Looking forward
If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward. – Martin Luther King Jr.
After reflecting on last year, I have made a list of things that I need to focus on with my development in photography this year.
I believe action leads to inspiration, and not the other way around. At the beginning of last year, I made the commitment to photograph regularly. During most of last year, I was able to accomplish my objective of photographing at least once a week, except during the summer when I went through a creative slump and lost my motivation. I hope to avoid repeating the same mistake this year as I find it much harder to get back on track when I fall out of the habit of creating. It has always been a challenge for me to photograph in the summer when the light is too harsh to my liking, instead of seeing the condition as a hindrance this summer, I hope to find ways to utilize it to my advantage. Also, instead seeing the commitment as a burden when I have little interest to create, I can make fewer images, keeping a little bit of the spark going, but not risking the feeling of being burned out and lost my motivation completely.
Don’t wait for the perfect conditions, the exotic locations, and the appealing faces to appear until I feel the need to photograph. Even when the elements don’t come together, or the conditions are less than ideal, I learn the process of creating is a practice that I enjoy tremendously. I like to remind myself even on days that I don’t make the most compelling images, the process of practicing my craft gives me just as much satisfaction. Photography reminds me to remain in the present moment, it is a form of meditation that is valuable to my mental well-being.
After going through the private mentorship sessions with Bruce last year, I learned the value of editing images in “two ups” and “three ups” formats using Photoshop. When I attended the landscape photography workshop late last year with Shane, he also gave me the suggestion of making more images thinking in diptych, triptych formats. I like to incorporate what I learned from Bruce and Shane, put the knowledge to good use, strengthen my ability to create work that have more visual cohesion.
I will continue to create work that satisfy my own curiosity, first and foremost. This is the most important lesson I learned after two years of photographing close to home. I see photography as an opportunity to create authentic work that is an honest representation of who I am as an artist. I shall take this lesson to heart again this year.
I find words to not only convey meaning, but they have great influence over what I do. During the process of curating the images I chose to post on my web site, I noticed a few recurrent themes that have been in existence in my photography over the years. I decided to group them using themes that are more representational as to what I did. I like to keep generating appropriate descriptions that help organize my thoughts and my work.
I like to expand on my interpretation of Wabi-sabi and incorporate more of the philosophy into my photography. This humble view of life speaks to me strongly, and it inspires me to look for those humbler moments of life that we tend to miss.
It is time to get back to the basics and find ways to simplify my workflow out in the field. While I don’t see it as a physical challenge to carry loads of equipment with my heavy backpack while I am out photographing, I may give myself a good challenge of bringing only one lens with me occasionally. Instead of having too many options at disposal, I hope to sharpen my focus by learning to make do with less.
I made some breakthroughs with my editing skills during 2021. My private mentoring sessions with my good friend and mentor Bruce was of tremendous value. They elevated my editing skills, especially when it came to color correction. I like to make further progress by editing and printing on a weekly basis. Going through the workflow from image inception to print is always a great learning experience. Holding a print in hand instills a such great sense of pride that words cannot describe. I also take great joy in making prints and cards for my friends and families, it is gratifying when I am told my work is appreciated.
Time to carry on.
Lots of things to look forward to!