Get off Your Butt!
By Peter Roise
6 July 2008
As I look around at online posting opportunities, forums, and blogs I realize I must not be the only photographer out there who spends way too much time online. Not that this is all bad, lots of good ideas and great inspiration to draw on. Also, there's the post-processing time where you agonize over sliders in ACR. In the end it is way too easy to keep planning to get out there and get some pictures.
For instance, I've been meaning to get photos of my friends crop dusting since I first started working for them last spring. They use some interesting airplanes and the flying is dangerous and impressive. Indeed part of the difficulty comes from the rolling Palouse countryside they fly over, which is a worthy photo subject all its own. This spring, I planned to go out and get these photos for two weeks at least, with nothing really stopping me. Finally I got out the door and the conditions were right, for photos and for flying. You know the satisfaction we get from bringing home great images; well, I got lots of that. I can always use that kind of encouragement--its like fertilizer for more photos.
And as time continues and I keep looking at the photos I'm learning more about them as well. I see how the highlights even on an airplane make an image pop. I see that bracketing can have the added advantage of catching some action in sequence--like my kid tripping. I see how the incredible energy of a 1200 horsepower engine and prop can be seen in a still image. These kinds of rewards just keep giving.
So, get off your butt, go out and take those pictures you've been meaning to get around to, and stop already with the pictures of junk on your desk.
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