by successfulbob | photography, photography - art quote, photography education, success education
I wish I had a name to attach to today’s quote… That Anonymous person sure had a lot of attributions!
It is so indicative of people who become successful… When I talk to people about the success that I have had in my career, and my life in general, they often despair at the possibility of having that success for themselves. They only see the somewhat finished movie that I present to the world and compare that to their everyday life. The secret is to work hard and put in some time.
Success is what happens when 10,000 hours of prereation meet with one moment of opportunity.” Anonymous
“Picture this…” (in your best Rod Serling voice playback) “… a simple duck upon the water, sitting placidly and quietly. What we don’t see is that the seemingly restful fowl has webbed feet churning madly beneath the surface to keep him in place.” (end Roddo’s voice)
It takes work to be successful. Time of course. But, the work is not actually hard. It is ongoing with each piece layered on top of the one before. When you first start the journey seems insurmountable because there is so many steps to take. The cool thing is when you put a plan in place and start moving those webbed feet one push at a time not only do you stop being pushed downstream you find equalibrium followed by steady progress upstream.
“WHAT THE HELL DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH PHOTOGRAPHY BOB??”
Ah, so glad you asked… Better imaging, better business and a better life all come from going one step at a time with the end journey in mind. You have to put in the time. What you’ll find is that the end goal keeps changing as you move closer and realize it wasn’t as far away as you thought. Want to be a better photographer tomorrow? Start learning and practicing new techniques today. Want a better business? Learn new sales techniques. practice them until they become second nature. Set a path. Work toward the end goal. If you find as you get closer it’s not where you thought it was going take a detour…
Sometimes having another set of eyes watching and helping you plan can be a huge help. When we are too close to a problem we often can’t see the forest for the trees. Need some help finding a path? Check out my coaching. Let’s talk for an hour… If you don’t feel it’s a help there’s no charge and no hard feelings. Get in touch and see if I can’t be of help on your journey. Yours in photography, Bob
by successfulbob | fine art photography, photography, photography - art quote, photography education
ARRRGHHH!!
I hear you say when I tell you this mornings photo art quote is going to involve marketing and business. Please don’t be bummed – or afraid. If we don’t have the commerce, unless we are trust fund kids or have a sponsor, our art won’t get made…
“Art career goals make your career happen. To see far is one thing, to go there is another.” – Constantin Brancusi
Brancusi was a Romainian born sculpture artist and his words in the above quote should give us pause for thought. You can have all the vision in the world but if you don’t act on it you ain’t goin’ nowhere.
So this morning take a few moments to think about where you want to be with your art five years from now.
Go ahead think about it…
Spend a bit more time thinking about it.
Good! Now write it down these thoughts you had, Getting them down on paper starts to make them more have more weight. Become more real to you rather than some ephemeral dream.
Start the next step right away. If you want to be at a certain level with your art sales in five years where do you need to be in two and a half years? Where do you need to be in one year? How about six months? Next month? Ahhh, now we are getting to it. What do you need to be doing tomorrow and next week to get you started on the proper prosperous path?
Well what are you waiting for? Get to it! Set some goals.
Your in photography and art. Bob
by successfulbob | photography, photography - art quote, photography education
WHAT IS THAT?
“Common objects become strangely uncommon when removed from their
context and ordinary ways of being seen.” Wayne Thiebaud
I know there have been times when I wasn’t quite sure what the subject was of an image… But, I liked it!
Then finding out what was actually in the image I became even more impressed.
Think Body-Scapes, (*Please if you are offended by nudity please do not follow the Bodyscapes link)
Think Howard Schatz
Think Jerry Uelsmann
Think Edward Weston and the pepper among other iconic images
Think Abstract Photography.
When was the last time you pushed the limits of what you were trying to capture? Sometimes less is more when trying to tell your story. Spend some time poking around some of the links I shared here. Find more of your own and share them back here.
THEN THINK. JUST THINK….
by successfulbob | fine art photography, photography, photography - art quote, photography education
FAR AFIELD…
Some times I head to the place where others fail to look when searching for photographic inspiration. I feel that there’s a tendency for photographers to learn from other photographers who learned from other photographers. Ad infinitum. Can you say inbreeding boys and girls? And – what are the usual results of that??
