A Letter from a Fro Reader

This morning while reading comments and focusing on the negative which is not a good thing I found myself second guessing some things. That seems to be what happens to artists, we read the one negative and skip the 20 positive and we get stuck on it.

Well I went in to answer e mails from the question to the Fro email box and came across Barry’s email below. I am going to let you read it before I comment on it.

“hi Jared
im not sure how long or rambling this is going to be but please bare with me cause this is about how you helped me out in a way that goes beyond taking photos.

just after xmas this year I lost my job as a nurses aid at a hospital after five years and as a result I slipped into deep depresstion and a few days later I nearly took my own life lucky for me my wife talked me out of it but I was still deeply depressed sometimes not getting out of bed for days I wouldn’t eat and I lost interest in everything.

Then one day when I was feeling a little better I put on the five min portrait video you done with sarah {I must have watched it 15 times before this day) anyhow once id watch that I spent the rest of the day watching your videos on you tube the next day I replayed all your podcasts after about the 3rd one I went to my camera bag and charged up the battery and for the 1st time in weeks I went outside the house and I walked around for hours just taking photos and I finally felt alive again and its all thanks to you and your videos,

if it wasn’t for them I truly believe I wouldn’t be here today cause you gave me the inspiration to get out the house and shoot again and I just wanna say thank you, I sure you don’t know it but you touch peoples lives in ways you cant imagine in fact im writing this at 4.30am cause Im up and im about to go down to the river and take photos, im still out of work but now if I start to feel down I put on one of your videos or your podcasts and it just cheers me up no end and as soon as I get a job im going to get me a few I shoot raw tees and your flash photography class(when it comes out)

oh and before I go because I got out shooting again an old coworker of mine saw my photos and ask me to teach him how to use hes new dslr and of course the 1st thing I told him was to shoot raw and I got him out of auto lol .well I know you a busy man so ill shut up now but I just wanted to drop you a line and say thank you for all you do,
keep you the great work”

There really are no words I can say about this. Its amazing that creating something from nothing could have such an effect on someone.

Here I am focusing on a few negative comments and then I read this e mail. As hard as it is not to get stuck on those negative comments we all have to try and find the positives.

Not everything will be perfect, not everything will go your way but living is what we have, we must keep fighting. If you feel like you have no where to turn just stop and dedicate yourself to helping someone else. Go help someone who it will free your mind and give you that direction you want and need.

There are always people looking for a helping hand and if you have nothing to loose then you have all to gain. You can only go up, so look up, feel up and dig your way out, fight because you are worth the fight and maybe you will effect someone in such a way that you change their life in a positive manner.