Resolve

Any photographer or artist who is serious about his craft is trying to get his art to "say" something. This is important if you wish to be able to deliver something beyond the simply novel. But to get the "chops" to be able to do this, you have to have technique.  This only comes with perspiration and effort.

 So to make that leap throwing your efforts at everything effectively throws your efforts at nothing. I'll explain. If you are working on shooting sunsets today and contemplating foreground importance vs mid and background. Then the next time you shoot your working at the zoo with monkeys in a cage, then the following time your doing a product shoot. Can you see the quandary. Its true especially when you start. and your so excited you want to practice everything and that I think is good.  But at some point you have to decide what you are focused on and somewhat more importantly what you are not.

 Cleaving away the sporadic growth will allow you to better see what is successful and what is not working and needs improvement.  So that decision to focus that  RESOLVE is what we are talking about.

 Beginnings are good times to really think big.  Because a period has ended. So you can asses what you have done and what you are happy and unsatisfied with. You have yet to prioritize the road ahead you can figure out the scope and the traps and detours that have yet to be encountered. I post this in January so its easy to see how this is such a time. People are working on 52 Week challenges, 365 challenges all sorts of foci that will help them improve their craft.  Its important to think about the duration as having a direct correlation to its difficulty.

 You want something that is going to grow you, but not be so easy that that you will easily grow bored. On the other hand not so audacious that you close your eyes and forget about it.  So that means you need to think about it a bit. Make some mid way goals so you can properly judge if you are meeting your aspirations or falling behind. It should be something important  so  that upon arrival at the end there will be a source of pride and accomplishment.  The prospect of failure should be a real and palpable portion of the work as it will keep you on track.

 Success should only be guaranteed by your struggle not by luck so pick and pick well. This year I am taking a deeper looking at family and the ties between us and what makes us work. Not families in general... " My family". To capture the key figures not just as the people they want to be.. But who they are. The laughter, the sadness and most importantly the humanity. I was listening to Ann Leibovitz describe how taking many photos of her families helped her portraits in general. I hope you can find something you want to hold onto with your resolve no matter the duration or depth.

 What do you want to feel good about?

On a side note, there is always a tone that is set in these journalistic blogs of this "importance". Why? ha ha... its like the man said...." This ain't no bank robbery"