In a rut

Do you ever think you're taking and seeing the same pictures over and over? A clown from the left, the right, in situ, etc. If you know what I'm trying to get at, any thoughts?

YES!!!!!

In my case it's turtles. I TRY to think outside the box but when I actually get in the water with the subject, I just keep taking the same shots. Of late, I've been spending a good deal of time looking at other photographers work hoping to have an "a-ha" moment, but an original idea continues to elude me.

You know! I also think it applys in a general way. A pygmy from the right ,its eyeball, my 10,000th nudi picture, sunball shot. The one thing thats excited me recently, is doing more local diving, which for me is southern california. I get a new set of critters and subjects. Just random thoughts here at work today on the treadmill of flu season

YES!!!!!

In my case it's turtles. I TRY to think outside the box but when I actually get in the water with the subject, I just keep taking the same shots. Of late, I've been spending a good deal of time looking at other photographers work hoping to have an "a-ha" moment, but an original idea continues to elude me.

Hi Karen, I can relate, we went from coz one day over to your side and we went to a place called turtle reef? Anyway on both dives we saw at least 20 turtles x 2...wow, after a while you went, oh my, another turtle. Start looking for a different respective of things. Sorry we are going to miss you but glad we met in Bonaire. Scott and Troy

You know! I also think it applys in a general way. A pygmy from the right ,its eyeball, my 10,000th nudi picture, sunball shot. The one thing thats excited me recently, is doing more local diving, which for me is southern california. I get a new set of critters and subjects. Just random thoughts here at work today on the treadmill of flu season

Sorry to hear 'bout the bout with the flu.

I have forbid myself from certain subjects. I know the emphasis for underwater photography is about "the critters", ("sea kittens") but there is so much nature in the ocean that is not critter related. It would be like all nature photography having to have a moose or raptor in it to be interesting (non specific genus of moose & raptor).

It's the same for that underwater "cover shot"... the one with the foreground fauna and the diver holding a light in mid-day at the top third of the photo. It was fun the first 30,000 times I saw it. I counted 6 of those shots in the June issue of Sport Diver.

I know we can do better. We just need to start looking at underwater images in a new way.

I think the problem is we're trying to reproduce what we've already seen. Its hard not to when you look at an image and say wow, I'd like to get one just like that. Sadly, I think I was a much more creative photographer with my P&S on my first few dives. I really concentrated on the fundamentals and when I didn't have an interesting subject, I was trying to think of new ways to photograph things. Because I only dive about 6 times a year and often only 1 dive per trip while on business, I get in a hurry to find that interesting subject when I finally make it in the water. It is like being in underwater puppy mode where I hop from subject to subject snapping away without much regard for quality or art.

You folks have entered "The Digital Zone" as I call it

We can see our results instantly, shoot bazillions of frames but not very few "see" an image and then go try and create something new........

I also think we are subconciously programmed to reproduce the underwater shots we see in magazines and on the web for kudos (ego strokes) from friends and family. To go against the grain and not have someone like it also makes us feel bad, and very few will stick to their guns and defend their photos if it isn't "normal".

I see obsessions with sharpness, color and other aspects but not really introspective little vignettes that make a viewer stop, look at an image many times over and really enjoy it.

I remember one B&W shot tightly cropped of a Hammerhead shark head. I think it was "Parting Shot" or whatever it's called in Scubadiving or Sport Diver's back page. A bit off kilter but so different from all the other shark photos it caught my eye. I think it was by Brandon Cole. Simply a marvelous photo.

The other thing is people simply won't throw away "almost good" shots or absolute crap.......I'm guilty of it and cringe when I see how many images I still have in my database. Other than family images I could likely delete 1/2 as a start. Realistically maybe 3/4. But even I can't do it sometime

So my mantra these days for my personal shooting is to go out and shoot what I call "weird" images. Whether it's in the initial creation or in post processing I'm heading off the chart as the saying goes......

Sailing into uncharted waters I think it keeps it my mind fresh and engaged. Versus being bored with image making.....

