In a different life (or maybe even this one, one day) I would have been a photographer and still occasionally dust off my camera to take a few snaps. I recently took to thinking about the traits that IT architects have and decided there were some similarities between them:

1. A good photographer knows how to use the ideas of others and adapt them accordingly. See here for a wacky adaption of some classic images
2. A good photographer sees things others don’t by applying interesting or novel views. Here’s an attempt from me:
3. Photography is both an art and a science. The best photographs come from applying both. See here for a great example.
4. Don McCullin says “I only use a camera like I use a toothbrush. It does the job.” A good architect knows how to use tools and technology but does not get distracted by them.
5. You don’t need lots of expensive kit to be a good photographer however when you do want to acquire some shiny new stuff you usually need to convince your sponsor (AKA partner in most cases) of the benefits of the new technology. Architects usually need to convince their sponsor of the business benefits of a new system, not the technical ones. See here for a great exposition of this.