Prudence – The First Pillar

“Prudence is the footprint of Wisdom” – Amos Bronson Alcott

If Prudence is a footprint, then this means it is an assessment made by others during or after an action occurred. Many times, the impact of the action(s) cannot be fully felt or understood until time has passed. Rest assured, any action made public will be instantly evaluated and reviewed. With the smartphone, our actions can be captured and locked securely in the vault of time to be replayed at a given moment.

Whether physically or virtually, the second a person leaves their home; they are on stage. Everything one does has the opportunity to be scrutinized, evaluated, and critiqued. Conclusions, correct or not, about us are logged into the memory of people we may never meet. Therefore, it is always important to think about everything we are about to do. This is impossible. So, we must have a foundation of belief that is strong enough to subconsciously influence our behavior which dictates our actions before and during. I believe this with every fiber of my body even though I am the poorest of examples of its consistent implementation. I, like most people, am a roller coaster.

I named my company, Seven Pillars Photography LLC, after the seven pillars of Biblical wisdom made known in Proverbs 8:12 – 14. These seven pillars: Prudence, Knowledge and Discretion, Fear of God, Sound Wisdom, Sound Council, Understanding, and Power are the guiding principles I want to operate my business within. They are the framework I hope to consistently utilize to make my decisions. These pillars are critical to the field I have entered, concert photography. Why? Easy, I post photographs of people. Such postings will do one of two things, embarrass (whether intentionally or not) or honor. The first dictate, i.e. the first pillar of my work is as follows: I will NEVER intentionally post a photograph that does not honor the subject(s). Regardless of the reason, if the subject wants the photograph pulled, I will do so.

Neither my website, magazine, nor social media posting will ever display a “gotcha” moment. This will never happen. I value the trust the subject has given me, even though they may have little choice in the matter of the photograph taken. It is important that every photographer remembers the following:

Photography carries a power that holds up under the relentless swirl of today’s saturated, media world, because photographs emulate the way that our mind freezes a significant moment.

– David Griffin

The second one posts a photograph; you can never make it “unseen” by those who viewed it. You have just told them your impression or viewpoint of the subject(s). Once it is captured and saved by others then it is doubtful it can be retracted.

While my actions of life, when reviewed, will appear as a roller coaster of success and failures, I can honestly say that I have held firmly true to acting prudently with the postings of my photographs. I hope and pray to act prudently in all aspects of my business.

My goal is to be the best servant to you. Your character, reputation, and story will be honored by me should I have the privilege to photograph you. Whether you are a musician or not, you are a story waiting to be told. You are important. You have had a positive impact on someone’s life. I would be honored to tell your story by photographing you.

Drop me a note: https://sevenpillarsphotography.com/contact/