Fun fact about me – throughout 3rd grade till 8th, I was known for being a hairstylist (some said I was a good one 😊). It was like one of my core personality traits. Everybody who was well acquainted with me – be it my aunts, my classmates, or my dad’s friends – knew that I could make creative hairstyles (oof, it’s hard to put it without making it sound like I am bragging). I had even made one of my aunt’s hairstyles for a close wedding we were attending.
The good thing was, I enjoyed making hairstyles. Afternoons were spent making hairstyles on my mum who got a relaxing head massage and I got a head to practice on.
What I thought to be unique about this was the fact that I never used anything fancy. No heat, no extra tools, or creams or sprays. Just regular combs, clips and rubber bands.
At the time, the best thing I could think of, which could take my hairstyling skills to the next level was – a straightener. It would let me create so many variations of the same hairstyle and I’d be able to add textures, waves and curls and whatnot.
However, as I grew a little bit older (I’m still not grown up and I doubt I ever will be) I got out of practice. After school, I used to be more tired and didn’t spend as many afternoons hairstyling. Moreover, I stuck to the regular braids throughout my 9th and 10th grade (not sure why. Maybe because I thought the braids I made looked too childish and not as mature? I don’t know what I was thinking).
Understandably, I wasn’t in touch with the skill as much, and my interest somewhat dropped.
But now things have changed slightly.
Now that I’m (just a little) older, I have a straightener, and surprise surprise even a curling wand. I have begun to get my feet wet again. I make a hairstyle here and there, even one style mumma’s hair if I’m feeling very enthusiastic.
But between the 3rd standard version of myself who made hairstyles with just the basic stuff and the one that has a straightener, I’ve learned one thing.
The straightener doesn’t do much. You don’t even necessarily need it. It’s a tool and it only works additionally.
What actually does the job are your skills, your curiosity, your willingness to learn and your interest in the topic.
If I had to judge the current me with the tools and the older me without any fancy tools based on their (or should I said my?) hairstyling skills, the current me wouldn’t stand a chance. And that’s saying something, considering she’s the judge, you know?
And this isn’t about just hairstyling or a straightener. It goes in everything. Sure, tools help you out and they let you do your work better. But having just the tools means nothing if there is no work to improve.
This is the same scene with any other skill, you don’t need to have the best camera for being a great photographer or have the best paints and canvas for being an artist. The tools are useless if you don’t have the skills, or more importantly the interest and willingness to learn. Besides, a great photographer is a great photographer, with or without the expensive camera.
Like Tony Stark said to Peter Parker, “If you’re nothing without the suit, then you shouldn’t have it.”
Recap for memory:
- Skills, and willingness to learn and improve >> Fancy tools.
- Tools are pointless if there are no skills for it to work in addition to.
- A great photographer is a great photographer, with or without the expensive camera.
P. S. While writing this post I thought of a video I had seen long back, where a professional photographer tried clicking pictures with a toy camera. Here’s a link to it if you’re interested: TOY CAMERA CHALLENGE