Ever feel like your creativity is at a standstill? Something got it on hold? The common belief is that creative or mental blocks come from trying too hard to actually be creative. So, how can we stop trying to hard? It’s not that we should stop trying per se. It’s more that we need to stop trying to make every image a powerful image. Being playful often starts with just laughing at yourself. Seriously…laugh at yourself. Do something stupid or silly. That becomes infectious and can move you forward to play.
In being playful with your work, it’s often even more helpful to put down the tripods, and SLR’s. Put down the lenses and filters. Put down the soft boxes and fill flashes. Being playful means letting go of the “rules” of photography. I’m reading David DuChemin’s book, The Inspired Eye (available now on his website – use EYE3Free for 20% off through Sat.), and in it, he speaks to this idea that that inspiration can come from play.
Some ideas from David include taking a day and try taking pictures whenever the mood hits. Even if you are shooting through wet glass, or in a moving car. Take a picture with your focus ring taped down. The softness from the out of focus shot can force you to look at something more generic like the lines and energy of a scene. It really is inspired capture that David is going for here, and that can definitely come from play.
One of my favorite images from my own library is a niece – I was literally playing. I wasn’t expecting anything great, or show-stopper quality. Just goofing around. I was laughing and being silly, and so was she. I took the camera to ridiculous angles, knowing it wouldn’t work (or so I thought). Just goes to show you the power of play in photography:
Laughing Girl
The upshot? Take time to play – only good things can come from it!
We all have Circadian rhythms or body cycles that are tuned specifically to us…whether you identify that as being a morning person or a night owl. This also applies to your creative rituals too though. Because our body clocks all operate on a unique pattern of restfulness and alertness, we have different times when we are the most creative. Our mind is able to focus on creative ideas and energies, and the distractions of the rest of the world aren’t nearly as distracting. The windmills are out there and we tilt away at them with every fiber of energy! Do you know when your creative zone occurs?
For me, that time often comes right around midnight. If I am not too sleepy, or I power through the initial desire to just go to bed, my mind suddenly becomes much clearer, my vision focuses, and I get so much done from my creative space, it’s kind of eerie. Tracy woke up once to find my literally typing a million miles a minute…the thoughts couldn’t get out of my brain fast enough. After about 3-4 hours of it though, my entire body just shuts down. The exciting thing though, is that I’ve been able to identify this creative zone. I know if I need to get some writing done, or some post production work on photos, or anything creative – those are the hours when I get the most accomplished.
We’re all different though, some people have this rush of creativity in the morning, or in the middle of meals or other activities. I’ve talked to so many people who still are unsure of when they really are at their creative best. When people attend workshops and get immersed in a creative world, the ideas flow much more naturally. The same holds for conferences, seminars, and any type of learning environment. It’s like the mind knows that other creatives are around and the energy for learning and expression is much higher than what we are normally exposed to. The trick comes in being able to identify when your creative zone normally happens when you are in that daily routine. Is it right when you wake up? After that first cup of coffee? Right before you go to bed at night? Or is it on those sleepless nights at 2am when your creative juices just start flowing?
Getting together with fellow photographers is always fun – lots of other like-minded people, plenty to talk about, and great for networking, right? But, at some point you’re gonna have to start walking around and taking pictures. I’ve found with most photo walks that I’ve attended it helps to have a game plan. Whether you are the organizer or an attendee really doesn’t matter too much because these tips are intended for both. Here’s what I mean:
1. Check the weather – It’s always important to dress the part, and the last thing you want is to be under-dressed (cold) or over-dressed (too hot). It’s a good idea to check the forecast and to dress in layers. Allow yourself a layer of removal or addition if needed. I have several apps built into my Android phone, as that makes it quick and easy to check both the night before and the day of…here’s the four I’ve heard the most about (I use #1)
Accuweather
Weather Channel
Weatherbug
iMap
2. Check the map – With the abundance of online mapping utilities like Google Maps, Yahoo Maps, and Mapquest, it’s easier than ever to see where you will need to be and plan your travel time to the starting point accordingly. I always allow about 15 extra minutes in case of traffic, Starbucks stops, or other time killers… (if you’re the organizer, publish or share your route with the group so people know where to meet and where the anticipated walk will take everyone…)
3. Check your gear – I’m guilty of forgetting things myself on outings, but it helps if you have a checklist to reference the night before when packing (batteries, memory cards, business cards, cell phone, camera, lenses, etc.)
