RespectheShooter EPISODE 2 - The Start of... Something
“Knowledge, like air, is vital to life. Like air, no one should be denied it.”
― Alan Moore, (V for Vendetta)
I, for long, have both wanted to and been asked to teach the craft of photographers to others, and I can honesty say that the idea of teaching photography to others seemed like a a task that was far off in the distance for myself. Maybe it’s a case of imposter syndrome but in my belief, not only did I not know enough, I am also still in the midst of my own journey. I have yet to grasp how to navigate so many parts of my own journey, not to mention having to teach another how to navigate theirs. The task seemed unrealistic for me to take place as a teacher.
Movie poster for Ip Man on Netflix
Ever since I was young, I have had an intense fascination with Martial Arts & fighting movies; anime has been an obsession of mine as well but that’s a topic for another article. In the world of Martial Arts flicks, the individual that the majority of the cast, whether that be his peers or bystanders in the community, deemed as a master of his said craft would always be in objection of taking his knowledge and teaching it to disciples. And understandably so. The films usually start by showcasing the humble passion that the master shows to his craft, the intense focus and attention he gives to the details of it. He is usually an outlier in the community, not by banishment or shame but solely due to the peace that he finds in his craft.
Take the film ‘Ip Man’ for example, he had a great deal of respect for those around him, whether practitioners or otherwise, and unlike the other aspiring masters in the film, Master Ip did not seek to compete with others but his practice was almost an extension of himself into his own life. His craft gave him a deeper understanding of people, so it seemed in the film and that was part of what elevated his level of skill. If you are unfamiliar, Sifu Yip Man, as he was known in reality, was a master of the Wing Chun style of Martial Arts and he became so revered for his knowledge of craft that he eventually became the teacher to Bruce Lee, who most of the world is a lot more familiar with. But along the way, Sifu Yip had a hard time coming to terms with standing in front of others as a teacher, not because he was unsure of his skill but because he, like me, was always focused on learning more and when on the journey of learning as a student, it can be hard to see yourself as a teacher.
In no way am I comparing myself to Sifu Yip. When it comes to Martial Arts, he is one of the greatest to ever practice the Martial Arts. But by definition, photography too could be seen as a form of Martial Art; we repeat steps, we gain an understanding of science and we create our unique portrayals of traditional ideas in present-day form. The reality is that photography is not a craft that can be mastered, in my opinion, as it is ever-evolving in its nature. Technology advances, landscapes change and philosophy evolves as humans do, thus the mind of a photographer is changing in parallel to the machines we use to create imagery. So I can understand the perspective of someone like Sifu Yip or other trained Martial Artists that would feel that their current standing as a student would, in fact, overshadow their understanding of craft as a teacher.
What changed my mind a little and opened me up to the idea, was a conversation with another young photography Sifu, Shaughn Cooper (@shaughncooper). I sat in on a lifestyle session that Shaughn was shooting in his studio where he had one of his proteges alongside him. And to put it simply, I learned a valuable lesson from Shaughn that day, even outside of what he said in the one convo out of the many conversations of that day. Amid convo, Shaughn said that in as we learn we have to give away some of that knowledge to make room for the intake of more knowledge, as he attempted to begin teaching his protege a lesson about filling his mind as well as his body with the right nutrients. The lesson, as I heard it, was instantly understood both audibly as well as watching it transpire visually. And it is that one simple lesson that sparked me out of productive procrastination and into starting this Youtube channel as a content creator as well as a teacher. I hope that the lessons I attempt to teach through it will be received with the same level of understanding.
~Life & Love