Some great work in there, Larry. I think you've described a good strategy
below. Good luck with your paid gigs! Cheers, Christine
----- Original Message -----
From: "Larry Colen" <[email protected]>
To: "Pentax-Discuss Mail List" <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2011 2:00 PM
Subject: GESO roadtrip to LA, trying to be more selective
A couple of weeks ago, I went on a roadtrip to LA. The trip was supposed to
continue on to Texas to visit my sister, but she ended up not feeling well,
so that part of trip got postponed. Since I've been criticized for not
being as selective as I might, lately I've been trying to be more selective
during the whole process of photography, starting with which pictures I
take. My goal was to only take great photos, and try to edit before I even
exposed the sensor. In short, I tried to pretend that I was shooting film,
and that every press of the shutter cost me.
I did take a lot fewer pictures that's for sure, and I had a lot fewer to
weed out. I am allowing myself to shoot a bit more in time critical
situations such as action shots, and trying to catch mud bubbles popping.
Also, if I was trying for a particular shot, I allowed myself the
advantages of the instant feedback of digital and took as many tries as
it took to get the shot, or give up. I also had a paid gig on my trip, I
was hired to do a fetish shoot, and it was more important for me to get
good photos, than to not take bad photos.
While the average quality of my photos is definitely improved I may,
however, be taking fewer of my best work because I'm taking fewer risks.
I've also found myself a lot less likely to just pull my camera out to
take photos of things, because they would be, at best, good shots, not
great shots, so I'm taking a LOT fewer photos in general. It seems as if
most of my work since getting back has been documentation, or taking
photos for other people (band shots and the like).
I'm going to continue trying to be extra selective about my picture taking
for a while longer, in the hopes that it improves my eye for photos, but I
suspect that the long term solution to getting great photos is a
combination of improving my skill, taking risks, and just taking lots of
photos.
Unlike the similar trip from last year, I didn't take any photos on the
trip down, or back. On Friday, we went to Griffith observatory, and were
there for sunset. If we had gotten there an hour or two earlier, I could
have gotten better shots of the moon and the sculpture, because I could
have been further away and gotten better depth of field between the two of
them. On Saturday, we went back out to the Salton Sea, and since we were
at two of the same places as last year (Salvation mountain and Bombay
Beach), it was tough not to take the same photos I did last year. On
Sunday we were visiting with a friend who I did a few photo sessions with
when she lived in Santa Cruz, and ended up doing a photo session with her.
This time we skipped straight to the silly photos and did some of her rock
climbing at night in evening wear. That night Candice and I went for a
photo walk of downtown LA, and on Monday I had the paid gig.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ellarsee/sets/72157625912266578/
or if you prefer the flickriver interface
http://www.flickriver.com/photos/ellarsee/sets/72157625912266578/
Candice got this picture of me taking video of the mud volcanos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ccmonty/5379329441/
--
Larry Colen [email protected] sent from i4est
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