Lets keep it simple

A couple of blogs back, I said (I think) I liked the discipline of my weekly blog entry. Well I've failed in that ambition. Once up and active after injury (boring, I know) I then fell foul of illness (even more boring!!!). So with negative thoughts in mind, I absconded from my weekly ritual here and also the 52 week self portrait challenge - I got tired of looking at myself looking so glum and gloomy. I also lost my mojo (trendy word for inspiration/ motivation). The overriding question that crept in and kept haunting me was "What can I photograph that others will like?"
This morning as I lay in bed unable to sleep - the fire brigade had turned up to a house fire opposite me (I kid you not!) - I resolved to re-ignite the passion I have always had for photography by returning to the simple and straight forward approach - photograph what I like. If others like it too then thats a bonus. This is no new revelation but something I've always known and believe - its just the mantra I need to beat myself over the head with, on a regular basis.

The days of our lives

There are times when I am so happy that it hurts. Happy for the moment that I am in, but tinged with sadness because I realise that such special moments will never happen again. I suppose this is why we treasure our memories so much. Some things stand out and are always in the forefront of our thoughts. Most of mine involve travel: being unable to sleep on a bus, hurtling through Europe, watching dawn break as farmers and other country folk went about their work; driving through Pennsylvania, sharing the front seat of the widest car I've been in, with two friends; sailing 5th class around the Greek islands after graduation, with two other friends; and every walk to school I ever made, holding my son's hand as he asked questions about everything.
Although those moments have passed, here's to many more 'once in a lifetime' experiences that I will have, bag up and carry with me for the rest of my days.

Where did last week go?

I photograph what intrests me all the time. I live with the pictures to see what that thing looks like photographed. 

- Garry Winogrand

I was sure I'd written a blog entry for last week. I try to keep my entries to one per week, and thought, this morning, that I'd better check to see what I'd written last week. But there was nothing there. Am I losing my mind? Quite possibly. I remember searching out a picture and uploading it. Or did I? Obviously not.

I do find that when I have more time to do things, they stand less chance of getting done. Lack of time is a great motivator for me - as it should always be. I must be more mindful to stay motivated. Every little accomplishment soon builds up to an accumulation of something meaningful.

My excuse, if one is needed, is that I'd spent more time on my bike and my mind was taken off blogging. After 3 months of pain (trapped nerves) and sleepless nights I can at last walk and cycle and sit on the sofa without the worry of discomfort. It has made me realise how much the ordinary things are so important when they are taken from you. 

So I wish you a happy Easter and hope you have a peaceful holiday weekend!

Spring forward, fall back.

"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold:  when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade."  ~Charles Dickens

Officially its Spring. My favourite season. The season of my birthday. I can now drive to and from work in the light, fog permitting. Longer, more fun hours in the evening, but not so uncomfortably hot that I am drained of energy. This Spring has arrived in a blaze of sunshine - which leaves many to speculate about how hot the Summer will be. Only time will tell, but on past experience its always better to make the best of this season than hold out for the uncertainty of better times ahead.

A bit of a compromise

I look at other people's photographs a lot. I often, maybe too often, spend time trawling through images on Flickr that I find amazing. If the truth be told, I am very envious of the images that other people seem to conjure up on a daily basis. The imagination and technique people use to produce these images is astounding. When I find a photographer whose work I like I may look at their profile to gain a little more understanding of their motivation.
One thing that strikes me is that so many say they picked up a camera for the first time a year ago, or even less in some cases. When I took up photography as my hobby decades ago, it took me a very long time before I started to get consistent exposures, let alone pictures that were worth sharing with anyone else. I guess the important thing is immediate feedback to see where you achieve the results you like - obviously this is where digital has been able to help so many who would otherwise not be bothered waiting for films to be developed. A little computer skill can also enhance images  - even making them look like film as it would have traditionally looked. I'm sure very few people now spend time in an actual darkroom developing and fixing images in chemicals. I don't any longer but I once did.
Maybe I'm a little stuck in my ways but I still long for film images which do have a look and feel which is different to digital.
Although I have digital cameras, I can't imagine not having a film camera. My Hasselblad is still my favourite, and easiest to use camera. And the most adaptable. Its polaroid back allows the perfect compromise of film and the immediate gratification of an instant image - just like the one above.

Everything disappears

You have to hurry up if you want to see something, everything disappears. - Paul Cezanne

In this case it was the fog that I wanted to see and photograph. Indeed within the hour the fog had disappeared to be replaced by a beautiful sunny Spring day. Under most circumstances that would have been perfect but on this occasion, the fog was the subject. Fog is synonymous with mystery, atmosphere and mood. What else can we photograph if we don't conjure some emotion in the viewer - to make them think and interact with our images. However, trying to drive to work in these conditions stirs other emotions. Luckily, it was Sunday so the weather was there to be enjoyed, not endured.

Something to someone

Life is only worthwhile when someone, or something, is pleased to see you. Even feeling that smile in the voice on the other end of the line is enough to lift the spirits. No man is an island, no matter how independent each of us believes we are. 

"I don't want to everything to everyone, but I would like to be something to someone." Javan Proverb.