I am not a fan of baseball or American football. There has been endless times where I have watched games and I just cannot get into either of them. I guess any baseball fanatic could probably say the same thing about soccer. “Just a bunch of grown ass men kicking a ball back and forth!” Yet, you can put me in front of a fútbol match and I can watch it for hours without end. In that moment, my inner tomboy comes out hard core!
As most of you may know, the World Cup took place during June and July of this year. It was extraordinary to say the least. Of course my nerdy-self set alarms for each game and would plan my day according to the schedules. When Colombia was playing, the world could be falling apart and I would proudly sit in front of the television cheering for two hours. On days where I had photo shoots my outfits represented the team I was rooting for. Most of my conversations with friends started out something like this: “You want to go grab a beer, watch fútbol, and talk game?” Say no more, I am there!
You can tell my endless love for soccer when it’s been almost a month since the finale and I am googling YouTube videos of all the countries I want to visit! Surprisingly, never in a million years did I think the World Cup and all of its participating players would teach me a thing or two about business and photography.
Unity:
Being part of such a grandiose event felt incredible. Even if it was just from my home television. For those two month there was a sense of unification. Unity between fans and their teams, among countries, and the entire world. Besides the Olympics, the World Cup manages to put all universal issues aside for the sake of the game. Isn’t that incredible? Yes, there are rivalries, but we are all there for the pure love of the sport. For example, during the trajectory of the World Cup a German might call himself a Colombian fan and a Colombian might call herself a Croatian fan. Simply because those teams are the ones left.
It dawned on me that the same could be said about the photography industry. There is always competition. There are always clicks and haters. Yet, once in a while there are a bunch of people whose desire is to create a community based on growth and respect. Online and in person! Similarly to soccer, we are there for the love of the lens and we want to see each other thrive and succeed.
Passion:
I am not going to lie, watching any losing team cry as the ending whistle blew was emotional. I felt their loss! On the other hand, happy tears were shed with the winning players’ excitement. Nothing can compare to the exhilarating feeling of scoring the winning goal! Nothing! Every single player played like their lives depended on it. For two hours they didn’t just play for the victory, they played for the complete and utter passion of being on the field and scoring a goal. Those tears weren’t just a second hand effect of losing, they were the result of so much hard work, dedication, honor, and soul! That kind of win or loss is not felt from the brain. No, that feeling is solemnly from the heart.
With that being said, I understood that my devotion to a life of creation should come from a sense of passion and love. Never should it be for the money, the recognition, or the power even if those things are the aftermath of accomplishing something great. All of it should come from the heart! Like my man Messi kissing the finely cut grass of the court every time he scores, I want to kiss my camera every time I snap a memorable shot. Regardless of the result, I still want to kiss my camera with love! Do you feel me?
Healthy Pride:
Although the World Cup ended far sooner than expected, I learned one final and very important thing: humble pride. Not once did I hear a fan say: “I am no longer an Italian or Spaniard,” because they lost or played terrible. No, every single fan mourned the loss, but remained true to their roots! Watching and belonging to an event as big as the World Cup always brings out a healthy version of patriotism. In any country: regular life would stop, the televisions would be on, and you would have a bunch of jerseys watching the game.
As I looked over my photography work and what I have created so far [with my brand] it may not be much, but I can be proud of it. Even if at times I have felt like my work has not been my best, the World Cup, its fans, and the teams subconsciously taught me to be proud of what my hands have made and who I am! From my opinion, these types of insights are quite beautiful!
