I got this email yesterday, and I’m quoting it here in full with only a few edits to protect the identity of the one who sent it: Dear David, What do you know and think about stock photography, and which stock photography company would you recommend using? Really any information you have about stock photography will help. I’m seriously thinking …
Redefine Professionalism
This is a picture of my cat, Brie, on my – excuse me, on HER – office chair. Because nothing sets up a discussion of professionalism like a cat on a chair. Ok, so you know I’ve got my reservations about the word “professional” when it’s set up against the word amateur. But the word “professionalism” where it applies to …
Woulda ~ Shoulda ~ Coulda?
I think there are two kinds of photographers among those who are honest enough to admit they compare themselves to others. The first looks at the work of another and says, “I wish I could do that.” The second looks at the work of another and says, “I could have done that.” So because I’ve been, alternately, both of those …
JUST?
At least a couple times a week I get a great email from someone with something nice to say, some piece of advice they’re seeking, or just a general “hey how are ya?” and that email will say something like “I’m just an amateur photographer, but…” Just? That word elicits some pretty mixed responses in me. It makes me angry …
The Power of What If…?
I’m reading an article right now on creativity; it’s from the December 2009 issue Psychology Today (as is the picture above). My wife, who loves me more than she fears being arrested, stole accidentally borrowed it from our chiropractor’s office so I could read it. I plan to return it. Probably. You should acquire a copy, though by more legal …
On The Poet & The Geek
My buddy Chris Orwig, a man who combines the poet & geek with grace. A few quick quotes this morning to bring us all back to thinking about the uneasy – but necessary – connection between the artistic and technical sides of ourselves, or our craft. It seems everywhere I look as I study creativity and the creative process, I …
Being There
One of the lessons that came up time and again on last month’s Lumen Dei tour was the importance of presence. As in really being there. We photographers often suffer from some kind of attention-deficit malfunction. We look, we shoot, we don’t always really see. So this year we encouraged people to stop running around looking for the next thing …