Thursday, February 18, 2010

Rethinking a Confession

The Art Journal page above is based on this photograph.
Click on the following link to see my "I Confess" slide show:
http://good-times.webshots.com/slideshow/557105257rVcjAF

Shimelle offered a free class once called "I Confess," and I really enjoyed making the minialbum in the slide show above. One of my confessions is that "I Want to be a Sports Photographer." You can click on the page when it comes by to pause the slide show and read the journaling. I've been rethinking that confession as I've been thinking more about photography and working to improve my photography skills.  I have always thought of myself as an art photographer, and I blogged here about how I use my photography in my art (a new example is above), and I posted one of my favorite art photographs here. And now I do think of myself as a sports photographer.  I love taking action shots and sports portraits for the reasons I journaled about in my confession, and I do it often.  But recently, things have changed. I've been rethinking family photography. I think I want to change my confession.  My new confession is that I want to become a family portrait photographer.  You see, although I take thousands of pictures of my family and friends to scrapbook, I have never really thought about applying my photography skills to making really beautiful family photographs.  My snow pictures, here and here, have proven to me that I can.  I'll still do art photography, and I'll still do sports photography, but I really want to add family photography to my resume as well.

What do you think? What sort of a photographer do you see yourself as?  Has this changed over time?  Any other confessions you want to share?

12 comments:

Amy said...

I see myself as a personality photographer - well, I'd like to be and that is what I'm aiming for. I'm not the line up and say cheese type. I like to capture relationships between people and I like in the moment shots. I'm not fussed with photos that look like we are perfect, becuase we are not and I like that element to our personalities.

helena said...

Another good question. i think I've always been a journalist with a camera - recording the event in all its details, including the odd shots like feet and what we eat and odd signs.

Margi said...

I'm not much of a photographer at all, point and shoot and hope for the best LOL Your journal is amazing BTW!

Heather said...

I would love to own a digi camera but even with my lil pink fuji I love to get the candid/quirky shots rather than insisting on a smile from the subject!!

scrappyjacky said...

I'd like to be any sort of photographer....which I'm clearly not!!

Sian said...

I love the way you always give me food for thought Rinda! You certainly do take beautiful photos, so inspiring. I would love to be able to do that. But I am practising :) Another excellent post.

Deb @ PaperTurtle said...

My photography style has definitely changed - or rather, developed! Creating and following blogs has helped. I love seeing how other people angle pictures and have learned a lot from people whose photos I admire, including you, Rinda.

Elizabeth said...

You really take wonderful photographs, and manage to make the personality of those being photographed come alive. I take bad photos and they just sit on the page.

debs14 said...

You seem to be a talented photographer in many different situations. I can't imagine you tying yourself down to only one type of photography.
Keep inspiring us with a variety of style!

humel said...

Really interesting post :-) love your confessions, I must get on with mine! I'm still at the collecting ideas stage!

Me? I'm a developing photographer (I hope...); a places and moments photographer; a close-up photographer; a scrapbooking photographer (in that often I know what layout I'll be making before taking the shot rather than making the pages from the pics I've got!); a learn-from-others-as-much-as-possible photographer; a got-a-few-lucky-shots photographer! As for other confessions, watch this space ;-)

Anonymous said...

You always ask the best questions that make me think about things in a new way. I guess I don't see myself as a photographer in any specific genre. In any photographic situation, still life, every day life, portrait, family activities . . . I'm just looking for a great shot: good exposure, interesting composition, sharp focus. It doesn't happen often enough, but I'm certainly pleased when it does. And like many others, some of the less technically correct photos remain my favorites because of the subject.

The Scrappy Tree said...

I love your page :) I am just a terrible photographer LOL but I love checking out everybody's blogs, there are some truly wonderful photographers out there