How's life OSP!?

I am reading again (for the 7th time) Brooks Jensen's book "Letting Go of the Camera" And like most books you read, then re-read, there is more that sticks out that you may not have caught the first, second, third etc. time(s) around.

In the chapter titled 'When the Flock veers Left' I must have glazed over it the first couple of times I read it. But have since read and re-read the chapter over and over. And it has affected me in a way that I feel compelled to share with you the closing statement of that chapter.

This could be used for discussion if you all wish, otherwise, simply take it for what it is worth. Oh, and if you don't own the book - go buy it. It is super cheap and well worth it.

[I hope Brooks is okay with me typing this section of his essay up here]

"Most artists, in spite of the myth of the isolated and tormented soul, are firmly ensconced as a part of a flock. It is just so easy to march to the beat of everybody else's drum. In contrast, the best art comes from the heart. Once technique and craft can be successfully used, the artist's real challenge begins - finding and producing from the heart.

The next time the flock veers left, try turning right just for fun and leave the rest of the herd. Wander off. Look for yourself. And if you find it difficult to make a decent photograph, know you are on the correct and best path that leads to the most important work of your life."

Why I never paid much attention to his closing statement before is beyond me. Maybe it is because I feel the same way - yet I feel trapped and am fearful of veering in another direction. I mean, it is super easy to follow others. There's really no risk involved and you benefit from everyone else and everyone else benefits from you. But is it fulfilling overall? Personally, I don't find it fulfilling - I find it stifling.

There is comfort and 'security' if you are a part of the 'flock'. And what is even more interesting is how the majority of us in the wedding and portrait industry think and convince ourselves that we are unique - that we are creating something different when all one has to do is look around and you can easily see that you are not completely unique but are somehow still a part of the 'flock'. Sure, as an individual you may be unique, and how you handle your clients may be unique. But at the end of the day can we really call ourselves artists?

Maybe - maybe not... after 15 yrs. in the industry I would have to say that there are few artists but many artisans.

This is even more true for those just starting out and for those who are trying to find themselves and their personal 'style'.

So what is my point with all of this? Well, I personally am going through some changes - big changes (at least to me it feels big). And it is something that I have been wrestling with for a long time. Choices have to be made and I have been doing a lot of thinking, praying and soul searching this year. I get really deep in thought and introspective this time of year and had to look myself in the mirror today and ask:

"Are you veering right? Or are you flying with the flock? Is the work you are producing actually from the heart?..."

Sounds like a great book. I would say some other options would be to soar higher or maybe go lower to get some real different variations on this idea of leaving the flock for a while to find some hidden style. I know it is splitting hairs and means the same thing but for me it seemed to offer more challenges to think of even more ways of flying solo...

thanks for the encourgement Johnny!

Kerri

Cool post Johnny!

Sometimes it's very easy to get swept along in all the feel-good praise of others.

And then, when you get stuck in rut,
you get stuck in rut
you get stuck in rut
you get stuck in rut
you get stuck in rut
you get stuck in rut

{slap!}

you start to examine what's not working... and it's because you "didn't go left"

This doesn't just apply to creativity, but also to your business model. Steve Jobs launched the IPod against the current business model of the recording/music industry. He had to fight to change the way the companies thought about music distribution, and he turned left.

Ask yourself this... how can I turn left today? Where can I go that most folks haven't gone yet?

I want to be like Johnny and photograph an entire wedding with only a pinhole camera.

I've had this idea in my head to get an 8x10 camera and make portraits with it. Each session gets 5 8x10 polaroids (no film). Costs $1000 a session. Other services include drum scanning and larger prints from the scan.

Call five of your best clients, and offer to do it for free.

See if they like it, and see if you get any referrals.

remember, just because you turn LEFT to see what you can do doesn't mean that your clients may not be ready to spend money on what you want to play with.

Exactly - and this is why, for me, I am having to make some big decisions about which direction I want to go as a photographer.

Simply doing something 'different' in the industry isn't enough - I personally don't think it is possible ('there is nothing new underneath the sun') - but I do think you can bring a fresh perspective to it.

How can I veer in my own direction? It's simple really. Steven Fox quoted me in his signature the following statement I made during a conversation he and I had regarding the photography business and of course, money... "I've always found that no matter what, if you follow what you love, the money will follow you - but if you follow money, you will always chase it and never be free to do what you love to do." ~ ME

For me, my way it to follow and shoot what I love. And right now, I am risking everything in order to do so.

Those of us who capture weddings as our primary income source, why do the majority of us not treat each wedding as a fine art project? Why do we offer various sizes of prints, with various final print options, and in various tones or full color? Why, if the majority want to sell themselves as 'artists' do we behave like artisans, recreating the same thing weekend after weekend? (And just because you might do all PJ work does not mean you don't fall into ruts - we all do.)

Would it be taboo to capture a full wedding and only have it presented in a platinum/palladium tone? Only available if purchased as a fine art book? And only offer museum quality prints of that work? Why don't we do it? What are we scared of?

I'm not scared.

In fact I am working on that very idea right now with a previous client I had in 2007. They didn't have much money and only paid for my service and I cut them a deal on a disc. I wanted her wedding since I felt a huge connection - and it paid off big with some amazing images.

So I will be creating a fine art project of these images. All toned and treated the same and published as a real book (not a flush mount or matted one). My desire is that this will attract a certain type of client who will allow me to create the way I 'see'.



Photographing from the heart, working with whatever media that delivers the vision you have in your mind will, at some point, pay off huge. Maybe not monetarily - but it will pay off.

When the flock veers left - you should ask yourself "why did they do that?" and decide for yourself where to go. That's fo sho.

Correct - just like when you have a new idea for a business or a market that has not been created yet. You have to ask, "why hasn't anyone else done this?" Either way, the people who are most admired and remembered are the ones who chose to veer in the opposite direction, which inevitably makes them the leader of a new flock.

So are the ones who fail the worst.

I'm not disagreeing - just saying that I'd guess more than 50% of those who veer fail. WAY more than 50%. To veer, you have to know WHY and WHY NOT and a whole host of things those who haven't may have considered.

I'm not one to be slow or make bad, immobile decisions - but I'd be wary of the average joe making snap judgments to avoid the flock when the flock is how he feeds his family. That may not apply to you tho.

I'm not disagreeing either, Matt. In fact, the whole point of purposely veering in a different direction is because you know WHY.

And the only way to know if something works or not is to at least try it.
You can veer off, try out your idea, concept or what have you but all the while keeping your eye on the flock. And provided you don't make a habit of veering too often, you should have no issue getting back with the flock should things not turn out the way you planned.

I agree that it is much safer to stay with the pack and move within the trends, ultimately you will be more stable and will benefit from the trail blazers ahead of you. Whether we like it or not, the majority of the people who buy our products/services cannot tell the difference between everyone's work.

Sure, they may like someone's image more than another, but for most consumers (especially nowadays) it comes down to the fact that we consumers see everything as a commodity.

And if you as a business owner want to keep your bills paid on time, you feed the consumer machine whatever trend it wants to eat.