I was reading The Essence of Photography by Bruce Barnbaum, and stumbled across this quote that made me chuckle and realize that I have sometimes been guilty of using my camera “like a machine gun.”
“…today’s digital shooters seem to use the camera like a machine gun, reeling off a virtual movie roll of images and searching for the best frame at a later date, assuming that in the midst of all that manure, there’s got to be a pony somewhere.” — Bruce Barnbaum, The Essence of Photography
Barnbaum was talking about what he calls “Photographic Rhythm.” He believes that each photographer has his or her own rhythm and process. Some photographers need time to explore and get to know an area or a subject before picking up their camera and making images. Others are more spontaneous, seeing and responding quickly.
It takes time to understand what your own photographic rhythm is. When I’m working on flower photography I take lots of bad pictures before I finally find my way into seeing and photographing the essence of the flower. It seems to be a necessary part of my process.
But I wonder if I would need to take so many bad photos if I took more time up front looking and studying the flower without the camera glued in front of my eye. It’s worth exploring further, next time I make flower photos.
Noticing how I work and exploring new ways to work may help me become a better photographer.
“Life is a conversation with yourself. And who are you if not the eternal presence behind everything that is, was, and will be? Like this, the blow of each breeze and the beauty of each sunset can teach you about yourself, if you listen. If you hear.”
― Vironika Tugaleva
The maxim, “Know thyself,” applies to photography and all aspects of life.
The next time you go out to make photographs (or whatever your creative work is) do what you naturally would do, but just notice how you approach your work.
Do you take time to explore without your camera or do you quickly scan the area and see your composition?
Do you carefully compose your shot or do you quickly shoot a series of images, looking at what you shot and adjusting your composition as you go?
What draws your eye? Is it the light or the shapes or the relationships? Is it the shadows or the lines or the curves? Is it the color or the feeling or the subject?
We each are drawn to different aspects of what we see.
There is no one right way
You have to find your own rhythm. Noticing and becoming aware of your rhythms lets you explore, understand, and learn.
What’s your rhythm? Can you just notice how you work without changing anything? Can you explore a different rhythm and notice how that feels to you?
May you walk in beauty.
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