Snowfall

Last night as I lay in bed I watched the snow coming down, our first real snowfall of the season. To me there is nothing more peaceful than a snowfall. My thoughts immediately turned to the photo you see here. I took this back in the winter of 2006, while my wife and I were on holiday in the Canadian Rockies. I had gone out by myself for a short hike. Traipsing through two feet of snow I came upon this scene. The thing I remember most of this occasion was the complete and utter silence. No sound from a nearby road or highway, no people, no airplanes, just total silence. It was so quiet it was as if you could hear the snow falling. Of course I couldn't, but the complete silence made it easy to imagine that I could hear each and every snowflake coming to rest on an ever deepening blanket of snow. It occurred to me how rare it is these days to find total silence, even when out in nature. It is becoming increasingly difficult to escape the sights and sounds of man. After I took this photo I set down my camera pack and tripod and laid down in the snow for several minutes, staring up at the sky. It was a peacefulness I had never experienced, before or since. I wanted to stay there for hours, reveling in the beauty if it all. To me the photo itself is nothing special, but the memory surrounding it is priceless.

Since I have become a serious photographer instances such as this are rare. One of the downsides of being a nature photographer is how it has changed the way I relate to nature. It used to be that when I came upon a beautiful scene I would relax for a while and take it all in. No more. Now it is all about how to best capture that scene in a photograph. I go to work in essence. I see the scene but I don't really experience it, not in the way it should be experienced. The process of making a beautiful photograph has trumped the quiet appreciation of nature. Don't get me wrong, I very much enjoy the photographic process. The excitement I feel when I happen upon a scene with a lot of potential is what I enjoy most about landscape photography. But I miss the ability to simply enjoy the scene for what it is, that quiet contemplation of nature. I am not alone in this, other nature photographers I have talked to or read about have lamented the loss of this simple communion with nature. The solution seems obvious, just leave the camera behind every now and then. But that is much easier said than done, for I can imagine no greater frustration than witnessing a beautiful scene and being unable to capture it. Perhaps someday I will be able to do just that, when I have tens of thousands of images under my belt. But for now I will continue to shoot, all the while trying to remember to take the time and remember that nature is first and foremost the reason why I love landscape photography.

Undergarments

Note: My friend Brian recently asked the readers of his blog bgfay750.blogspot.com to write about what they know (a talent, interest, passion, etc.) and describe what that passion has taught them about themselves. I thought my response would make for a good blog post, if for no other reason than it's already written. I'm all about maximum mileage for minimal effort.

Right about the time I was completing graduate school I discovered my true passion: women's undergarments. And landscape photography. After 8+ years in the corporate world I decided it was time to pursue my dream of making landscape photography my full time career. If I didn't make a go of it I knew I would forever regret it. Six years later that ultimate goal has yet to be achieved, though I am inching (and I do mean inching) ever closer to it. However, I've come to realize that 2/3 to 3/4 of my professional life is spent on photography, and in that sense my goal has already been reached. I'm sending the majority of my time doing what I love.

So what has this taught me about myself? Good question. Most of all I've learned that I have an artistic side, something I had no idea of growing up, having come from a not very artistic family. I've also learned that I don't live nearly as conservatively as I once thought. I've taken one or two big risks to get where I am. I've sacrificed security for freedom, a choice I'd make again, without hesitation. Finally, I've come to learn that we largely make our own luck. Hard work and good decisions will pay off. Trite perhaps, but true. And lastly, I have learned that pursuing my passion for women's undergarments would have been far more lucrative.

Thoughts on Social Media

I am sitting here drinking my egg nog (sans whiskey, though that might help my writing) and thinking about this whole social media phenomenon. I have been involved with marketing my photography through social media for almost two years, and I must admit to a growing sense of frustration with it. The conventional wisdom these days is that social media is a must have marketing tool for any business venture, large and small. My use of social media has primarily been with Facebook, Flickr, and to a much lesser degree Twitter. Early last year I developed a business Facebook page for my photography, and after eighteen months and a not inconsequential amount of money spent on advertising (you're welcome, Zuckerberg) I have amassed almost 2,500 fans. But what impact has this had on my bottom line? If the idea of social media is to advance our business and make money, shouldn't that be the ultimate criterion by which it is judged? If that is the case then Facebook has been a complete failure for me. Sure, I very much value my fans comments on my work and in that respect it has been helpful. When trying to decide which images to include in an exhibit or art fair I look to see which of them received the most comments. But from a purely bottom line standpoint it has done little for me. I have no doubt many other types of businesses have benefited greatly from Facebook. I'm just doubtful that landscape photography is among them. Adding to the frustration is that fan participation on my page has been on the decline for months now. Despite having more fans than ever the number that comment on my photos has been less and less, despite efforts to keep them involved. I am no longer the flavor of the month it would seem.

My experience with Flickr has been something different. At the behest of a friend I signed up for a Flickr account and started uploading photos. This will be good exposure, I thought. After a few months of this I began to question what good this was doing me. You see, the feedback on Flickr is always positive, never critical. "Brilliant!" is a common post. It has reached the point where I think I could post a pic of toenail clippings arranged somewhat artistically (however that would be done I have no idea) and I would get the usual positive response. Brilliant! Fantastic! My real problem with Flickr is that in order to get comments you have to give them, to the point where I feel it becomes an obligation. Leaving comments solely to receive them in return. In essence a popularity contest. What's the point of this? Ego gratification? I admit to a certain amount of wanting that ego stroke, both on Flickr and Facebook. Artists I believe are all very insecure underneath. The main benefit I have seen with Flickr is the ability to look at many other photographers work and learn from it. Beyond that it has provided nothing. But at least it's free.

I ask myself what a true professional landscape photographer would do (WWATPPD). I know for a fact they do not deal with Flickr. I currently no longer post to Flickr, though I do lurk. One of the best ways to advance your art and gain inspiration is to look at other photographers work. Professional photographers do utilize Facebook however, and I am curious to know what their experience has been. Am I just doing it wrong? Maybe I'm just not that good? Perish the thought! Perhaps I'm just not savvy enough. That is entirely possible, and likely. But I'm not giving up on social media. I will continue to tweak my strategy, hoping for that breakthrough that will skyrocket me to fame and riches. I mean really, is that too much to ask?