We are all different. My creative process is almost certainly different from yours. We should each value our personal approach to creating, and do what comes naturally.
Today's children grow-up with a camera always to hand. Typically on their mobile phone. When I was a kid, my first experience of photography was with a very basic kodak box camera. It sparked my interest, and I started reading magazines, and library books about photography. But that is perhaps problematic. Let me explain.
Photography is an art form.
Art is about personal expression. Rules are counter to expression. If we learn the 'rules' of photography, or adopt the same processes as other people we are not being true to our own intuitive creativity. I learned all the golden rules, and fixated on good practices. I can't unknow those things now. But creative rules are a double-edged sword.
Breaking rules.
Knowing best practice is fine. Knowing the benefit of ignoring best practice is good too. Break the rules, Blur the image. Under expose. Keep the verticals true. Do whatever is best for the image you want to create. Play with the image, and don't get hung-up on creating a textbook example of perfection. It will fail.
So, how do I create an image? I shoot in raw. Often the image straight out of the camera is not so good. Weather and lighting conditions on the moors and high-ground can be downright lousy. It is how it is. Raw files allow me to extract the image I want. My old Xpro1 camera is limited to 16mp image size, so I use Adobe Photoshop to interpolate, upscaling the image size as necessary. I use the tools we have at our disposal. It may not be best practice, but I don't really care as long as I'm happy with the image I achieve.
I'm still learning. The closest I've got to my ideal is without doubt my series of rock photographs. I'm proud of those photographs. Nothing else comes close. It is very personal. Those images are created to please me and satisfy a need to understand my place in the physical world.
Kinderscoutian rock is 450 million years old
The rocks I've photographed existed before flying insects had evolved. The rocks I photograph formed when Earth's continents were all grouped together in one huge super-continent located on the equator. Those same rocks will still exist long after humanity has either ceased to be, or evolved beyond our present form.
The current crop of photographs on this site are past news too. What is important to me, is what comes next. The reason for picking up a camera is essentially a thing called 'hope'. I hope to find some special shot that just gives me great joy. I'm looking for that image (or series of images) that elevate my creative output beyond the OK, to something I can't even imagine yet.
The best shots seem to contain an element of the inexplicable. 'How did that happen? Where did that come from?' Finding some visual expression that sits outside the rule book. The only way I can do that is continue to challenge myself and break down my own personal boundaries.
Architecture is an exception
I have one significant caveat. Architecture! I think it is important to respect the architect's design, and reflect their work in a straightforward way. In simple terms I would not want to steal their thunder. When photographing buildings and manmade structures, I prefer to keep things perpendicular and representative.
Chris Chapman
ALFPIX.art