April 7, 2010
Where Do You Find the “Great” Shots?
Where do you find the “great” shots? It’s a question I’ve been thinking a lot about lately.
Earlier in my career I thought that you had to go to a great location to get a great shot. You know; Death Valley, the wilds of Africa or the mountains of New Zealand. These are beautiful locations and so it made sense to me that I would produce great images there.
Then I went through a period where I believed that great shots were everywhere and all that was needed was the vision to “see” them. I remember reading a statement by Edward Weston, who infirm and confined to a chair said that he ought to be able to look down at his feet and find a great image.
That’s a great theory, but what’s the reality? Does location contribute to the creative process? Can I really find great images in my own back yard?
My actual experience has been mixed; I have been to some great locations that have produced some great shots but there have been other times when I couldn’t see a thing, only to find another photographer had created incredible work at the same place. I would look at their images and marvel how it was that I didn’t see that. Conversely I’ve also been to some uninspiring locations and produced some wonderful images that others had passed by.
My current thought is that creating a great shot is like panning for gold. There are always a few nuggets laying on the surface, but for the most part the gold is hidden beneath the surface and you must really work hard to find it. So while beautiful locations have produced some great work for me (gold nuggets), the bulk of my images (gold dust) came about from hard work.
I have noticed that great locations can be inspirational, but without vision I’m only likely to see the shots that everyone else has photographed before. After all, when a gold nugget is large enough to be noticed, everyone else notices it too! Think about how many similar images of Yosemite you have seen, that’s because gold nuggets are easy to see.
A short time ago I was in a creative slump and went on three trips. At the start of each trip I really believed that the location would inspire me to create great images, but as each trip produced mediocre images I blamed it on the weather, the boring landscape or my lack of time. Eventually I had to face the reality that it wasn’t the location, it was me. My conclusion: I’d rather be inspired in a uninspiring location than to be uninspired in a inspiring place.
So how would I answer the question “Where do you find the ‘Great’ shots?” I think you find them wherever you’re at and while location can help, it can never take the place of vision.
Cole
Hi Cole, I’m new to your blog but find both your writing and photography inspiring.
Finding subject matter that’s inspiring is, in my experience, is essential to a great shot. Now,I love landscapes and sometimes I can be in a classic setting and still not be inspired. Then its a state of mind. So, inspiration is essential but elusive. The way around that is to be aware of what gives us joy in shooting and taking the need for Great Shots off the table.
Asking ourselves, “Is this a great shot?” is dangerous to the creation process. Who defines a shot as great, and what is great? The range probably starts with critical acclaim in the NYT’s Sunday Art section, to huge fine art sales, to ‘my friend’s love it’, to having a great outing in which I didn’t knock $10,000 worth of digital camera gear into the river (obviously personal experience here), to I SAY ITS GREAT.
Its really dangerous to ask a question of our craft that has such an elusive answer. For me, its been healthier to take my inspiration from the process of creation as an input, to find connection with the time and engage in a sense of play. Play with the subject, play with the moment, play without a sense of outcome. Then, the process is great and the images are what they are (ok, I admit I take some pretty crappy images, even at that moment!:)) After returning home from this kind of outing I definitely feel energized and excited to shoot MORE.
Cheers,
Alec
Great post Cole, It’s a great question. Being relatively new to fine art photography I’ve stumbled into many uninspiring moments. I’ve found that when I am anywhere but home I find inspiring things to photograph. So, every time I’m only able to photograph things around where I live and I get that sunken feeling of “there’s nothing worth photographing here” (which is most of the time) I continuously tell my self “It’s only because you’re from here”. I know that people from other places would find something worth photographing so I try to think of myself as a visitor. Most of the time it works and I get at least one image worth keeping.
So, “It’s only because I’m from here”.
-Seth
”The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” Marcel Proust, French philosopher
This quote was provided by Gilbert Draper, here is his entire email to me (with permission):
Hi Cole,
I always enjoy your blog and share many of your thoughts and discoveries.
As a former jazz musician I know the value of practicing a piece to learn it well enhance my performance. I find with photography it is more important because every time I photograph a subject the variables of time of day, season, weather, how I feel, tides at the shore etc., all open new possibilities. Of course in a studio situation there are less variables. However I only photograph in natural light and being aware of the many kinds of light is most important.
I am fortunate to live only 1 ½ hours away from Point Lobos . In 2003-5 I went there one day every week. Eventually I had 15 images of kelp and seaweed for a show. I loved every day I was there regardless of making a new useable image.. I still visit at least twice a month. Now I go to the local shoreline between San Francisco and Santa Cruz about ½ hour away from home usually twice a week. Its always a learning and growing satisfying experience.
Marcel Proust the famous French philosopher said, ”The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” I find this to be true.
Regards,
Gil Draper
Very interesting points in your blog. I must say that I have shared the same reactions and vacillations as you describe. I have also noted (… a very superficial point to follow) that my inspiration (no matter where I am) was often driven by the LIGHT!
Now that I am shooting a substantial amount of infrared work, it isn’t always what I see (light-wise) that inspires… it is shapes that might be creatively “seen” under IR capture. And even that is “complicated” by the fact that it often takes an unforeseeable amount of work in Photoshop to bring out an image that I don’t think I really saw at the site (literally true since IR is picking up invisible light reflections)… although my insights are changing somewhat with experience. But it is always a bit of an exploration.
Good (thought provoking) Blog!
Gary
Hi Cole:
Your points are very good. Something we all need to think about and how it relates to our own work. The quote by Marcel Proust is great!
What you are asking is what all artist ask themselves at some point. How you address it is the key. I wish I could add more but you have brought out points I now need to think about.
Jeff
Another concept is “A Whack On The Side Of The Head, How to unlock your mind for innovation”, a vintage book by Roger von Oech, Ph.D.
It’s a 1983 publication…probably before the time of any of you guys!
I couldn’t agree more, Cole. And now I am inspired to write about that topic some day, too (& gave me more reasons to search harder than to photograph the obvious) 😉 Thanks!