Thinking a bit before photographing is a really good thing. Not just about a single photograph, but about a single situation. The thought to be thunk was “What am I going to do with the photographs of what is front of me?” Knowing what you are supposed to do before you do it makes life so much easier when you actually wind up doing something with your photographs.
Here’s the inspiration for this thought (or lack of thought), when Brooks Jensen and I began photographing the Erickson Airplane Collection, Brooks had a project in mind and after a few minutes of thought knew exactly what he was going to do. He then went out and did it. His little project using the airplanes was a unique view of the airplanes and the women who riveted them together.
I was in love with the visual experience of the airplanes and began photographing the airplanes, making portraits, capturing details, looking for the abstract details and trying my best to isolate each airplane in a crowded airplane hangar. I was worried about individual images, not an overall theme.
While putting a project together after the fact, I discovered I didn’t have all the images I really wanted to complete my story.
The lesson learned is to begin thinking before beginning to photograph.
On the outskirts of Madras, Oregon we passed a sign for the Erickson Airplane Collection. The following day we decided to stop in and take a look. We spent the day photographing there. This abstract design is the underside of a North American P-51 Mustang.
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