Photo of the Week # 222

It is said that if you don’t step out of your comfort zone, you don’t grow. I believe this to be true and I value critique in my photography a great deal, but I think that many people look for critique in places that aren’t valuable. The vast majority of people on social media don’t know a good photo, have you seen them complimenting each other on their blurry profile photos? Your friends or family likewise aren’t the people to look to for honest opinions, they like everything you do, or maybe they don’t but they aren’t going to tell you if that’s the case.

For valuable critique, look to people whose work you admire, for obvious reasons. Maybe find a friend you trust who is willing to be honest with you? I don’t wait and count social media likes but I do notice when a few certain people engage because I trust and follow those people. Those are the opinions I do value.

As usual, thoughts and comments always welcome.

Photo of the Week #220

The shot below is a shot I made in southern Utah. With all the famous places in southern Utah, this one might not be as recognizable as others, but that’s one of the things I like to do. Millions of people have images of Monument Valley (so do I), but sometimes you find places that are just as beautiful as the iconic spots but not as “peopley”. Since photographers began sharing their work online, some places are now inundated with people, all lining up to shoot the same photo that thousands before them have already got. You know the old story…..when all the peole are busy looking in one direction, sometimes all you have to do is to look the other.

Photo of the Week # 219

Well, here we are on Labour Day Weekend and I’m looking forward to saying goodbye to the monotone green of summer and hello to a whole new palette for the upcoming season. I don’t get out shooting as much as I’d like but I hope that I can start doing so. As always, feel free to comment.

Photo of the Week # 217

Who Do You Shoot For?

What is your driving force behind your photography? Do you shoot to impress judges in contests, do you shoot for likes and engagement on social medias, or do you shoot to satisfy yourself? To me, it would be soul crushing to spend my time shooting to satisfy someone else. Don’t get me wrong, I do appreciate awards in competitions, and engagement on social media is also great but my shooting is to make me happy first and foremost.

Several years ago, my wife and I shot weddings and although it had it’s rewards, it was a lot of work too. People don’t understand the work after the fact. The culling of images, the editing and curating that has to be done is time consuming and exhausting, especially when you have a full time job at the same time. It didn’t take long before we began to look at our photography as a job. There was no time for pleasure shooting, just preparing and delivering photos to clients. As for shooting our own stuff, it never happened any longer. Most wedding photographers I know shoot only weddings so maybe we weren’t the only ones feeling that way.

When we left weddings behind, I promised myself that I was going to shoot to only please me and that’s worked far better. When I’m out somewhere making images, I only look to make the best image I can at the time. My thoughts are about compositions and conditions to please me. If others also like my work, that of course makes me happy but the number one goal is that I have had a good time capturing something that pleases me.