shoot what you love

If there's a piece of advice among my most cherished, it would be "shoot what you love." I've heard this in various forms, from Chase, from Ed, from David...  I met Chase at one of his lectures. When I told him, "I have no intention of quitting my day job," this is what he wrote: "shoot what you love."



Ed once said,

     "Anything that excites me for any reason, I will photograph; not searching for unusual subject matter, but making the commonplace unusual."

David in his book Ten More (Ten More Ways to Improve Your Craft Without Buying Gear) wrote,

     "What the world needs is more passionate photographs...perceived by the eyes but expressed, through the camera, with the heart."

The idea is that when you couple your passion for photography with subject matters that you love, it will show through your work. If you do this for a living, it's even more important to set aside time for personal projects, to photograph for yourself. What do you love to photograph? Is it the moon? Your kids?  Newborns? Weddings? Horses? Urinals? (not my fav, but they do come in all shapes and sizes).  Do you drive your spouse crazy when you've taken ten pictures of the same tree? Or make comments about the light at inopportune times?

I love to photograph my children. It is the best way to get Wifie to ok more purchases.  (Shh... don't tell her) Seriously, I love them deeply, and I love to capture ordinary moments that make my heart go "Awww..."

Can I Get a Taste?
1/200 sec @ f/2, Nikon D700, 50mm

First Day Home
1/30 sec @ f/5.6, Nikon D700, 105mm

Best Friends

1/160 sec @ f/4, Nikon D700, 42mm

Shhh, I Hear Mice

1/160 sec @ f/3.2, Nikon D700, 105mm

 

 Drenched

1/1600 sec @ f/2.8, Nikon D700, 70mm