The LinkedIn reminder of my 15 year work anniversary somewhat unexpectedly brought to mind a quick survey of my time at Camera Craft that left me feeling a strange mix of emotions encapsulated by a story told by the proprietor of another camera store. He tells of a time when his son’s class was taking turns saying what each of their fathers did at his job. When this kid’s turn came up he said his dad didn’t have a job; he works in a camera store. Most days I vacillate between the extremes what such a statement might mean. As the story was told to me the the kid was taking a cynical dig at his dad whose store was located in a mall. On the other hand the kid’s statement makes me think of the proverb suggesting that when a person finds a job he loves he’ll never work another day. Neither of those positions accurately describes my daily view of going to work, but certainly I appreciate both sentiments.
There are days when pulling into the parking lot I am struck by the impulse to go hunting for a “big boy” job that doesn’t involve ringing a cash register or working in a mall. There are many more days when I meet fascinating people who are willing to share with me a narrative of how imaging needs have brought them to the store. Whether they need an old family photo reproduced, troubleshooting camera problems, trying to learn a photographic technique or are in search of some appropriate delineation amongst a wide choice of products, people are giving a glimpse of something very personal about themselves. Indeed they are revealing a fundamental element of our anthropology that’s as primal as our control of fire or our need to honor the dead. Within these glimpses of people’s connections to imaging there lay an opportunity to make a connection with them. Making that connection is a very personal experience that when an image is successfully restored and reproduced, a problem is solved, a new understanding of photography is learned or a new tool is acquired to help capture a better image people have been very generous with sharing how important imaging is to them.
I do not mean to suggest that my work is on the same level as that done by a lawyer, a physician, a consultant, a therapist, a cleric or a teacher. Nevertheless there’s a need to try being as professional as those who do such jobs. And I wouldn’t suggest that everyday is filled with one pulse quickening, personal interaction after another culminating in some enlightened understanding of human nature. That would be no more true than saying the job lacks any shred of fulfillment or satisfaction. The reality is the bulk of the days are filled with common and fleeting exchanges with people, and the truth is these exchanges are supposed to culminate with some sort of financial transaction.
While having to pry into a customer’s wallet, carefully search for the best buying opportunities and look for a better way to do something in the hopes of improving the bottom line is the point of any business, even these provide an opportunity to exercise kindness and patience; offer some encouragement or good humor; relieve someone of their frustration, or provide a satisfying imaging experience. In an ideal workplace customers, vendors, other retailers and employees would all work together generously to ensure there’s always that great experience. Unfortunately the mark is missed more times than I care to consider. No one is perfect and when a job requires working with so many different people it’s impossible to create a predictable, controllable and perfect environment.
Without trying to make my job (which does indeed involve working in a mall and ringing a cash register) sound more profound than it is, I have to say that the last 15 years, and 5 of the previous 7 when I also worked at Camera Craft, have been richly filled with unforgettable experiences and opportunities to meet the most fascinating people. They have taught me many things about doing my job better. When I started working at Camera Craft I knew nothing about photography or photo specialty retail. All I really had were a few people skills my parents taught me by their great examples of treating people with kindness and patience, listening and responding with honesty, encouragement and good humor, being problem solvers and regarding those we don’t know or may not even particularly like as generously and graciously as possible. They are much better at these virtues than I am or likely ever will be. However I can’t let this occasion go by without saying to all those co-workers, customers, vendors, other retailers in the industry and my family thank you for helping me understand that working in a camera store, or anywhere for that matter, doesn’t have to be a job.
