Best Of Whom?
The expanded World Cup pool brought us some true underdog performances — Cape Verde being the standout. A nation of just over half a million people, finally given a seat at the table, showing the world exactly what it could do.
And it got me thinking: opportunity is what a lot of talent lacks. Not skill. Not hunger. Just the chance to be seen.
I've watched plenty of talent shows and competitions and wondered — are we really seeing the best of the best? Or are we seeing the best of those who could afford to turn up? Somewhere out there is someone extraordinary who never made it to the stage. Suffocated by a lack of means — no finances, no mentorship, no way in. Or steered away entirely, pressured into more "acceptable" pursuits. Women, in particular, are so often encouraged to be suitable for marriage rather than to chase something the people around them consider meaningless.
Even photography — supposedly low barrier to entry — has its cracks, and talented people fall through them all the time. I've personally known brilliant photographers who are simply no longer around. Not because they lost the eye or the passion, but because life demanded other commitments. Or because they couldn't afford to travel to the events, or buy the equipment that would have let them compete at the level their talent deserved.
I know that pursuing photography is a privilege. One I get to enjoy because of advantages I did nothing to earn — my gender, my passport, where I happen to live. And even with all that, I've missed out on opportunities I simply couldn't take. Which means there are people out there more talented than me who will never get to show it. That's not false modesty. That's just maths.
So here's the thing about "the best". We only ever crown the best of those who made it into the arena. The rest — the ones who never got the visa, the gear, the permission, the time — don't even register in the conversation.
So the next time we mark someone as the best, let's not forget those who were never able to compete.