"A pessimist sees only the dark side of the clouds, and mopes; a philosopher sees both sides, and shrugs; an optimist doesn't see the clouds at all--he's walking on them."

~ Sam Levinson

This past weekend I had the wonderful experience of participating in a nature photography workshop instructed by Eddie Soloway.  This workshop took place in Big Sur.  One of the most beautiful places on our California coast.

This was an unforgettable experience.  I was first drawn to his workshop by an invitation from my photographer friend, Jackie, who pointed me to his website.  At first, I thought beautiful, but a lot of it is out of focus or doesn't follow the standards of photographic composition or definitions of a "good" photograph. 

Then, the more I looked at the different perspectives his work lends to our everyday views, the more enamored I became with his work and decided to attend the four day workshop.  I wanted to find out how he did the beautiful work he did.  What was his process about looking at the world from such a creative view?  How did he actually "see" his pictures? 
I learned so much about the technical aspects of photography, but more importantly, I learned so much more about opening my eyes to different perspectives. 

Eddie asked us to bring six of our favorite pictures and prepare a statement about what we love about photography to share with the other participants.  I wrote that I love the opportunity to see things from many different perspectives.  It gives me an opportunity to slow myself down, and look.  Just look.  If gives me the opportunity to get unstuck and look at the same scene from many different views and realize that everything changes from second to second.    

This past weekend gave me the opportunity to look even deeper.  Look at the same frame, but from different views.  I took close to two thousand pictures and many came out beautiful and many, many, many more did not.  Those that did not were the ones I learned the most from.  My mistakes were my valuable lessons. 

Get the "picture"?

Perspectives are a mental view that we have of a situation we are in.  We get stuck when we can’t see another way.  The way out is to slow down, and look.  Just look.  Know you are always in a perspective and know you can always change that perspective.   Pretend you have a camera and the scene in the viewfinder is your life, right now.  What happens when you turn the camera a little bit to the right?  To the left?  What do you see when you look up?  When you lie down on the ground and look at it from that perspective? 

"Instead of seeing the rug being pulled from under us, we can learn to dance on a shifting carpet."

~ Thomas F. Crum

Step into leading and play a Bigger Game in your life... don't wait... model leadership... the World needs us to do this.

Lead strong!

Pat

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• Stand up and imagine there is a circle on the floor in front of you.  Imagine this circle is divided into six pieces like six pieces of a pie.  Name this circle, e.g., "My job perspective Circle".
  
  
• Step into one of the pieces and identify this piece as where you are at today.  Stay here a while and get a good feel of what this feels like.  When you think you have a good feel for this piece of the pie, name it.  For example, this piece could be called the "I don't see a way out" piece.
  
  
• Next, step into another piece of the pie.  Take a look at "My job perspective Circle" from this piece.  What could this be?  Perhaps, this could be the place that you look at where you see something in your current situation that could have more focus for you.  When you think you have a good feel for this piece of the pie, name if.  For example, this piece could be called the "Focus on my strengths" piece.
  
  
• Continue around this pie until you have all six pieces named. 
  
  
• Step out of the pie pieces and look around.  Pick the one perspective you want to be in for the next week and step back into that piece.
  
  
• Name that piece and say aloud what it is that you commit to doing to move forward in the direction of that perspective.  Commit this to a friend or family member.
  
  
• Move on.

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• The Natural Eye - The Photography of Eddie Soloway

• Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler 

• Co-Active Coaching New Skills for Coaching People Toward Success in Work and Life by Laura Whitworth, Karen Kimsey-House, Henry Kimsey-House, Phillip Sandahl  

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