Wandering
I use the term “wandering” to describe a portion of my stock photography business. What I’m doing is walking through various locations, looking for photo possibilities. I shoot outdoors (city parks, amusement parks, downtown locales) and indoors (state office buildings, abandoned buildings, colleges, libraries). In addition, I carry several props with me, used for adding interest to a setup or as the subject of a photo.
I’m never in any one place for long. When finished photographing in a location, I’m off to another. I love this constant movement. I’m never bored. My eyes are constantly darting from one thing to another as I look for my next shot. I never know what I’ll find in the next thirty seconds. I’m hiking up and down hills, scooting around obstacles, dropping to my belly - all in the service of finding that perfect shot. And, as a bonus, I’m gaining a satisfying physical workout. I’m tired by the end of the shoot; a feeling I associate with a good day’s work. I love walking and taking pictures, and this combines those two passions. Of course, having all those photos in hand is not the end of the story. There's lots of work ahead. The images must be edited, which means hours spent with little physical movement, the opposite of what I did to create them.
It's interesting comparing this type of photography with what can be done in a studio. A studio allows for more exactness when setting up a shot. I can position my lights, subjects, props, and camera precisely. And there'll be more photography equipment and props to choose from. In addition, I can control what will or will not appear in my setups.
When wandering, this level of control is nearly impossible. But that can be a plus for me. I’m not burdened with thinking that I must endlessly tweak a setup before shooting, as I'd probably be doing in a studio. Wandering lets me photograph things quickly, without over-thinking how each shot's to be made. Nevertheless, I'm still working hard, trying to create quality images. And, as with any type of photography, there’s the satisfaction of knowing Photoshop is there for solving those unsolvable problems.
I’m never in any one place for long. When finished photographing in a location, I’m off to another. I love this constant movement. I’m never bored. My eyes are constantly darting from one thing to another as I look for my next shot. I never know what I’ll find in the next thirty seconds. I’m hiking up and down hills, scooting around obstacles, dropping to my belly - all in the service of finding that perfect shot. And, as a bonus, I’m gaining a satisfying physical workout. I’m tired by the end of the shoot; a feeling I associate with a good day’s work. I love walking and taking pictures, and this combines those two passions. Of course, having all those photos in hand is not the end of the story. There's lots of work ahead. The images must be edited, which means hours spent with little physical movement, the opposite of what I did to create them.
It's interesting comparing this type of photography with what can be done in a studio. A studio allows for more exactness when setting up a shot. I can position my lights, subjects, props, and camera precisely. And there'll be more photography equipment and props to choose from. In addition, I can control what will or will not appear in my setups.
When wandering, this level of control is nearly impossible. But that can be a plus for me. I’m not burdened with thinking that I must endlessly tweak a setup before shooting, as I'd probably be doing in a studio. Wandering lets me photograph things quickly, without over-thinking how each shot's to be made. Nevertheless, I'm still working hard, trying to create quality images. And, as with any type of photography, there’s the satisfaction of knowing Photoshop is there for solving those unsolvable problems.
