D:12 What Moves You?

Two night shots in a row. Well at least I'm trying, right? Going to bed really late and then getting up really early made for an afternoon crash. Right into bed for a nap. I can't remember the last time I took a nap. How on Earth do kids not like naps?

I read a good article today from David Weintraub about success in the photography business. He feels that every photographer should write a mission statement to define what they want to accomplish with their work/business. He goes on to say that doing so may help you realize your goals quicker than going into it blindly.

That got me to thinking. What is my mission statement? What do I want to achieve with my photography? Professionally, I want to hone my craft to the point that it affords me the life I so desire. Personally, I want to create images that move people. My hope is to find a balance between the two, perhaps even bringing me balance in the process.

There are many avenues of photography that do not interest me, and many that I am not good at. I will continue to explore these avenues, pushing myself every day. I don't EVER want to get to a point where I feel ALL of my photos are excellent images. I love taking absolute crap photos now and then. It keeps me grounded. The day that I believe I take 100% perfect photos is the day that I quit.

Manual: Page 166 - Dust Ref Photo
Well apparently you can take a reference photo similar to a customer white balance photo, to aid your camera in "dusting off" photos in Nikon Capture. I'll have to play with this a little, as I'm curious if will affect Photoshop or Lightroom. So great to learn new things!

Images: Johnna Brynn - I don't know what it is, but I love really high-contrast shots. Johnna not only takes great pictures, she also is wonderful with compositions featuring a wide contrast in colors. A few shots had DOF's that make me kick myself for not having a prime 50mm. Soon.