88 Part II Wedding Photography Techniques and Concepts Think Creative Thoughts When I first started to photograph weddings, another photographer offered to loan me his "system." The system consisted of a set of flash cards with pictures on them showing each of the standard poses that he would shoot throughout the wedding day. Even at that early stage, the thought of doing the same thing over and over again every weekend sent shudders through my body. Something inside me just can't stand the thought of repeating the same thing day after day. This sort of mentality is what creates and encourages heartless wedding photography. Why not approach every wedding with a completely open mind? Don't try to repeat the successful things you did yesterday just because you can. Recognize the fact that there is absolutely no reason why the pictures you shoot today should have any similarity to the ones you shot yes- terday, and in fact, it becomes your downfall when they do. Every day is a new adventure. As part of your preparation for each wedding day, take a moment to clear your mind and say to yourself, "I'm going to forget about every wedding image I ever saw before this day. I'm going to keep my mind relaxed, but aware and open, and watch for the uniqueness of the peo- ple and the environment at hand so that I can act on the creative possibilities they present." The truth is that anyone can practice, learn, and grow as an artist if they really put their heart into it. It's not about genetics -- it's about determination. You can see the difference when you look through a photographer's Internet portfolio. Most of the online portfolios you'll find look as if the photographer is just going through the motions, doing the same thing day after day. The images they show lack heart. The few photographers that stand out from that crowd are truly inspiring and you feel amazed at the creativity and the beauty they capture in seemingly