A Lesser Photographer

Work Alone

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:52:25 -0600

Whenever possible, work alone to boost your creativity.

What artists have long suspected has born out to be true, according to Susan Cain in her new book, Quiet. Years of experiments have shown collaboration tends to create fewer and lower quality ideas, compared to people creating on their own. Brainstorming, to remain effective, should be a solitary activity.

But my experience tells me that the work itself is also better when I’m alone. This could be dangerous if your chosen field is wildlife photography, but the creative center of your brain doesn’t care as much about your subject matter as the way it’s approached.

As much as other humans may give us comfort, telling us we are on the right track with an idea (see the popularity of Instagram and Flickr), art is about pushing ideas past where others are comfortable.

Together, we remain comfortable. Alone, we remain unique.

"Artists work best alone."

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:47:29 -0600

““Artists work best alone.””

- Woz

"Get fired everyday."

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:46:53 -0600

““Get fired everyday.””

- Carl King

Appropriate Practicality

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:41:02 -0600

Some argue lesser photography vilifies gear serving “practical,” “efficient” or “appropriate” purposes. Not quite. Lesser photography is about the rejection of the notion of “practical,” “efficient” and “appropriate” in photography.

How many times have you been inspired by the “practical” nature of a photo?

"I’m thinking there may be a market in being the guy who helps to un-train you of all the..."

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:52:06 -0600

““I’m thinking there may be a market in being the guy who helps to un-train you of all the ‘tips’ that the ‘experts’ teach you.””

- Patrick Rhone (damn straight, Patrick)

Pass Along Your Best Stories

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 20:53:04 -0600

Images corrupt and apps are unreliable. Your backups may not be backing up what you thought. Websites suffer neglect.

A few years after you die, your files may not even be readable, if someone even cares to look after them.

The truth is, there’s no such thing as an archival digital format. There’s nothing wrong with that necessarily for the photographer. The photographer’s enjoyment is in the moment.

Once a year, put your best images (stories) in a book. It’s not for you. It’s for anyone who enjoys a good story, even long after you’re gone.

"Access to tools is easier too. Every digital tool in the world is easily available, often for..."

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 20:23:43 -0600

““Access to tools is easier too. Every digital tool in the world is easily available, often for free…Alas, the only access that’s harder than ever is access to the part of your brain that’s willing to take advantage of all of this.””

- - Seth Godin

(This is the core creativity problem in photography today: everyone is looking to external tools to solve an internal problem.)

"Get boo’ed off stage at least once."

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:09:10 -0600

““Get boo’ed off stage at least once.””

- Carl King

11 Random Thoughts From an Amateur Photographer

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 21:47:05 -0600

11 Random Thoughts From an Amateur Photographer:

“Just because you’re a photographer doesn’t mean every conversation has to revolve around the subject. Photography might be what you pursue but having a life outside of it is what ultimately serves as an inspiration for what you do with the camera.”

Innovation

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:54:30 -0600

This week you’ll hear a lot about innovation in photography on your favorite blogs. Unfortunately, they’re talking about innovations in objects, not ideas.

How much time could you save and how much more could you learn, if you tuned out the blogs that fall in love with objects?

52 Tiger

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 06:48:47 -0600

I’m appearing on 3 episodes this week of the 52 Pickup podcast, a members only podcast, from the excellent tech blog 52 Tiger. If you support great writing and unobtrusive tech blogs, it’s worth becoming a member (I did on day one).

We’re talking photography, tech and Van Halen.

Reshoot Your Archives

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:50:02 -0600

My best friend, Tom, had a house fire in the 90s that destroyed all of his photos and negatives (during his most prolific period as an enthusiastic young hobbyist). As a result, he developed an entirely different way of approaching archivism and we all could learn something from it.

Recently, I was talking about my own archives from that same period and how I was going to deal with scanning the thousands of negatives I had amassed. I wanted to create a digital archive I could easily back up to avoid the same destruction Tom faced.

