JUST THREE SETTINGS
COFFEE TIME
Sipping my second cup of coffee of the day, musing. I was having a little debate with myself, and losing the argument as per normal, the inner angst getting the better of me whilst I considered the modern world of photography that surrounds us all. In particular, I was thinking about how many photographers I see in the course of hosting workshops and how I am privy to seeing trends and habits that perhaps others don’t see.
A common thread
There seems to be a common, often negative, thread present on virtually all my workshops whereby I see how my esteemed guests have been ‘got at’ by what can only be described as profiteers of confusion. Most of us have experienced being sucked in by the influences of manufacturers, retailers, social media platforms, YouTubers (especially), photography associations and, sadly, I have to say this … even some photographers selling workshops! I even hear the regular stories and angst caused by some local camera club fellows, not to mention the vitriol aimed at their competition judges. It’s all a minefield of conflict. In fact, I often wonder why on earth people bother with photography at all. If it were me I’d pull up the draw bridge and tell them to go forth and f..f..float their boat in the moat. I digress.
Taking another sip … I paused … and then harnessed my thoughts …
I decided that lambasting everyone who wants to earn their crust in this profession is probably not fair. After all, they are most likely caught up in their own web of influence. I am also earnestly aware I don’t want to join that merry-go-round. I console myself knowing that my thoughts and motives are firmly rooted in total opposition to all that nonsense.
… A long, deep audible sigh …. try to be positive, I think!
I take heart in having a simple faith when it comes to photography, to enjoy the process and find an even keel of solace when times are hard. When all is said and done, the act of photography, whatever experience level, is a solitary and simple pastime. It is not too complicated. Just three settings and a little compositional guidance and hey presto… a photographer is born.
Pondering some more
Why do so many keen photographers struggle to move forward in their own photography? Apart from not succumbing to the social media hype and the vested influencers, there are some things the photographer has to take personal responsibility for, like: adopting consistent working methods; developing good camera craft; and in this digital age, learning to perfect a personal workflow from capture through to print. All these things are necessary and can take time to perfect, sometimes a lifetime. But, there is one attribute and quality that is much easier to adopt that all photographers will gain much more from by simply embracing ...
… the coffee is getting cold and I fancy a biscuit, perhaps a top up too, but before I go consider this:
Simplify things!
Yes, our photography can be simplified by not allowing others to over-saturate our minds with endless photography-related drivel and misconceived ‘must haves’. We can also avoid all those aforementioned influences and just concentrate on our own photography needs. But we can do more …
We can simplify many aspects of our photography:
Perhaps by not comparing ourselves to others; it will not help us.
Learn from others, but we can avoid copying them; it will rarely satisfy.
Minimise our camera gear. Fewer choices will mean less time worrying about what to use.
Adopt a good camera system, and stick with it. Constant changing of lenses and cameras just breaks continuity and means we are always in a state of flux.
Choose and invest well in quality lenses that suit style and needs. Not all lenses suit all photographers. Stay faithful to them and they will serve us well.
Be habitual; practice lots. Good working habits feed creative output.
Be exacting: this the one compositional quality never to compromise on.
Even simplifying the way we pack our camera bags. The consistency of knowing where things are will only feed a photographer’s camera craft.
Declutter the camera’s shooting menu display. A clear viewfinder is like a clear car windscreen: we can see what’s ahead of us.
Discern the motives of others. This is a tough one.
Don’t forget, the profiteers of confusion are always lurking!
Remember, the only one we need to please is ourself.
ENJOY THE JOURNEY!
THE LAST WORD
Now where’s that biscuit barrel?
AB
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