There is where you want to be, and there is where you are. Your job as a photographer is to react to where you are, not postpone your efforts until you find yourself in the perfect scenario. Don’t get me wrong, perfect scenarios exist. They do, and you can often feel it before you see it. Movement slows, sounds dim and your brain and body begin to feel the elements align. Goosebumps, hair raised, pulse quickened. It happens. Just not very often.
So what to do in the meantime? Easy, you work. That’s it. That’s all. You make work no matter what. Don’t overthink it. Just look and keep looking. Test, try, fail, succeed, learn, repeat. The more time you spend working in non-optimal environments, the better you will be when you find the optimal, or even the near perfect. Again, your JOB is to perform. Remember when Colonel Trautman shows up in an early scene in First Blood. He’s attempting to warn the local necks about who they are up against and the colonel says “In Vietnam his (Rambo) job was to dispose of enemy personnel. To kill! Period!” That’s you, only exchange “kill” for “photograph.”
In other words, if you walk around without a camera and it doesn’t bother you, something is wrong.
Let me explain how this works for me. I am, after all, your spirit animal. A weasel perhaps or maybe a jackass, but my spirit is strong. Last weekend I was able to escape for twenty four hours. A two hour drive north into the semi-wild to the shore of a small trout stream. We had been to this location many times before, and because it was a holiday weekend, I was mentally prepared for chaos. Drunks, illegal fireworks, too many ATV’s and one of our most favorite things of all; litter. It wasn’t as bad as it could have been, and oddly enough, a total stranger gave us a bag of jumbo, shell-on shrimp which cooked up nicely in an African rub we found in the dark recesses of the van. Thank you, Bryan.
I had several goals.
- swim in the river
- fish
- bird
- write
- jump out and scare my wife at least once
- make pictures
I accomplished five of the six, but I just jumped out and scared my wife in the kitchen a few minutes ago. She went slightly nuts because I almost made her drop a plate of nachos. This made me happy and proud. But let me get back to my story. I swam in the river, birded and fished several times each, wrote a “Photo Fiction” piece, and I made pictures. The pictures were a struggle. Am I a nature photographer? No, not really. Put me with people and I’m at home with my camera. Put me on a story on the border or high in the Andes. Put me at a political rally. Put me pretty much anywhere but nature and I’ll be fine.
But that’s not my job. My job is to work regardless of location. So, I did. The water image included in the first spread was one of the first images I made. I panned against the current and turned a petering, 10-foot wide river into a raging torrent. I mentally filed that away and said “Okay, that’s frame one.” I then added the birding element because warblers were working the bushes on the far side of the stream. They were darting out to catch the hatch. I knew this would make a single spread. Bird and prey. I then made a few images I thought I would useful for my Photo Fiction piece. The river stones with feet and camera. I ended up not using them but they work here as a detail reference more than anything else. That many exposed stones means one thing, low water levels.
I then went back to the birding and nailed a nutcracker fighting off an attack from a red-tailed hawk. Thank you Nikon autofocus. I made a total of about four birding images that will work as part of my ongoing New Mexico project. Early the next morning I hiked up above camp. On the way up, the light was hard as it crested the ridge line, and this is when I made the pinecone image. I like this image a lot, but it’s too small to read well. Live and learn. Would I display this image as something grand, or something I would convince others to like? Hell no. It’s just a snap. It’s about light and form, that’s it.
But I did that morning hike with two cameras and two lenses. If you have to remind yourself you have a camera with you, most likely, you are out of practice. You just need to return to the idea that every environment is a good environment. Don’t overthink it. Just shoot. I need to remind everyone that these are not finished spreads. Not even close. Five minute sketches. Training. Columns are the wrong width, picture sizing is off, but I do like the “en foco” run vertically on all spreads, and I do like the spread with the bird on the left and the hatch on the right. Simple, clean, etc.
When night fell I knew I wasn’t done with the photography. The dark sky was off the charts. Just sitting and taking in the sky was worth the trip. I felt the need to try to make something interesting, knowing that unless a UFO suddenly appeared I wasn’t going to rewrite history here, but again, that’s not the point. YOU SHOOT. My friend said, “I didn’t know you brought a tripod.” I replied, “I didn’t.” “I propped the camera on Amy’s makeup bag.” I shot four frames total. I like this because you can see the movement of six different objects in the sky. Is this a portfolio image? No, course not.
If you are asking yourself, “Well, these are fine but what are you going to DO with them,” you need real time away from being connected. Forget about photography for a minute and think about a multi-week clean break from anything online. You don’t NEED to do ANYTHING with these pictures. The audience does not exist. The audience plays no part in this little game, and if you aren’t a full-time, working photographer and you are asking me, you, or anyone else “Yes, but now what?” You might be in need of a detox. That is such an unhealthy way of looking at photography. Perhaps this is why many photographers are so unhappy, overly competitive, self-centered, etc.
People, this is fun. I’ve said this many times over the last few months. These are self-inflicted challenges to improve ourselves and our work. If you are looking for a payoff you are going to be looking more than accepting payout. So, relax. Enjoy. Keep your work front and center in your mind. Know that any spot is a good spot. Contentment without complacency. Celebrate the successes, learn from the mistakes. Each new day is a new opportunity. One final note. If you are thinking of beginning a project, keep this idea in mind. Don’t make the project about yourself. Make the project about something or someone else. There are so many artist focused projects today. In fact, I would say it’s running at nearly eighty percent. Do a subject driven project, not an artist driven project.
