Streets of Philadelphia … A Visual Diary … Page 26 … Street … Finding Direction … Fuji X100s

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Did you ever notice that if you look at a map, you have your starting point and your ending point? Yes, shooter how you gonna screw this up? Good question and I’m a gonna tell ya right now. The points in between the start and finish are the most important points. They are the anchor points and they give us a fixed idea of what the journey is about. We all start the journey of life different, but we all end up the same. The beauty is not in the destination but in the journey itself. That means to be in the here and now.

Points along the way

So we know that the map of our photography has a start point and hopefully a destination and that we reach that destination in good health. But if the journey is more important than the destination, what about the journey? Well, I see it like this. During our travels thru a life with photography, certain milestones or markers make themselves evident. These are points of inspiration or interest that we are drawn to. We see these being borne in our photos.

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Here’re a few points that I have in my photography.

Icons, Shadows, Reflecting, Walk/Drive by Shootings, Light/Shadows, Dreamcatcher, Public Transportation, Human Condition, Isolation, Juxtaposition. Now of course any and all are sometimes working together. The point is, I have a set of guidelines that help me work. You could call these series. I certainly have spent my life so far tinkering with all of these. Why is this important and most important to recognize?

Well, we have enough bullshit distractions going on that we need a lifeline to hold us into the light. You can do as you damn well please but I’d bet there isn’t one photographer from all of time and won’t be for all of time that doesn’t do this. The issue is to be aware of the fact that you are doing it. This doesn’t guarantee you anything but peace of mind especially when you are lost with what you’re doing. We all get lost, tired of the same stuff, bored…but WHALLA!

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If you take thetime to discover what you are doing naturally without realizing you are doing it and make an effort to discover the points in your photographic journey, you will never be bored again. You have a system of working. Looks, it ain’t playtime out there. If you are a camera player and that’s what you do, leave my blog and never come back. The serious readers and shooters here have no time for that shit. They are busy getting shit from me but at least, I have an idea of what I’m talking about.

So, next time you have some time, go into your catalog and especially the processed and published photos. Then look for similar thoughts, feelings whatever. Group them together. Be a hard ass with yourself. This is your life! Respect it, honor it and get it together. Then when the galleries and museums start to call and want an exhibition from you, your organized and dammit…….

grab your camera, open your eyes, smell the exhaust, get your butt out there, your a Street Shooter, is there anything better………..

9 thoughts on “Streets of Philadelphia … A Visual Diary … Page 26 … Street … Finding Direction … Fuji X100s”

  1. Lots of ideas from this post 😉

    – I have some “photography points” similar tou you, but I didn’t realize they are photography points.

    – i am now after the transition from one photography genre to another. Specidically, I loved so called “new topographics” sirection, which I find know VERY boring. I am now doing street / social documetary and having a lot of fun (yes it goes along with M mode, auto iso, not worrying about technical aspects so much, and awekening…)

    – i always wished to have real exhibition, but after my transition from genre to genre, I am a newcomer to the party of the new direction…

    And thanks for opening my eyes…

    P.

    1. Pavel, you seem to like to stick labels on your butt. I think it’s due time for photographers to just do photography. Of course we all like certain Genre’s but maybe the best way to work is to just enjoy breathing and making photos without actually thinking about what Genre’ they are in. That will be self-evident when you learn yourself from your work.

      For me, that’s the 2 things I must do. Breathe and make photos. I would cease to exist without either.

      1. No, I would not put it this way. What I was saying in that comment wasn’t about labeling, but about finding direction as the title of your post is saying. Lot of stuff is “lost in translation”, because I have to explain things in no native language… which helps me on the other side thought. So understand it, that I was was trying to explain you things….

  2. …but I know what you talked about. About intuitive way of shooting (as you say “breathe and shoot”). Yes, I know. I was doing everything, but not intuitive. But during past month I think i proceeded a bit.

    1. Pavel, most things in life are intuitive except dying and taking the trash out. We just need to awaken our inner selves and things start to become intuitive. Like now, it’s an intuitive time for me to sip coffee.
      later my friend….

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