A couple of weeks ago, I confessed to you that I hadn’t picked up my camera for six months. The replies I received by email and comments on the blog were like a big collective sigh of relief from so many of you—like we were all holding our breath, thinking we were the only ones who had lost some of our …
Your Next Challenge
For almost six months since mid-February, I didn’t pick up my camera. Not once. Yes, I needed a break. No, I don’t think to be a “real photographer” you need to pick up the camera every day. I don’t think we owe the camera any obligation at all; it’s there for us, not the other way around. But a couple …
The Unexpected Path to Everyday Creativity
The Short Version: My two new books are out today and you can get more information and links to how to get your hands on paperback, PDF, or Kindle versions at StartUglyBook.com. The longer version below is more compelling, but it’s, well, longer. Keep reading. In bold, trendy font, the advert for some piece of computer equipment aimed at photographers …
New Thinking > New Gear
In the eternal quest for better photographs (and you can define that however you’d like), we all tend to spend a great deal of money. You probably already know how I feel about this. When I look back at the money I spent on gear that made promises that were never kept (and yes, I know, I heard what I …
Without the Gargoyles
In the Middle Ages, churches placed gargoyles on their roofs to remind parishioners of the dangers that awaited them without the church, both then and into eternity. Literally hanging over their heads, the gargoyles kept the faithful, well, faithful, and warded off evil spirits. Most creatives I know, if not most human beings, have voices and negative people in their …
The Same River Twice
Everything changes, including we ourselves. Failure to recognize this essential impermanence, even to celebrate it, is a missed opportunity to live life as it is, not as we wish it could be, and to cope with change and uncertainty creatively rather than fearfully. Let’s talk about it. I’ve decided to begin posting my weekly podcast here to my blog, as …
The Value of Doubt
Doubt gets a bad rap but it has long been doubt and the willingness to live with uncertainty that has led to innovation and creativity. What would happen in our creative lives if we were more willing to look more carefully at our doubts and set aside the things we’re so sure of? Let’s talk about it. I’ve decided to …
Making the Edit Easier
I came home from my last trip with almost 20,000 photographs, which is, by any standard, a whole lot of photographs. I edited them down to about 30. That’s 19,970 images that didn’t make the cut. If I looked at every one of those photographs for only three seconds, it would take me 1,000 minutes, or almost 16 hours, to …
Find What You Love?
Poet Charles Bukowski says “find what you love and let it kill you” But that advice, edgy as it sounds doesn’t sit right with me anymore. But there’s another poet, also named Charles, and I like his life advice much more. Charles Baudelaire says “find what intoxicates you and let it give you life.” Or that’s how I read it. …
Chasing Colour
Two weeks ago, I talked to you about my four Un-Stuck Filters, four techniques I use when I’m shooting to put a little more life into my images and give me a good place from which to begin. But what if you’re just not seeing anything? We’ve all had those days. That’s when I give myself an assignment. Something fun and simple. And …