Comments 23
I like this. I emailed you quite a while back regarding whether one should try and get the feel of a place or start photographing immediately. (This is a moot point if on assignment)
There are still a few folks in the b&w “fine art” space who wait but I think it makes way more sense to start clicking the shutter right away. One never knows for sure if they will encounter the same subjects and light on a return visit.
I failed quite soundly getting some marathon finish images of my nephew today. I have zero fast reaction in the moment photo training. I still made the effort.
Author
That typically depends on whether you are working with people. If so, might require time before shooting.
Yes nice Dan.
I try to take my birding lens out with me even if there’s not much about just to keep my hands nimble on the camera. So when the action happens I can still work my camera without thinking about it.
Was just up the tops where one of our critically endangered birds nests – only 101 left- and came across 11. Got photos of them all in terrible conditions. 40-50 knts of wind and low vis 50-100 m. Quite trying when you’ve got a 600mm lens catching wind. Full wet weathers on etc.
luckily they aren’t to flighty and I can get quite close to them. Shame I can’t attach a pic.
Keep up the great work mate. Your work ethic is worth 100 normal people’s.
Cheers Craig.
Author
It requires practice. You are spot on. Birds are a hight twitch, low success thing, so the more camera time the better.
Thanks for the gentle reminder, my spirit animal! I finally started my website where I can improve both my photography and writing…telling stories with my photos.
It’s an ongoing work in progress and only a few family members and close friends know about the website and have visited it.
I’ve received a few comments but they are few and far between. But, I could care less. This is for ME. If someone else enjoys the stories or photos that’s a bonus, but not required.
Thanks again for the insights, suggestions and “therapy” you share with us!
Author
There you go. At one point, I made a website for my mom. She never told anyone about it. Didn’t even know how. And before long she was writing with people all over the world.
I always loved the Garry Winogrand quote- “I photograph to see what something looks like photographed”.
I love that quote. Thanks for sharing it.
Author
That about sums it up.
I meant to add to the previous comment that sometimes it is as simple as that quote to compel me to try to always have a camera with me.
Author
That works!
A very helpful reminder. The work should be for us to grow, ideally to benefit others I’d add. Reminiscent of the Bhagavad Gita “You have the right to work, but for the work’s sake only. You have no right to the fruits of work. Desire for the fruits of work must never be your motive in working. Never give way to laziness, either”
Author
That might sum up the entire photography world. Audience and gain seem to be the number one selling points.
Great advice. The stars photo and the birds are my favorite. I also like the water. Textures make me happy. Also, there’s a blue Herron that hangs around where I live…each time I see it, I never have my camera…so I’m starting my habit of keeping it with me and battery charged at all times.
Author
The most reported bird on eBird…
“I am, after all, your spirit animal.” That statement made me laugh out loud. Thanks 😀
And thanks for this post. I love seeing your photographs. Each of them invite my mind to wonder about the story they tell. Funny what you mentioned about people, etc. vs. nature. I’m the opposite. This surprises me sometimes because people fascinate me. Yet, it is in nature where I feel most at home so that’s what I enjoy making pictures of. Yeah, I do love to go hiking with my camera but that’s not always feasible. Lately I’ve been going into my own backyard. There’s always something there to photograph. There’s also an empty house behind mine that I have become fascinated with. There was a fire some time ago and whoever lived there started the rebuilding process but then stopped. So it just sits there. The way the light hits that white wood has had me out there with my camera more than once and I’m not done yet. It’s also a subject that offers me unlimited opportunities to play with multiple exposure and intentional camera movement.
The photo of your lens reminded me… several posts back, you mentioned birding and shared the kit you use to photograph birds. I took a look. I did not buy a Nikon with the 800mm lens. Namely because I knew the weight of such a rig would turn me off. I looked at other equipment offerings and ultimately decided to stick with Oly (now OM) gear. I bought a new body that is more than robust enough to do the job and a 100-400 lens (200-800 equivalent in the M4/3 world). Sweet Jesus, even that thing is huge and much heavier than I’m used to but I will deal. The new OM camera will require some time to learn its magic and I am doing that. I want it to feel as intuitive in my hands as my darling, little EM5. Much fun will be had!
Author
The 800mm is too big for me too. if someone GAVE me one, sure, but otherwise, no. Whatever you are willing to carry is what you should buy. Seems like you have!
I hate it when at certain events or concerts they tell me I can’t bring my camera inside. Every time I ask them, “And my phone is fine? You do realize everyone walking in has a camera in their pocket, right?” I swear, I can’t stand it.
Author
I got stopped in customs once. I had more than 12 rolls of film. The guy next to me was streaming live to YouTube FROM CUSTOMS and the customs had no idea what it was or what it meant. They are WAY behind and looking to make a buck.
Recently, I reminded myself of Henry Rollins and his transformation from hardcore to spoken word.
This piece reminds me of the transition from photography to spoken word and back
Author
There you go. Mr. Black Flag. Quite a journey he’s on.
Wonderful advice. I have always felt the urge to grab every moment I lay my eyes on. I don’t get the opportunity to take my camera with me every time, but I always look, think about frames, train my eyes kinda stuff. The city I stay in (Kolkata, India) is currently in a very hostile, unsafe situation. The little ‘beauty’ it had has faded away. But I still try to work this city out photographically, grab any unique moment I get and train myself to work under such tensed situations. I sometimes succeed, sometimes need to run away to avoid getting kidnapped LOL.
The two birds on the left page – Birdificient!
Author
That sounds spicy. Kidnapped would be bad.