Desire or commitment?

[bachfan]

Basically, my first week of pad is not bad. There is always something which I can explore and take some photos. I am not expecting to take great photos, but it is interesting to see that now I have seen something that was invisble to me before.

But now comes the situation. I am not professional and cannot hold my camera all the time. and as a PADer, it is important to keep up with the daily "homework".

My friend, who is a professional photographer , said that he never touched his gears unless he was touched, shocked or inspired. "It is the strong desire that push me to my camera, not the commitment."

But now, in most cases, I am not touched, shocked or inspired by anything while I am still holding the camera and looking around coz I know I have to fulfill my commitment. Being forced to shoot helps me capture some moments and watch the surrounding more carefully. I usually dont' creat a picture, I like the moment as it is, not artifically created. But then it is becoming harder.

Without a desire to shoot, how to complete my PAD with high quality?

[simonkirk]

Cant speak for you friend but i allways have a camera within arms reach, i have missed so much because i did not have a camera, i try to look at my PAD as an insight into my day, the things and people i see, sometimes i head on out with the camera and snap away, some times it is just something daft i have seen or just a photo snapped at the right or wrong time.
You have to take the photo for the reasons that work for you, enjoy what you do.

[ziggers]

This is a very interesting question and discussion. I've thought many times about this before in the four and a half months I've been doing this project.

For me, all of the things I shoot represent a part of me, whether it be emotional symbolism or literally me or a member of my family. There is a great desire to express myself in this way. But then again, commitment comes into play also. Before my PAD days, I shot for desire, but obviously less frequently than every day. Now I still shoot for desire alone, but also the desire to keep up my commitment to PAD. It's been a wonderful project and I know there are several areas of my work that I probably wouldn't have ventured off into had it not been for me shooting every day.

The thing I can recommend is to shoot things that you love, whether it be portraits, still life, or anything else. But also, try something different. Try an idea inspired by something someone else has done, or something that you think of on your own that sparks a photographic interest for you. Experiment with color. Experiment with B&W. Try a series. Do things to bring out textures, etc.

One of the very first things I did when I started this project was to make out a list of things that I thought would be cool shots, or things I wanted to try. I've exhausted all the items on my original list, but am still coming back for more.

Another piece of advice is: don't give yourself a time limit and don't focus too much on the big picture. (excuse the pun) For instance, my gallery is simply titled "Photo A Day" with no solid statement as to how long I will be continuing this. It could go on a year, it could end tomorrow. I wanted to give myself that freedom. Also, try not to think of it as, "gee, I've only done a month and wow is this hard, I can't imagine how I'm going to do a whole year." This will no doubt feel overwhelming. Just take it one day at a time, enjoy shooting and enjoy trying new things with your camera.

Ok, enough of my rambling.

[dazedgonebye]

I find your friend's statements a bit odd. Unless he is of independent means, or so successful that he can afford to follow only his muse, you would think he picks up a camera whenever he needs a shot that means a paycheck.
In the case of this amateur, I find that picking up the camera every day has taught me to FIND inspiration in the previously unnoticed corners of my world. It has forced me to learn new ways of presenting the mundane, in the attempt to make a worthwhile image. That I often fail does not diminish the value of the experience.
Knowledge of the commitment forces me to keep my eyes open and be receptive to inspiration. Failing inspiration, at the very least, the commitment forces me to practice photography as a skill and a craft, to be learned and improved upon. How else then will I be ready when I’m inspired?
My relationship with photography is important to me. If I work on it only when I am inspired, then I’m no better than a fickle lover, following a moment’s excitement until a new infatuation comes along.
Relax. Try not to think of your PaD as a chore, but rather as a daily eye opener. Then, take your picture, inspired or not. That’ll be the best you can do at the moment. Don’t ask more of yourself than that.

[jillburhans]

I at times do feel uninspired concerning the PAD experience. Which I feel most if not all of us have at one time or another. Yet as stated, patience in experiencing one's day is inspiration eventually in order to capture an image to post on PAD.

