A free day to shoot is on the agenda. So like this gentleman, I’ll be heading out to hone my skills. Or more accurately, work to build some. Actually I hope to do 2-3 days of shooting if I’m lucky. Being I’m watching my Grand Dog this weekend, I’ll have to practice my pet photography a few hours.
So often I don’t seize the opportunity to shoot. I’d like to say it’s because I work hard at a full-time plus job and I do but that would still be an excuse. I’d like to say it’s because I have a beautiful family and many wonderful friends that I’m blessed to spend lots of time with and I do. But that would be an excuse not to shoot.
Out to open waters.
Photo by Mike Hartley
As you can see most of my shooting is where ever I’m busy going to or coming from and those occasional day trips or few and far between vacations. Sometimes its right outside the front door in my better half’s garden. Sometimes to and from work. But while that is all fine and well I have to step it up and work much harder.
The hard decision is where to spend that time. I’ve thought about purchasing Photoshop or Lightroom and moving past the basic Nikon/Kodak editing software. And I’m sure I can learn them and utilize them to greatly enhance images. But that is time. And I think my limited time is better spent now while I have my health to get out and capture. Because if you don’t have a good start to an image when its taken even those tools can’t save you.
It’s not that I don’t enjoy using or doing that type of computer work. I was a reproduction photographer for newspapers and magazines for many years early on. And by early I mean many generations of tools before Photoshop was invented. But I also got to use the first few generations of them hands on before moving to more an IT role. They are amazing and also conflicting. You have the ability to really alter things in both subtle and dramatic ways. But even though the dramatic may look normal and I’m wondering if that is then an illustration or an image?
Well that debate will rage on in my mind every time I touch an image. Even with limited toolbox from the manufacture, you can do some significant editing. You know I get happy when I get an image that I don’t even have to crop. I’ve gotten away from using a sharpness option now. I also try to stay away from any color enhancement.
Well enough mindless chatter for one afternoon. I just have to stop having excuses and just SHOOT.
Random Thoughts for Wednesday June 29th 2016
- Photography, light or the absence of.
- Sometimes when I think I’m getting soft or slacking I just look at the rest of society and I feel pretty good.
- Now that I’m on the right track for mental state of mind I have to work harder on my physical fitness. And that doesn’t mean attaching electronic monitoring devices to know if I’ve done the right amount of work. I’ll look in the mirror for that answer.
- If we like other nationalities as much as we liked their food then we all might get along better.