I’d like to share one of my favorite ‘off the wall’ places to find inspiration for creativity, thinking different and generally sometimes to just be entertained. It’s the Monday Morning Memo and you can sign up for your weekly dish of marketing and creativity thinking. Read the memo and dare to proceed down the Rabbit Hole with the Indiana Beagle. (Think Harrison Ford with longer ears and four legs that are slightly shorter than the two legged version) See what happens when you embrace thoughts from one who is coming from a totally different world. Go ahead! I DARE YOU. MMM is where I found the quote that started this Sunday’s photo/art repast.
“Originality begins with ignorance.” Dink Weber
Four words. Powerful thought.
How many times have you and I created an image and been so excited by the fact we were able to make it… but it was really just a redo of something we have seen before?? Guilty! I say, I am.
When I start moving off the path of the tried and true, not regurgitating the work of another, when I play and experiment I find I sometimes, …sometimes I come up with something I can really call my own. Not often. But now that the thought is here I will try harder. And more often. Does that mean I don’t continue to stand upon the shoulders of those who have gone before? Of course not.
Photography is similar to music. On a scale there are only twelve notes. And it’s the way these notes are combined, with speed and repetition and layers of the same notes again and again… And then the surprise! A discordant note! Or a twist you weren’t expecting. That’s what separates the Master from the Journeyman. Our notes are color, shadow, light, hue, saturation, lines, composition,subject matter and position. Playing one off against the other in layers and different combinations until we are satisfied.
So let me ask. Do you aspire to be a Master? Or a Journeyman? Answer yes to either and that’s perfectly fine. But in order to be a Master you need to make mistakes. Lots and lots of them. Because therein is where you will learn the most, the fastest, but with the most doubt and pain. Are you willing??
by successfulbob | photography, photography - art quote, photography education, success education
VISION.
Simple word.
Complex thought.
And something I think Peter Adams was talking about in this morning’s photo/art quote. Many photographers chase the holy grail of getting the bestest, newest and greatest camera thinking it will help them make a better image. While I agree having more and better tools at one’s disposal is not a bad thing but if you don’t see and understand the light the way the camera does you won’t be making memorable photographs.
“Photography is not about cameras, gadgets and gizmos. Photography is about photographers. A camera didn’t make a great picture anymore than a typewriter wrote a great novel.” Peter Adams
So what’s a great way to become a better image maker? Learn the language of light. How many lighting terms do you know? How many words do you have to describe shadows? Light direction? Reflection? Direction? Ratio? Color consistency? Hue and saturation?
I’m going to give you a link to a single page of photography lighting terms. Spend some time there. I promise if you review and learn a bunch of these terms and definitions you will give your brain a new way of thinking and expressing light. When you have a larger vocabulary you will be able to see light in a new light… And that will make huge difference. http://www.lowel.com/edu/glossary/
Yours in photography, Bob
PS – After you get finished with that page poke around on your own. Learn color theory from the side of painters and spend time in museums viewing classic art from the masters.
by successfulbob | photography, photography - art quote, photography education, success education
I hear the word passion spoken by many photographers in reference to why they are in photography. “I have a passion for capturing images of your family!!” “I’m passionate about making beautiful images…” What many really mean is they enjoy making images and they really LIKE doing what they do. Nothing wrong with that for sure.
I would like to ask you to think long and hard about this quote from Roy Williams.
“Passion does not produce commitment. Commitment produces passion.”
Are you committed to making the absolute best images possible for your clients? By that i mean are you practicing your skills daily? Studying to find ways to add more depth, dimension and emotion in your photographs?? I don;t mean practicing when you are paid assignments. Tiger Woods doesn’t win golf tournaments because he goes out from Thursday through Sunday. It’s because of his commitment to practice, practice, practice and to hire coaches to help him understand what he needs to work on to get better and stay on top of his game. Do you know your gear inside and out? is the camera second nature in your hand? Or, are you fiddling and looking for settings when your mlnd should be on creativity not tech stuff?? Do you have all the tools you need? Do you know how to use them?
So, I ask one more time are you ‘passionate’? Or are you committed? There’s quite a big difference!