I try to achieve the best possible imagery each day, each is symbolic of what is happening in my world each day or someone elses. I don't pick up my camera in order to just pick it up. When I receive comments as acknowledgement it validates my work as well and helps me realize that it does reach others and perhaps has an impact. I would hope that it inspires as many of the others work have inspired me.

It is a challenge. However if it were not, I do not feel I would participate.

Also as Steven stated, since I have started PAD I have opened my eyes to my surroundings and have learned to "see". That in itself is worth it. Texture, color and form now have renewed my own life whether PAD or not. The world of photography can be a positive experience or if we choose, a negative. I choose the positive. PAD is that.

[jude_53]

I agree with all above and add:

I carry my camera always - because you never know what will fall out of the sky (literally sometiems) and strike you. I see my surroundings SOOOO differently. I've almost crashed my car several times just looking from side to side at things to photograph. Not because I HAD to do it .. but because the world is my photographic oyster now. I live it... it is in my blood now.

I have had a few days where i was.. thinking "it's about 9 p.m. and i have NO PICTURE!!" but then i look around the house. or .. take a ride or grab the nearest human and snap a shot. Truthfully I have gotten some of my best shots this way.

But the best part of this all is the fact that I have improved VASTLY from Feb 18th.. just that short of time, I've found an edge. (shut up anyone who thinks i stink)..lol I have discovered what my strength and what kind of photo I like doing best is BUT i've also pushed myself to take other kinds and done them successfully... I'm in awe of the quality of photographers here.

So. the questions to you are: Why? why are you doing PAD? What do you love about photography? Do your photos always have to come into your view or do you sometimes envision something and try to recreate what you see?

Most importantly.. if you love to take pics.. and this seems to be .. uninspiring in any way... is it worth maybe losing your draw to it?

just.. my .. opinion

[demorcan]

I understand your friend. Many years ago now, I made my own camera. I had some walnut around and built a 4X5 with a long bellows and lots of shift, tilt, backboard tilt, etc. I would pick up my camera and feel the wood in my hand and it set the mood for my photography. I would travel where ever and look for photo opportunities. I would make a mental list of them and try to guess the best light direction and time of day. Then the next day or 2, I would check them out at the proper times. After 2 or 3 days at a place, I was ready to take a photo. I loved that part. Set up the camera. Then crawl under the cloth with a loupe and adjust the camera. I would do the shift for the proper prospective. Adjust the tilt for perfect focus over the entire image. This would take 1/2 hour unless there were people there. Then I would put on a show. . Finally when all was done, I would set and smoke my pipe waiting for the light. As the sun got in position, I would open the cooler get out the film and load it into the camera. Then at the right time. I would release the shutter. Put hte exposed film back in the camera and pack everything up. It was a labor of love that included much thought and consideration. I had to sell that camera. Now I have a digital camera and I push a button once or twice a day to take a photo for PaD. There is not the heart and feeling anymore.

But digital photography and sharing photos over the internet is not about art. It is about community. About the sharing pieces of your life with others. And learning about their life from their photos. Photos are intimate in they are what a person considers important enough to take and post. So you learn about a person very intimately through their photos. It is a form of communication. The day to day life makes good subjects as it lets other people see a little of your world. Historians look for the day to day photos to see how life was in the past century. The art photos are of little use to them. And it is the same here. The WOW photos are nice. But the ones showing a child, a pet, the drive to work, a meal, and all the other scenes from daily life are the ones that say the most. The tell people who you are. They enlarge your circle of friends and people who know the real you. Not what you do or what you look like, but who you really are and what your world is like. This is the greatness of digital photography in that is makes the world a smaller place and lets people from great physical distance all be a part of the same community. PaD is a concentrated form of this. The heart is not in taking the photo, but in it being seen. The heart is the wonderful people here who share their successes, pains, joys, boredom, etc. And that is where it should be - in the people. And for me, that is all the inspiration I need.

