Is photography lonely?

Following up on this week's newsletter, in this video I discuss loneliness when taking photos. Also, a few images I made on that beautiful snowy day.

POV photography in the snow at Notre Dame

Rachel and I visited the Notre Dame campus on a beautiful and snowy morning. I made some images and recorded a POV video.

Photographing the unseen in St Joseph, Michigan

This is the video of the day trip to Michigan I talked about in last week's newsletter. I went there trying to capture the cold, and there's no better place to do so around here than Lake Michigan.

Don't fight your gear

It breaks my heart to see other photographers fighting their gear. Every second they spend adjusting the camera settings to get the perfect exposure, is a second they are not paying attention.

I'm a huge fan of automatic modes (I use either Program or Aperture). I use autofocus, and I don't even know what I have the custom buttons set up to do.

My camera does a pretty good job most of the time, and when it doesn't, it's easy to correct in post.

This gives me the freedom to focus on what really matters: making the image.

Let your camera do its thing, and focus on doing your part. Spend less time changing the settings, and more time moving around.

It was just perfect

There's a light down the road. I pass by it almost every day, and most times I'll snap a picture of two. I've seen it in all conditions: sunny and clear, stormy and rainy, white and snowy. I thought I'd seen all this place had to offer... until a couple of days ago. It felt like I'd just walked into a movie. It didn't look real. It was so beautiful... just perfect.

Photography makes you feel alive

This is the video of the snowstorm I was talking about a few days ago. I hope I was able to communicate how excited I was of being out there making images, and I hope that encourages you to do the same.

I also got to make a bunch of images, shown at the end of the video.

Miserable... and alive

Beautiful day today. pic.twitter.com/Dd0H1ivSzM

— adrian (@aows) February 5, 2021

We got yet another snowstorm. While the other ones had come overnight, this one happened during the day so I had the chance to go out and photograph it.

It was brief but very intense, a mix of heavy snow and sleet, and some strong winds. You wouldn't be blamed for calling those conditions miserable.

Yet somehow, I loved it and felt sad when it was over. For over an hour, I got soaked, I was cold, my cameras were taking a beating... all of that made me feel so alive.

That's what photography is for me. A tool of discovery, to experience moments that I would otherwise avoid in exchange for some comfort.

That's why we photograph.

How to use snow to make better images

With all the snow we're getting here lately, I thought it'd be useful to make a video sharing some of the techniques, tricks, tips... whatever you want to call them, I use when I shoot in the snow.

A day in the snow

We got some more snow, so I went for a walk around town trying to make the most of it.

The images that exist now

A couple of days ago, I talked about the images that don't exist yet, and how I usually get excited about the images that I'm about to make. I also talked about the snow we were going to get that day, and in this video, you can see the result. You can see the images that didn't exist, that do now.

It's time to wonder about the next ones.

The images that don't exist yet

I'm keeping an eye on the weather forecast as I write this. Tonight, we are expecting a snowstorm that is supposed to bring a few inches of fresh snow. That's my hope, at least. I'll be ready to drive somewhere else if I don't wake up to a winter wonderland tomorrow.

It's on days like these, with the anticipation of what's to come, that sometimes I wonder about the images I'll have a chance to create tomorrow. Images of scenes that don't exist yet. Fleeting moments that will present themselves only for a brief moment in time, and that we photographers have the privilege to capture forever.

Isn't photography just great?

iPad only for photography and video work, 6 months later

For the last 6 months, I've been using nothing else but an iPad as my only computer to do all my photography and video work. The experience has been great so far, but there are some significant downsides you should be aware of, should you try to do the same.

On Failure

You can't fail when you go out to take some photos. You only fail when you don't.

Someone messaged me recently about their adventures in the fog: they tried once but failed; the second time was a success. I saw the work they created and it is indeed beautiful.

Those images weren't made on the second day, though. By exploring a location first¹, we know what to expect and where to go to make the most of the conditions.

Most times, we will come back empty-handed. We need to learn to fail and embrace it as part of the process. If we don't, we'll eventually stop trying.

The key to making good images is perseverance, and realizing that we will fail many times before we can succeed.

¹ This is not scouting: scouting implies you are exploring an area for future photoshoots. I prefer to explore with my camera in hand and try to make images right away. It makes it easier for me to see the potential of a location. Always carry a camera with you.

From the balcony

This image is a perfect example of what I talked about in "Images only you can make".

