Winning

‘Winning’. The word is simple in meaning, but often more complex to define what actually constitutes a win. It has become a popular catch phrase of late because of its frequent use by a popular celebrity. While I wont use this blog to explain the many beneficial uses of acquiring ‘tigers blood’, winning as it pertains to photography is not so easily defined.

From my point of view, I register a win each time I am lucky enough to get out into the field with my cameras and photograph. Many times, I may head out into the field and encounter circumstances such as poor weather, or poor lighting that may prevent me from actually capturing any images at all. Though I am grateful to be spending time out in the field regardless of the underlying circumstances, there are times when I may return from a shoot feeling at a loss or unsatisfied with my results. Even when all the stars align, human error may prevent a photographer from successfully capturing an image. For a photographer, using your vision to execute successful photographs can be challenging and difficult but also very rewarding when it all comes together for you in the field.

Many of the photographers I greatly admire often state that capturing only a handful of images each year that portrays their vision constitutes a success. While I tend to agree with this line of thinking, I find there are some landscape photographers who are able to spend a short amount of time in the field and return with more than just a handful of portfolio worthy images. Those photographers may of course feel their efforts and results were all in vain.

When attempting to ‘win’ at landscape photography, perspective may be the most important trait. Each time I venture off into the field, it important to value that time to hone my skills, improve my craft and hopefully capture some compelling imagery. As the old saying goes, ‘a bad day in the mountains is better than a good day at the office’.