This week’s Blog will be much shorter than the previous ones; not because of laziness on my part, but because the subject matter doesn’t require a great deal of discussion.
No matter what we choose to pursue as a career or hobby, there are certain things we must first learn; be they “rules,” or “guidelines.”
Starting out, we all attempt to emulate our Heroes, the Professionals whose works inspire us. We do what we can to copy their style, and to learn what we can in the process. This was certainly true for me as a fourteen-year-old Drummer embarking on a lifelong career and it has become true for me as a sixty-plus-year-old Photographer.
Starting out, I had only recordings of my favourite Drummers and occasional Television performances where I could watch their movements. I repeatedly attempted to copy what I saw and/or heard. Sometimes I got it right (or so I thought) and sometimes I got it wrong.
Photographically it is different, because I have come to it at a different time.
In the modern Digital age, we have access to the websites of our idols, a large percentage of whom have Vlogs on YouTube with detailed descriptions of their settings and thought processes...
As we grow and learn, we become aware of others; either through the YouTube Algorithm, or at the suggestions of others we know. Our heroes may have mentioned those who have inspired them, or include their friends in their Vlogging adventures. If you're like me, you watch them all, searching for that one piece of advice that will magically transform your Photography from "Hmmm..." to "Not bad" to "Oh wow, oh wow. oh wow!"
Then comes that crushing blow; a discrepancy in methodology, a contradiction in settings. Photographer A uses f/8 for most of his Landscapes, while Photographer B uses f/11 for hers, and Photographer C uses Shutter Priority and high ISO! Who is right? What settings are the ones I should use?
The best way to answer this question is by going back to the beginning. Of all the Pros whose work you admire, whose Photos are the closest to what you want to shoot? Have you become partial to a particular way of setting up your Camera? Are there things that naturally feel more comfortable for you? Let these criteria be your starting point. Are you getting the results you think you will? Are you pleased with your Images? Have you watched a video or read an article that suggests an easier way to get results, or offers better results?
Over time, I have noticed myself changing the way I use my Camera; switching to “Back-Button Focus,” opting to shoot more often in fully Manual mode, spending more time preparing Compositions… Occasionally, the frustrations of not achieving the results I desire drives me back to the beginning of what I learned and starting again from there.
Photography is both extremely simple and confusingly complex, and there are many ways to achieve the same result. It’s up to you to decide which is the right way for you. Follow the advice of your heroes until that advice no longer works for you. If contradictions appear, follow them all; perhaps you’ll learn something new, or find a methodology that is more suitable to the way you think. Follow your instincts, even if it’s something you’ve never seen done before. You might just land upon your “secret” that identifies your work and helps you stand out from the others.
Before we can become ourselves, we must become a blend of our influences; then we can branch out and become truly ourselves, truly unique.
Thanks for dropping by and reading. As always, I appreciate your thoughts and comments. Until next week, keep your shutter finger warm and always remember to pack extra batteries.
