Taste is not something you can teach, it’s just innate. I heard an interesting interview with Jerry Springer on a morning radio program a while ago. They were asking him about Kim Kardasian and why he thought she was so successful. Jerry went on to explain how the entertainment industry has become democratized. Stay with me, I’ll tie this all together. He said, back in the day, people used to listen to radio programs because of the DJ. Then people started calling in and all the sudden people were listening to the radio to hear what the callers were going to say. Then talk shows became big and people were, once again, watching to see how the audience was going to react. Then shows like American Idol came along and all the sudden the audience had complete control over who was going to be the next star. Gone are the days where a bunch of big-wigs sit around an over sized table and decide who the next big star is going to be. So, ya see, it doesn’t always have to do with talent (or taste) so much as it has to do with appealing to the masses. And in so many cases, especially in terms of art, the general public lacks taste. Hence, why Kim Kardashian is successful.

Let me digress again. I’ve done a lot of traveling to a lot of poor countries where people idolize me for simply being American. Then, when I return home and venture to the middle of butt-fuck-no-where I look around in disbelief at what makes up a HUGE core of the US… people like honey boo boo… I think about those people from those poor countries who have this fanatical ideal of the US and feel sorry for them… someone has obviously pulled the wool over their eyes. We aren’t all we’re cracked up to be.

Back to my point. I will always value quality over quantity. I may get 20 more photography gigs if I start posing newborn babies on lily pads with pearls around their necks. But it’s not my style. Someone else can do it better in me and see the beauty in it. I don’t. And I’m okay with missing out on those 20 clients for the 1 that respects my approach/style/taste/work. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and everyone is going to have different tastes. That’s what makes it all the more magical when you do find a client that is right for you. Like love, there is presumably someone out there for each of us. The debate then becomes are you willing to sacrifice your own taste to please a broader range of clients? What I’ve learned is that you have to follow your own instinct and try your hardest not to even look at what anyone else is doing, whether you like what they’re doing or not. Just do your thing.