Stay Hungry.

Early in the Mojave. August 2024.

I was in a university meeting the other day discussing my classes for the upcoming semester. Amongst the usual bumf the Dean told me that no student should be working on their projects at 2.00am and that they should stick to university hours, as should the professor.

I have never heard of any artist of merit working from 9.00am to 5.00pm with an hour for lunch and perhaps a nap mid afternoon. And therein lies the problem with today’s teaching. What happened to commitment, and pushing boundaries, and getting the job done whatever it takes.

Without getting too nostalgic and all sentimental; when I was at college we would all work until the job was done, even if it was 2.00am. But that was 30 years ago when photography was smelly and dirty and took real commitment.

Society is just too fat and comfortable now. No one wants to go above and beyond what is considered a normal working day. Its all about comfort and cake eaten in bed.

There’s a reason I tell students to stay hungry. Now they need to more than ever.