4. Pick a theme – Whether you are the organizer or an attendee, it helps to at least have a starting point or an idea of what the goal is of the walk. For instance, on a trip to the Columbia zoo a few years back, one attendee picked a theme of “faces” and came back with some incredible portraiture of the animals in their various habitats. Often photo walk leaders or organizers may start with something general like “architecture” in an urban location, but it can help to narrow that for your own creative vision to get more detailed. Narrowing the theme of architecture to something like vertical lines, arches, or even something as simple as windows can help spark that creativity needed to make photo walks productive. Don’t forget to check with other photogs on their creative path and help and encourage them too (which could be a tip in and of itself!)
5. Be ready to adapt – Circumstances change, weather can change, and even the scenery can change. I was on an outing just last week to capture the moon at its perigree and the skyline was pretty blatantly thrown off by the recent addition of a crane to the area. If you aren’t able to adapt to changing environments, outings can be less than satisfying, so be open to change at a moments notice!
That’s just five of many tips and ideas on how to make photo walks successful, enjoyable, and productive. As always though, there’s plenty more where that came from! What about you? Have you been on any recent photo walks? What’s worked or works for you when you go on outings with fellow photographers? Sound off in the comments with your own ideas!
Photography as we know it has changed a lot over the past several years. The advancements of digital are pretty well-known, and have been written about extensively. In addition to the nature of the medium, several other factors have come together in what photographers are calling “the perfect storm”. Included in this picture are the decreased cost of entry, increased interest from a wider and ever-increasing portion of the population, photographers are finding themselves in larger company than ever before…to put it quite simply: there’s more of us!
David Ziser, the quintessential wedding photographer did an excellent write-up in two parts (here and here) as a guest blogger over at Scott Kelby’s blog. Not only is he an incredible photographer, his writing is among the best in the industry too! I would highly recommend reading these two posts because even if you aren’t a fan of “The Kelby Kool-Aid”, (although I must admit, I take a sip of it every now and then…) because these specific writings give insights and directions for all of us moving forward. While the insights and perspective-changing considerations to take into account (including drive, motivation, work ethic, etc.) are definitely helpful, the more serious question that lies at the root of all of it seems to find a cornerstone in one simple question: WHY DO YOU TAKE/MAKE PICTURES?
Without getting into the semantics of taking versus making pictures – my point here is that we all pick up the camera for different reasons. And only in understanding those reasons can you really determine where you want to go and how you want to get there from where ever you are now. We may pick up our camera to capture a moment in time, with dew glistening off the petals of a flower in the morning light:
Does that make us nature photographers? Absolutely! But, by the same token, does that define us? Of course not! We may also enjoy capturing that beaming bride as she smiles and kisses her husband on their special day! Or, we may revel in the laughter of children as we capture those moments in time! By the same token, we may also be pulled on some deep and intangible level by the power of a sunrise or a sunset in some place! Heck, maybe it’s even the place that moves us. As David DuChemin says, “…vision is better!”
There are so many scenes and images that surround us every day, but yet so often we do not trip that shutter, because we likely are not tuned in to a particular vision or perspective. So, the question then becomes: What is your vision? Do you see the beauty inside that awkward teenager who only smiles for family? Or what about the majesty of a skyline timed so perfectly? The fact is, we can find it everywhere, and while we can blog and twitter, and Facebook until the cows come home about our latest project, or to promote and network across so many sectors of the economy (whether it’s improving or on the downturn), what ultimately matters is what motivates you to shoot in the first place?
When push comes to shove, the foundation for creating photographs (I believe) is something that comes from inside. You have to want to be there, capturing that moment in time in order to the vision to really come to life. Whether it’s a sunset, a smile, a skyline or anything, if you’re not true to your own roots, then twittering about it all becomes less than inspirational.
Of course, I could be completely half-cocked, and off base entirely here. What do you think is at the root of photography? Is it for the passion, the fame, or the glory? Or is it something else altogether? What drives those like David Ziser, Joe McNally, Zack Arias, David DuChemin and the rest to such degrees of excellence? Time and again, what makes them and folks like them rise to the top? Share your thoughts, comments, and feedback below!
