We often get asked how we stay fresh week in and week out with the images we serve up in Box of Light. It's actually pretty easy when you live in a place like Dunedin. For example during this past week we shot beautiful big and blue offshore waves, then small, moody offshore waves on Sunday ahead of the southerly front. Then yesterday we awoke to a blanket of snow and flurries to sea-level. That's pretty easy to stay motivated when the canvas is changing so rapidly ... although the 10°C drop in temp within 10 minutes was a bit of a shock.
Photography is a relationship that's constantly evolving. Every time you press that shutter button you learn a little more about how to create that perfect image – you get a little closer to bringing that vision in your head to life.
Sometimes you get imperfections and images that don't match your goal. You can feel a little flat and the motivation can wane so I have eight tricks up my sleeve for these times:
1) Put the camera down, go surfing (immerse yourself in the subject) and reconnect to the purpose of it all;
2) Beg, borrow or buy a new piece of equipment to change your perspective – maybe a new lens, an old lens you haven't used for awhile or a new camera, water housing, support etc;
3) Shoot something completely different to your usual subjects – try people (always a challenge), wildlife, aurora, etc;
4) Set a challenging personal project – a series of work that you shoot just for yourself – something that tests you;
5) Teach someone about photography, pass on some skills. Shooting with others always opens your eyes to new ideas whether they are a seasoned pro or a keen amateur learning the ropes;
6) Visit an exhibition: Brian Brake: Lens on the World (on right now at Otago Museum) is possibly the best start you could make;
7) Get up before dawn, take one lens and a tripod and visit a beach or mountain peak with no pre-conceived plan;
8) Take a small lens remove the cap and take photos everywhere you go;
9) Shoot during a torrential downpour;
10) Go on a roadtrip.
This coming week we're going on a road trip – we're working on a story for New Zealand Mountain Biker and we're going to be hitting Rotorua, Cambridge and Wellington with some time scheduled in Raglan and Kaikoura ...
See you at the beach ...
Derek
PS A huge thanks to the team at Canon for the loan of the Canon EOS-1D X which we shot most of this week's images with. As far as sports cameras goes it doesn't get any better than the 1D X and it's a perfect motivator.
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