By: Julz.......artist, blogger, photographer, graphic designer
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Photo101Rehab Imagecraft Bootcamp – Developing Vision

This week in Photo101Rehab Imagecraft Bootcamp we are looking at  Developing Vision. But what is Vision? Mitch simplifies it down the two different variations, but alas I still have no real answer for either. I hear it and read it, but I am still sort of frustrated. Let me explain.

I have only been a serious, obsessed amatuer photographer for about a year (got my first DSLR in November 2014). I have no real vision for myself as yet, I am experimenting with so many different forms, from various ‘Scapes (land, sea, city), to light painting, night shoots (astro), portraits, artistic, street. I love it all! I used to just take photos and see what I got, 100’s of photos. I still do that to an extent. I trust my eye and my gut. Moth often asks me, what are you shooting? That is the $64.00 question isn’t it? “What ARE you shooting?” Sometimes I honestly do not know………..I know that sounds bad, doesn’t it?

When it comes to my portrait shoots it is very different, I have them pre planned in advance, on paper and in my head, I do run throughs and set ups, prior to the shoot to see how they look from my head to the PC. I am frequently like that with my paintings as well, I start with a basic line drawing on paper and slowly flesh it out, eventually I transfer that to my ‘canvas’ and finish as I ‘saw’ it in my mind.

Astro photography, is sort of pre planned, but you still just get what you get, Light Painting to some degree is the same, as long you have your settings right and you are pointed in the right direction you will achieve something, you frequently have no idea exactly WHAT you will achieve. But you most likely get something pretty cool, maybe that’s because I am still an amatuer?

When it comes to ‘Scapes, it’s a little different, I can see something with my eyes, my gut tells me it’s what I want, I shoot, sometimes I don’t even look at the image I just took, I just know. Am I having a vision without knowing I have a vision? Perhaps my vision is abstract? Some people go by mathematical and scientific principles, I go by feel. Look at the photos below, the old truck and the cherub I knew I wanted to photograph them that way, did I have a vision for the final image: No, It evolved on my canvas.  The Sunset? Well I felt that there was something there, was dissapointed with what I got, until Mitch taught us shadow recovery and then WOW……I was right I did capture something beautiful.

Final
Original
Original
Final
SOOC – Nikon D7100 Original
Final

This next image I did have a vision for, but it took many months. I have driven past this site probably 20 times in the last 12 months and every time I say to myself I must stop, but I never do, too rushed, no camera, too dark, too bright, too lazy. But I KNEW I wanted this shot. Eventually on a cold brisk Winters day, dark looming clouds with sunshine still peaking through, I finally stopped and took my shot, alas too dark (all the shots I took were), but again Mitch’s teaching to the rescue and I got this!

Colour Version
B&W Version
Original

Now the below photos were another vision, I shot back in April pre dawn and KNEW I wanted to come back and shoot at Sunset, I had a few ND Filter issues on the top ones, but I knew what I was looking for.

Yarra from Princes St Bridge
Melbourne Twilight
October 2015
April 2015
April 2015
April 2015

So what is my vision………….I honestly have no idea, is this good or bad? I have an instinct, and I trust it, I go with my gut, does it make for good photography? I am not sure………..I often fail, but sometimes I net spectacular results (well I think so).  In the end………..I am having a lot of fun and isn’t THAT what matters?

Sorry folks this has been a bit of a long one, I didn’t take any specific photos for it, but I hope I have used images that conveyed my message clearly. Perhaps someone out there can explain to me WHAT MY VISION IS? Or is it that I just have not found it yet?

Til next time, happy snapping……….

-Julz