One of the ways in which I make sure to stay active is to volunteer in local photography groups. One such group is organized through Meetup.com and we affectionately call ourselves the Denver Photowalk Group. (Pretty original eh?)
Our fearless leader has taken some pretty impressive initiative to organize several walks over the course of the next 12 months. He’s asked us to also throw out any ideas as we move into 2011, and a few are percolating for me. Here’s what I’ve come up with thus far:
Pictures in the Park
I forget where I saw this before but the idea is kind of fun. Here’s whatcha do:
Step #1: Get a bucket full of cheap candy. Spend maybe $5-$10 at the dollar store and get some variety.
Step #2: Create a poster or something that advertises your outing with a catchy or pithy slogan. Something like “FREE CANDY!” or “CLICKS FOR CANDY!”. You get the idea, and be creative. You want to attract people.
Step #3: Assemble your groupies and start snapping each other. If you want to push things a little, have some strobes around on portable light stands (that catches eyes too!). When people approach, just say something along the lines of “We’re practicing photography, and would love to take your picture! We’re giving away free candy for just a few minutes to practice posing and lighting.” If you want, you can set up a download place on your website (or Flickr if you are working on the cheap) for people to visit afterward and get copies for themselves.
Step #4: Have fun! Learn from one another and share techniques. Collaboration and free exchange of ideas are key. In sharing what you know, you may also learn from others. The end result:
People have fun pics for free
You get to practice posing and lighting
The event may encourage others to join the group and have some fun
Other Sundry Stuff
Frequency
As you may have sensed by now, I have decided to take a step back from blogging every single day this year. The looming deadlines of writing intensely every day for a number of years has taken its toll, and I must admit, the quality is not what I am used to producing. Instead, I will be blogging and writing less often.
Journals
That being said, I do enjoy writing. I really do. And evidence indicates that people enjoy reading what I write when I take my time and produce good quality material. So, I will be putting out one journal article each and every month. The blog version will be an abbreviated version (think Reader’s Digest), and a longer version will be available on a subscription basis. While I’ve not decided exactly how that portion will work, it’s something I’d like to give the dedicated readers, listeners, and supporters on a premium level. So, look for some announcement on that soon
Podcasts
The toughest part of starting something is knowing when to say when and stop. The podcast is a tough call, because while I love putting them together, it takes a huge chunk of time to schedule guests, record a discussion, post production, upload and host. They will likely not disappear entirely because I think everyone enjoys them when they do happen. But at the same time, I don’t want the quality to suffer there either. So, when time permits, yes, these will continue. It always helps here to have reader input – if there’s someone you’d like me to chat with, or a topic you’d like me to address, let me know in the comments or via email! I am always open to suggestions and ideas.
Webinars
This is perhaps the most exciting thing that is forthcoming…a major sponsor and supporter of the blog is Nations Photo Lab and they have given myself and Kerry Garrison of CameraDojo.com an opportunity to publish live webinars once a month for free to share with the community. These webinars will cover a wide range of topics, we’ll likely have guests, and basically be another venue to give back to the community that has been so generous to us. There are several spots left, and we are assembling a waiting list as we can accommodate 100 people in the event. To register, stop over at http://livelearninglab.eventbrite.com to register for the first Live Learning Lab sponsored by Nations Photo Lab and hosted by myself and Kerry Garrison. It’s gonna be fun, you’ll get a great inside scoop on some of the nitty gritty on Lightroom 3, and best of all – it’s free!
Well fellow photogs, bloggers, and readers, that’s about it for today. Let me know your thoughts on the new “agenda” for 2011. What kinds of groups do you participate in? Got any event ideas? What about the podcast and journal topic ideas? Share those as well, as moving forward, a lot of the content will hopefully be encouraged or at least initiated by you! Happy shooting and have a great weekend! With that parting thought, here’s my parting “shot” of the week – a nice assembly of lines and shapes while waiting in Denver Airport:
Did you meet your goals in 2010 photographically speaking? It’s an interesting question, especially for me because as I started to move in toward the holidays, with a new job ramping up, had felt as though work in the photography arena had stagnated for me to a degree. It really was not the case actually – and the back story here is what is important. None of us are an island – we all need help to both keep ourselves motivated, and to keep the fires and energies burning. Sometimes we recharge from a break other times it’s from a good kick in the…well, you get the idea!
