Here are two photographs taken near my house, in what is remaining of the dense forest that used to surround me until people started moving in and taking it down piece by piece; these are not images for competition, they are images that help me see better…I walk here every day with my dog and during this time I carry a point and shoot Canon G15 camera…there are mornings or afternoons when it seems there is absolutely nothing to photograph; it is then that I take the camera out of my pocket and start to really look, forcing myself to find something, no matter how insignificant, to photograph. It may sound ridiculous, but it works..
If you ask any great musician or painter, they will tell you that it takes hours and hours of practice to become proficient…Picasso didn’t paint once in a while, he painted constantly, trying different techniques, always learning…Monet spent his older adult life in one place, painting constantly in his garden; Winslow Homer dedicated almost his whole adult life to painting the ocean and coast…there is a lesson to be learned here, if you want to photograph better and develop an eye for photography and the graphic structure that is important for good images, it must be practiced.
Going on a tour once or twice a year and shooting will not do it! Wherever you live, take your camera or your smartphone, no matter how boring that area may be, and you will find something of value if you look..and if you say, “I don’t have time”…then it is important to make time.
If you ask any great musician or painter, they will tell you that it takes hours and hours of practice to become proficient…Picasso didn’t paint once in a while, he painted constantly, trying different techniques, always learning…Monet spent his older adult life in one place, painting constantly in his garden; Winslow Homer dedicated almost his whole adult life to painting the ocean and coast…there is a lesson to be learned here, if you want to photograph better and develop an eye for photography and the graphic structure that is important for good images, it must be practiced.
Going on a tour once or twice a year and shooting will not do it! Wherever you live, take your camera or your smartphone, no matter how boring that area may be, and you will find something of value if you look..and if you say, “I don’t have time”…then it is important to make time.
Marion thanks for all of your thoughtful posts. Freeing the eye to explore is like chicken soup on a cold day.
GREAT ADVICE Marion!!!!
Love this. Very helpful.
Nice to be reminded to do this. It is so easy to say, “I’ll do it tomorrow.” and then it gets put off again and again.
Great advice. I promised myself I would do the 365 day challenge after reading that you had completed it. I started but then got caught up in other things so I am going to try again. You do inspire others. Thank You…