The Beauty of work slowing down…
…is the ability to take the time to shoot test work, to refocus your marketing, to reevaluate your business plan, to take a breath in your career, to remember what it is you started out looking for and to determine at this juncture if your still in the game. I fully admit, as my daughter turns a year old in a month, I stopped consciously refining my vision and left the development of my eye to chance and accident. When you believe no one is watching or the client is happy and I payed the rent so its all good then complacency in your vision becomes easy. Yet as life is oft to do, I was offered both subtle and sledgehammer opportunities over the last week to wake up.
Monday it was my honor to speak to the Hallmark Institute of Photography’s class of 2009. While it was a growth edge for me to step to that stage I imagine I garnered more from the experience then the audience. The students were gracious and welcoming and it ended up being a blast. Several students approached me thanking me for my time and images and to them I simply must offer, it was my pleasure. However, when I spoke about being true to themselves and to their vision, figuring out what they wanted and creating the measurable strategy to stay focused upon it that I realized I lost mine. I have long known that one of my biggest failures as a viable professional photographer is my inability to relinquish my title as a generalist. This is not to say the ability is not a valuable one or even one which will always serve me, but I have yet to make a claim to the niche or style of work which will allow me to stand out. Rather than hiding behind the generalist title, I think it is time to lay claim. Now the only problem is going to be what it is I want to lay claim to. A good friend of mine once said ” you don’t have to do one thing forever but do one thing amazingly and make your name, make your mark” then take the freedom and change. It is time to find that thing.
In this spirit of growth I also received a reminder this morning to keep my vision sharp and my craft evolving. This time, fittingly, it was from my college professor, Steve Raymer, who recently published an article in the NPPA magazine about the ‘framing’ of suffering in the photographic world. His article is a wonderful examination of the rhythms and cliches we are prone to falling into as photographers. The article challenges our ability to take our craft in whatever form and hold it to a higher standard in the midst of the blurring lines of photographic responsibility. After reading the article I came to realization. At the end of my career, my days or hell at the bar after work when I am asked what legacy I created, I want to be proud of the answer. In less than 24 hours both by an emerging class of new shooters and by a trusted guardian of the craft i find myself charged with reexamining how I create. So for today I leave you searching and will let you know what I find when I find it.
I highly recommend Steve’s Article and would be interested in hearing how or if it the thesis challenges your perceptions.
Pri
Good read. Both yours and Steve’s.
“The problem, according to researchers, is that we frame up events in terms of compassion and suffering because we often don’t know much about the story or we don’t want to appear to be taking sides by trying to explain the dark side of the news”
You hear people say this over and over again. You always speak, see, feel, hear what you want to. Some more than others. Often, its a play on emotion that gets people’s attention before facts.
Glad you had a good presentation and it brought you back to your roots. It helps once in a while.
Mar 04, 2009 @ 12:24 pm
David
The best of luck and perseverance on your journey.
Although I’m not a professional photographer, your insight reaches beyond your profession. Perhaps your philosophy and writings will help you achieve the impact you are working to make.
Mar 06, 2009 @ 4:07 pm
jwalker
Thank you so much for you kind words. Promise to keep you posted as I continue along.
Mar 09, 2009 @ 2:08 pm
nadine rohoman
Hi Jensen, just checking out your sites. Sounds like a very nice thing to be able to speak to the graduating class and to have a re-think about where you’re going and why. I hope you enjoy this next step of the adventure. By the way your daughter is beautiful, like your wife. nadine
Mar 25, 2009 @ 9:52 am
Adam
I never blog or respond to blogs, but since I have had more than a second to breath, I figured why not.
In Steve Raymer’s article he notes
“More than a half dozen new scholarly books suggest this “close-up, concerned photographer” view of the world often does a disservice to our audience, which frequently wants clarity, context, and sometimes a sense of justice – who is morally right or wrong, guilty or innocent”
This “close-up” may do disservice in the sense of a greater context, but it does fill a critical gap left untouched by the mainstream media that so often is the only vision people see. I find mainstream media so cold, so “blipvert”, that this personal, concerned photography does a great service to those willing to take the time to absorb it. Compassionate stories need to be told so we can humanize events in our lives..
Mr Raymer is correct in his statements that this compassionate story is not the only one needing exposure. A broader context has to be shown by the media (mainstream or underground). But, I as a layperson, the audience so to speak, don’t want a sense of justice in images, I will figure that out for myself. I think this is actually what I dislike the most about media. Don’t try to politicize my opinions by showing or telling me the tale most likely to sway my emotions; show me both sides of the story, show me the how, the why, and the so what.
Just thoughts
Mar 28, 2009 @ 11:28 pm