The Back Story
Colleagues, mentors, tutors, and others in the field can be a hugely helpful influence, and one sage such associate recently told me to shoot more and talk less. The whole idea of “shut up and shoot” had come back to haunt me! This is advice I give to others when they approach me – how dare he suggest that. But then I considered…and in all honesty, the last month or so of photo production had not been as productive as I had wished. I had excuses of the new job, sure…but the bottom line was that my colleague was right! I needed to get out and shoot more! So I did just that. In doing so, I got a few good decent photos together, including one for the desktop download series…
Then, another industry association (although I use that term lightly), is none other than Mr. David DuChemin. You may recall he paid a visit to the podcast a while back, and occasionally we have had a few exchanges on Twitter, but it’s definitely a one-sided relationship where I learn from him and not vice-versa! 🙂 (There I go again with the self-deprecation – someone needs to shock me so I stop doing that!) Anyway, he reminded me that the whole point of our craft is to share our vision and work with others. It came through a Twitter exchange when I was giving a compliment to his work by also using my well-known tactic of self-deprecation. It stuck with me so much, that I’d rather just share his exact words:
Sage Advice from David DuChemin
– and that is exactly what I had not been doing photographically. Oh sure, test shots from lens reviews, a few sample photos here and there…but nothing really from the inner core that had apparently been needing some voice. So, with that I decided to go ahead full force – not only with capturing more images, but completing the last of the Desktop Downloads for the year!
The 2010 Desktop Downloads
What’s that? You don’t know about the Desktop Downloads? Of course not, because I had been neglecting to share the information with everyone on the regular monthly basis that a new photo for inspiration and enjoyment had been uploaded. For many months of the year, I was capturing photos and content to share, and not sharing it! The legwork behind it was lost in the business. So, I owe the audience an apology and 12 downloads for the year! No worries though – you know why? Because I met my goal for the year! In going back through each month for the image I had selected, I realized that this was also tied to a “project” I gave myself for 2010 – to shoot more often, and take on more projects. The goal was one a month, and I did it! With my personal success finally realized, it’s high time to share that success with everyone else. For the monthly desktop image for December, you can get click the appropriate link and download for your own inspiration and enjoyment!
To get the rest, simply hit the Downloads page and save for your own desktop wallpaper or screen saver as you prefer… As an aside, there are a couple months I had done the download as a calendar, thinking it would be more functional (May and June), but after toying with the idea for 2 months, decided it detracted too much from the image for my tastes (all due respect to Jeffrey Friedl and his PS plugin that helped produce those months though.). Nevertheless, with the year far from over (most of December is left for us), I can officially say I met my goal for the year with 12 photo projects. Already, I’ve shot nearly 20% more than I did last year, because of directed projects and diligence. Have you met yours? There’s still time, so get out there and shoot! Happy shooting and we’ll see you back here again tomorrow…
Editor Note: (Who am I kidding, that’s still me…) I know the Monthly Newsletter is still not out as promised and I expect that to be out tomorrow as well, so if you’d like to still sign up for that, there’s still time!
I was on the verge of taking a day off on account of tired – my new shift at work goes from 6:30am to 3:30, and the adjustment on my internal body clock has been a challenging one to accommodate. However, I remembered a quick post I wanted to make to share with everyone a great eBook I had the pleasure of previewing from the crew working with David DuChemin. So, now is as good a time as any! Continue reading “Close to Home – from Craft and Vision”→
The idea of writing with light is nothing new to photography, the very word itself means to paint with light (from the Greek photo, meaning light, and graphos meaning write), the most successful photographers through time are ones that have incorporated an effective use of light in their work.
While reading through the Sept. issue of Rangefinder, I found myself re-visiting the subject yet again, and with artists who I’ve seen and admired before, including Clark Little and Eric Curry (you may have seen Eric’s work featured over on David Hobby’s Strobist site periodically…brilliant lighting setups!). The whole idea gave me a moment of pause – how much of my own work has been cognizant of the power of light? (It was a very Joe McNally/National Geographic type of moment if such a moment could be attained by an aspiring one rather than successful ones like those mentioned above.)
