Thank you Mr McNally

I've never met the guy but in some ways he's like my photographic Messiah... yeah a little sacreligious I guess.

Was having one of those "HOLY COW I CAN"T TAKE A PICTURE TO SAVE MY LIFE!" moments today and it was if Joe knew it.

Read through his blog post today and came across this gem (which for anyone who follows Joe's weird, wonderful and wild photographic ramblings knows...he's got a lot of em):

"There are times I am so completely bereft of inspiration and ideas I say to myself, “I wonder what a really good photographer would do right now?” I’m not kidding, or being self effacing. There are some jobs I just feel like I’m standing there, the last human in a horror movie, and the zombies are closing in.

So you have to be confident, to be sure. (Or project confidence even while inside your head the insecurity meter has gone to DefCon Five.) But a healthy dose of anxiety and self doubt (”I’m using a 200–maybe I should go wide?”) are also important tools in your bag. Causes you to double check yourself and remember how fragile photographic success is, and while your last frame was Fat City the next one might be a ticket to Pismo Beach. The fact that you rarely have THE answer is a good one to remember. No need to focus on it to the point of paralysis. Just remember it. You are only as good as your last job. The next one may just eat your lunch and your soul."

It helps to know that a successful photographer who's been shooting for 30+ years still gets the same feeling that I have today.

So.

Ready, Set, Confidence, Shoot!

More soon...

I'm a Litte Tired

It's been a busy week.

My 2009 is filling up really quickly it seems. Between shooting photos, editing photos, reading about shooting and editing photos, my job, volunteer activities, hanging out with friends, and just doing all those every day normal things like eating, coffee drinking, laundry, house cleaning and what not, I think I'm going to be a busy gal!

This is good.

A dating relationship that I was in for a number of years, ended over two years ago now. I've dated a bunch of guys in the mean time, but nothing that's lasted. It's tough to be single and watch those around you quickly meet wonderful guys and form lasting relationships.

Now what I'm NOT saying is that photography is filling a void in my life or that I'm desperately wanting to date someone.

No, in fact I'm realizing that even if I wanted to date someone right now, there just isn't the time to put any effort into it. That's great! All those late night phone conversations, dates, worrying, anxiety...effort... is being funnelled into something productive. And even better... a life goal; one that doesn't depend on someone else to make me happy.

I can shoot pictures for myself, when I want to, or when I've set aside time to shoot for someone else. It can be at midnight, middle of the day or early in the morning (uh that one's probably not going to happen often). I don't have to please photography. I can't let it down. It won't get upset if I'm late. It doesn't get annoyed if I'm in a crappy or whiney mood. I don't have to cook it dinner or worry if it really cares about me.

All that is really cool!

Even though I'm tired or maybe even borderline on exhausted I'm happier than a clam.

More soon...

Inspiration

It's a funny thing this inspiration stuff.

In an artistic medium - writing or photography - you're always looking for this sort of thing. It's a constantly elusive quality. You need it to keep going from day to day and when you don't have it you're desperately trying to find more and any source to give it to you...come to think of it ...it sounds like a fricking drug addiction!!

Well it was and amazingly cool thing to hear today that I'm an inspiration to a young budding photographer. Isaac's work is really great! He's got an awesome eye for colour, exposure and composition and I can only imagine that he'll become a photographer of note as the year's go on.

So Issac, thanks for the notes I read today! It truly brought a huge yet humbled grin to my face, and a sense of responsibility for what I do photographically. To know you enjoy my work and draw inspiration from it makes shooting all that more exciting. Keep sending me your questions! I'll keep answering.

So to all the people I'm inspired by in my photography, both those that I personally know and those I have yet to meet.. THANKS! Your work truly inspires me. It reminds me why I love taking pictures and why I'm pursuing this passion.

More soon...