1) Be yourself.
What do we do as creative types? We compare ourselves to everybody else out there who’s chasing the same dream. As photographers, none of us are going to be Nate and Jaclyn Kaiser or Jasmine Star. There’s only one of ‘em. Musicians know they’re never going to be Queen or The Rolling Stones. There’s only one of ‘em. If we’re smart, we’ll all keep our heads to the grindstone and find ways to make our own talent shine and forget about how many others out there are doing the same. The Avett Brothers know this too. It’s why, when I listened to them sing Sunday night at their sold-out, standing room only Indianapolis concert, my heart soared a tiny bit with them. As Scott Avett sings in this song, “Decide what to be and go be it.”
Amen to that boys.
2) If you set out to do something, do it with all your heart.
The Avett Brothers are now on a short list of artists I will drop everything to go see live (others on this list: Coldplay, Josh Ritter, Paolo Nutini and The Swell Season). How’d they get there? Because the times I’ve seen these acts on stage, I KNOW they’ve given it everything they’ve got. Chris Martin says it best in this 60 Minutes interview (which I always swoon over every time I watch it. Yes, every time, as in, multiple viewings. All by me.): “We rely more on enthusiasm than actual skill. Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically and people will like it more. I can’t dance like Usher, I can’t sing like Beyonce, I can’t write songs like Elton John. We can do the best we can with what we’ve got. So that’s what we do. We just go for it.”
So here’s to being the photographer who shows up at every one of her shoots this season with the aim to do the best she can with what she’s got.
3) And finally … don’t get drunk with your boyfriend and darn near ruin it for the rest of us.
Okay, so at a concert level, I mean this one quite literally. As in, don’t be the girl who pushes her way in front of someone only to have an expletive-laden fight with a boyfriend that involves tears, slurred words and air quotes (“SO GO HAVE YOUR ‘FUN’ AND LEAVE ME HERE, OKAY?!”) then embarrass yourself further by following that up with a make-out session during which, between kisses, you come up for air long enough to sing along to someone else’s favorite song. OFF KEY.
How do I transcribe THAT into a take away? Well, quite simply. Don’t be obnoxious. In whatever you do. Be it attending a concert or running a business. The same rules apply, right? Right 
On a lighter note, folks, if you’ve never heard of the Avett Brothers, you’re missing out. Here’s a sampling (though I will say, nothing beats ‘em live. Here’s where they’re coming next — if you’re around those parts, you’d do yourself a real favor to make it to one of their shows!)
See more of Gail’s work at www.gailwernerphoto.com. Friend Gail on Facebook. Follow Gail on Twitter.
by Gail Werner
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