you are asking why I am beating up on the mentally, and definitely photographically challenged? I'm not really... I am much more in awe of the new view of success and uniqueness that seems to be undergoing a redefinition right before our eyes.

Working hard, practicing, experimenting, failing, learning, seeking excellence... that's all bullshit now. Google it... that's good 'nuff. Thinking of adding an umbrella to your lighting kit? Go to a forum and ask what kind to get. Yeah... that's a great plan. Information that flows from a typical forum can be downright scary. There is so much wrong, yes... I said wrong... information that is passed on from people who are happy to tell someone else how to do something that they personally have no idea about.

Kind of like the guy who critiques the work on the show. Or the insipid statements by the 'photographers' that their sub quality work was their 'personal style'. Unique... check. Good... err... no. Or the show itself... three judges, 2 guys and 1 girl, one British person... Good God people... are you kidding? Unique?

So what's the message? A show that is formulaic at best featuring a host that creates safe, middle of the road images harshly critiquing photographers HE picked after putting them in situations that were more like fear factor than any photoshoot I have ever been on, all the while knowing... KNOWING... that these self-absorbed wannabees hadn't even tried on their own to do anything at all? He picks them, then gives them an assignment that was three paygrades over their capability then knocks them down for failing. Got it. Who's the Biggest Loser? I think I know.

Only one of the photogs was actually shooting professionally. The others didn't have the fuckin' balls to put themselves out there. None of them were assisting, or doing anything to personally up their skills... they just thought they deserved it. So to all the people young and old who are struggling to get traction... F-off, you just don't get it.

After all, the people on this show actually, you know, showed up. Like the ones that show up to sing for Paula and they guys without ever, EVER, having sung... anywhere. Ever. And then leave the show cursing that those people don't know nothin' and they suck cause - hey, I showed up so I deserve the top spot.

So go on out there and search for that true, authentic swing. Look for it high and low. Struggle daily with finding it... and then holding on to it. Work hard for clarity. Find the unique vision that could be inside you and exploit the hell out of it. It may not be as easy as 'showing up' but it could be worth it.

Or simply copy someone else badly and blame the people who aren't sophisticated enough to see how utterly incredible you are for not being able to maximize your potential.

May not help with your photography but you could get a hosting gig out of it. Yeah... that's the ticket.