WAYNE GRETSKY / Missed Shots
March 8, 2012
Sports analogies are everywhere and a little too obvious, but, as a photography writer, it’s a little difficult to walk away from the world’s greatest hockey player commenting on the implications of what happens when you don’t shoot.
Wayne Gretsky is the leading scorer in the history of the National Hockey League. I know very little about hockey, but I know how he did it; he missed a lot of shots and he kept shooting.
I heard the Director of Photography at National Geographic say that if you get one good picture on every roll of thirty-six you’re the world’s greatest photographer. That’s a lot of shots on goal and a very low scoring percentage, but if you go one for thirty-six you’re in stellar company.
There are so many good reasons to keep shooting. It almost feels a bit silly to say them out loud. You’ll be happier, healthier, you’ll grow, people around you will love you for it—it goes on and on.
It’s fun to wonder what Wayne Gretsky’s family photos look like. Who knows? Maybe his wife is the family photographer. But I have to assume that if that if the coach decided to improve his photography skills he would start with the premise that if you do nothing you get nothing. —Nick Kelsh
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, (born 1961) is a Canadian citizen and former professional hockey player and coach.
Nicknamed “The Great One”, he is the leading point-scorer in NHL history, as well as the only NHL player to total over 200 points in one season—a feat he accomplished four times.
In addition to being its greatest scorer, Gretzky was the most gentlemanly superstar in the modern history of the NHL. He won the Lady Byng Trophy, awarded for “sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability,” more than any other player since the 1930s—five times. During his playing career he often spoke out against fighting in hockey.
Gretzky’s jersey, number 99, has been retired by all teams in the National Hockey League.
Posted in 
Tags:
What a great role model….and he inspires me to keep shooting those photos.
I will share this quote with my husband, who often says, “Why do you have to take so many pictures?” and “You’ve already taken all the pictures of that lake there is to take, why do you need more?”. Thanks, Nick.
As a hockey Mom, hockey volunteer and a Canadian, I’ve heard this quote many times! When I’m not on the bench I’ve got the camera in hand, taking as many photos as I can, from as many directions and perspectives as I can. This is an excellent choice of quotations. Thank you Nick!
Love it. Now a days it’s just digital. I never got great with film because it was too time consuming and expensive to play with settings. We’d wait weeks for developing just to find out the whole role was a bust (not fun after a vacation). Photography is so different today; how quickly we see our results and how quickly we can share with the whole world, literally.
Wow, so simple but so easily forgotten. You can carry your camera everywhere you go, but if you never take it out of the bag, you’ll go home empty-handed.