I made it from the balcony, on a beautifully white morning. This scene would have never worked if it wasn't for the snow: there's water, aquatic plants, cement, grass and so many other elements - too busy. But this morning, all of that had been erased by the snow.

There it stood the pier, alone. Something belonging to a very different, remote time. Almost out of place.

You don't have to go to faraway lands to find beauty. Just don't forget to look for it.

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You gotta love it

Often, I lose track of time when I'm taking photographs. That's usually not a problem, but when temperatures are well below freezing like a couple of days ago, one can face some consequences.

I was so focused on making images that I "forgot" how cold it was. Of course, I was aware of it: the pain in my face was a constant reminder of the hostile environment.

When I grabbed my video camera and tried to talk to it, I could barely move my jaw. A couple of hours outside had numbed the muscles in my face. They were so cold that I almost couldn't talk.

I can't think of any other thing I'd be doing in weather like that, for that long, that isn't photography. In fact, I can't wait to do it again.

I love it.

I had to get out...

Some days are special, those days we can't miss out on. I've talked about that here on the blog and in the newsletter.

Yesterday, I had a chance to put the theory to the test. It was supposed to be a busy day at home, but the snow waits for no one. The conditions were perfect for photography, so I had to put everything off.

It was worth it.

Not as good (or as bad) as you think

When we make a good image, we might think we are getting better at this: "I'm a great photographer", we tell ourselves.

When the best image we can come up with isn't any good, we think this is not for us: "I'm a terrible photographer", we convince ourselves.

We are neither that good nor that bad. The truth is always somewhere in between.

We outdoor photographers are at the mercy of the location, the conditions, and the light. Making a good image is easy if we are at the right place at the right moment. If we have nothing going for us, even the most talented photographer might have not been able to create a decent image.

Since most of the time we can't predict what the outside world is going to do, our best chance is to get out as often as we can and try to do our best. Let's use this as a measurement of success instead of "good" vs "bad" images.

Don't miss out on the good days

I believe that every day is filled with possibilities. That's why I try to make images every single day, no matter where I am or what I am doing. But, not all days are created equal.

I'd been struggling for a few days to create new images. The weather wasn't helping: it was freezing cold, but no rain, no snow, no nothing. Being outside for more than half an hour became an act of bravery, and the rewards were too low.

Patience usually pays off. Yesterday was one of those days that come only every once in a while. It snowed overnight, so we woke up to a winter wonderland. Not only that, but the temperature was actually pleasant (28F / -2C, which at this point in winter is actually pretty warm), no wind, no rain, no snow, and a little bit of mist. Absolutely perfect conditions for photography.

Not too long ago, I'd dwell on where to go to take advantage of this gift. Instead of wasting time on Google Maps trying to find the perfect spot, I just grabbed my camera and headed out. I spent 5 hours in the snow, feeling like a little kid who was playing with the white powder for the first time. And I think I made some beautiful images -just walking around the neighborhood.

The place I spent the most time at was, perhaps not surprisingly, the local golf course. The snow worked as a beautiful white blanket on top of the carefully crafted landscapes, with its rolling hills, little ponds and intentionally spaced trees. So much potential in such a mundane place.

Yes, I do believe in everyday photography - there's always something to be found out there, any day. But some days are special. Those, you can't really miss out on.

Images only you can make

After traveling across the country for the last 3 months, and seeing some of the most beautiful landscapes the US has to offer, one could think my photography would suffer by being back in Indiana.

Actually, it's quite the opposite! I'm very excited to be back, as I believe that the images we make in "ordinary" places can be more rewarding and, in many cases, better than the ones made in exotic spots. At least, they are very unique.

As opposed to a national park, photography here is hard. Images aren't obvious, you have to hunt them, and that can take a lot of effort and time. That's what makes them so rewarding, when we finally find them.

In this video, I try to prove this point by showing you some of the images I've made over the years near "home", wherever that was at the time. I'm lucky to have called home very different and beautiful places, all of them with their distinctives landscapes and beauty.

I hope this inspires you to get out wherever you might be at the moment, wherever you might live, and capture that that makes the place unique. What looks ordinary and boring for you can be new and exciting for someone else.

The long way back home

This is the last video from the road trip. It documents the long drive back home, after 3 months on the road. Hairball was kind of falling apart, so that made the trip a bit... interesting. I hope you enjoy it.