I read an article recently about how a famous musician has turned to photography and people raving over his photographs. He literally became a successful photographer. But, is it because his pictures are so extraordinary, or was it because he was already famous? I’ve looked at his photographs and they are good, but I don’t believe they are better than many of the people I know who are virtually unknown.
As for me, I’m not worried about it. I believe I shall be like the dandelion. Hanging out, even if alone without fame or famous friends, and spreading my photography and art like cypselas of the dandelion. Once my artwork is ready for release I share it with the world.
After this past weekend, I have become a part of the leadership of a group of creatives, both photographers and models. We’ve met both in person and via internet chat. I must say, it is truly exciting to be part of a group that has such enthusiasm for creating. What I find particularly interesting is that their minds and ideas work a lot like mine, yet different which will once again push my boundaries into areas I have yet to venture into.
The first series we worked on was based on a haunted house. The type of haunted house that appears in October as an entertainment venue. Models showed up dressed in their costumes and readily posed in a variety of scenes. This inspired me to work to create scenes from many of the horror movies I had watched over the course of my life. I’m enjoying putting my imagination to work with both the taking of the photographs as well as developing them further in my digital darkroom. Truly, the only thing that holds one back with this sort of session is your imagination.
A few days ago I participated in a themed photo session. The session included several models and photographers and was held at a “haunted house”. I went into the session expecting it to be like many before with too few models and too many photographers. My photographer friend, my wife (who helps with lighting and set up), and I got there fairly early and they had just completed a general walk-through. After getting our walk through we teamed up with two models and started to find locations to create.
By the end of the day, and I mean the day as we spent nearly 8 hours and worked with eight different models, I had hundreds of photographs. This session re-inspired me to continue with some of these themed photography sessions working with models.
I find these to be both fun and creative. Seeing how others work and their concepts. Then watching as each of these creative people complete their vision of the work.
These sessions won’t replace my other genres of photography but will supplement them, allowing for my vision and imagination to run wild. If you haven’t tried these sorts of things, give it a go.
In the past few years, I have become more and more convinced about the need to do more than just take a photograph. There is no photograph I take that is released “to the wild” that is not further developed in the lightroom (the digital version of a darkroom). I learned that no device can capture my vision, at least yet.
There are even times when I view a scene that I realize this is a moment to capture but I haven’t fully developed or finalized my vision until I sit down in front of my computer screens and begin to work.
The one thing I can never wrap my head around is the people who are so against further developing a photograph using computer software. With film, there is the need to develop the film and then make a print. For me, this is also true with digital photographs. I’m not shooting an Instamatic camera, you know the ones that you point, push the button, and a print comes out and develops before your very eyes.
My cameras and camera equipment are just the beginning. The end really never gets here as I often re-visit and process images in a different way and style as time goes on. For me, there is no such thing as an ending to my art. I’m always in some stage of the final version.
One of the biggest reasons I love Photoshop and Lightroom is the ability to make my vision come to life. I’m not going to show the originals but let me just say they don’t have nearly the impact as the developed versions.
The original photographs were taken with the intent to develop further in Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. Exposures, composition, and focus were set intentionally for further development.
It is difficult to make a horror/haunted house theme look the way you want when it is in the middle of a bright sunny day. Work to set your lighting correctly, add additional lighting effects and then develop the final image.
This is one of the types of photography sessions I just love. Make visions come to life. Create the environment. Let your imagination run wild.
Later this morning I’m going to a Halloween-themed photography session. It will be a gathering of both models and photographers and has been discussed for several weeks now. In the past, my experience has been hit-and-miss with these types of things. Often too many photographers jocking for time with too few models. Many say they will come but often don’t show up at the last minute.
Like I always do with these things I will take more things than I probably need or will use but I would rather be prepared by having something I don’t use rather than need something I didn’t bring. Just like the session above, I took more things than I needed. I really used just a tripod and a single lens, but I didn’t take a portable softbox with a grid.
