Shot Discipline
I have just been reading a blog post by Thomas Stirr about small sensor photography and birding in particular. A passionate micro four thirds user by the way. https://smallsensorphotography.com/
He talks in depth about his shot discipline. It’s a lovely reminder that it’s really worth working hard on technique when you are using your camera towards a specific shot / genre. Do you work hard at refining how you use your camera? Shot discipline. I think for many we get so excited about the images we forget to concentrate on making sure our technique is solid rather than sloppy. We also forget that we must have different techniques for different genres.
Shirley and I did some more work on our book this week and whilst we were discussing abstract techniques I felt so reminded that shot discipline and continued practice and refinement is a never ending process. In the book we call it immersion.
Learning a new language by immersion is undoubtedly the best way to learn. It means living a full life totally immersed in the language. This is best done by living there full time. Despite living in Kuwait for three years my Arabic language skills were terrible because everyone wanted to learn English and I was their conduit to learn. When I was I Jordan we hitchhiked and ended up in a car with three others with only one with a little English. Anyway I learnt more Arabic in the next three days being forced to communicate in Arabic than three years in Kuwait. I was totally immersed in the language, forced to use it and learn.
Immersion works incredibly well. When you work on projects and concentrate on them your shot discipline improves because you are concentrating with a focused approach.
Spending time totally immersed in your photography will bring great benefits. Immerse yourself.
This image is one from a project I am working on. I work on the techniques to do this sort of art for years. I might stand there and work at the one stand of trees for hours at a time. I work this type of photograph very differently to others I show you.
So here is the tip. Work on projects you love, subjects you love and work so hard on your discipline and technique. You have to keep at it over and over. People that appear talented are just like you and me. The biggest difference is how much time they have spent practicing and pushing themselves. Usually for many many years.
From a project on trees. Tushe Trees. Photographs and text copyright © Len Metcalf 2022