YMMV

dhaas

In the eighties I photographed Neil Sedaka. He has written many successful songs but as he put it "Whenever he performed, all they ever wanted was: Carol, I have been a fool!" I experienced this when I made the picture for a very successful sausage ad. I was in danger of becoming Britain's No1 sausage photographer. Much of the responsibilty lies with those that choose the pictures for the media. They want the same old stuff. I break my heart trying to get them to use something that's a bit left-field.

Some things I've tryed, Becoming more of a wide angle guy, Trying for the perfect over/under, going to a new part of the world, doing a workshop. Any others?

As John says when you are being paid it is usually the repeatable and "safe" images they want. So to earn a living (or part time play money) we give it to them.

For your soul many of the things vazuw mentions might work. My choice is to say "screw the rules".

Rule of thirds? Why?

OOF (out of focus) elements to make an image more mysterious? Do it!

I hate rules anyway

Throw caution to the wind and show us something different!

YMMV

dhaas

Oh John - so many jokes are possible I don't know where to begin! :-)

Cheers

James

Oh John - so many jokes are possible I don't know where to begin! :-)

 

Cheers

James

Fire away!

Well...I knew you shot some more risque stuff back in the day - but I didn't know sausages were involved! :-)

John 'Bangers 'n Mash' Bantin

Do you ever think you're taking and seeing the same pictures over and over? A clown from the left, the right, in situ, etc. If you know what I'm trying to get at, any thoughts?

Shoot wide angle except when you know it's not going to work or there is a specific macro shot or critter you want.

Yes, I find macro can get boring after a while. Sometimes I enjoy the hunt more than actually shooting the critter.

I admit to falling 6 standard deviations to the left of center on the creative/artistic distribution curve. I had an anxiety attack in kindergarten when we had to fingerpaint. I just copied the finger patterns of the kid next to me. Luckily, the teacher didn't notice.

Here's some things that helpe me along the way:

Go do some shooting on land. Do some landscape, some people on the street. Stop thinking in terms of the subject. Challenge yourself to not capture a subject, but try to convey something with your image. Maybe it's the beauty you see through the lens. Perhaps it is the interaction of people/fish and their environment. Visualize the message you want to convey and then try to capture it with your camera. The most enjoyment I found recently is wandering around with a wide angle setup trying to visualize the shot. Then I take the shot and try to see if it looks like what I thought it would. I then adjust everything I can think of and just keep shooting until I get exactly what I wanted to capture. (Sometimes I give up). It is oddly satisfying. Sometimes you end up with 80 shots; twenty shots each of four subjects.

Another technique to practice is inventorying your shot. Before you pull the trigger, mentally list everything in the frame. On land you can set your camera on a tripod and literally write it down. Try to shoot some wide angle with a very short list. If you your list goes past 3, don't take the shot. Once you are able to do it, expand the allowable number of items in your scene inventory.

There is this guy that is a very good at this. I won't mention his name, but it rhymes with bustard. He has some Cayman images that have but a few elements: a stingray, some sand, a boat, maybe a water line or sun. This images are powerful because they are uncluttered. The elements are well positioned. Each element becomes stronger because of this.

In terms of conveyance, another practice technique is to go take pictures of children at play. If you aren't arrested as a pedophile or bludgeoned by overzealous parents, you will have material to work with. Children do not hide their emotions. That is why they are easy to photograph. The image easily conveys their joy, disappointment, curiosity, etc. Now, once you are out jail, study the images and take that emotion that you were easily able to capture with children and try to capture the same thing with people. Try to capture something with the camera, other than, "this is Tom" or "this is a nudibranch".

Another fun challenge with a macro lens is to not take any pictures of full subjects. Take shots of patterns only. The edge of a vase sponge. The bristles of a fireworm. Patterns on the side of a fish. Coral detail. It should be near impossible to tell what the real life form is. You will love the images. Your friends will hate them and think you've lost your mind. They will not win any photo contests. But it is definitely more fun and rewarding than another clown shot. It will also force your mind to visualize things in a new way.

