Midsummers day thinking

Burano, Venice
2012

It felt like I was writing one of my early posts, when I wrote this one. There weren't many of my pictures, but only the thoughts of photography that were going through my mind. I have plenty planned for this blog as I continue to upload 35mm work and discuss the difference of snap shots and real works of art. I also have a few weeks worth of my Hipstamatic 365 project to upload and justify why I haven't been keeping up with it as much as I should have done and how I have been trying to promote my blog to the industry and realising that this blog is more of a personal documentation of my photographic journey rather than a showcase of my work. This blog is a mixture of things of photographs and words that I want to share with the world and I'm grateful for all the views that I get. Thank you. 

It's usually the big things that we like to put off and sometimes that is because it may scare us. Many people have finished their exams this week or perhaps left school, or like me, finished university for the year. If we are not working, then we have a summer holiday. I remember back in the day six weeks would go on forever and the colours of these summer memories were highly saturated with echoes of laughter and pretend games in the garden with a the water sprinkler. As a got into my teenage years I realised that I didn't do those things as much anymore and I would sit around watching TV, which then moved onto sitting around at my computer all day. Looking back, it kind of feels like I wasted that time, those few summers but I wanted to relax, chill and do nothing for change.

With the 'Freshman' year over, the reality of what summer is until you are getting on sixty-five, is that you have to work. As a growing photographer, work experience is extremely important. It gives you an idea of where you want to go and what you want to achieve. I have an Industry Experience module next year which can begin at any time from now. I've been gathering my ideas and looking at possible opportunities and writing that all important CV. There is so much to do, as well as organising yourself and planning your work placement independently and that feels really grown up.

I have been on my summer holiday abroad this year already and there was definitely that sense of relaxation and freedom from life back home, but I always find that I am a home bird. There comes a time in a holiday where I am ready to get back because there are things that I need to do and people that I care about, and all that builds up as a stress and anxiety. It drizzles away once I work through each to-do but this is what life is going to be like. It is going to be busy and it's going to be full of decision-making and working through summer. I get more time off being a student than I ever did a school-student but somehow with much more work, the less time I really have off.

The future is unknown and that is probably the scary part. If you believe in yourself, you will go where you need to go. It's not always so straightforward and sometimes you will have to double-back on yourself and re-think your options but it's much better to say you have achieved something than sitting around wasting your time.

Most people have a dream, some people may have not recognised this yet but if you want something, you should go and get it. Go with that dream as far as it may take you. It won't be a waste of time.

C for Confidence, S for Success...

Confidence? What is it?

"belief in oneself and one's powers or abilities; self-confidence; self-reliance; assurance"
                                                                                             - Dictionary.com


You could say that a success is achieved with confidence. Sometimes you have those lucky breaks when things work out but that is really just do with luck. Having the confidence to do something makes you feel better. This could be to do with anything; Music, Writing, Performing, Socializing and so much more. When you have the belief you can do something that is when things turn out great. There are many tasks in life that are worth considering confidence.
I started University, six weeks ago. I am planning to spend tomorrow in the dark room with one of new friends, processing and developing film. If I hadn't had the confidence to strike up a conversation or hold it then I may not have made a friend. Though I'm a person who doesn't mind her own company I could have lost with what I was doing. If I didn't have the confidence, I wouldn't be asking for help when I needed it, because honestly developing film is no easy task.


So why am I talking about Confidence and where are the pictures to go with this post? To be honest, I don't have any to show to today but I want you to bare with me and let the words create images in your mind. I was learning about Typography earlier this week and how the communication of words can do such a thing..but that, is an entirely different story.

Confidence. That is the focus of today.

Going to University is often that stepping stone in to the real world. The industries, where your aspirations are able to take shape and really be brought to life. Like many things, Photography needs such confidence. As much as it is an Art and debatably a Science, it is also a lot to do with Social Communications.

I had to do a classic Powerpoint Presentation today that was a proposal for an assignment as part of my Digital Photography. Without going into much detail; my idea revolves around commuting. I am a commuter and any regular readers would probably know that about now from my recent posts. So this is an important subject to me but I have never really done Documentary Photography before. I have been hiding in the shadows. I have been lacking confidence. If you have seen my Flickr page  then you know about 90% of my photos are Still Life, Architecture or Landscape and Nature. I haven't really captured many people, only beginning just recently. It's not that I don't want to capture people, I just haven't got the words and the stratergy to get me there successfully yet. It's what I want to do. I want to be a Lifestyle Photographer; Family Portraits, Weddings, Couples, Children. What do I need? The Social Skills. Are they easy? No. Can I get there? Yes. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but every experience I have communicating with people I am gaining confidence, maybe even subconsciously. Everyone at some stage of their lives lack confidence, even the people most Extravert of people. Confidence is lacked and that is a sad truth. However. It is not lost. It is gained. It can be maintained.

What I found was today in my presentation session was everyone found it hard to approach the public just to have their photos taken. I don't know if this is just a British characteristic, but we are so reserved and stiff.   One guy in my class had no trouble, hats off to him but realistically as aspiring Photographers the majority of the class are finding this "Approach" the hardest. We are interested in the Primary elements; seeing interesting views, objects, people etc but putting that in to practice is hard. I was saying a few posts ago that the Photography that I am learning about is more than just Point-and-Shoot. There is so much more than I would have thought, and that is great because I'm passionate about Photography and I love it but you still have to strive for something. You have to have a clear head and be focused. Much about Photographing people is the control that you have over them. The problem is that once you point a camera on a person their expression will change. It will be forced, posed, unnatural. For some occasions that is down right perfect and it works but my Communting project I need to get these commuters to pose naturally, candidly but fake candidly because the tired, distressed look is what I need. It communicates with the viewer. That is the challenge. The fence I have to climb and not fall down on either side.

What I have been trying to say is that without having the confidence to ask for access, whether that is for location or a person then how am I going to expect to be a successful Photographer? It's not just about taking pretty pictures. It is about control and confidence. I won't be able to complete my project without it. I may have confidence in myself. But to apply it...well --


Try not and let the fear, prevent you from becoming successful, for I believe.




Want to visit my Flickr photostream with the featured photos in my blog and more then click the following link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/brown_eyed_dreamer/