Yes, I’ve been one of those nature photographers who’s said, “But, the sky is boring. No clouds.” Or, “The flowers are past their prime.” You could add many, many others to the list as well.
As nature photographers, we shoot what Mother Nature has served up to us. Still, many times we have ideas of what we want to see, to photograph. There’s nothing wrong with that at all. However, we shouldn’t downplay the shoot when that something special we were hoping for didn’t happen.
After all, we are artists. And as artists, it is up to us to find that little something special.
That something special is nature. Always.
Sometimes our best artistry happens when we step back from our plan, the intent. Instead, where does you eye want to go on it’s on? What’s the distraction? Could that distraction be the subject?
The beauty in our imagery is not always the flashy, bold sunset or action packed waves. If we find and convey our emotion in the moment, that is artistry.
I recently went to North Bar Lake in northern Michigan for a sunset shoot (see the featured image at the top). The Photographers Ephemeris lit up like a fireball for the area. Forecast calls for winds and partially covered skies. I knew the light was going to be killer!
NOT!
My clouds faded into mush, the winds died. The sunset decided to drop quickly and without a lot of color. I could have easily packed it in. And almost did. Instead, I closed my eyes and cleared my head. It was that moment where the pause shifted into:
- Just breathing. Rather than going gung-ho, I took in the moment. The feeling of the light, the water, the last remnants of winter.
- Walking around without a plan. When there’s a sense of calm, our eyes see differently, Not better, not worse. Just different, if we allow it.
- Photographing what was interesting, what was pretty. Close ups and distance shots. It’s easy to get trapped into finding that image that we need to post later. Non-epic moments shine differently.
- Turning around. We’re always looking forward and side to side. A lot. At a slower pace, I turn around more, and see more.
The result? A few images that I really enjoy. And part of being a photographer is enjoying our work.
As photographers, we need to give ourselves permission to plan. Self-approval to enjoy and be in the moment. The outcome may be even better than a photograph.
