Photographer Clay

Tag: motivation

  • Hard work isn’t enough

    Hard work isn’t enough

    Hard work isn’t enough to become successful. I know lots of people who work hard every day but by the common definition of successful, they are not successful. It’s a hard fact that few of us want to admit. We like to believe if we work hard, our hard work will be rewarded. It’s not the case.

    Not only does it take hard work but it also helps to put yourself in a position to become successful. You have to ask yourself what you have done to prepare yourself. Do you have the skills and knowledge in your chosen field? Do you have the experience? Have you invested in yourself? Are you prepared to hear an honest critique of your work?

    Years ago, I got my first critique from a photography instructor. It was brutal, but I needed to hear that critique at the time. It caused me to try harder by taking the lessons more seriously and actually putting forth an effort to learn. It caused me to take an honest look at my work and become determined to improve.

    Sometimes you have to say what needs to be heard. Sometimes you have to roll with the punches. Sometimes you have to take a chance. Sometimes you have to realize your potential or lack thereof. If your potential is lacking you must decide how you’re going to fix it.

  • Stop the fake til you make it as a photographer and artist

    Stop the fake til you make it as a photographer and artist

    I’ve heard this phrase so many times and to some extent, I agree with it. The problem starts when we try to take it too far. You can’t fake talent, knowledge, or skill. Especially when it comes to photographic art. It takes talent, knowledge, and skills to create photographs that are more than mere snapshots.

    I certainly don’t wish to discourage others. I don’t want to discourage others from dreaming big. At the same time, I want to encourage those to be humble and stay grounded. When you try to pass yourself off as the “Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz”, eventually, just as happened with the wizard, the truth surfaces. Now you’ve damaged your reputation unless like in the movie those who pulled back the curtain to reveal you are understanding. In business, that is often not likely to happen.

    I am not the greatest, most talented, or most knowledgable, or even have the best skills. What I have, though is a community to help me along the way. After all the years I’ve been a photographer, I haven’t always been a photographic artist. For years, I was a picture taker. A snapshot shooter. In recent years, I have become passionate not about photography but about photography as an art form. It’s more than setting up dozens of photo sessions and taking hundreds or thousands of pictures. It’s about telling stories, conveying messages, showing emotions, and capturing personalities.

    Photographers who truly want to rise to a level above where they are, be they beginner or advanced, should spend some time on self-reflection. See where you are, objectively, and then decide where you want to be. Develop your skills, knowledge, and creativity. Hone your talent. Only then will you be able to rise above the crowd. The fake it til you make it, is a false god. Learn it til you earn it.

  • Photographer or picture taker

    Photographer or picture taker

    A question many modern photographers need to ask themselves is am I a photographer or a picture taker. Do you merely photograph what is in front of your camera or do you interpret what is in front of your camera? Do you photograph people or do you strive to bring out the personality of the people in front of your camera?

    As a photographic artist, I choose to let the scene talk to me. I work to relay a story with my photographs. I haven’t always done this though. In the past, I was often a picture taker. See the scene and take a picture. Today, I am striving to take my images to a higher level. I am striving to complete a story, and give the world a feeling of knowing a person just by seeing their photograph. Picture taking is easy, creating a work of art and a true photograph can be much more challenging but, in the end, much more fulfilling. Become a photographer, not merely a picture taker.

  • What kind of artist are you?

    What kind of artist are you?

    I don’t mean are you a painter, sketch artist, sculptor, photographer, etc. Are you a trailblazer, setting your own path, creating unique art, and using your vision, or are you a trail follower, creating art that is the current trend and similar work to others?

    I don’t think there is anything wrong with either type, just be honest with yourself and how you present yourself and your art to the work to the world. If you’re a trail follower don’t try to sell yourself and your art as unique and different than others. If you want to set yourself apart from others, truly set yourself apart and create your own unique look and style.

    Being a trailblazer can be scary. You’re going where few to none have gone before. You may come across obstacles, thorns, and other dangers along the way. You may find many don’t like the work and are critical because you’re not following along with what is popular. Being a trail follower you’re just one in a massive crowd. Sort of a “where’s Waldo”.

    I’m not sure which group I fall into right now, but my goal is to become a trailblazer. To stand alone and stand out. To create a path for others to follow. It isn’t that I want to become a legend but that I want to say that I was able to do this thing on my own. I want to create artwork that is truly mine.

    I may have started out on the path but maybe it’s time to blaze through the heavy woods of creativity and see what is hidden in the forest of art.

  • Time to recharge creativity

    I took much of the past several days off, no writing, no photographs. I spent much of the time with family or just “chilling”. It was time to recharge. I have a big, hopefully productive, photo session coming, plus I’m getting prepared for a big life milestone. It was just time to sit and enjoy some free time. Now, it’s back to work.

    During my recharging days, I did give thought to creative concepts and ideas. Thinking about how there are many ways to recreate moods and emotions in the same image with just lighting changes. I’m also working with another photographic artist on what may be a unique new take on a photographic concept. Exciting times, but never forget, sometimes you just need to recharge the creative mind.

  • Do I really need a photographic style?

    Do I really need a photographic style?

