Thoughts for Today by Joe Farace
“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.” ―
My friend Danny McKernan made the snapshot at right of a young Joe Farace in 1955 while we were climbing the 896 steps inside DC’s Washington monument. (I don’t think you can do that today.) The camera bag over my shoulder held a Brownie Hawkeye that I used to make a similar photo of him.
Paul Simon once said that best way to tell if someone was a true artist is if they grew, changed and improved the quality of their work over the years. What about you? How has your work changed over the last twenty or so years? Certainly a heckuva lot has changed in camera technology during the last twenty years.
Try This
Compare some of the best images you made in 2003 with ones that you are shooting today. What do you see? I once met a photographer who told me he had “20 years’ experience” but when looking at his images it was clear to me that he had one year’s experience twenty times. (This is something I talk about this in my YouTube video on The Pros & Cons of Film Photography.)
Here are a few suggestions that can help you get out of a rut. But ultimately, it’s all up to you.
- Have a portfolio review by somebody who’s not a friend or relative. They already think you’re a genius so look elsewhere for critiques that can offered by more experienced shooters. I have temporarily suspended my portfolio reviews of photographer’s work but might restart them in 2024, If you’re interested in participating, click, CONTACT and let me know.
- Don’t be a CEV (Christmas-Easter-Vacation) photographer. Take your camera with you when you go out even if you;re just running errands because you never know what photo ops you’ll encounter along the way.
- Read a book about a photographer you admire. Got to the library and see what photography (not just how-to) books they have on the shelves. Do some research to find work by pioneers whose names you might not be familiar with but can be a source of inspiration. Get referrals from friends about photographers that inspire them. And you can always check out Joe’s Book Club here every other Saturday for book ideas.
But most important of all, practice, practice, practice and don’t be afraid of making mistakes. It’s only pixels! And always remember to have fun with your photography.
If you enjoyed today’s blog post and would like to treat Joe to a cup of Earl Grey tea ($2.50,) click here. And if you do, many thanks.