Learn the rules like a pro so you can break them like an artist

I’ll be a bit philosophical this morning. Learn the rules like a pro so you can break them like an artist – Pablo Picasso is often quoted as saying. Pablo Picasso went through many different art styles and movements in his lifetime. As photographic artists, we should take the same path of working in different styles. We may have to walk down the dark alleyway to reach the door of success, but then that door of success may lead us to another path where the light leads us away from the established route.

My journey as a photographer is to progress beyond merely copying the world around me but to explore both my vision and to take those who view my works to places that may not exist in reality but often exist in our minds.

Even when I am photographing people I prefer to photograph the soul rather than merely the face as noted by Dragan Tapshanov who is quoted as saying, “Photography is about capturing souls, not smiles”. For this very reason, I spend a lot of time browsing through the works of others on a variety of photography and art sites.

I believe people, places, and things all have a story. My goal as an artist is to bring the story I envision during my interaction with the people, places, and things I encounter.