Yesterday was a great day.
I was in a really good mood all day… and it started with a phone call I received.
Mid-morning, a mom called to schedule her son’s Senior Portrait. She told me that she was calling because we had done her older son’s Senior Portrait a few years ago, and she wouldn’t think of going anywhere else.
She told me how much she loved the older boy’s portrait, and how happy she was that they had come to us before. She went on to say,
“There are so many new photographers today — I see them everywhere, all over Facebook; but their pictures just don’t have the ‘look’ that yours do. There’s something about the Portraits you made of my older son that stands out. So many pictures are just snapshots, or frankly just… bad. Yours have a depth that shows my son’s personality. He’s a good looking boy, but you brought out his best features and really captured who he is.
I never get tired of looking at them.”
Now, am I just telling you this story to brag about my Portraits? (Well, maybe a little…)
But really, no, I’m sharing this because of how good I felt all day yesterday, just because of one phone call.
We really do put a lot into our work. Each portrait is a unique effort and we try to make every single client look as good as they possibly can. We hope that our portraits have a positive impact on the people that see them… but to get that kind of feedback, years later — to receive that acknowledgement and appreciation — really made it worthwhile. A few simple words changed my day for the better!
Think about all the interactions we have each day with all kinds of people — friends, strangers, and business transactions of all kinds… Imagine how great it would feel if someone noticed something you did and simply let you know that it was appreciated!
I’m going to start looking harder for ways to let people know that I notice them and what they do. Not just a perfunctory “Thank you”, but a real acknowledgement of their effort. Almost everyone says, “Nice pictures” when they see their portraits, but the Senior mom who called me noticed what it is that I really take pride in — the capturing of her son’s personality in a timeless portrait — one that she will always enjoy looking at!
Imagine what the world would be like if we all just simply noticed each other and complimented the good work that others do!
