Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Rules

In our Journey of Recognition with Kat, we were asked to think about rules.  What "rules" do I follow in photography that hold me back in my creativity?  When does the little voice inside my head whisper - "You shouldn't"?  Well, sometimes the voice isn't inside my head.  Recently my daughter and I went on a photo walk around town.  We ate at a cute restaurant and when we were leaving I wanted to take a picture of the door.  It had cool ironwork.  She was like  - "Mom - you can't do that.  People are right inside, they'll wonder what you're doing and they won't like it and you can't take pictures of businesses.  She had all kinds of rules in her head about what's considered appropriate. (And she's my risk taker!) Well - I didn't take the photo.  She was just saying out loud the kinds of the things I tell myself all of the time.  I feel like there are unwritten rules about shooting in public and I don't really know what they are, so I'm uncomfortable whipping my camera out when I want to.  I also feel like an imposter - like I'm trying to pretend to be a real photographer when I don't really know what I'm doing.

I'm okay if I'm at a tourist spot - I don't feel like I stand out with my camera then, so it's okay.


 

It's something that I have to get over - otherwise I'll just have to travel all the time! 


6 comments:

  1. Hi Kathy, What a good excuse to travel!

    In your first picture, I like the light you've captured in the square below (and in the street beyond) and how the people are dashing around like ants! The presence of all those moving people certainly injects life into the composition. The green tree in the foreground is a welcome dot of colour in the rather beige-grey scene below and beyond.

    In the second picture, I like the way you have captured the observer (maybe your daughter), leaning against the highlighted wall looking out. I notice the buildings opposite and the skyline and how the young girl's corner position allows us to see the scene below her. A well-arranged composition. I like them both for the different things which are highlighted.

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  2. Kathy, can you go back to that place and take the picture anyway? :)

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  3. Hi Kathy, I love both pictures but especially the one with the girl. It makes me want to be standing just in that spot enjoying the day.
    Wow, it is amazing how similiar we can all be. The words your daughter spoke could have come from me. This prompt and course are going to lead to my own "Break the rules" rebellion. It should make taking pictures (and life) even more fun.

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  4. Ah, yes... The internal voice made manifest in your children! A year or more ago I was with my son at a park, got on the ground to take a picture of a leaf and he says, "Mom, get up, you're embarrassing me. People are looking at you!" I laughed, because when I have finally gotten over the worry of people looking at me, here my son becomes the voice that used to be in my head. So ironic. Becoming comfortable with taking pictures in public takes practice. Keep trying. You will get over the feeling of discomfort eventually, even get used to weird looks when they come your way. Just remember: You ARE a photographer, right now. You are not just pretending to be one.

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  5. Your post is so true for me, and I'll bet for all of us. A great reminder to get beyond being self conscious about moving through our life with a camera. If we take photos then we are photographers, right? Like Kat says, our kids' voices now become the internal voices that we're trying to move beyond. What a great post. It's a reminder to me to stand my ground, speak my truth, be myself.

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  6. No poser - you are a photographer! That first capture is wonderful! I love the light and composition in that piece. Yep, aren't kids great :) My daughter is away at college, so I don't have to embarrass her anymore with my antics. This is good for me and her! I say, if you like something - go ahead and click away!!!!

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