Re:Assignments and Photographic ideas

[P3D Larry Berlin <lberlin@xxxxxxxxx>]

>Date: Sat, 14 Jun 1997
>From: P3D  Dr. George A. Themelis writes:
>..................
>I like to take my time thinking of the assignment.  Sometimes I
>take a few pictures, then change my mind, or learn from the
>experience and shoot again.  I always have an image or an idea
>and I am working on improving it.  If I am lucky it can take
>a few weeks.  Or, it could take months.  (I am not getting paid
>to take pictures :-))

*****  This was my point. You've been harboring lots of ideas for quite some
time. In the moment of seeking a particular type of image, these can become
realized.

>
>Example:  Assignment in Detroit is "Symmetry".
>
>First picture:  A coworker is growing sunflowers at home.  He brought
>a few at work and was impressed by their size and amazing natural 
>symmetry.  At first, I did not make the connection with the assignment.
>Later, while I was actively thinking of symmetric objects to photograph,
>I remembered the sunflower.  I asked him to bring one for me.  He did.
>I took it home and put it outside.  Using my SLR with a macro lens
>and natural light I took a few pairs looking straight down the flower's
>center,  The resulting pair won second place and was my only image 
>that won HM for the "Slide of the year" competition at the end.

*****  Total time between the connection of concept with opportunity and the
realization of a winning image was very short. 

>...............
>Good pictures can be the result of a "lucky accident" but many times
>they are the result of careful planning, patient research and trial
>and error.

******  Any prolific photographer has images building in their mind almost
continuously. The seemingly lucky shots are often due to recognizing an idea
long thought about. Therefore the concept of going on the prowl with the
camera isn't so much the seeking of random luck as giving opportunity to the
ideas long thought about.

Larry Berlin

Email: lberlin@xxxxxxxxx
http://www.sonic.net/~lberlin/
http://3dzine.simplenet.com/


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