Thomas Edison is an emblematic figure in history. While he may not have been a photographer,  you can apply many of his wise words to the pursuit of creative success. 

So, here, we’ll consider what we can learn from his most well-known sayings. Each one provides a unique standpoint on topics including success, creativity, hard work, determination, and persistence.

“There’s a Way to Do it Better – Find It.”

Creativity isn’t always born from an entirely original place. Creative pieces are influenced by the work of others, whether it be artists in history or one’s contemporaries.

Austin Kleon explains In his book, Steal Like an Artist:  “What a good artist understands is that nothing comes from nowhere. All creative work builds on what came before. Nothing is completely original.”

There’s a freedom that comes with the knowledge that nothing is entirely authentic. This fact removes a layer of unnecessary pressure that photographers often place on themselves. It can ease anxieties that come along with being unique, which hinders creative progress. 

Stealing like an artist isn’t about plagiarism. When done respectfully, stealing from another artist is a form of admiration.

So, don’t be afraid to seek out inspiration and use it in your work. You’re allowed to steal others ideas and use them to develop your own work – all artists do it!

Draw from the things that move you. Find photographs that speak to you. Consider why they hold meaning for you and use them in the development of your own work. 

There’s an organized method to steal like an artist, and it involves documenting your inspiration. Keep them in a list, journal, or a swipe file – wherever they’ll be easily accessible. The next time that you’re grasping for a creative spark, turn to this collection to get your gears turning again.

Steal the work that you love and put a twist on it. Rework it so that it comes from a personal place and represents your essence as a photographer. 

“To Invent, You Need a Good Imagination and a Pile of Junk.”

It’s a misconception that all creatives are entirely driven by inspiration in their work. In an ideal world, a profound idea would suddenly hit you, then you would follow that idea to create your next work. But, that’s not a reality for most. 

In creative fields, quantity is often the most accurate determinant of quality. There are a few reasons for this. One is that the more work you produce, the more chances you have of one is great. Another is that productivity is one of the surest paths to originality.

Many artists find success from pieces they never expected to be popular. This has happened to many creatives throughout history – it may very well happen to you, too. 

Each time you create new work, you increase your odds of creating something great. 

Pablo Picasso is an ideal example. Picasso’s body of work is chock-full of iconic paintings and sculptures, several of which are on display in the world’s largest, most prestigious museums. Art lovers flock to these museums each year to experience his iconic work. 

What people may not realize is that Picasso’s life work includes over 1,200 sculptures, 1,800 paintings, 2,800 ceramics, and 1,200 drawings. His most famous works, such as “Guernica”, “The Weeping Woman”, and “The Old Guitarist”, are a minuscule portion of his body of work. 

Let’s look at another example: The London Philharmonic Orchestra published a list of the 50 most significant pieces of classical music in existence. Looking deeper into the list, you’ll see that it exemplifies the quantity-quality connection we’ve been discussing. 

There are six Mozart pieces on the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s list; he produced over 600 compositions in his life. Three Bach pieces are listed; a tiny proportion of the 1,000 works he created in total. While Beethoven created 650 compositions in his life, just five are included in the list. 

When you generate a high volume of work, your work becomes diverse. Plus, each new piece is an opportunity to hone your skills. More work makes for a greater variety of work.

“Everything Comes to Him Who Hustles While He Waits.”

In today’s culture, speed is often valued above all else. Especially in school and at work, positive feedback is given when we achieve something quickly. 

But, in photography, patience is just as essential as hard work.

Learning photography takes time, as does building a good portfolio. You’ll need time to find your voice as a photographer and then decide on the type of photography to pursue. If you want to become a professional photographer, it will take time to find and establish trust with your clients. 

As a photographer, you will encounter many setbacks. But, as frustrating as they may be, they are part of the process. 

Just like Thomas Edison said, hustling is undoubtedly important. But, patience is crucial, too. 

So, work hard, but be patient. These two actions can have opposite meanings but complement each other on your way to success.

“Just Because Something Doesn’t Do What You Planned it to Do Doesn’t Mean It’s Useless.”

Mistakes are frustrating, especially if they are avoidable. But, they’re an inevitable part of life. At some point in your photography, you’ll make a mistake. But, trying and making a mistake is immeasurably better than never trying in the first place. 

Countless incredible photographic opportunities have passed me by because I made a mistake. It may have been that I came unprepared, that my gear malfunctioned, or that I chose the wrong composition. 

When you try something, and it’s not successful, you learn new information that you didn’t know before. You can use that information to try another time with greater hope of it working out. 

If you don’t take the leap to try, you’ll never learn the lessons needed to become better at what you do. You don’t want to go through life with “what-if”s, so don’t let the fear of failure hold you back. 

It’s good to go through life, knowing that you gave it your best effort. When something doesn’t pan out, give it another shot with refreshed energy and enthusiasm. 

Remain committed and consistent in your work. It will keep your passion alive and enable you to bounce back from failures. 

“Not Everything of Value in Life Comes From Books – Experience the World.”

Experience is the best teacher in life. While studying is valuable, it can only progress your skills to an extent. You can improve your skills through study, but after some time, your growth will stagnate. 

