Talk to People

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

This might surprise you, but when I was growing up, I would get in trouble for talking. I was the student who loved to talk during class. That was the main reason I would get in trouble at school. I just couldn’t help myself. As a teacher, I teach my students that there is a right time and a wrong time to talk to others. Talking is a valuable thing, especially when it comes to learning. Research shows that when we have regular conversations with those we work with, we are more productive. The same thing is true when you are learning something. That’s why in my classroom, I encourage my students to talk with one another about what they are currently learning. This helps them understand it better, and it helps them remember it later.

How does that help us as adults? One, we should have conversations with those we work with. I’m not saying you need to be best friends with your coworkers, but have a positive relationship with them. Talk about what is going on with your role, and be willing to help others and be helped by others. I do this as a teacher all the time. I talk with my colleagues about what worked that day and what didn’t often. Even after 13 years, I am still learning how to be the best teacher I can be. When it comes to photography, I’m not part of a large company or anything like that. That’s where Instagram comes in. I can connect with other photographers and learn more about how to be better at it. Collaboration is key for success.

I captured these photos last July. My wife and I were taking pictures at Camp North End in Charlotte, North Carolina. Camp North End has great coffee shops, retail, and, awesome murals around it. We captured some photos using my tripod with each other, and I captured photos of the murals as well. Here are some of the black and white photos I captured while we were there.