Nature’s Design

In our digital age, anyone can become a publishing photographer by posting snapshots on the Internet. So what’s the difference between a photographer and someone who simply notices, “Wow, this phone takes pictures, too?”

The answer may lie in your degree of obsession and ability to edit. Do you take four pictures at a birthday party — or 40? If you lean to the trigger-happy side, driven by the promise of the next moment, yearning for peak action or a special blend of light and subject, you’re like many people who make a living from photography.

It’s a visual addiction, really, a quest to be there when everything lines up and a scene speaks for itself. Like other addictions, it’s hard to break. You can never quite get enough. The trick is learning to quickly discard those images that are simply refuse along the path to your masterpiece. Professional models don’t show their warts and good photographers shouldn’t either.

That, in fact, describes my own approach to photography. When I set my sights on a subject, I begin to imagine what it will take to create a definitive photo. I try to balance the larger view with the nuance that so often escapes the casual observer. Then I scrutinize my results mercilessly and often return to the subject, when possible, to act on what I’ve learned. On a good day, luck, serendipity and a little bit of that magic called life comes into play. The reward is a sliver of something so very tasty that I’m always hungry for more.

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