Just a Moment

Photographic inspiration is a funny thing.

A few mornings ago I woke up early and just drove.  Why?  Not sure really but I was awake and my head was overly busy so I grabbed my camera and drove.  Doing this in the African bush is of course the ultimate in photographic self indulgence but for the last two weeks I have been in the city so was not expecting to find anything much bigger then the guy selling the Sunday morning paper on the corner.

Now perhaps it was because I was pretty damn tired after the workshop we presented the day before, and all the planning leading up to the event, but I had no preconceived ideas of what I was going to photograph.  I simply drove around town and stopped whenever something grabbed my attention.  Colors, lines, light.  Whatever.

Without thinking I got a couple of great shots of subjects and scenes I don’t normally shoot.  It’s not that I do not have access to it, I just never, well almost never, take my camera and take the shot.  Do you

This is the type of subjects I normally get to shoot.

I think there is just so much more that people miss out on.  Sure, there is no denying that wildlife photography is an absolute pleasure and privilege but you can learn so much more by opening your photographic eyes up to the world around you.

Often people say that ‘but I don’t have anything to photograph’.  Not a good excuse!  There are photographic opportunities everywhere and you don’t have to go to far out of your way to find them.

I have just recently gone through my archives while backing up all my work and found a lot of images, some going back many years, that was shot for no other reason than it was a great visual moment.  Nothing serious.  Nothing planned.  Just a moment.

Keep your eyes open and carry your camera with you.  Not only will you get better at capturing the moments that make life worth living but you will also, without even trying, become a better photographer.  The rules stay the same, only the playing field changes.

That all being said, I still love photographing wildlife and the natural places left in the world.

Tomorrow, being Thursday, make sure to join Tom Hadley on Photo-Africa as he writes Two Leopards and One Tiny Snail.  I met Tom through Twitter and after seeing his work just had to invite him to do a guest post on Photo-Africa.  Make sure to check out his post tomorrow.  Leopards we have seen on the site before.  Snow Leopards and Amur Leopards… that’s new!

After two weeks in the city which included hosting a great Photo-Africa workshop with Kerry de Bruyn, some very exciting meetings and a few portrait shoots I will be heading back to Madikwe tomorrow.  Back to wildlife and nature so a lot of new wildlife images coming up from next week.

As soon as I have settled in I will also give some feedback on workshops and safaris including feedback and future dates.  Lots of exciting stuff coming up!  Anybody keen to join Photo-Africa on a Kenyan safari in 2011?   Or perhaps workshops in the wine-lands later this year? Watch this space!

Make sure to pop in for Tom’s post tomorrow and I will see you again on Friday!

Bye 4 now and remember to look for the moments!

Gerry