Flower shop detail, Portland OR.
In photography, I’ve discovered there are basically three types of images: ones you make, the ones you find and the ones you get because you were there – right place, right time. To clarify the first type, to be successful, you’ve got to first imagine what you want before you take your first shot. Put yourself in a situation that will lend itself to a high probability
of the right things coming together and you get an image (the right
elements being good light, an interesting subject and the time needed to execute it). The ones you find are much easier to make, I think, if you know a little bit about how to use your camera. Maybe it’s good, and maybe it’s not. The third type of image requires way more knowledge and awareness than the other two, in my opinion. Street photographers are especially good at this type, as are photojournalist. For these images are fleeting and one has to have the type of presence that won’t affect the situation, and excellent reflexes.
I know a lot has been written on this subject by much more learned artists than me. But this image got me to thinking about this subject and how easy it is to these days to become famous for ‘happy accidents’. Many think a photographer is great because of a few ‘amazing’ photos, which are really not that amazing.
Doing this personal assignment of a photo a day has forced me to actually WORK at my craft, some days harder than others. I know the days when I just ‘call it in’, and the days that I don’t. I’m OK with both.
To be consistently great, it takes work. And persistence, patience, trust and belief. And even more work than originally estimated. Along the way, you find your strengths, work on shortcomings, and practice, and fail, do it over and over until you win. Photography has taught me that it’s an art form and a craft, a lesson I won’t soon forget.
I love this image. It was a nice find.