Develop your skills as a photographer and expand your comfort zone. | Photo Exercise
While making photographs, I focus on light, subject, and moment. The order varies depending on the situation. In street photography, sometimes the hardest thing to identify a subject! Especially if you are like me, and enjoy going outside to see what the world can provide, the chaos can sometimes be overwhelming.
Plateaus in creativity happen every so often, so its important to develop a process that enables breakthroughs. This can only be done by pushing yourself through your fear of certain situations. A common one, is meeting and photographing strangers going amongst their daily lives.
I'll walk around looking for certain lighting conditions & environments that may be conducive to an interesting image. Sometimes we may find all these elements but not have a subject that comes into frame organically, adding to the visual narrative.
This is usually when taking a bit of control over the elements helps, primarily the subject. Ill find someone with an interesting look, and just strike up a conversation. I normally walk around with my camera at the ready so the subject already has a sense that I like to take pictures. Once I feel a lull in the conversation, Ill ask them for a portrait.
Photographing a stranger on the street is a very helpful exercise in that it pushes you to engage with a subject that you may have never had the courage to interrupt. Forces you to be agile, friendly, and creative all within a few moments. It can even lead to a new series of work.
These images are part of an on-going series of photographing the older generation of the community I spend a lot of time in. They are the foundation of the community and are the legacy holders of this ancient old pueblo. Some are 'recent' transplants who found a new place to call home many years ago. Either way, they have seen the transformation of this town and are a usually a great conversation.
What photo exercises have you found to be helpful in developing your craft?
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