Nevertheless, taking cue from their inspiration, I perused my own portfolio for the theme of light. It was actually quite extensive, so much so that another theme had to be incorporated to pare things down further. Since Clark Little’s work has always been a source of inspiration and envy, I decided to go with a water pairing. How have I managed to capture both water and light effectively? The exercise was a good one, and looking at your archives with a new vision or perspective has always been one I encourage. So, without further ado, here’s my take on combining the themes of water and light:
As inspiring as it was for me, take this cue as a source of inspiration for yourselves…pick a theme (or two), and peruse your archives (or go shoot with the theme in mind), and see where your creativity will take you. Got ideas for creativity along these lines? Share ’em in the comments too, as ideas for inspiration are all around us. Check out what everyone says in the comments section below!
Happy shooting all, and we’ll see you back here again tomorrow!
A lot of photography conversations revolve around the question of how much editing has been done to a picture. Terms like “sooc” (for straight out of camera) or raw, or “minimal editing” are involved. I also have been known to encourage capturing the best pictures you can in camera. But does that mean editing in post process is a bad thing? No, definitely not. For some, it has become a bad thing though, and phrases where “photoshop” has become a verb have been bandied about a lot. I’ve heard everyone from amateurs to pros say things like “We’ll just photoshop that out later” or “Can you photoshop my eyes?”. Continue reading “Photoshop is not a bad word”→
With the sudden surge and swell in the blogosphere, Twittersphere and Photosphere over Lightroom 3 hitting the streets (and a nice combo discount is available in the sidebar by the way), let’s not forget that this software is all meant to be doing one thing – letting us get back to the business of taking photos instead of spending our time in our computer.
With that in mind, I’m bringing back a popular concept of “Top Tips”. Today, I give you…(drum roll please):
“Five Tips to Better Photos”
Be Ware of Exposure Values – No matter how good your camera is, if you under or over expose too much, you’ll be losing detail which either takes too long to recover in post production or is unrecoverable. Check your histogram for “blinkies” (meaning stay away from the edges), and you’re in a much better zone to start!
In keeping with watching exposure values, don’t rely on new-fangled features lie “content aware fill” or “clone tools” to fix things afterward. If it takes ten more seconds to get it right in camera, do it, because it means you are still shooting and not stuck behind a monitor at 2am fixing stuff for tomorrow’s delivery deadline!
Avoid increasing Noise. It’s like a broken record at this point, but would you rather keep noise down in camera or address it because you were shooting at ISO 64000 in camera? Yeah, the reduction features are amazing, but it’s even better if you don’t even have to touch that slider. Swap lenses, check settings, and heck, maybe even add a fill flash. It helps to keep noise down, which ultimately means your shots are cleaner.
Look for the Light – the direction of the light, the intensity of light, and the shape of the light all can impact your photos. As a general rule, keep the light to your side and behind you, and try to keep the intensity down as you don’t want to over-expose your subject (see Tip #1). Don’t forget, you can shape and modify even ambient light with diffusers, reflectors, and umbrellas. It’s all part of the larger principle that photography is about “writing with light”.
Shy away from shadows – Just as the quality of light can make or break a photo, so too can shadows. Watch for overhead lights as this can have nasty effects on things like portraiture (shadows under eyes). Coming at your subject from the wrong angle can also lead to nasty and unwanted shadows of yourself in the picture. For instance, if you are shooting a building at sunset with the sun directly behind you, your own shadow can creep into the scene, making for some not-so-fun post production work in Photoshop.
There you have it – 5 easy tips to better photos! Lightroom? We don’t need no stinkin’ Lightroom! (Well, we do, but it made for a good quote! 🙂 )
What sorts of tips have you come up with to make and take better photos in camera? Share your own in the comments! Happy shooting and we’ll see you back here again tomorrow!
P.S. Remember, there are two contests going on right now – if you stop over to the podcast day (Monday) where I talked with Rob Sylvan and share a comment you are entered to win a free copy of his upcoming “Taking Stock” book – courtesy of Peachpit Press. Also, the monthly giveaway for 2 4GB Lexar Pro 300x CF cards is rolling and you can submit your photos to the Flickr thread here! Enjoy and good luck to all!
