“Men fail much oftener from want of perseverance than from want of talent.” — William Cobbett
The last few weeks I’ve been fighting a software “bug” at work. A long late night upgrade via remote desktop followed with today’s system reconfiguration finally gave a glimmer it may be close to being resolved.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned after all these years, enough perseverance can overcome almost anything. You can turn away, take a break, but don’t give up.
The same goes with photography. My mediocre to good photo ratio is pretty lousy — better then it use to be, but still lousy. Yet it’s that one in a hundred shot I keep chasing. Because the next photo might be “the one.”
This image is additional evidence of spring noticed while walking in the park on Monday.
Best time of year isn’t it? Leave the ratio out of it Earl, it is the one that counts.
So right you are, Ray. That’s what keep the chase fresh and on-going. :-)
Beautiful image Earl. As a photographer it’s always a joy when you stumble across someting like the moment you have captured here. An unexpected and tender moment, the transformation of the landscape.
It doesn’t matter how many pictures came before it, as long as you get the shot in the end – and you certainly do that!
Martina, thanks. Yeah, the bad shots are so soon forgotten but the goods one are always remembered. :-)
At the end of the day, the ratio of go d to bad shots doesn’t matter as long as you can recognize the difference. This is a good one.
Ken, an interesting point you raised. While we would share a common view of most traits making a good photo, there are individual preferences which might determine “how good” each of us would rate the same photo. Thanks.
It’s a good one indeed Earl.
I have no idea how many lousy shots I make — I can’t count that high. If I paid more attention to those than to the rare good ones I’d probably give up. Ray is right. It’s that one that counts.
PJ, I guess we can count those other shots as practice for the good ones! ;-)
I enjoy it when a fellow photographer gets down low for one their images. We find a whole new world there. Rays right, it seems those of us with scientific minds tend to look a ratios rather than just the one.
Monte, actually a hillside and longer lens kept the requirement for bending these older knees to a minimum. No, if I placed much emphasis on ratios I’d have quit a long time ago. ;-)
I appreciate your comment on perseverance so much! My shooting seems so filled with mediocre results that it seems hopeless at times. But I too keep on looking and shooting. I’m sure I see better than I used to, but I’m not sure it shows in the pictures! :-) By the way, like your touch of spring picture today.
Don, I’m a 100% sure there’s never been a photographer who shot good photos every exposure. Like us, you just don’t see the “stinkers” published. :-)
I always take comfort in someone else’s admission that many of the photographs taken get rejected. This is why I was never seriously drawn to photography as long as film was the only option. I can delete dozens of photos and not bat an eye. I know that I had a wonderful time taking the pictures and just because I have nothing tangible to show for it doesn’t bother me. That delete button is so simple. Had I developed or sent to a lab all that film, waited for the results, and suffered the disappointment it would have been different. I would caved under the discouraging results. Now, I have learned to search for the ones I like, scattered among the junk, take the good ones and be grateful.
This is not only an excellent shot, but a wonderfully touching moment and so full of hope as well as promise. A welcome sight, indeed.
“I always take comfort in someone else’s admission that many of the photographs taken get rejected.”
Anita, In the above sentence the word “many” should be replaced with “most,” at least in my case. :-)
However, I don’t see it as discouraging either. I honestly learn as much or more from my “mistake” photos as from my good ones. Thanks.
Are you sure you aren’t carrying around plastic flowers? Spring just can’t be here yet.
Mark, plastic flowers…come on…too much glare. To really fool people you’ve got to go with the silk ones. ;-)