When was the last time you grabbed your camera and went for a walk or a hike with no particular purpose in mind? It can be more beneficial than you might think, and this great video essay discusses why.
Coming to you from aows, this interesting video essay discusses the importance of daily photography practice. If you do photography for a living, it can be easy to fall into the habit of only taking your camera out when you have to do so for work. Not only can this start to sap your love of the process over time, it can stop you from improving your creativity and keeping yours skills as sharp as possible, particularly since you are unlikely to be able to experiment too much when you are doing a paid job, which is why so many top professionals preach the importance of personal projects. And beyond the benefit to your photography skills, it can be a really meditative and relaxing thing. I certainly love going for a walk with my camera, zoning out, and simply taking pictures for no reason other than enjoying the fun of the endeavor and with no expectations of the results. Check out the video above for the full rundown.
I love THIS! I started doing one "personal" shoot a month. Something unpaid. Something that I allows me to put out work that felt like me as an artist without the constraints of my client's parameters. It's often the work that I'm most proud of, and also that work attracts clients that want me to create more along those lines. It's a win win.
"When was the last time you grabbed your camera and went for a walk or a hike with no particular purpose in mind?"
Sadly, it's been way too long. I always form some sort of project before going out to shoot. Never just grabbing my camera, going out to just see what's out there. That's got to change going forward.
That's a very good attitude and a prerequisite for dedicating oneself to photography. I like the video: short and sweet.
I run a lot too, but I can't keep up with him. I often do my rounds in the city, the camera is usually with me. Sometimes I don't take a single picture, because I know I've tried it several times and it never came out. The light wasn't right or it's the same as many times before. When you often visit the same places, you notice more and more things over time. One particular place on the big bridge over the river has a fantastic view. I must have been there a hundred times. Everything is the same except for the seasons, the light and the weather: the mountains have been on the horizon for thousands of years and the medieval backdrop of the old town in front of it has also been there for several hundred years. Nevertheless, I am drawn back there again and again: Early in the morning, later in the evening, in the mist or in the sunshine, in full nature or in the bleak late autumn.
I just came back from a two hour walk. Ice is cool.
At least every week. If I don't take a photo, at least I got a nice hike.
Almost every day.