Mentor

photographyeducationcompositionentertainmentlife advice

Nov 8

A mentor is an experienced guide who shares their knowledge and advice, supporting us in personal growth and achieving our goals. Through them, we gain not only practical skills but also fresh perspectives, motivation, and confidence. A mentor helps us avoid mistakes they once made, points us in the right direction, and provides courage when we face challenges. Their support accelerates our growth, helps us discover our strengths, and reinforces our motivation for continued self-improvement.

Finding a mentor is a tremendous privilege, though it often requires openness, patience, and a willingness to learn. The relationship with a mentor can develop on many levels, fostering mutual inspiration and sometimes evolving into a unique exchange of experiences and ideas—just like with the duos of Socrates and Plato, Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele, or Master Yoda and Luke Skywalker. Each example illustrates the vital role a mentor’s support plays in helping a learner discover their path and creative identity.

In photography, an inspiring example of such a relationship is the bond between Laura Wilson and the renowned photographer Richard Avedon. As his assistant, Wilson learned not only the technical aspects of photography, such as the precise use of light, but also how to capture and convey the emotions within each portrait. Thanks to Avedon, she came to understand that photography is more than an image—it’s a story the image tells.

They may not be my mentors, but I allow myself to "borrow" their perspectives that resonate with me, reframe them in my own way, and apply them to my photography. Laura taught me that to take a photo, you need to have something to say, while Richard instilled in me the understanding that every my photograph tells a story about me.

Inspiration, exploration, and available resources can help us recognize our boundaries; however, it is the relationship with a mentor (not always present physically) that enables us to undergo a profound transformation, surpass those boundaries, and discover who we can become as creators.

Photography is available for everyone and inspiring, and the great photographers of the 20th century, already featured on this blog —their work and biographies—are an endless source of knowledge and courage. Let's draw from these experiences, discover our own and pass them on... this is our personal contribution to the development of others

Photos: Richard Avedon (first 3), Laura Wilson (second 3)