Another mental exercise to keep me focused is the calendar goal. I tell myself my goal is to produce 12-14 defining shots for the calendar containing my best work. These shots are clearly a cut above all my other work. They are as good as anything that can be produced in a lifelong pursuit. It is not about obtaining a complete inventory of every interesting life form under the surface of the ocean. It is about capturing a calendar quantity of top notch images. I've been shooting for a long time now and I still have nine months to fill.

I was in danger of becoming Britain's No1 sausage photographer.

As John says when you are being paid it is usually the repeatable and "safe" images

So these would be "safe sausage" photos? Sorry....

dear scorp,

heres a little philosophy...

yes sometimes the images we take appear samey.....but.......i take comfort in the fact that sometimes that is just the way it is .....:-)

....nudibranchs dont juggle balls- we cant make a whale shark sit up and beg- and we cant bully an octopus into playing a trombone whilst juggling 5 sea shells....we can look but we don't touch underwater- we cant anticipate what we'll find on our dives or what will/will not happen in front of our lens- its all on the dive- and every dive is new.

methinks....taking a underwater pic 'beyond the ordinary' is all about being lucky enough to be there at a point in time where something really out of the ordinary happens- and underwater.... that could be all the time on a dive...the trick is we just need the eyes and luck to see it-and be in the moment....our cameras do the rest........and no I havent got one yet.... though many folks here have ...IMHO.....

......im just thankful for what underwater images I can snatch- --im still chasing my tail for the shot that I can be proud of--- and loving every minute of it!!

Another technique to practice is inventorying your shot. Before you pull the trigger, mentally list everything in the frame. On land you can set your camera on a tripod and literally write it down. Try to shoot some wide angle with a very short list. If you your list goes past 3, don't take the shot. Once you are able to do it, expand the allowable number of items in your scene inventory.

 

There is this guy that is a very good at this. I won't mention his name, but it rhymes with bustard. He has some Cayman images that have but a few elements: a stingray, some sand, a boat, maybe a water line or sun. This images are powerful because they are uncluttered. The elements are well positioned. Each element becomes stronger because of this.

I was just thinking of that exact photographer when you were describing the list. His influence is very apparent in the photos taken by the attendees of his workshop in Cayman. (www.amustard.com/?page=cayshop09_gal&subpage=photo) Many are non traditional approaches to common subjects and are just lovely. I heard a funny story that I can't get out of my head about Alex and his ability to approach a shot from a different point of view. It was in Wakatobi (I think) and he wanted a shot of guests rinsing their equipment in the camera rinse tank. Instead of standing beside or above the tank for the shot, he climbed in, laid on the bottom of the tank and shot up. After I heard that story, I try to challenge myself to stop looking from the outside in and try a different approach when I'm shooting.

Hey Victor, looks like you struck a nerve.

I thought I was so new to the DSLR that I was immune from the feeling you describe. But I learned so much in our week in Cayman about shooting common subjects well. I remember swimming past Padrag as he was circling this little lobster, and thinking the poor guy, he's never seen a lobster before and doesn't know there are about a billion shots of lobster. Every rookie takes lobster shots because they are so easy. I remember feeling sorry for him that he was wasteing his time chasing this bug around this little piece of coral. So that night he shares this unbelievably gorgeous image of the lobster. He said he was trying to get the arc of the antenna to be just right. Shot 7 of 9 on this page http://www.extreme-photographer.com/underwater.html if you want to take a look. I'd kill for that shot and I swam right by it, and worse I was laughing at him trying to take it.

I'm learning.

Steve

What a great example Steve.

90% of my diving is pier dives in Victoria, and while you never know what you see, most of the time Im seeing the same subjects over and over. Nice reminder how much can be done even with something I feel creatively stuck with if I just keep trying to look at things in different ways.

Otara

My photography is always in a rut; occasionally I climb out with a decent shot.

As someone relatively new to UW photography, I think many folks concentrate too much on the ' critter or animal' so they simply create snapshots underwater. Good photography is always about light, color, shape and form, space and negative space, irrespective of the subject. And if it can't succeed in those respects, it should at least tell a story.