I was invited on an early morning boat trip down the coast. The reason for the trip was very personal and not something I want to share here, but I do want to share a few of the images. I spend so much time in front of a screen that a trip like this, however brief, feels like an epic voyage. I was honored to be included on this trip, and I took the responsibility seriously. Making photographs that is. There was never any word of me making images, but I texted and asked if it would be okay. I didn’t do this for myself I actually did it for my friend, but I was happy to be able to fire away.
It was a beautiful day. Cool but not cold. A small swell but not rough. And light that just kept coming. I wrote a few weeks ago how I felt like I was finding myself attempting to make good images once again, something I hadn’t really done in several years. This day felt the same. Look for light. Look for moments and pounce. I think I shot almost two hundred images over a four-hour span, unheard of for me, but nonetheless it felt right at the time. I think I was so excited to have a target, a story, a moment.
What this event did for me was rekindle the desire to go make images and tell stories.(For me.) I’ve been dabbling with motion over the past few weeks, even attempted a Vlog, but did one episode and was so turned off by aiming the camera at myself I just deleted the entire thing. (My generation didn’t point our cameras at ourselves.) And now that I think about it. I don’t want to do motion. There, I said it. I feel like I haven’t even fully explored still yet even after all these years. I also know the absolute glut of motion on the market today. There is SO much, and some of it is really, really good. What am I going to do at this point? I don’t feel like I can add to the conversation with motion, at least at my current skill level, but I do feel I can with stills, observations and words. I’d still rather have a great, static piece in print than a successful film on Vimeo. Ideally I’d like to have both, but I’m not sure it’s in the cards for me at the moment.
The last thing I want to say is the beauty of this trip, and these images, was that it made me think, appreciate and reflect. You could easily call this self-centered horse shit, and I’d probably second that at least to some degree, but these moments fuel me in ways I can hardly explain. I feel change on the way. And I feel this is a good thing. I was so happy I was there this day. So happy I made these images, and when it came time to send them to my friend I was thrilled, and a bit nervous. Personal, private moments come with responsibility, and it shouldn’t be any other way.
Comments 9
It has been a source for inner peace for me for over 60 years. The process of taking pictures is very soothing to the soul.
Author
Alan,
Good to hear. That inner peace thing is a good thing to carry around. Like your camera.
Keep your updates coming Daniel
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Richard,
Will do!
I think I can guess what took you to the open ocean. Moments like that are very delicate and definitely need of a sensitive eye and a very specific type of personality to make pictures there. I think you have both.
I’m glad to see that you are finding your path again. One step at the time Dan, one step at the time.
Video … well, F it! I don’t dislike it but I rather have one solid strong image than a solid strong video. Any day. Video has taken over … Is time to reclaim the value of the still image!!!
Author
EB,
Stills are SO easy in comparison. But great stills are still rare and difficult. I was looking at an old snapshot earlier, and a part of my brain-for a split second-was “Oh, I can go to YouTube and find the film. Then I realized there WAS NO FILM. The still was it, and the fact it didn’t give me more was what made it so great. I studied it and studied it and had to fill in the blanks with my mind.
… [The still was it, and the fact it didn’t give me more was what made it so great. I studied it and studied it and had to fill in the blanks with my mind.] … And, to me, that is the beauty, greatness, and magic of stills
I love still images, and I love the spoken word, including the work you do. YouTube is one way to combine the two. Don’t think “motion,” think slideshow.
Author
Hey Joe,
That’s what I’ve been doing, but you still multiple your post time exponentially, especially if you are attempting to fill a 3 minute slideshow with images. I’ve done five of these as of late and they all took A LOT of time. I like them, but I can turn an audio only in about five minutes.