Practice
(Mon Apr 16, 2007) [/Photography] #
"...devotion to process is what informs craft... craft becomes art only after long, hard work."
— Frank Van Riper, photographer and journalist
From Practice Mutha, Practice:
"Of course the excuses that photographers make are legion; 'I don't have the time (or money) to go anywhere really exciting.' Or, 'The weather is too nasty.' Or any one of a dozen other excuses that we all use to justify browsing the Net, watching TV, or other leisure activity with which we fill our time. Then when the opportunity to do some serious photography arises, what happens? Often as not we fumble with our gear due to unfamiliarity, and we also wonder why we are having a hard time 'seeing' anything worthwhile."
Fumbling with the gear is the telltale sign that I'm out of practice with my craft. When the good light shines for that magical moment, I'm fumbling with the camera controls. When the frustration that is writer's block finally breaks loose with a steady flow of words, I'm fumbling with the text editor or blogging toolchain. When the pressure of a software project is on, I'm fumbling with API references, debuggers, version control systems, and assorted gear.
When I'm out of practice, I'm always busy fumbling with the gear. And day by day, the enjoyment of the craft is replaced by the tedium of work.
Again from Practice Mutha, Practice:
"Don't take pictures of your kids or your cats. Too easy. Take photographs of other things that fascinate you. Take pictures of things that upset or repulse you. Push yourself a little."
Practice is essential, but it comes with a built-in danger: the comfort zone. In many ways it's worse than not practicing at all. When I miss the opportunity of a stunning photograph because I forgot how to run my camera, I'm motivated to not miss the next one. I want to practice. But when I've practiced to the point that I deftly capture every shot, what motivates me to push on to the next level?
It takes practice to recognize when it's time to move on. And it's never easy to leave the comfort of the known for the risk of the unknown. But we can only endure so many pictures of cats.
