On taking your own advice...

You know what sucks? Taking your own advice.

I know that we all have creative slumps and that it's part of the cycle, but sometimes recognizing that slump and telling yourself to chill out can be a difficult process.

I've been shooting a lot of landscapes recently. They all start as suck-tastic, color, images that I'm not happy with. I see the picture I want in my head and the image I see on the LCD looks nothing like it. Suck-tastic.
Then, I get them on a computer and play around in Camera Raw... and I realize that maybe I don't hate them after all.
That's not to say they are any good - but I am (generally speaking) satisfied with my ability to take the image in my head and put it on a computer screen in front of me. That ability to be satisfied with what you are creating might be overrated, but it sure helps once in a while.

Actually 3 different images...

My first time using a tripod in a long time...

Quit Kicking Yourself.

Confidence low? Comparing yourself to others? Existential crisis?

Considering dropping your cameras, paint brushes, pencils, guitars, and giving up alltogether? It's OK. This is all part of the creative life. Your muse will come back. You will get inspired. It may take a while, but you can get back into your groove.

ZachK Arias knows whats up.

He's been producing amazing photography and great videos about exactly this subject for years. The first of these to be published came out four years ago. It is a deep, powerful connection to the angst that we all feel sometimes.Its about getting into and out of that "funk."





This year, just recently, he put together another video, revisiting the same idea, but in a much more gentle, positive and uplifting manner.

Barrett Jackson 2013

My first ever Barrett Jackson!

A seriously great time with Kristen, who not only appreciates cars, but enjoys photographing them, spending the day outside with a zillion other people and even knows a bit about cars herself!

Didn't get a whole lot that I'm happy with, but got a few here and there.

Inside stuff...

professional drivers ripping around the track

kristen being awesome

Mostly the stuff indoors was hard to capture. Lots of people standing around, sodium vapor lights, gnarly reflections, vendors, etc. This was my first day with the Tokina 11-16mm F/2.8, which I will eventually do a bit of a review on. I'm still getting used to the quirks and limitations of this particular lens, but so far I very much enjoy it.

Eventually I may post an outtake or two from my recent attempt at snowboarding/skiing photography... but that is a post for another time.

Nordic Center Weekend

I spent the weekend with Kristen at the Nordic Center. We rented one of their 12x12 cabins and a pair of snowshoes and spent some time away from civilization.

Woodburning stove, cameras, chili and temperatures well below zero, along with fresh snow made for a great weekend.

Photos are in absolutely no order, because blogger is moronic and I'm too lazy to reorder them.

Dog sledding: black and white

Shot these this morning. It was cold, but all the more beautiful because of it.

iphone:

Camera:

Color versions to come. I am horrible at deciding which I prefer.