Tom advised me to revisit the places in those negatives and produce something better than I had produced back then. Then, throw away the old negatives. He gave me a few hundred new projects in under 5 seconds and I couldn’t wait to get started.

Life is fleeting and you can’t take your archives with you. Chances are, no one will tend to them even a few years after you’re gone. The real value in photography is an appreciation of the present.

Do not automate your creativity.

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 08:36:49 -0600

Do not automate your creativity.

I can see why photographers love the thought behind this ad, but...

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 18:44:58 -0600

I can see why photographers love the thought behind this ad, but what does it have to do with the camera? Last time I checked, a camera like that does the thinking for you. (via photojojo)

"Don’t worry about being better than anybody you know personally or whose work you admire...."

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 18:35:08 -0600

““Don’t worry about being better than anybody you know personally or whose work you admire. Simply try to be better tomorrow than you were yesterday. You are not so much in competition with others as you are with yourself.””

- Bill Allard (via A Photo Editor)

The Lure of Diminishing Returns

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 17:55:30 -0600

Keith Green points us to this New York Times article on Kwaku Alston:

“‘I just got back to basics,’ said Mr. Alston, 40, who has divided his time between Venice and New York for nearly 10 years now. ‘I had been just pumping out commercial images all day long, that when you looked at it, you said, ‘There’s something missing here.’ The passion wasn’t there. I didn’t enter this to take pictures of celebrities. I had a passion for the things I saw when I was walking down the streets.”

If you ignore what you’re naturally best at, the product will either become boring or, if it makes money, a business. It isn’t art anymore and it isn’t much of a life anymore.

This is not a touchy-feely sentiment. Follow your passion into business, without the background of Kwaku Alston, and you may end up homeless.

But, ignore your passion (as a hobby or business) and you’ll continue to see diminishing returns on your creativity until your work is just like anyone else’s. That’s the kiss of death in both art and business.

The Best Photos of 2011

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 11:01:27 -0600

Are too personal to be found in any publication.
Are probably on your phone.
Are dulled by filters and cheap tricks.
Are not subject to criticism.
Are not dependent on Flickr comments.
Are probably of people and places you’d love without the image.
Are not for sale.
Are perfectly imperfect.

Know Your Teacher

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:05:30 -0600

I treat every blog I read as if I have a lot to learn from the author, as if the writer is my teacher. It’s a high standard, but it needs to be. My time and attention are my most valuable possessions. I have a limited supply and can’t buy more.

There are so many photography blogs riddled with so much nonsense, it’s hard to imagine this kind of filter is being applied much by our community. The blogging industry is filled with those who’ll sacrifice what’s best for their readers for what’s best for their advertisers. Consider who you’re giving your time and attention to and whether you’re learning anything new. If you wouldn’t consider your blogger much of a teacher, move along. If you don’t find a suitable replacement, you’ll regain precious time and maybe learn a thing or two on your own.

Drive-By Photography

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 06:29:10 -0600

Far too often, we equip ourselves to stumble upon a photograph. We get lucky occasionally and that carries us through the next several failed attempts.

For years, my biggest photographic failing was my tendency to commit the crime of drive-by photography. I jumped in the car in search of as many inspiring scenes as possible within a 100-mile radius of the city, as many weekends as possible. 9 times out of 10, I came back disappointed. It was a waste of several prime years.

It wasn’t until I started I started searching for stories, instead of scenes, that the 9 out of 10 decreased to maybe 6 out of 10. I targeted specific places, with a specific angle (story angle, that is).

Failure is still a requirement for growth, but now I judge failure based on the story I bring home, not the technical aspect of the images.

Where would you go today, if your goal was to seek out the most interesting story in your area?

Life happens between frames. If you don’t put down the camera to experience your subject, how...

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 01:39:56 -0600

Life happens between frames. If you don’t put down the camera to experience your subject, how can you bring anything uniquely personal to the subject?