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John was talking about missed photographs on his last post and Belle explained her need to be with a camera at all times in her post with the rainbow and storm pictures.
I have been thinking about what kind of vision being photo conscious allows you, or trains you to - photographers tend to see things other people don’t.
You can Look a flower but not really pay attention to details - or like Bernie Kasper, you can see the textures and colors as a whole separate world.
You can see winter thawing or just one berry looking dripping Ice.
Bernie says that this image was hard to shoot, with the weather like it was.
Have you noticed a change in how you look at things?
Absolutely, I notice a lot of little things now that I never did before. Certain colors in the sky is the biggie for me. I guess I always took it for granted before I started composing instead of snapping. although I still tend to ignore some “rules” here and there, I do take them into consideration before the shot now. I think I cussed more on this last drive than usual though. I have never been across those stretches of Hwy this time of year.
I agree with everything John said. There is a big difference in what I see now as opposed to before. It’s like looking at the world with a brand new set of eyes. I have always had a camera to “take pictures” with; but now it’s different. Even with me just getting serious about photography, I look at something and think about it, the angle, the light, the lines, the details,the story that is there, etc. , waiting to be told and shared.
Great topic Kimberly,
I have a motto “every now and then stand up on a chair, to see the world in a different angle”
Now that people train their eyes, the world is a much bigger place. Keep it up.
I agree with everyone. i see things differently now then i did before i got serious about my photography. It’s kind of hard to explain and put into words but i am sure everyone here can understand.
When I got my camera, I started looking at the world and at people differently. Instead of just walking from starting point to destination, I’m now walking more slowly and checking out things, mainly for texture and lighting. I have to make a stop at every alley I cross. And I study people more, though now visualizing how they’d look in a picture.
On Model Mayhem, there was a discussion about this and one veteran photographer said exactly what I was feeling. He said that before his photography, when he looked at a beautiful woman he thought “Boy, I’d like to her!” Now it’s, “Boy, I’d like to photograph her!” He said, “Oh my god, I’m dating my camera!”
I like Stari’s motto and have found it to be very true. I once got up on a chair to shoot an office gathering and was amazed at what a strong effect was gained by moving 18 inches higher. Moving in the other direction works just as well. Many times shooting wrestling, I get down on my belly and the camera right on the ground. The effect is powerful. I’ve done the same thing for shooting models. It’s also very effective for shooting pets outdoors. A good photo should make people stop and look and look again, maybe even make them think. If a simple change of vantage-point can help achieve that, then by all means do it.
Well put Bob. I think photography becomes an addiction for a lot of us. Between cameras, lenses, tripods, etc. we are always in photo mode. Even with my vehicle, I am trying to figure out ways to make it more camera friendly with a battery charger, camera holder for grabbing on the go, a window mount and more. I go nuts when I miss an shot opportunity. So yeah I’ll admit it, I’m addicted.
I think you can take it overboard, John. It’s bad enough for us to be sightseeing when we’re supposed to be driving, but a window-mount for your camera? Don’t tell your auto insurance carrier!
Haha not like that Bob. No they make a window clamp that has a release like a tripod. One thing with shooting animals such as deer is once your vehicle stops for a few seconds the deer will bolt much less opening a door. The idea is when your on backwoods road you can stop and still get the photo just as fast. As for the camera holster. Nothing drives me up the wall more than digging into my backpack over and over. I’m just looking for safe secure and fast access. I do agree I could go overboard fast, but I am thinking practical albeit alittle outside the box.
John you sound like a photo cowboy - wanting to be quick on the draw :-)
I also do the lying on the floor and standing on the chair exersize every now and then.Lately, I have started giving my 4 year old our point and shoot camera, and getting to see the inside of our house from his perspective…. its amazing what a different take he has one the kitchen table and chairs…
I agree with everyone here, it has been summed up well…For me, I’m looking for lighting of the sky-on the landscape, that scene across the creek, that leaf on the ground, the small broken piece of would laying across the rocks, the reflection on the water that’s 300mm away from you…I definitely have OCD when it comes to photography…My camera sits next to me on the seat and I get irritated when I have to move it to the backseat to make room for others, lol…
Hahaha yeah regular Ol Hotshoe MaGoo here.lol. I used to work in the custom auto busness, some where between monster garage and west coast customs was where a lot of my projects came out. Building unique cars for SEMA and CES- those were overboard!!! But I got paid for thinking way out the box. So to me this is mild. I can never own anything “stock”. My wifes car is the weakest thing I’ve ever owned. The day after we bought it, it was in the shop for 20in wheels and custom graphics. My old toyota looks like a cross country rover u’d see in safari.
I would have to agree as well, I think when it was first brought to my attention it was a friend who pointed it out. I ride a train to work everyday with the same group of people been doing it for 10+ years. It was pointed out a while ago “That I do get excited about the little things we pass, wildlife no one else on the train notices, or the way the light is hitting a flower or the water.” I never really noticed before that as the friend put it “my photographers eye was always On”. But they have known me for too long now because just the other day on the way to work it was a clear morning after a day of snow fall and they said I figured you would have called in sick with a morning like this. Or Maybe the eye is contagious??
How many of you understood the second shot is of a cherry before they read the post? I didn’t. This one is a real art!
Lol calling in sick to work to take photos!!! Hmmm not sure that would fly for me, but it sounds nice.Bob is the extremist in that catagorie though, quite your job for photography!!! I wish I had the cohonies to do that. What stinks is I have to find a new carrer now and still to scared to open a studio lol
The decision to quit my job for photography wans’t completely mine. I was being squeezed out by some truly evil managers and I had no future at that company. I was only able to choose the time of my leaving, and I left in a way that emphasized my importance to the company and in doing so, screwed my evil boss. Not having a wife or kids greatly simplified my decision. But every day — even on the days when I’m swamped and dealing with no-show models — I thank those evil idiots at my former job for forcing my hand. A lousy day of photography beats the heck out of a great day at an office.
See that’s what I’m scared of. Wife and baby have to eat. With the sale of the company that was supposed to be my future, I am forced to either work at something I hate and make money or try to figure out what to do. I am getting a nice little compentation out of the sale, but I’d use that in a year or less just living. I’d love to open a studio, but scared I’d fail one of two ways, from the economy, or just cause I’m not good enough. Go figure. I’ll probably get stuck with my tool belt on doing what I hate.
OrcaBob - what a great sentence - “A lousy day of photography beats the heck out of a great day at an office”. I am going to have to print that and hang it somewhere I can see it :-)
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I can’t take credit for that. I paraphrased a bumpersticker that said that about fishing.
John, don’t think about opening a studio unless it’s at your house. You won’t make enough to cover the rent and your share of the proceeds from the sale of the company will be gone all the sooner. Work as a photographer free of the encumbrances of a brick-and-mortar studio. After a year-and-a-half of trying to establish myself, I’m finally getting gigs that barely pay my bills and my bills are small. Model photography isn’t the moneymaker. It just gives me practice for the stuff that does pay: portraits and events. And the sports photography gives me the exposure and puts me out where people can ask me to do portraits and events. I take my weaknesses and make them strengths. My competitors have studios but for a big fee they’ll make housecalls; I do housecalls for no added charge and the customers think they’re getting a great deal. My competitors are so busy they treat their student customers like ; I have fewer clients which means I have time to let them be stars. Every weakness can be made into a strength.
Your probably right in that a studio would waste a lot of money. It would be nice to do portraits from a stationary location, but as you said the money is in the events and portraits. Been alittle bass ackwards around here lately but I need to get on the ball.