Photography of the day.

Some time ago, a photography student asked if I would be willing to be interviewed as part of their required-to-pass-the-class curriculum. I found the idea interesting and the student’s attitude of equal interest. So, I agreed.

Of all the questions asked, one has stuck with me ever since: “When not photographing for your profession, what do you photograph?” I stumbled while reaching for a reply. I think I answered with something lame like, “I don’t.”

Truth be told, owning a studio is more about managing a business than creating imagery. I often times find myself a little stretched between shoots, processing, marketing, emails, phone calls and so on and so on. Free shooting time can be difficult to come by. It can also be easily sacrificed for things such as family time. However, we all need to take the time to replenish the well. All creatives do.

Long ago, too long ago, I would never be caught without my camera. My opportunity to shoot the stuff I wanted, the way I wanted. No right, moreover, no wrong. Times changed. I suppose at some point I traded carrying a camera bag for a diaper bag, or stroller, or skateboard, or football. It is important to enjoy the moments you are living. Carrying 20, or more, pounds of glass and cameras gets a little difficult and can certainly take away from the moment. But what about replenishing that well?

I have decided it is time to get back to a little bit of this off the cuff shooting I love. I plan on taking a photo each day and posting it to my site. So why, you may be asking, call it Photography 1 opposed to something like Pic of the Day? I have seen a countless “Pic of the Day,” posts, contests, blogs and such. I am not band-wagoning it. Never really been one to jump on those. I decided to challenge myself to find something unique in our world, everyday, and photograph it. Create something with it. Photography. Simple and poignant. 1 is really nothing more than a numerical designation. Tomorrow there should be a post titled Photography 2.

Let’s Start This!

Care to guess? I suppose I may need to open comments up on this series of posts if I am going to ask people to venture a guess. Maybe next time. This is the result of Spring. Taken just an hour or so after Spring officially started here in Minnesota. What you are viewing is a cedar deck, covered with 2 inches of relatively fresh snow. The air temperature is just above freezing, so the snow is melting, slowly. 20 feet above this cedar deck is the eve of the roof. From it, sun-warmed and quickly-melting snow falls to the deck’s surface in the form of individual drips of water. Pelting without mercy. Remarkable? Probably not. Interesting? Absolutely. I took this photograph because there is no way I could possibly know for certain that these circumstances would happen, just like this, on another first day of Spring in my lifetime. I also happened to look down and it caught my eye. 24-70L, iso 250, 1/250 sec and f5.6. In post, a custom black and white action I made.