Earlier this year, I was delighted to work with Momenta Workshops as a professional mentor for their Project New Orleans Workshop.  I stated in an earlier post how rewarding it was to be on the other side of the editing equation and how incredibly satisfying it was to be able to help guide students as they waded through the struggle of the creative process.  Watching the “light bulb” turn on was pretty incredible!

Last week I received an envelope of Thank You notes from Momenta … thank you’s from some of the students I interacted with during the workshop … and I couldn’t be more proud.  Not only is it just nice to feel appreciated, but I am especially proud because they all say they were “inspired”.  I love that I might have given some small bit of inspiration to another photographer, mainly because I still feel such a strong sense of gratitude to those photographers that helped me get started.  In a field where competition can be fierce, and internet forums can be havens for haters, I can’t help but think of the saying that “a candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.”  I challenge anyone who has ever been helped along the incredibly difficult photography journey to pay it forward this week.  Take five minutes to encourage a fledgling photographer or offer a kind bit of business or technical advice.  I promise it will be is a great feeling for you, and may just be the greatest gift you can give someone else.