THE ART WITHIN
Someone once asked me why I take so many photographs. I guess it was at a wildlife show in Maryland, but am not sure. It's sorta like what I do! And no, I don't throw them up on the wall and see what sticks. There was once a very famous wildlife photographer, not me certainly, that made a renowned living of taking too many photos. This was back before digital....you know when the wagons were going across the country exploring the west. And yes, I do feel that old at times.
Back when we bought film [around $8 a roll], had it developed [about $8 a roll], kept only the one image out of 36 if we were lucky [good], and then looked for someone to buy that single image. It was tough to get a decent business going.
I'll answer that original question in a minute, but when asked what it takes to be a great photographer I had this to say. "You need money, no family, and the best equipment that money can buy, travel constantly....then to get just the right photo.....You gotta be there"
And that's how you make a great image.
Selling it is a whole nother herd of cats.
Anyway, that famous wildlife photographer [sorry but I can't remember his name, so much for fame] would find, let's say, a moose in the wild. He would set up his assistants [5 or 6] in a semi-circle around the hapless animal and they would burn hundreds of rolls of film. This did a couple of things. First it pretty much insured getting a saleable image. Second, at that time we had to actually send the slide off to the magazine or book for approval. Hence, that image would be out of circulation for up to two months. Nobody else could see it. But this guy had hundreds and could send almost the same image off to hundreds of buyers. He got published a lot, made a bunch of money, gained a potload of fame, but it cost him a boat load of cash.
Notice, nowhere up there did I mention "Art" or the artist's "Eye" Well, it doesn't hurt to have a good eye and to know what does or can put together a decent image. Like I have said, I shoot some pretty unattractive views. But in so doing, I get to see just what is "In" the image.
This is the Congaree River. The light stinks. Everything is brown. Water is reflecting. Ugh!
But!
Well, that's a whole nuther kettle of fish!
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