but the ask was flat

Falling victim to thinking glossy shiny paper would make the photo pop, the answer was obviously to use flat paper. That is always the solution. When faced with one thing that didn’t work, do the exact opposite. That’s always worked, right? Just like the answer to being a bit anxious about a crowd isn’t one cocktail, it is two, or three. That’s the answer for the photo on glossy paper, do the next on flat. Unless of course, you took a photo that already had problems with depth. So then, you’re compounding it. Taking flat to the power of 4. Realizing wobbly after wobbly was achieved a while back.

None of the people there were stand offish. But it harkens me to the time I was explaining French Aircraft Carrier propulsion and launch problems to someone at a meet and greet for bike commuters.  Social? Yes.  Accurate on topic? Also yes. Awkward for those that were not me, also, yes. This probably matched that.   

So here I am, reliving the crime. Surely I’ll be that guy for some time to come.

Photography is weird, as it is a very level playing field, and there is sort of a built reverence of these people and their work. They’ve got books, meet ups, experience shooting film, a range of knowledge about cameras that rivals sports fanatics knowledge of.. sports. This is all probably melodramatic.  Waking up early the next morning, a mostly unfamiliar dread came over. I grew up in a world of first impressions (and also integrity, trust worthiness, and awareness), and self analytics kicked in while stretching my way through the aptly earned hangover. Flat. Just like the photo.