Last year, +Scott Wyden Kivowitz and I met up in NYC and spent the day shooting random areas of the city. The shot below was taken at Chelsea Pier. The day started right off with a comedy of errors that ranged from forgotten cables, broken tripod legs, and the general harassment that comes along with being a photographer.

Still, that didn't stop us. And why should it? One critical component of being a successful photographer is how well you can adapt to unforeseen and inclement circumstances. Not everything goes according to plan and despite being a bit tongue-in-cheek, it is really important that you know how to work calmly and productively around calamity.

In general, so many of us focus on learning how to use our gear in happy day scenarios but we don't necessarily conduct our own fire drills. The real way to test your mettle as a photographer is not based on how you perform in perfect situations, but rather on how you perform on the hectic ones.

Not only will you learn just how strong of a photographer you are based on how you perform in these situations, but you'll also get a much clearer picture of your overall character. It's very interesting and should be considered by all of us.

In album Pic Picks Over The Years (73 photos)

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