“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” –  Albert Einstein

If you’ve spent time behind a film camera, you probably know the feeling when you make a mistake (whether from user error, poor judgement, or just plain laziness) but the result surprises you.

It intrigues you.

It makes you see the scene in a whole new way.

This was me recently when I mounted a 50-plus-year-old collapsible lens onto an equally aged camera, and, on impulse, chose to not fully extend the lens before shooting. I had a moment of hesitation, thinking this probably isn’t a good idea, but I went ahead anyway.

As with most mistakes, there were consequences and lessons. But there was also the satisfaction of being reminded that the word “mistake” doesn’t always need a negative connotation.

Mistakes can inspire learning, they can make us look outside the normal, and sometimes they even lead to sweet surprises.

Have you made any mistakes lately? Have they turned out to be sweet surprises?

Until next time, be surprised!

Jacqui x