CHAPTER 26
Persistence and the
26. Persistence and the Art of Lise Metzger
If you look up the word “persistence” in the dictionary,
you would not find the name Lise Metzger, but I’m going to
petition Merriam-Webster and ask them to change that.
As it stands, the current definition of persistence is “the
quality of continuing steadily despite problems or obstacles.”
Lise is the poster girl for persistence.
A few years ago, Lise called me and expressed her desire to
develop a new body of work. She felt that her current portfolio
was not representative of “the best” she could do and she was
committed to developing new imagery.
Lise is a superb photographer. She photographs people in
environments, telling stories through photographs of seemingly
small, often quiet moments. Her images are elegant, whimsical,
and sensitive. Lise’s people are easy on the eyes, and we are
enticed by the peek we have into the worlds she creates, leaving
us wanting more.
We began the portfolio build process by discussing how we
would work together, and we set a goal date for completion. At
that point, Lise explained that she had a very full life. She was a
professional photographer and had a relationship with an
agent. She expected that she would be quite busy servicing
accounts.
In addition, she was also a mom, a wife, and a caregiver to
her mother. Lise’s commitment to caring for her mom, who was
quite ill, was a big part of her life.Chapter 26.qxd 6/25/07 7:25 AM Page 163