Genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration

Practice!!

With the advent of digital photography there is absolutely no excuse not to practice. One of the initial reasons I switched to digital is because it allowed me to take as many photos as I wanted and not have to go to the expense of printing them. I love photography but I am cheap and lack financial resources so a digital camera was the solution. My first camera was Vivcam10 which takes 640X480 photos.

The Vivicam is so basic that most peoples pocket digitals are able to take higher resolution shots than the Vivicam. However, the Vivicam’s simplicity was a blessing for me. It forced me to develop my eye since the camera couldn’t do anything for me.

So Shoot. Shoot. Shoot. Sometimes a good shot will come as a result of skill sometimes it will be a sheer luck. There is always that one percent of inspiration that in the case of photographers is sometimes more luck than inspiration. But that inspiration/luck moment doesn’t happen unless you practice.

Practicing increases your odds. Odds are that you will have more good shots if you take more shots.

If you are shooting film and need to save money or resources try to pick one subject per roll and concentrate on a more detailed photographic shoot. Concentrating on one subject at a time is one of the best ways to improve your photography even if you are shooting digital.

I have often thought that if photography were difficult in the true sense of the term-meaning that the creation of a simple photograph would entail as much time and effort as the production of a good watercolor or etching-there would be a vast improvement in total output. The sheer ease with which we can produce a superficial image often leads to creative disaster.

Ansel Adams

Carry Your Camera

Hand in hand with practice is keeping your camera with you at all times.

If you have your camera with you, you increase your chances of getting an unusual or a once-in-a-lifetime shot.

I have a fascination with cemeteries so I frequent them. If I had not had my camera while visiting this cemetery the opportunity to get a shot of a cat yowling next to a decrepit tombstone would have been missed.

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