Quote Originally Posted by kellybean
I went out tonight and met some friends at an upscale bar in town. My friends were being much more outgoing that I was and before I knew it we all were in a big conversation with the other patrons. After awhile, I discovered that one of them is a professional photographer ... works for Getty ... has lived and worked in New York and Chicago for 20 yrs. and just recently moved back to this area.

Anyway, (I had no desire to flirt with him up or anything), but I found myself wanting desperately to connect with him and discuss photography, because it's my interest too, yet at the same time I was aware of this huge chasm between us ... like he was the celebrity and I was just the lowly fan. I felt like anything I might say to him about photography would make me feel really dumb. So I just clammed up and said very little.

How does a non-professional converse with someone who's been doing it for 20 years, whose work is on billboards, advertisements, etc.? What kinds of things could I talk about with him? I'm so bad at stuff like this.
When I worked a the lab I was in constant contact with pros from every level of photography, and what I learned is that if you approch them like anyone else they will treat you like anyone else. Just act normal and approch the subject from your own standponit. Any pro worth talking to will be as happy to talk shop with you as you are with him/her.