Making Changes - Shaking Things Up
As artists we should always be looking for fresh new ideas and ways of creating our art differently and expressing ourselves. Some people like to go drastic with the changes and completely re-invent the wheel others like to make minor tweaks, that’s more my speed. Creating the same thing over and over could become quite boring and cause us, as well as others to lose interest in our creations.
I myself have recently decided to take this advice and apply it to my own work and methods. I was out on a shoot a few weeks ago and usually I rush home after I have been out shooting and load my images from the day’s adventure onto my computer and get right down to editing. Well this time I did indeed load them onto my computer and briefly looked though them to see what I had captured and then I decided to shut my computer down. I figured I would let them sit for a bit and walk away instead of jumping right into the post production process. I wanted to let the images set into my brain and think about them and the shoot. I wanted to think carefully about how to approach the images and edits. I sat on the images for a week or so and finally decided to sit down at my computer and begin working on them.
As I began to edit I decided I wanted to try on a new look for my work nothing major, just to create a bit of a different look and feel to the images. Try to pull the viewer into the images a bit more, engage them a bit more and make them really think and want to be taken to these beautifully decrepit places which I photograph. I want the viewer to create THEIR own story in their heads from what they see in the work. After all it is our job as artists to pull the viewer in and make them part of the art, to engage and peak their interest. If you can capture your audience in that manner, I would say you are doing pretty well.
I would urge and encourage you and artists alike to try something different. Break out of your comfort zone, and break all the rules. You may be pleasantly surprised with the outcome and even pick up a few new admirers in the process. The reward could very well be worth the risk.