    Do I really need a photographic style? We often hear a lot about photographic styles and the need to establish your style, but what if my style is to have a variety of styles. The style I choose may work better with one subject or even one photograph versus another. I may use a different style throughout a photographic session. For me, having the ability to draw from multiple styles is an asset as an artist. Even if I were to run a business taking portraits, I believe it would be an asset to be able to adjust styles to better fit the need or desires of my clients.

    Finding a single style, to me, is self-limiting. It is, to me, like saying I only like hamburgers but only with American cheese, mustard, and ketchup. The greater sign of an artist is to be able to create and modify styles based on their vision.

    Use a single style, no, thank you. I like love the freedom of not having just one style.

  • The two most common mindsets of photographers

    The two most common mindsets of photographers

    Throughout my journey as a photographer and interacting with other photographers I have found the two most common mindsets of photographers are those who think they are better than they are and those who think they aren’t as good as they are. I have also found some that bounce between the two mindsets and I think I may be one that bounces between them.

    There are times when I go out and think, “I’ve got this!” and start shooting away snapping pictures like crazy then I get back to my digital darkroom and realize I bombed it. Other times I get out there and think, “I I’ll give it a go” and get back and look at the results and realize I killed it.

    The photograph I posted above was one of those times I thought “I’ve got this” but I have since become very disappointed with the results. I went unprepared. I went with a mindset of succeeding rather than learning and experimenting. You see, I had not done any of this type of photography before. I am a huge proponent of lighting and creative lighting techniques but this was new to me. Lesson learned. As the Captain said in the movie “Cool hand Luke”, You ain’t gonna need no third set, ’cause you gonna get your mind right. Working on a photography session, project, or even practice, you have to get your mind right. Confidence when called for, humility when needed, and student when necessary. The key is learning to recognize what mindset is appropriate at the time. Stay humble and it is easier to adjust that mindset to fit the moment.

  • Don’t be halfhearted as an artist

    Don’t be halfhearted as an artist

    Don’t be halfhearted as an artist or photographer, or as I like to call myself a photographic artist. Every piece of work we do, especially if we are going to “release it to the wild” should be done with full intensity to make the work a masterpiece. As the saying goes, go big or go home. You cannot make a good name for yourself by churning out incomplete, half-baked, halfhearted projects, work, or art. After all, you are what you create.

    Years ago, I was in a special operations unit. We trained for the “what-if”. When we trained we trained hard and with full intensity. What we discovered was if you trained halfhearted when the time came you were not prepared. While creating art and beautiful photographs may not be life-threatening or have life-and-death impacts the same concept applies. If a piece of work is released without your best effort it can, and often does, become the standard. Once the quality is sacrificed because “you don’t feel like it” you may find many other times when “you don’t feel like it” and release artwork to the world. Once it is out there, it is out there. You’ve let the proverbial “cat out of the bag”. This is especially true if we are producing work for others. Eventually, your clients or customers will see that this wasn’t your best effort and think why didn’t they give me the attention to detail others receive. It will reflect in your reputation.

    The way to becoming better is to work to be better than you were yesterday, last week, or last year. An artist should always create with full intensity and fullhearted effort. Go big or go home or as Yoda (I’m a Star Wars fan) said, “Try not, do or do not, there is no try”. If you truly want to be a photographer and more so if you want to be an artist, do or do not, there is no try.” Even practice with intensity so that you are ready for the big show when it comes because you never know when and suddenly the opportunity presents itself and if you haven’t trained, you won’t be ready.

  • Is it inspiration or theft?

    Is it inspiration or theft?

    I recently began thinking about the difference between using ideas as inspiration versus concept theft. How close to similar is too close? So where is the line? Is there a line? Does it get too close when we start to solicit the possible group that was interested in the first concept to the new similar work?

    First, let’s look at a common definition of intellectual theft; “Intellectual theft is stealing or using without permission someone else’s intellectual property. Intellectual property is any creative or commercial innovation, any new method that has economic value, or any distinctive mark which might include a name, symbol, or logo that’s used in commercial practices.” What if a creative concept has economic value but is put out there to help others? Now it appears it is more of a moral or ethical issue.

    In reality, there is probably little that is done today art-wise that hasn’t been done to some extent in the past. I’ve used works done previously as inspiration when I wanted to do a project and looked to work done by others in the past to build a mood board and examples. I have always thought I put my own spin on the final projects but did I really? For me, this is an interesting quagmire. Is there an answer? Does it matter? Does it make a difference if I know the person whose idea or concept I am wanting to use and ask, “Hey! Do you mind if I give your idea or concept a try?” What if I don’t know the person but the idea was put out there and I just stumbled across it?

    This is definitely something I am going to have to give more thought to.

  • Some days you’re just out of ideas

    There are some days when you just run out of ideas. Creativity is down and you just zone out. Today is one of those days and it’s okay.

    Occasionally, you just have to remind yourself it’s okay to slow down and take a break. This is especially true for me right now as I am rapidly approaching a major life event, retiring from working for employers and going to start working for myself creating art.

    I see lots of artists and photographers who push themselves nearly everyday to create and so many times in the past I’ve seen people just like them burn out and stop completely.

    It is okay to not push yourself too hard. Give yourself time for yourself. Take a day off, better yet take a week off and recharge.