My husband was out of town and my children were both tied up in school all day and busy with after. It was a bit risky, but I decided to drive an hour to attend a rare opportunity to see Scott Kelby's Shoot Like A Pro Reloaded event. I doubted he would ever be this close again, so I took the chance.
I enjoyed his openness and candor. One the most entertaining moments was when he walked us through the realities of a seasoned professional's photographic moments. He was comical in sharing what really happens behind the scenes. The great shot, he said, does not happen in 4 or 5 takes like most believe. It is almost as iterative for him as for me! Perhaps the biggest learning moment, however, was when he illustrated how to take photographs outside or in a garage without backdrops that look like they have been shot in a studio. My favorite was a photograph of the chrome of a car with a jet black background that had been taken in a garage filled with other cars, automotive accessories, people and bright lights. Now if I could just get my kids to wash my car!!
I decided on a mini-tryout of these techniques to photograph flowers in my garden. There were two problems with this: I cheated on nearly every important dimension (I guess I really needed to lug all my gear outside) and it's very hard to transform a garden to an in-studio look. I might have been a bit over my skis on this one. While I did not get the results I wanted, I do have a better understanding of the process.
One of the reasons I love photography is that I am in constant wonder. Whether it be because of the moment I am capturing or the challenge of capturing the moment, all of my senses are engaged. More than anything else I do, my photography forces me to practice mindfulness. I am present, open, free and often filled with breath to embrace the moment.
I am also perpetually learning. Since everyone sees, feels and experiences events differently, there seem to be as many ways to capture and process images as there are photographers. I believe you can be influenced and guided, but you must determine your own style and unique vision. I remember being in a group of photographers capturing an event and asking, "how will we know which of our photographs will be published?" The response was, "you will know because you know your own eye."
Whether we are photographers, musicians, film makers, actors, business people, homemakers or something else, we are each uniquely special. In all professions, we must use the full extent of our gifts to bring our unique vision, our own eye to the marketplace.
Best wishes!
Today's Photo: Faux Studio
"To each there comes in their lifetime a special moment when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a very special thing, unique to them and fitted to their talents. What a tragedy if that moment finds them unprepared or unqualified for that which could have been their finest hour.” Winston S. Churchill
EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 200
45mm
f22
1/125s
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