I will say, that this group of creative photographers and models is getting my interest in things like this again even if this will be my first time meeting with them. Here’s hoping to find new interests and new groups to meet and collaborate with again.
The greatest joy I’ve had as a photographer, and in particular as a photographic artist, is I have learned to look at the world differently. I have learned there the world is an interesting place and that nearly everything and everyone is photographically interesting. I’ve learned to there is a story to be told in the objects, landscape, and people around us. My photography is an escape from politics and life’s issues even though I use my photography to express my thoughts, experiences, emotions, and wonder.
This isn’t a difficult thing to learn. When we go out with our cameras practice just stopping and looking. Think about photography. Think composition. Think light. Think is this a decisive moment. Learn as much about your camera equipment as you can so that when you recognize something that grabs your attention you can nearly automatically compose and get the shot.
You may be surprised at how much learning to be able to see the world as an artist will change how you view the world.
As photographers, or more appropriately for some of us photographic artists, we often have unique challenges. The sun is harsh, the clouds are flat and featureless, it’s hot, it’s cold, it’s raining, and I frequently see, more photographers showing up to an event than models and we are all clamoring for a position.
I guess part of it is I often work with others like myself. We do our art for the love and joy of it rather than making a full-time living at it. As such, it is often that another opportunity arises that gathers more interest. I have had the opportunity to work with many other creatives that I have enjoyed working with to create my art.
I’m certain this isn’t a challenge unique to me or my area. I suspect this stuff happens all over.
I find it interesting yet frustrating that many times a day and time is agreed to be equally open, yet when that day and time arrive, the other creative is late. Sometimes you get a call sometimes you don’t.
Nature and landscape are always there, always on time. The only challenge we face is the elements.
I don’t mean to say that I am going to give up working with other people and creating art. Far from it. The vast majority of the people I have worked with in the past I’ve enjoyed the time, often creating some wonderful photographs. It’s just a challenge to work with and attempt to overcome.
Early in my journey as a photographer, I wasn’t too comfortable with a lot of subjects or genres of photography. As a result, my photographs were snapshots, at best.
I was stuck as a photographer. As much as I tried on my own I wasn’t really growing as a photographer much less as an artist. The whole, self-taught photography journey wasn’t really working out for me as I wasn’t able to break out of my comfort zone.
I actually began a photography course. The course forced me to move out of my comfort zone by assigning projects I had to complete to graduate. I remember the first time I connected with a model that I didn’t know as a friend or family member. I was very nervous. I began to learn about lighting and how to control it.
I learned to control both artificial lighting and natural lighting.
This knowledge I gained by being forced out of my comfort zone also helped me with photography without models.
Sometimes, we have to get out there and try things that we’re not comfortable with, but at the same time, we have to have people leading us through the journey that is more knowledgeable and can help instruct us through those times when we are uncomfortable.
I’m still working to get out of my comfort zones but now that I have much more experience and have been forced to try other subjects and genres I find it much easier to get out of my comfort zone.
To truly grow from photographer to artist is rewarding. My journey now is to try and help others move past their comfort zones to try new things even if it is a bit scary, at first.
I can go from being totally absent of reality to a basic portrait of a person. Not only do my styles change but so do the subjects of my photographs.
This is, in reality, how my mind works. Often a random thought just pops in or as I’m reviewing a photograph I may look at it an go, “let’s try this!”
While it is fun to do I often find it difficult to put together a completed project. I’m not just a landscape photographer that can easily put together a 20-image project and all the images have a similar look and feel. At the same time, having such a wide array of styles and subjects often keeps my creative thoughts churning. I can go through my library of images and create something totally different from the last version of it.
I just love my style of photography. It makes it much easier to just wander nearly any location and find something to photograph and make art of it. I don’t have to travel to exotic locations I can just walk down the street and be like, huh take that picture.
My art is about seeing the world around me and sharing my vision of it. Sometimes, it’s beauty, sometimes, it’s ugliness, and sometimes it’s uniqueness. Try it, and expand your subjects and styles. Try something totally different from your normal styles and subjects.
Photographer Clay 