There Isn't Always a Photograph
Posted: Sat 09 Jan 2016, 09:33
At the club's last meeting when Paul gave a presentation about our recent trip to the Peak District, he reminded me of something I said (and forgotten about) when we ascended Mam Tor to shoot the sunrise. I did enjoy the moment, although photographically it was a wash. It was very misty, which might have yielded something had the sun broken through in an interesting way. It didn't, but seeing how the mist suddenly lifted was worth the effort alone. Everyone else had their cameras out and was shooting, except for me. Paul asked why and I replied "there is no contrast". All the time I was surveying the scene looking for potential images and did eventually try a few shots to be ready in case the conditions suddenly changed, but nothing really worked that morning.
My experience from my Photo a Day project a couple of years ago was that if I went out with the intention of taking photographs, usually I would get something worthwhile which I could post. Occasionally I didn't, as occurred on the final day of the project, and that meant looking for something else or falling back on a contingency plan. In the event I resorted to the latter and the image I ended up with was one of my better efforts and different to anything else I did during the year. It was a good way to finish. Since then I having been publishing a series of "Photo of the Day" shots when I have something of interest to share. That does not represent my entire output and quite often I have not posted anything when the results have not justified it. One of the things which I did not like about my 365 project was posting shots which would not otherwise have seen the light of day, which POTD avoids.
Experience has taught me that provided I am active with my camera, I will get shots even if some days are fallow. Sometimes the opposite occurs and the shots come in a rush. At Whitstable a few months ago I had some great light which yielded at least three images with which I am pleased. The trick is to shoot as much as possible as simply using your camera will make you more familiar with it and help you find out what works and what does not. That time has not been wasted as you have been practicing your skills and there will be those rewarding moments when you look at your efforts and find something that has turned out much better than you anticipated.
My experience from my Photo a Day project a couple of years ago was that if I went out with the intention of taking photographs, usually I would get something worthwhile which I could post. Occasionally I didn't, as occurred on the final day of the project, and that meant looking for something else or falling back on a contingency plan. In the event I resorted to the latter and the image I ended up with was one of my better efforts and different to anything else I did during the year. It was a good way to finish. Since then I having been publishing a series of "Photo of the Day" shots when I have something of interest to share. That does not represent my entire output and quite often I have not posted anything when the results have not justified it. One of the things which I did not like about my 365 project was posting shots which would not otherwise have seen the light of day, which POTD avoids.
Experience has taught me that provided I am active with my camera, I will get shots even if some days are fallow. Sometimes the opposite occurs and the shots come in a rush. At Whitstable a few months ago I had some great light which yielded at least three images with which I am pleased. The trick is to shoot as much as possible as simply using your camera will make you more familiar with it and help you find out what works and what does not. That time has not been wasted as you have been practicing your skills and there will be those rewarding moments when you look at your efforts and find something that has turned out much better than you anticipated.