So what are you working on?

[texxter]

Each of us is at a different point in our journey as photographers - there is no "arrival", only journey, and I think that's what makes it challenging and worthwhile. This journey is not just becoming technically proficient with the gear, critical as it may be to have control over the final outcome, but more importantly, it's a journey of finding what we want to say with pictures, and being able to say it with a unique voice.

So where I am in my journey?

From a business point of view I have a good opportunity to continue to grow my stock library and paying my equipment bills with them. I am really happy that I get to shoot pretty much what I want, when I want, and many of these images have commercial value. Dont hope or desire to make a living exclusively with the camera.

From an artistic point of view, I've got lots of room for improvement - would like to see more creativity, more original, unique images, and more willingness to take risks, including the failures that come with them. I also would like to add more meaning to my images so that they are not just "surface clean" but also have something a bit deeper to say. Some of those images come from my travel photography, and I am looking forward to my Dec trip to North Africa.

From a technical point of view, I am comfortable with the equipment I use and with lighting techniques. I can't neglect this area, as technology continues to evolve, but this is not where my growth needs to be.

The areas where I am trying to improve this year are:

(1) to have more story telling content in my pictures;
(2) to incorporate more space, so that the pictures don't have a "flat" quality. This means paying attention to three planes, a foreground, a midground and a background, and not just fore- and background; and
(3) to continue to learn to use light on location effectively, so that I can do (1) and (2).

Out of the three, I constantly struggle with (1) and (2) but I am making progress little by little.

So where are you in your journey and what do you want to improve?

[tukaniray]

I like this question and open discussion. Helps you think.

For me:
My journey in the Media field has been up and down. Back in College, I jumped out of the Aviation field and into the Media field, parents loved that.

Since then, and after my degree, I have been battling to find my place in the media community.

Business: Well, unlike Paco, I live off my computer and camera equipment. I have made a pretty good living as a Video Graphics Editor and ProVideographer for over 5 years now. But I feel my journey wants to visit the Photography side a whole lot more.
A whole different beast that I now tackle for business.

Artistically: Well, I have always tried new designs and video techniques. And for video have done many corporate events and projects to the occasional wedding and music video. I want to strive in becoming more appealing to the eye. I find I can't fully be happy unless I get that "WOW" factor. Both in photography and video, I keep trying to push that test envelope. I have had failures, but that creates some new achievements as well. Still striving to find that one style that I can use both in my video and photo ventures.

Technically: I can always learn. Everyday the technology changes, and back to the books I go. I know software, but I need to get much better at technique. I have begun learning the reason of lighting. I find that I started to really take a front seat to learning lighting since I started pushing photography in my mix. There are so many ways to light things and get results. So my technical journey lies in the light.

My Goals for this year:
- Better understanding of light
- More artistic shooting
- Getting closer to finding my style.
- Networking ... always could use networking.

-Ray-

[donlfaulkner]

More keepers. (Just beginning)