If you're ever faced with the fact that you can't get out and take pictures, what do you do? This happened to me recently, so I thought it was a great time to go back through old photographs and see what I could find.
Canadian Alex Tagliani in Long Beach, California in 2008.
Hamilton Air Show many years ago. Scanned from a negative.
By doing this, you can see how your photography has progressed. It's amazing how your outlook changes. There are photographs that you previously thought were great, and now you will not think so at all. You will also find photographs that you previously thought were terrible, and now they aren't so bad after all.
You can reprocess your pictures with new techniques you have learned through experience. Photography is a continually evolving thing. People that say they have nothing else to learn are lying. They just aren't trying hard enough. The process of taking the pictures always evolves as well as the processing of the pictures. There is always something new to learn. Always! Whether you are a beginner, or a seasoned veteran of 20 plus years.
Strangely when I went through some old photographs, I found pictures that I didn't even realize I had. I found that some days I only went through some of the photographs I had taken, and not all of them. I always separate the photographs into different days or adventures in their own folder, so I can find them again later down the line without too much hassle. I would have a look at these photographs in Lightroom and decide how they should be processed and shared them. It's a great way to lift your spirits by bringing back some great memories.
My Father, and his dog Chase. Scanned from a black and white negative.
Another thing I did was scan some old negatives. Talk about bringing back memories. That was going way back. (This also reminds me that I have an old camera with some film in it that I need to finish off.) It had been so long since I have scanned negatives, I had to learn the whole process all over again. The problem with this is, it has created a rather large project for me that I have to figure out how to do efficiently. Then there is also the time factor. Hopefully I won't have that much time on my hands again for a very long time.
I've been using digital for a very long time now. Time sure does fly. Scanning of these negatives makes me want to get the old film cameras out and have a blast. Experts say this is great for the creative process because it makes you think the whole process through because you can't just snap away without a care in the world like you can on digital. I think I would like to experience this a little more often in my photography.
One way to pass the time is to watch some photography videos on YouTube. Whether they are instructional videos, or just videos of someone else's photography adventures (This is my favourite.), or listen to some photography podcasts. I have inherited my Father's love of radio. It's just that my version of radio is a lot more advanced. There are many photography podcasts out there to listen to. (Gives me an idea for a blog. A blog about the different photography podcasts.)
Some lightning over Delhi, ON a couple years ago.
A walk in the Owen Sound area.
I also had some time to read some books. My books weren't about photography techniques, they were about photography subjects. it's always a great idea to learn more about what you want to photograph, it increases your chances of being successful. Knowledge is never a bad thing.
Another walk in the Owen Sound area.
Waterfall in Cambridge a few years ago.
Hopefully none of you are in the situation where you can't get out and take pictures, but if ever you are try some of these ideas. Have a look at older pictures and see how far you have come as a photographer. Process photographs again, if your tastes have changed. Try scanning some old negatives if you are from that era. Watch videos, or listen to podcasts. And take the time to read books whether they are about the techniques of photography or about a certain subject that you want to be successful at photographing.
Till next time,