Break rules. Experiment with water. And fire. Seek out different perspectives. Rise before dawn. Arrive early, stay late. Go behind the scenes. People aren’t hopeless, even in their darkest moments. Humanize a concept (for example, coffee or coal). We all underestimate how much we have inside us. Slowing down will open doors that were not open before. Spend time with people. Get to know them. Celebrate their lives. Tell their stories and remember to give something back. Go beyond the superficial. Embrace what scares you. Don’t be afraid to step forward when there’s something you want….

I’ll be forever indebted to photojournalists Melissa Farlow and Ami Vitale for the sagacity they shared while hosting yesterday’s National Geographic seminar on Storytelling Photography. Held at the Seattle Public Library, the seminar shed light on topics that ranged from developing compelling story angles to sharpening technical skills to demonstrating compassion and sensitivity within the cultures we photograph.

Over the course of the seven-hour seminar, what resounded most consistently, however, was the wisdom that both photographers have clearly garnered throughout their careers. As each demonstrated through her words and images, the lessons that photography provides and the lessons we most need to learn in life very often coalesce – and it is precisely within this confluence that we find the most beautiful photographs.

See each photographer’s life work at olsonfarlow.com and amivitale.com. More on National Geographic’s Photography Seminars can be found here.