Take The Shot When You Need To Take It

I spent many years in the world of commercial and advertising photography, working both in the studio and on location for regional and national clients. It was a great way to make a living, and I enjoyed working with some of the best photographers in my city, creating photographs and earning a living while doing so.

I worked in the pre-digital days of photography, and when it came time to take a photo for one of my clients, I had a wide variety of high-quality professional cameras and lighting gear to choose from. At the end of the day, though, my favorite camera wasn’t the expensive  camera systems that I used in my job, my favorite camera was a compact 35mm point and shoot, (an Olympus XA, to be specific). That camera was small enough that I could carry it wherever I wanted, and yet it still had enough features and functionality to allow me to use it to its full potential to help me take a good photo when I needed to take a shot.

Carry Whatever You Can Carry

I carried that little camera with me from Ecuador to Edmonton, and because I had a camera with me when a photo happened in front of me, I managed to snap off some pretty good pictures with it, some of which I was able to sell to my clients.

Things are a little different these days. I don’t work in photography full-time anymore, and in today’s world of smartphone cameras, everyone has a digital camera with them and can take pictures (trillions of pictures) anytime we want.

Yes, there are better digital cameras out there than what’s in your smartphone (and I own a bunch of them), but for most consumers, those bigger cameras tend to stay at home, or come out only on special occasions. I find myself agreeing with noted photographer and entrepreneur Chase Jarvis: The best camera for you is the one you have with you right now, because that camera allows you to take pictures as they happen. A good picture isn’t going to wait for you to run back to your car and grab your camera because the moment will be gone before you return. If you carry a smartphone with a built-in camera, learn to use that camera, and learn to use it well.

More Than One Way To Take A Shot

Now pause for a moment, take everything I just talked about and apply it to guns.

Chances are, if you need a defensive firearm, you’ll need to use it at that very moment. A crook is not going to let you call “Timeout!” and allow to run back to your truck for your gun. Either the gun you have with you will be enough, or it won’t, so it behoves you to make sure you have one with you all the time, and learn to use it well. You don’t get to choose when a good picture will appear in front of you, and you won’t get to choose when you’ll a need a defensive firearm either.

Also, think about all those guns you have in your safe. Which of them do you use on a day in, day out basis? I have a lot of nice firearms, including family heirlooms passed down to me that I will pass along to my children when I’m gone. I have high-quality, precision made guns that usually stay in the safe at home and are only brought out for specific purposes, and I have a bunch of guns that I use for the various shooting sports. However, my concealed carry pistol goes with me wherever it can, just like that little Olympus camera that I carried back in the day, or as my smartphone camera does today. I take the time to learn how to use my smartphone camera well, and I make sure to take the time to practice and train with my concealed carry gun as well.

Make Ready. Make The Shot.

When an opportunity for a great picture fortuitously pops up in front you, you’ll have to rely on your ability to recognize it as it happens. You’ll also need to have the gear and the experience you need to achieve an optimal outcome, namely, a treasured keepsake, or maybe a work of art that will stand the test of time.

In much the same way, when an opportunity to defend your life or the life of a loved one unfortunately happens to you, you’ll have to recognize it as it’s happening, or better still, recognize that it might happen, and avoid it altogether. However, it it does happen, you’ll need to have the gear and the experience you need to achieve an optimal outcome for you and those who matter to you most.

Are you ready?