A Year of West Coast Photography: 10 Things I Learned
One Year on the West Coast, Part Five
One year ago, I moved from New York to California. I decided to undertake a photo-a-week project to document my first year on the West Coast while trying to become a better photographer and refine my style. Here are ten things I learned in the process:
I’m a nature photographer. When I started this project, I had vague ideas about San Francisco landmarks and signs of life around the city I could photograph, but I soon discovered they inspired me less than the natural world. I listened to my instincts, and soon portraits, still life compositions, and street photography took a back seat to coastlines, forests, and mountains. I found a subject I want to focus on.
Studying the conditions is critical. I started scouting locations before taking shots, and this helped immensely. This wasn’t just about finding the right places but considering the optimal conditions. I started looking at the times of sunrise and sunset, the position of the sun on the horizon and the way it tracked across the sky, the weather, and even the pattern of the tides. Understanding these elements and how they affect the scene allowed me to make better choices and produce better results.
Accidents happen. So far, I’ve had tripods tumble, memory cards corrupt, filters shatter, cameras drown, and viewfinders crack. Each incident has been painful and costly. They taught me how to minimize the risk and take better care of my equipment, but I also learned that sometimes shit just happens. Sometimes, you need to take chances for the best photographs.
I like refined elements. This may relate to my design work, but simple, bold, and graphic compositions with a clear focal point appeal more to me than highly detailed, busy images. I also like refined but vibrant color palettes. I’ve achieved these things sporadically, and there are areas I want to work on.
Visual consistency is surprisingly tricky to achieve. In designing a book to collect the best photographs I’ve taken over the past year, I found selecting which ones to include was the easy part. When I began to study which would pair well on a page, the inconsistencies became glaring. Photos often featured similar subjects, but varied depth of field and vibrancy presented a body of work far more inconsistent than I had previously appreciated.
Filters make a huge difference. I’ve studied many processing techniques and know my way around Photoshop, but there’s no substitute for getting it right in camera. Filters helped me balance the light and handle exposure. Picking the right ones and learning which filters add little value have helped but also forced me to slow down and be more considerate. I’ve taken better shots as a result.
The pros and cons of social media. I post my images on Flickr (everything), Instagram (a lot of stuff), and 500px (only the best). I try not to think about that when taking photos, though, because they’re for me. Likes are great for the ego, but it’s easy to get distracted and lose sight of why you’re taking the shots. Social media is great for inspiration and support, though, and I’ve learned that the more you engage with a community, the more you get out of it.
The subtleties of long exposures. I’m fascinated by long exposures. Photography is often about capturing a moment in time. Still, long exposures allow me to study the passing of time in a place and uncover aspects of a scene that aren’t immediately visible. The tricky part is deciding when to use the technique and how to control the effect: sometimes, I want to simplify the composition and create a sense of peace by turning water into glass. Other times, I want to hint at motion without blurring it completely.
Visualize first. It’s so tempting to walk around with the camera in front of your face, looking at everything through a lens and using that as a guide for what to shoot. Studying Ansel Adams taught me to slow down and tap into my feelings about a location. Taking the time to think, then visualizing how an image could reflect those thoughts, forces you to decide what a photograph should express before taking it. The resulting image will be more meaningful with a degree of self-expression.
I’ve only started finding my voice. One lofty goal I set was finding my voice as a photographer. I learned that my photos are about building a connection with the new place I call home and that self-expression can be very subtle. I’m moving in the right direction, but have a long way to go.
At the end of this project, I am a better photographer; not a great one, but a better one. I aim to keep improving by refining my skills and building continuity, but I also want to become a better artist, which will be more challenging.
