Life is Like a camera

Life Is Like a Camera: Focus, Capture, Develop, and Take Another Shot

There’s something about a camera that teaches you more about life than you’d expect. The way you frame a shot, the patience it takes to capture the right moment, the way you adjust to changing light—it’s all a metaphor for how we move through this world. That’s why I believe that life is like a camera—you focus on what matters, capture the good times, develop from the negatives, and when things don’t turn out? You take another shot.

Focus on What Matters

In photography, if you don’t have a clear focus, your image is just a blur of chaos. The same goes for life. There are a million distractions, a million things pulling for your attention, but if you don’t focus on what truly matters—your passions, your people, your purpose—you’ll lose sight of what’s important.

When I first started Stag & Bird Photo, I wasn’t fully focused. I was taking pictures, sure, but I wasn’t pushing myself or my business to its full potential. It wasn’t until I honed in, sharpened my vision, and fully committed that things started to change. The same principle applies to everything—relationships, goals, even your own happiness. Focus on the good, and let the background noise fade.

Capture the Good Times

The best part of photography? Freezing a moment in time. Life moves fast—too fast sometimes—but the camera reminds us to stop and appreciate the good. The laughter between friends. The quiet intimacy of a wedding vow. The pure joy in a senior’s eyes as they step into their future.

In life, you have to do the same. Capture the good. Hold onto the memories that make you feel something. Be present for the moments that matter, because time doesn’t slow down for anyone.

Develop from the Negatives

Film photographers know this well—you can’t rush the developing process. The darkroom is where the magic happens, where a blank sheet slowly transforms into something beautiful. But it takes patience. It takes trust.

Life throws negatives at us constantly. Setbacks. Failures. Hard days that make you want to throw in the towel. But those are the moments that shape us. If I had given up the first time I struggled to get clients, or the hundredth time I doubted myself, Stag & Bird wouldn’t exist today. Instead, I learned. I grew. I developed.

You don’t toss out the negatives—you learn from them.

And If Things Don’t Work Out? Take Another Shot.

Not every photo is a masterpiece. Sometimes you miss the moment. Sometimes the lighting isn’t right. But what do you do? You adjust. You try again.

Life works the same way. No one gets it right all the time. You’ll mess up. You’ll have to start over. But that’s not failure—it’s just part of the process.

That’s what I love about photography, and that’s what I love about life. There’s always another chance to create something beautiful. You just have to keep clicking the shutter.

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Watch the Full Keynote

This idea—that life is like a camera—is something I explored in depth during my keynote speech. If this message resonates with you, I’d love for you to watch the full talk on YouTube, where I dive deeper into the lessons that photography has taught me about resilience, creativity, and growth.

🎥 Watch the full keynote speech here!

So, what’s your shot? Whatever you’re chasing, whatever story you’re trying to tell—remember this: focus, capture, develop, and keep going. Life, like photography, isn’t about perfection. It’s about seeing the beauty in the imperfect, the unexpected, the real.

Pick up your camera—literal or metaphorical—and take the shot. You never know what kind of magic you might create.