Demmy

[isshinryu_mom]

For me the PAD started off as EXERCISE.... something to force me to shoot, with purpose, every day in order to learn more about how to operate my camera and photography in general. The PAD experience has grown from there for me... it's now sometimes about expressing something I feel or see, about seeing in a different way, about creating something to express an idea or feeling... and still about learning how to control and manipulate my equipment to produce what I envision. I'd guess it's a rare person who can create anything worthwhile without regular, continued practice. I think it's good to push through those moments of feeling uninspired.

[danpbphoto]

I have a desire to take photographs, preferably good ones. I dont wait until I find something worthy of photographing to grab my camera. There is a quote I read once that basically said that some photographers take photographs, other photographers make them. For the most part I feel like my PaD experience is helping me make photographs that I would not have done so otherwise. Things that I would have totally overlooked have become little gems in my collection. Of course there are times when I totally fall flat and dont find anything too.

Even though it is daily and there are days when I'm not very inspired, I do believe that PaD is more a desire than a commitment.

[bard385]

Interesting discussion. I decided to PaD to keep my mind occupied. I now find photo-ops everywhere. Considering that I took a shot of birds feeding on a dumpster you can see my point:

http://www.pbase.com/image/28577923

I just take the camera along with me. Some days I hunt for a shot, others I let them find me. when all else fails, I do a still life.

George

[bachfan]

I agree with all your statement. I am asking how much I value photographing now. Definitely it is still not in my blood. Not listening to Bach is a sin for me, not fulfilling the PaD commitment may lead me to find some pretext, LOL. For me, I stay in my office most of the day which even doesn't have a window! The only chance for me to go outside during the day is either lunch time where the sunlight is too strong in most case or when I run in the trail. But I cannot carry a DC when I run along the hilly trail for the whole four miles!

So demorcan's post is helpful. It would be more meaningful for me to record my world than taking WOW photos though the latter would also be nice.

Thanks all. I will keep doing it. Paders here are really warm hearted.

[polyvios]

I can see a point in your friends statement but not coming from a proffessional that is actually PAID to take photos of stuff other people want or need! My pad is more like a training discipline, to help me improve my technique and improve the ability to see everyday things for their photographic potential, as far as I'm conserned that is one of the most important gifts a photographer must have!

[katwilkens]

Very interesting discussion! I like to think of PAD as a habit, like brushing my teeth or sitting down to dinner. It's just something I do every day, no big deal. Some shots can be "grabbed" and really don't take that much time out of the day. I like to make my photos reflective of my life by choosing subjects that are meaningful--my family, friends, places I go, people I meet casually, or objects I treasure and want to remember.

I admire "arty" shots but I lack the patience for filters, lights, tripods, etc. And I'm not an abstract thinker. To me, reality is endlessly intriguing. Still, I might try more abstracts in the future as my vision of the project evolves.

Now I'm getting to the point where I can't imagine NOT taking at least one photo each day. Also thinking about a new camera....

[gpaai]

In less than 2 months I have discovered that PAD isn't so much about freaking out over a deadline as it is experiencing something you enjoy on a daily basis. After all, if you don't enjoy photography, put your camera down.

It didn't take me long to realize either, that I wasn't always going to produce the prize image. On days I feel a little frustrated with my photo, I try to use my "comment" to lend itself in helping the situation.

Long story short, the day PAD stops being fun, I'm finished. Be it 3 months or 361 days.

I enjoy the company I keep as well. The people I have met have been as much an inspiration to me as any of the images.

Gary

[dazedgonebye]

Some years ago, co-wrote a non-fiction book that was actually published. It felt great to be a "writer." I had conversations with people who thought being a writer was just the most amazing thing, something they could never do. I told them that the difference between us was that, although we all know how to write, I get up every morning and actually write.
Pretty much everyone I know can operate a camera. I get up every day and take a picture.