You've got to shoot while the fire is hot!
We've all said it at one time or another - "I wish I had my camera!" Lord knows I've said it more times than I care to admit. Hockey champion Wayne Gretzky said it best - "You miss 100% of the shots you never take."
Making a point of carrying a camera with you doesn't just make it possible to capture an important photo opportunity, it also trains your subconscious mind to be on the lookout for opportunities. Many people carry cameraphones with them everywhere, but I think a person still needs to use it regularly as a camera in order to train their mind to be vigilant for photo ops. When I make a point of carrying a camera with me, I'm often rewarded with photos that I would never have thought to seek out, such as the surreal image of the campfire above. The opposite is also true. If you think that carrying around a camera is too much of a bother, you're instructing your subconscious mind to ignore photo opportunities.
Many people have told me that I have a good eye, but in my opinion, all I've done is take a fledgling interest in photography and turn it into an ongoing practice of looking for and capitalizing on the many opportunities that surround us. Anyone can develop an eye for good photos if they want to.
Many of my best pictures were taken with a compact camera, so if anyone tells you that you need pro equipment to shoot great pictures, don't believe it. Terry Richardson is a pro photographer who gets paid very well to shoot famous celebrities and models. Terry's camera of choice? Cheap snapshot and disposable cameras! Terry says "You can't give your photograph soul with technique. I want my photos to be fresh and urgent. A good photograph should be a call to arms. It should say, 'Now.' The time is ripe. Come on."
The opening statement of this blog is 100% true - taking the time to create meaningful photos is an investment that appreciates with time. After all, have you ever heard of someone who looked back over their life and had regret for taking too many pictures?
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1 comment:
So very true. Ever since I started carrying a camera around 24/7, I am constantly LOOKING, analyzing light, mentally calculating white balance, and keeping an eye out for unique situations. At first my friends were put off by my camera always being around, but they got used to it, almost expect me to be there to catch those great moments.
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