The Magic of Photography

You come home from a hard day at high school with a ton of homework. The first thing you do is hit the computer (or in my case, the encyclopedia) to do all the research you need to do. By the time you get done, it dark and you missed that game of catch outside or the double Dutch rope has been put away, and now it's time for dinner. Oh well at least all your work is done. The next morning, your friend comes up to you and wants to copy your homework before you go to class. No research, no missed games, nothing. They just want you to do the work and you to give them your results. Sound familiar?

We all went through this in school (unless of course, you WERE the moocher). But old habits die hard because people still do it to me. In the photographer community, there is an environment of sharing that we all appreciate. We all know that today I may share a technique but tomorrow I may learn something for someone who I taught something to the day before. It's like splitting the bill when you're out with friends: in the end it all evens out (PS. That's the topic for a whole other blog). There is another aspect of sharing that bugs me though: the hobbyist wanting to learn a technique without learning the fundamentals. When I started learning about photography, I started from the ground up. I made an effort to understand f-stops, shutter speeds, light meters, everything. That way when I wanted to learn about more complex theories, I had the basics down. Cue the enthusiast who refuses to take their camera off auto and wants me to tell them how to shoot a stitched together panoramic image! Then I start by telling them that they have to set their white balance to manual and their eyes start to glaze over. Now I look like the jerk who won't share my secrets!

I say all of this to say, if you're serious about photography, I will geek out with you for hours and tell you everything I know...once I know you've done the research and know the basics. I'm happy to do that. However, I think it's rude to expect a photographer to detail their work to people who have a pedestrian interest in the art. It's like asking a magician to show you how they did their tricks. Unless you want to be a magician yourself, knowing how it's done just spoils the experience! Same with photography.  So word to all photo enthusiasts who aren't serious about advancing; thank you for appreciating our work but leave the magic to the professionals!

On to the next frame...trying to stay in focus!

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Discarded Beauty.

One of the goals of photographers is to capture an amazing image that will stand the test of time. We hope to create a picture that will stand out and draw acclaim for both us and the subject. Another goal is to earn money for your efforts. Often, these two goals require a different 'eye' from the photographer. It is a very hard line to straddle especially for a photographer like myself.

I pride myself in not being a studio photographer. There is nothing wrong with being a studio photographer. Some of the most renowned pieces of photography are the result of studio sessions and for some people, that is the exact environment that works for them. But not me. I love shooting in the elements whether that be a park or in someone's living room. I think that pictures speak more when the background adds to the conversation. They are more artistic that way. I always tell people that if they want they normal white background kind of shot, I'm not the right photographer for them. And there is nothing wrong with that.

So, with that in mind, I assume that people that hire me are looking for that treatment and for more of an artistic, quirky type of picture. Which brings me to the confluence of the two goals. Sometimes, after a shoot, I see a picture that is truly artistic and beautiful that I am SURE that the client will choose. I send them the proofs and get their selections back, only to realize that they have NOT chosen the picture that I thought was amazing! What!?!?! In my mind, I am screaming, "ummmmm ya missed one" but this is their choice. They are paying the bill so they get to decide.

So what do I do with this great image? Put it on my website (with permission, of course) or just put in the archives? If I put it on the site, am I risking not attracting clients? After all, it WAS a rejected image. I then have to decide whether the images on my site are there as stylistic representations of me or advertisements to draw in more clients. I haven't come to a decision on that yet, by the way, and I am leaning towards it being both. If I store the image, I feel like I'm burying my talent.

There is one other option I guess: tell the client that you think that they should choose this image instead. That's a tough call. Clients already have a hard time narrowing down their selections. I recently did a shoot and took 460 frames (that's another story altogether) and I will probably edit and deliver around 100 images. From that pile, the client will choose about TEN!!! Can you imagine after you painstakingly agonize over which 90 to discard that the photographer comes back and says you should reconsider your choices? My head would explode! LOL Clearly, there is no easy answer to this quandary. So I'll keep shooting and hope that my clients and I see eye to eye.

And you thought we just pick up our cameras and start taking pictures! On to the next frame...staying in focus.