Do not wait for extraordinary circumstances to do good action; try to use ordinary situations. – Jean Paul Richter
With photography, I sometimes find myself falling into the trap of waiting for extraordinary circumstances.
I wait to take photos.
I will read about taking photos or study what others are doing with their photographs and tell myself that my time ‘waiting’ is well spent learning more about the craft and gathering creative energies.
I may convince myself that I’m waiting for that perfect sunrise or sunset, waiting for flowers to bloom, waiting for a season to change, or waiting to travel to somewhere different.
While picking up tips and creative ideas is certainly helpful, the simple fact is that I would be better served by taking photos, learning from my experiences and nurturing my own creativity.
Creativity is a type of learning process where the teacher and pupil are located in the same individual. – Arthur Koestler
I was thinking the other day how I would want to think of myself as a photographer. My conclusion was that I want to be a photographer who can take ‘ordinary situations’ and create extraordinary photos.
It would be wonderful to be know as someone who can make something artistic out of seemingly nothing, even if only for myself. :-)
Are you a photographer? If so, how would you want to be viewed?