Stairwell in the Shoshone Building
Wallace, Idaho
"The Shoshone Building" Folio
People often (and wrongly) assume that the amount of effort put into creating a photograph should be appreciated by the viewer. This is not the case. Most folks don’t know enough about the fine details of photography to appreciate the effort that may have gone into creating a photograph. They just want to look at the image and be happy. The only people that could possibly be impressed with the amount of effort put into making a photograph are other photographers. They just might endure the impassioned description of your travails in creating a work of art.
The rest of the world just looks at the destination, not the journey. It may not be fair, but that’s the way life is sometimes.
The other side of this coin is equally as puzzling. Somewhere in one of my earlier blog posts I write, “it doesn’t feel like I did enough work to merit such a nice image.” Yes, there are serendipitous times when you, your camera, subject and the light are all magically arranged when you make the photograph. There is no struggle and with very little work you create a masterful photograph. It’s f/8, 1/60 and you are there at the perfect time and place.
So there it is. You work hard and nothing comes of it and sometimes good things happen with no effort. I don’t have an explanation for it. I just roll with it and try to work my way into the right place at the right time with my camera.
So very true, Joe.
And inspirational...
Posted by: Harold Ross | January 22, 2013 at 12:12 PM