“An Open Letter to the Next Generation of Artists”

 I want to share this very inspiring open letter by Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter with you.

“We are not alone. We do not exist alone and we cannot create alone. You cannot hide behind a profession or instrument; you have to be human. Focus your energy on becoming the best human you can be. Focus on developing empathy and compassion. 

 Arrogance can develop within artists, either from artists who believe that their status makes them more important, or those whose association with a creative field entitles them to some sort of superiority. Beware of ego; creativity cannot flow when only the ego is served.” 

Since I moved to the U.S. from Germany I have felt that there is much more of a “community” of photographers out here that help each other. Maybe I’m wrong and I’ve just been lucky to meet many kind fellow photographers here in L.A….

Everywhere in the world there are people out there in the art world whose ego take over their humanity at some point in their career. They put themselves on a high pedestal and don’t treat the people who work under them with the respect that they deserve for the hard work they do. In photography, team work is everything and I am grateful for those projects where everyone gets along well and we all work together to accomplish our vision and have a great time on set. Those are the times where I feel satisfaction and am happy be able to create something with like-minded people. 

 As a creative freelancer you are very vulnerable. Acting like a narcicisstic prick to boost your self-esteem might seem like a good idea for a while because you think you’re the boss. But in the end it’s not a fundamental way to go because kindness will prevail over time. We are all one and have to act together as a whole instead of working against each other. 

Gentleness and empathy will be what distinguishes you and make you succeed in your endeavors. Always remember that. 

 READ THE FULL LETTER HERE: http://nesthq.com/wayne-shorter-herbie-hancock-open-letter/

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