Year 5 Day 1 - Growing Part 71

Ok so here's where I am at: Today's the first day of the 5th year that I've been on flickr.com posting images, and that basically equates to I've been at dslr photography for 4 years. It might be 3 or a little more years that I tried hard and took it somewhat seriously.

I've reflected a little on the past recently, and knew that it would now be another Fall Season shooting wildlife starting soon. I've put in a lot of work, and visited places year over year a couple or few times now - at least at the good spots like the following - all Mid-Atlantic and within about 2 hours from Washington D.C.:

Blackwater NWR, MD


Bombay Hook NWR, DE


Susquehanna River, MD



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I've improved my photography in the past by learning exposure techniques, camera techniques, behavior and gear handling techniques.

And also by finding new locations, adventuring to new spots, waking up super early.

And by meeting folks, and scouting places, and learning that certain places work best at certain times of year...

I've also gone ahead and changed either my main camera or main lens each year (sometimes both) to make the making of images easier or at a higher quality than before.

So what am I to do this year to make it an even better year?

I'm not F#$K*9G buying another camera. And my big lens is friggin big and fast enough.

So, I need something else to keep moving on, getting better and learning! Learning and growing is not incumbant on a new camera! 'Em kay?

I listen to a lot of podcasts. This week the candid frame's guest Nevada Wier was quite good. I clicked over to her blog and one of the most recent posts caught my eye - in that the 10 steps to becoming something or other, a great photographer possibly, ended in always questioning one's work and fretting and exploring from an informed position - which wouldn't always work, but..... the height of photographerdom was that once a person was good, but not perfect, some things can't be done. IDK, that's my description now, her write up was better.

This post actually - http://nevadawier.wordpress.com/2009/08/09/literal-yet-ephemeral/ which ends with 9 and 10-

Ninth: You hate everything you have ever done and see all the imperfections.

Ten: Photography becomes more than a record or documentation of a journey; it becomes an expression of self, place, and beyond. And it is more challenging than ever before.

IDK, I'm probably not informed enough to be at stages 9 or 10. But I think I've had leaps where I was like wow, yes, awesome, ok, do that... And then the oh crap sets in where you just took your equation of image making and added like 6 things that need to be accounted for to make that super image. So, great, now it's even harder! But you have to accept that and upgrade your view, and try to meet that new standard.

Ok, that's it for today. I think one new thing for me is to be open to not posting on a day, but examining work, input from others and growing that way. I shoot often, averaging every other day or something, during peak times of the year anyway.

-Jon

GBH out for a walk:


Green Heron from pretty close:


I think for the near future I am going to try to become a better photographer - but not like in the past, not buying gear, not developing gear-technique, or from new purchases, etc. I am going to work on something more akin to vision or fundamental approach - like car vs. on foot vs. from a blind vs. from a boat.

-J

Year 5 Day 1 - Growing Part 71