Less & More
I have this problem wherein most of the time, when I go out to take photographs, I take very few or none at all. I know others who have the problem of taking way too many pictures when they go out. In both cases, balance is needed.
Shooting more might sound misleading. I’m not saying that you should take 1,000 photos when you go out on a photoshoot. Who has time to look through that many? How do you pick out the best ones when they’re all so similar? And the idea of organizing all those files or negatives… it’s a bit overwhelming.
What I mean by shooting more is to go out on more photoshoots. You don’t have to go on a vacation to some far off, exotic destination to take a good photo. Go to your local areas and try to find the beauty there. Every location is photogenic to someone. Going out for photographs doesn’t have to be a big event. Day trips are nice now and then, but what I’m talking about is making little bits of time here and there to go for a walk with camera in hand, to take a couple hours to explore someplace, to simply take more opportunities to take photographs. For someone like me, shooting more could also mean taking more than a single picture while I’m out, but I think I’m in the minority with that problem. In general, I think it’s beneficial for photographers to make more space for their art, even if it’s only a little at a time.
An example of shooting more: this roll of film (12 exposures) was taken at 7 different locations. Some were deliberately planned, and others more spontaneous, like this image that I pulled my car over to take.
After my recommendation of shooting more, to say you might also shoot less could sound like a contradiction. What I mean here is that when you do go out to practice your photography, try not to take 1,000 pictures. Maybe not even 100. If you see something that catches your eye, don’t pass up the chance to photograph it, but be selective in the way you photograph it. Slow down. Focus. Think about what it is that interests you. Think about what isn’t necessary to include in the photo. Take only one, or at most just a couple photos of the subject.
Slowing down allows us to really hone our creative vision. It helps us to observe and identify what it is that we like and dislike. By slowing down, we are more present and aware of what is around us. We may even find that we make better images when we take our time in the act of creation.
An example of shooting less: capitvated by the marshland at Barn Island Wildlife Preserve, I zoned in on what really interested me about the landscape and photographed just that. Here’s a simple shot of a rock among the marsh grasses, one of two that I took of this subject.
Taking an hour here and there to be creative whilst also being more selective with compositions is a great way to find inspiration all around you. By practicing more often, I have found that my skills have improved far more than if I were only to make the time to photograph when I travel. I am more in tune with my art, better able to think on the fly, and find that I am often surprised by the results of my work. Will this method surprise you as well?
