I try not to tell students where to shoot, when to shoot, or what to shoot. I feel finding the picture is the most important part of being a photographer. The actual shooting is of lesser importance.
What you’re shooting at doesn’t matter, the real question is: ‘Does it give you joy?’
It’s important to realize that the images are everywhere, not just where you want or expect them to be.
You can’t just turn on when something happens, you have to be turned on all the time. Then things happen.
Allow yourself to lose your way.
All these factors are only valuable if you’re curious. But in any case, the more knowledge you have, the more things are open and available to you.
There is no one solution to all problems. It’s the problem itself that can lead to the solution.
Never put lettering in your photos unless you want it read.
Sometimes without shooting a picture germinates in your head. Other times, you keep taking pictures of the same thing and watch the images mature and grow.
It’s a lot easier to take pictures if you always have the camera with you.
The more light you have in an image, the less drama you get. The details start taking over; the mystery is all gone.
It’s not just when you shoot, or what you shot, or where you shoot, it’s the combination of the three.
There is no bad light. There is spectacular light and difficult light. It’s up to you to use the light you have.
You have to learn not only from your failures. You must also learn from your successes.
You have to let the past successes go, or you’ll never be able to see anew.
The whole world is there for you. Gifts will happen, but only if you are patient with life itself, the shooting process, and your own limitations.
Had I not been told to look, I would have quite, ignorant of what was really there, because I had ‘made plans’ and was wearing visual and emotional blinders that limited my perceptions and my vision.
You sort of have to be always aware, even when you’re not thinking of shooting. That’s when the best stuff happens.
When you shoot, that is opportunity number one to make a statement. When you edit, you have opportunity number two to make your statement. It could be an affirmation of your first choice or could go off in another direction.
Keep your mind open. You may very well learn something new about yourself and your pictures.
The pictures are everywhere. If you’re open, they will find you.