Reading tutorials, analyzing the pros, and mastering the basics of photography will lay the groundwork for the most valuable learning tool: experience. 

Experience enables you to make and study your own mistakes. Practice through trial and error is where true, valuable learning occurs.

So, grab your camera and get out into the world. Don’t worry about capturing the perfect shot, just focus on exploring new territory. You’ll find that these moments lead to the most growth as an artist.

“Many of Life’s Failures Are People Who Did Not Realize How Close They Were To Success When They Gave Up.”

New skills are easy to stay engaged in. Despite the difficulties involved, the novelty of the activity makes it fun and exciting. 

Also, often, in the early stages, you’ll get plenty of great feedback from those around you. You will also learn rapidly, which motivates you to keep going.

After those first few weeks, you’ll experience the slump that happens between beginning a new skill and mastering it.

This concept was famously coined by Seth Godin which he refers to as “the dip”. 

In the case of photography, the dip marks the line between beginner’s luck and hard-earned success. It makes the distinction between straightforward beginner techniques and more effective expert methods. 

But, the dip also involves superficial obstacles that were put in place to deter aspirants like you.

For example, this could be the administrative hurdles and marketing required to become a professional photographer. But, they must be done if you want to progress past being a recreational photographer. 

You may be wishing that your success in photography happen overnight. But, that’s not how great careers are built. As the old adage goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day (and neither are photography portfolios). 

The résumés of most successful photographers show a “dip” lasting years before scoring the job.

One of my mentors, a full-time photographer, used to take random jobs to pay his bills. He would take any gig that offered the opportunity to go out and photograph nature. He simply had to tough it out, year after year, until his hard work paid off. 

Working as an applauded photographer is the easy part. The tough part is reaching that point of success and leaning into the dip along the way.

Scarcity is the key to value. Without a dip, there is no scarcity. 

“If We Did All The Things We Are Capable Of, We Would Literally Astound Ourselves.”

On your journey as a photographer, there will be times you’ll feel like you’re working without moving forward. Or, you’ll see other photographer’s work on the Internet and lose faith in your own skills. Such experiences are normal, if not expected.

But you shouldn’t let them hold you back from attaining all that you’re capable of. 

Our potential refers to our ability in the future – it’s not something that you have right now. What got you to where you are today, such as, your life experiences, core values, personality all factor into your potential. These are the things that make you unique.

They’re what set you apart from other photographers, and what will lead to your success. 

Once you get in touch with the characteristics that separate you, you’ll find that your growth will accelerate and that you’ll be on the way to reaching your potential. 

So, don’t underestimate yourself. Your capabilities are astounding, it may just take time to develop them. 

“There Are No Rules Here – We’re Trying to Accomplish Something.”

In photography, as in any other artistic pursuit, there are ideals and norms followed by most.

You can’t center your subject in an image, and the subject can’t be a famous landmark. You need a “real” camera, and you must shoot with a tripod. 

 It’s easy to feel like you must stick to these norms to “make it”. In some situations, these rules may have truth behind them. But, most of the time, they function only to hold people back. 

There’s more than one path to creating a successful image. It’s ok to ignore what everyone else is doing and pave your own way. Just because one strategy worked for photographers in the past doesn’t mean it’s the right approach for you. 

Of course, the insight of successful professionals is invaluable. We can all grow with the help of a great teacher or mentor. But, you shouldn’t be afraid to challenge their methods, too. Creative fields are constantly being innovated; to accept their state as final would be to snuff out their flame. 

To ease the stress of photographic work, allow yourself to spend time engaging in photographic activities solely for pleasure. Finding joy in what we do is crucial to prevent burnout. 

When we are relaxed and working, we can more easily tap into our true inspirations. We’ll approach our work with authenticity and energy. When you’re excited to pick up the camera and get to work, you’ll find that your creativity increases tenfold. 

“Genius is 1% Inspiration and 99% Perspiration.”

Being deeply inspired to create a piece is wonderful. But, sweat, or flat-out hard work, is most of what goes into an excellent piece. 

Ideas have value when they come to fruition. Plenty of photographers have no trouble coming up with stellar ideas for their next project. But, that idea dissipates when they don’t put the work in to make it a reality. These people have inspiration in droves but weren’t willing to sweat. 

Success is work. Ideas won’t become tangible results without effort over time. The small efforts that you consistently make will add up to a stunning photograph. When a piece is backed by hard work, it will be successful. 

You can’t create a body of work without good ideas. But, behind every portfolio is an abundance of sweat. So, be willing and able to follow up your ideas with consistent hard work to reach success.

Conclusion

Creative success is often a catch-22. You must be prolific and unique; busy and patient;  seek out guidance and pave your own path.

As an inventor, Thomas Edison understood the paradox of being a creator. He asserted that there is no one strategy for success – its fluid, ever-evolving, and deeply personal for every individual. Here, we’ve reviewed how his ideologies closely relate to the field of photography.

Hopefully, it has reinforced the idea that success can’t be calculated. It comes from a combination of inspiration, individuality, and sheer hard work.