Advanced Mentorship: Week One Plus Post

Part 1: SELF EVALUATION

YUK! But, Oh so necessary in order to grow.

"What I want you to do is recognize any patterns that you see in style, cropping, common colours and tones. contrast, lack of contrast. In other words I want you to see what you have up till now been naturally drawn to capture or create."

Well, this is easier said than done. I've spent so much time looking through my photography that I've taken over the last few years...sadly I'm not happy with most of it. I guess that is a good thing, right? It must mean that I'm getting more "critical" and can easier recognize quality. Ha! I'd like to think that's what is happening but maybe I'm just bored with something that I did already. Or intimidated by all of the amazing work that is being done out there.

In any case, the task was to find common threads. I think that naturally I go for either stark contrasts, complimentary colors or color washes. I'm not a fan of what I will call "bland". This is not to be confused with "soft" but rather just not anything exciting going on. For example, my Toad shot is what I would call a wash of the same theme. It was done this way intentionally and though it is a dull color I like it because the Toad is pure awesome. He has character and the simplicity of the photo with it's color and dof help to make him stand out. (at least I think that's what is doing it)

This brings me to my other thread, personality. I love to capture it in animals and sometimes even see it in in animate objects. Like this shot of tree branches that are OBVIOUSLY crossing their legs!

And this is probably what brings me the biggest joy. Capturing something "unseen" by the casual passerby. I want to challenge people to think differently, SEE differently and ultimately FEEL differently. I want to create emotion. Sometimes with an unusual view, or harsh crop, or uncomfortable space. Sometimes with a bright color screaming out from an area void of life. But, mostly I think with getting in close...REALLY CLOSE...to see something that you didn't realize was there, like the tiny little threads on this rope...

What this really taught me is that I haven't FOUND MY STYLE yet. Sure, I gravitate towards certain things but I don't produce art yet. That I guess is what I hope to get out of this experience.

PART 2: PINTEREST

Seriously?! It's like giving crack to an addict! I had to pull myself away to do the other part of the assignment And yes, I started with number 2...this is how an A.D.D. person approaches things, totally non-linear. I suppose this is why I found myself in a career as a ...wait for it..."non-linear editor"! More on this later. But, for pinning...I seem to like VIVID, IN YOUR FACE, CREATIVE! I also love texture, tone and architecture. No surprise I totally dig crazy DoF and abstract angles. I was however surprised at the amount of "uniform" photos that I liked. Equal lines and angles, or a row of trees evenly spaced etc. Many "design" elements that I wouldn't necessarily think of as part of photography but makes total sense. I was also surprised with how many "single color" themed photos I choose and that I strayed from landscapes. There were a ton that didn't "grab" me and those that did seemed to be in the uniform, fantasyish, vivid color categories. As far as "pinning" goes, I love it mainly because it let's me "collect my inspirations" and go back and get inspired over and over again.

Part 3: Write me a letter -

"I want you to write me a letter telling me a few things. Tell me what you want this mentorship will help you with. Assume I know nothing about you and you want me to get to know these things about you as a photographer. I want it to include what it is about photography that makes you pick up your camera. I want to know when you have a choice, what you prefer to shoot. I want to know if time and money were not an issue, what then would you shoot. consider these questions and answer them honestly."

Well, I've been working in the broadcast industry for years and most of it as an editor...putting together the story. Because it's been on a small scale...ie. not Hollywood...I've spent a lot of that time also as a Producer/Creative Director. Basically, I see the big picture in my head and put it together for others to see also. Sometimes this is on paper (a script), sometimes via a website or marketing package and others it is through moving pictures. This is how I've made my living, creatively telling stories. I've always loved photography and have done it as part of my job when clients need something as part of the "story" that I'm telling. But, I have never let my passion for it really come out. I've never had time. Last year I decided I would make the time. I want to be an artist, not a photographer. Sure that's the end result but I want my work to be so much more than "ya, that's beautiful". I want it to move people. I want to elicit emotion. I want it to be gallery worthy. Now, that being said...I see many "photographers" on G+ that I consider to be artists. What I mean is that an artist does it for the art...not the client. I want to get to the point where I am making my living telling stories one picture at a time...and telling them my way. I want film/video to be my hobby. I need to reverse my roles. I'm good at what I do but I want both to be an art. Right now, it's a living.
When I grab my camera and decide "oooh ya, nice", it's usually to capture a creature, an interesting flower/tree, architecture or texture. I adore macro but I hate being on a tripod, most comes from handheld zoom lens right now. I NEED to learn how to get good quality photographs...I need to learn the ins and outs, the technical. I keep reading it, but it's not clicking for me. I think that my brain is so fried and I'm terrible with remembering the "little details", remember I'm big picture. So, my biggest frustration comes in not being able to duplicate the image that I have in my head of how something should look. I want that to stop.

OK, so here's the bucket list so to speak, mainly because like I said I see big picture. I dream big and let the pieces fall. I LOVE to travel, to experience different cultures, to meet people, to share in that joy with others. I LOVE nature and wildlife...there is sooooo much out there that I am in awe all the time. I LOVE creating...from molding clay to making movies to writing stories to new ideas to making creatures out of office supplies. My mind does not stop. Everyday I say these words "I really need to figure out what I want to do when I grow up", no lie. Right now I'm doing the social media thing for my clients and working with an amazing musician and yes, I'm happy doing it.  But,  if tomorrow I could do anything, go anywhere and money was no issue...I would travel all over the world (with a small band of equally insane travelers looking to get all they can out of life) and capture "glimpses" of each experience as a frozen moment in time. Each area has so much beauty in it...animals, architecture, flowers, music, culture...all that are distinctly their own. And yet, somehow we are all connected by it all. And then share it all in stunning HD on this incredible free resource we call the internet with blogs and video of the amazing people that we meet sharing this crazy planet and above all I would cherish each new experience, each joy and savor it until the next shiny nugget of existence creeps into my field of view and takes me on a new adventure. Pure joy.