From Rejections to Reinvention: How Grit, Comics & Courage Shaped My Creative Madness
Back in the late 80s and well into the 90s, I was fighting hard for my place in the unforgiving world of advertising and industrial photography. It wasn’t glamorous. It wasn’t easy. And it definitely wasn’t kind. I faced rejections, disappointments, rebukes, and days where failure stared me straight in the eye.
Yet somehow, I never let my innocence go. I became street-smart, but I never became bitter. What kept me going was my stubborn “never give up” spirit… and books!
Yes, books.
Not the philosophical, heavy, intellectual ones—but the *real* lifesavers. Comics. Cosmopolitan. Vogue. Women’s magazines that taught me how to survive office politics, stay sane, navigate egos, ignore unnecessary drama, and rise above noise. I would rent them from my local circulation library and devour every page like oxygen.
Alongside those, I’d splurge on photography magazines—especially American giants like Modern Photography and Popular Photography. They weren’t just magazines; they were a window into lifestyles, creative minds, artistic discipline, and confident living. I copied their style, their fashion, their attitude—and most importantly, their way of thinking. Sometimes I even dressed like those photographers and posed like them… but I also worked like them. That gave me a personal high: the reassuring feeling that, *Yes, I belong here. I can do this.
Over time, life introduced me to some brilliant minds in the advertising world—people who shaped my thinking, expanded my vision, and showed me how to treat every assignment like a piece of art. On the other side, CEOs, industrial leaders, and clients shared wisdom with me while I photographed them and their factories. I listened. I absorbed. I evolved.
Soon, I wasn’t just another photographer.
I was an “ideas guy”.
The out-of-the-box thinker.
The person people came to not just for photos… but for perspective, energy, and inspiration. Somewhere along the line, without realizing it, I had become *that person* others looked up to. And life started feeling beautiful.
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The Garden Swing That Became a Trend
One such moment came during my son’s cradle ceremony. The decorator suggested the usual two grand chairs for my wife and me on stage. Routine. Boring. Predictable.
I smiled and said,
“Why not a garden swing instead? It’s a cradle ceremony, after all!”
He laughed at first. Then paused. Then thought. Then agreed.
That evening, magic happened. Instead of stiff chair photos, families lined up to sit on the swing, laughing, smiling, rocking gently, clicking memories that *felt alive*. Later the decorator came to me, saluted, and said,
“I’m going to make this a trend.”
I winked and replied,
“Don’t forget the royalties!”
Years later, I still see swings at cradle ceremonies and secretly smile. Somewhere, an idea took birth… and kept living.
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A Gamble, A Cousin, and the Best Host Badge
A few days before the same event, my cousin—who had shut down his big restaurant and lost a lot of money—said he wanted to try his hand at catering again.
He asked,
“Can I handle the food for your event?”
Everyone around me hesitated. He was new. It was risky. What if it failed?
I said,
“Let him do it. What’s the worst that can happen? People will complain, I’ll take the blame. But I trust his heart and his eye for detail.”
And boy, did he deliver!
Hot naans straight from the tandoor instead of rubbery reheats.
Beautifully planned seating—round tables and chairs for elders and children (something no one ever bothered to think about earlier).
Comfort. Warmth. Care.
People spoke about the food for months. I became known as the “best host”. He rebuilt his confidence. And once again, creativity + courage = magic.
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Today, when I look back, one truth stands tall:
**Life rewards those who think differently, take risks, and dare to stay kind.**
**Confidence grows when you believe in people, ideas, and yourself.**
**Sometimes, survival needs grit… and sometimes, a comic book.**
And trust me, I have *many* more stories like these.
Stories of madness, creativity, courage, failure, humor, and heart.
**Want to hear more? Stay tuned. The journey has only just begun.** 😊
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