From the mind of Ember

While I was in Phoenix for the Imaging USA photography convention, I went to see Anne Geddes give a speech about her photography and give all of us photographers a peak into her mind.  I took notes while I was there.  I mean, come on, when am I going to meet Anne Geddes again?

Anyway, if you don’t know who Anne Geddes is here is a link to her works http://www.annegeddes.com/Modules/Anne/Galleries/index.aspx

You’ve probably seen her photography on gift/credit cards as well as online and even in magazines.  Now that you know who she is, maybe you’ll take this knowledge that I have gathered and study it as I have quite a bit.

She mentioned some facts about the photography industry.  For example, she mentioned that Nokia is currently the most camera producing company.

She also brought what she learned in her own adventures in photography.  She showed us that change is the only certainty that we can depend on in times of fruitfulness and times of hardship.  She asks the question, How do we build a career in an ever changing world? (which I will discuss in a later post).

-Originality is a visual signature and inherent secret.

-If something is considered art, it should have caused the viewer to have some sort of emotional impact.

-Don’t be afraid to bend the rules a bit.  Only when you know the rules can you begin to break and bend them for your photography.  They’re more like guidelines anyway.

-Photograph what you love, and love what you photograph.  Don’t just do it for the money, it will begin to show in your work.  Do something you love, if only for yourself.

-Have your own style.  This refers to the originality aspect that she mentioned earlier.  Make sure you are putting your own thoughts into photographs, and don’t forget to photograph from the heart.  After all, that is why you are a photographer right?

-Find your own creativity.  What is you muse?  It may be that special flower, or a beautiful sunset.  Or maybe it’s that girl at the supermarket.  Use that muse and make it your own.    Make sure you nurture your creativity.  When you make work to order, it tends to drain your will.  If you don’t dream, you don’t have the spine necessary to let your photography stand on it’s own.

-This one is for the faint of heart when it comes to pricing.  Practice telling yourself how much money you will charge for a job.  If you aren’t comfortable with your price, you will loose confidence, and diminish the value of your artwork.

-Make sure you place your purpose first.  Why are you doing this?  The big picture is what you should be looking at here.  Make sure you never loose sight to what you do.

-There can be no courage unless you can get scared.  If you aren’t afraid of something, then you can’t gain courage to face it.  Let yourself be intimidated and afraid, just a little.  This will give you the courage to face your fears.

-Maintain control-this includes both the camera and the contract.  Don’t hand over your business to your client.

*-Working for free undermines the value of your work.  Make sure you never become casual, always be positive and always, ALWAYS ask permission before doing something.  This goes with the saying don’t assume!

Copyright- be viligant, report ANY infringement, even the small ones.  If you don’t defend your copyright, who else will?

-Become a psychologist, break the self-barrier.  Put to your subject or client that you are trustworthy.  Show them that they are in great hands.

Why do we take photographs?

-To hold a moment and to relive that moment

-To reach for the future, photographer are always aiming for the future.  Predicting that one moment before it arrives.  Think of it this way, a photographer pushes the shutter the moment before the moment he or she want’s to capture.

Digital vs. Film

-this all depends on the person pressing the shutter.  With digital there is a great lack of thoughtfulness.  This type of person should be reverted to film until they are comfortable with it then introduced to digital again.

Photoshop

-everything in today’s society has been photoshopped even a tiny bit.  She coins the phrase “it is no more a photography competition than a photo’shop’ competition”.

And the last bit of advice she gives us;

Emotion is constant!

I hope you learned a bit from this.  It is a bit scattered but it’s copied almost ver-batim from my notes when I was there.  Such a great photographer with such great insights.  Be sure to visit her website http://www.annegeddes.com/

~Jessica