The Money Shot

I'm not a photographer and I don't have any formal training.  I HAVE been taking a ton of pictures this semester for this #100daysSLCC campaign.  And I've been using my trusty old iPhone.  Partly because I don't have a camera to use and mostly because even with a camera, I don't know a lot about adjusting to light, getting a nice shot that doesn't have a yellow tinge, and not wanting to be responsible for a camera I don't own.  So my iPhone camera has been the "go-to" for pictures.  Quite honestly, it's been easy to use since I can pick up Peep and go at any time.  The more pictures I've taken and the more I post to this blog, on Twitter, and on Instagram, the more I think about photographers (people who actually know their way around a camera) and that "money shot".  The picture that says a thousand words.  That one angle, subject, setting that tells the story and stirs feelings within people.  One of my teenage daughters has that eye for photography. She knows how to get that certain angle that catches the light in just the right way where a flower looks as if it's in 3-D.  Or she can angle the camera (she uses her phone, too) so the color is vibrant and the focus is on a flower or a bunch of flowers.  She can even get up close and personal to catch the water drops on a flower petal.  It takes time, effort and patience.  Not unlike exploring majors and careers.

The "money shot" in major and career exploration is not going to fall into your lap.  You have to go out and search for it.  If you live in the city and want to get a great shot of a bear in the wild, obviously you need to travel, hike, search, camp, and do whatever it takes to get that golden picture. The same holds true for major and career exploration.  You have to research, study, interview, job shadow, volunteer...  Whatever it takes to find your money shot and a major.  The satisfaction of looking through your photos and finding that ONE shot that held all of the perfect elements of lighting, action, angle, and color is the same feeling you will receive when you land on a major and career decision.  So, have you decided on YOUR money shot?