FAVORITE MEDIUM ?
Before going back to school for commercial photography and becoming a photo stylist, I was briefly a high school art teacher. On the first day of class, students were asked to complete a short questionnaire. The questionnaire included the obligatory art ed question, “What is your favorite medium to work in?”
My favorite answer: “SHORT PANTS.” He preferred working in short pants. His naivety was genius! Why didn’t I think of that?
Why didn’t I consider clothing as a possible answer? I couldn’t see his answer because I was too close to question. I was an insider.
Yes, his answer is a bit naive, but his inexperience was also his edge. He could see what I could not.
If I am stuck or struggling to solve a problem, I change my optics. I need outside perspective; I need ‘short pants’ perspective. Outsiders often provide the most obvious and simple solutions that an insider is incapable of seeing. I seek new perspectives and value what the outsiders, the naive or inexperienced can offer — fresh eyes.
What do you have to lose? There’s no harm in asking for feedback and opinions. And who knows, working in short pants could be the solution !