Just make something. I’ve been dealing with one gentleman for eight years, but he has yet to make his first test book. He threatens, over and over, but never does it. Never hits prints. Never takes that initial step. Yes, I said “initial” because that’s what it is. When I asked students about social media, one student said “I feel trapped in it.” There were supportive nods from around the room. “I want out, but then I feel myself being pulled back in.” The designers knew precisely what they were doing.
That same morning, while still sitting on my bed in the hotel room, I took my images from the day before and set a timer.
Thirty minutes. Go. Just go. No revision, no overthink, no preciousness to the process. Just make something. I had time to make a decision about each image or spread. I detest the cover. The borders aren’t right. I mixed color and black and white. So? Is this my statement? Is this my final say? Do I care if someone sees it and judges me? Please. These days, most judges are too busy checking their feed.
But let me explain something. I’m practiced. I can edit my daily take in minutes, process it in minutes, and begin to design in minutes. I have a strategy, and I’ve done it for decades. Later that morning, we connected with one of the workshop participants who spent the day with us. (Unreal Lukas, SO generous with your time and endless energy.) I showed him the images I had mocked up. “You have such a system in place,” he said. (Or something along this line.) And he is correct. If I let my work build up, I’d never get to anything. Also remember, I’m dabbling, and my primary goal is help you get to your goal, not realize my own. (That ship sailed.)
Yesterday, I looked through all the images I must judge later today at the photo gathering—about 120 images. Then I must pick one as my favorite. Just one. So, 119 people won’t win that title tonight. That is photography. I’m just one man with one opinion, nothing more, so as photographers, you have to keep that front and center. Another chap comes along, he’ll pick something else. No matter. Remember, Rick told us, “The audience comes last.” This is easy for some of you to say, but much more difficult for some of you to do. Forget the cart and the horse. Go back to basics.
Comments 9
What a lovely bunch of Coconut’s, it raisers some important Questions, what is she holding in her hand, and should I get one?
Author
The answer here is always “Yes.”
I decided to give this a go myself using some photos I made just this weekend on a camping trip. The book itself is far from perfect but I now know where I can improve, knowledge I wouldn’t of had if I never completed this exercise. I’ll be sure to continue this moving forward to improve my skills further.
Thanks for sharing the wisdom Dan!
I decided to give this exercise a go this morning, using photos I made over the weekend on a camping trip. The book was far from perfect but I can now see all the areas of improvement for this book and future creations, knowledge I wouldn’t of had if I never attempted the exercise in the first place. I will be sure to make this part of a regular routine to build my book making and design skills.
Thanks for sharing this wisdom Dan!
Author
That’s how it works. You make and revise.
What a beautiful series of pages, mate. Loved.
Author
Thank you!
The multitude of multiples, that’s HK. Your journalistic juice oozing into every frame. You can take the journalist out of journalism, but never take journalism out of the journalist. The ponderous nature of those not familiar with shooting, editing and designing, more often to a deadline, is difficult to overcome. Too much time can be a barrier to progress.
Author
Well said, Neil.