Propped up in bed with my iPad this morning, I was impressed by Eric Kim’s very plausible case for taking a photograph every day. He is surely right that the routine of always having a camera in the bag and remembering to take one photograph every day is the key to improvement. Strangely, after being inspired before breakfast, I went out for the day and managed NOT to take a photograph today. I only realised when I got home that I have fallen at the first hurdle. Sorry, Eric. This is unusual for me. I am addicted to taking photographs every day, sometimes hundreds at a time (such is the profligacy of digital). So it is really out of character to carry the camera and not exercise it once.
In support of his challenge, Eric recounts the story of the unfit friend who committed to doing one press-up a day. One press-up is easy, he suggests. The unfit friend was enthused to do more and more and eventually became a fit friend. My problem is I cannot do even one press-up so I shall have to think of something else to improve fitness. But I can take up Eric’s photo challenge, despite today’s uncharacteristic dearth. At least I shall be lifting the camera to my eye. That’s exercise.
The important thing with street photography is not to panic when nothing goes right. I can take hundreds of shots in a month and I am lucky if I produce even one or two that I can be really proud of and that are worth publishing here. Chatting to Eric last November in London, I realised that he has the same problem. The only way to improve, as with the single daily push up, is to do it again, again and again.
So I am taking up Eric’s challenge. A photo a day is much easier than a press up a day, so I have every chance of keeping it up. The diet starts tomorrow.
I’m not at all sure about this one photo a day idea.Sounds like something from N Korea and a recipe for many dull photos.There used to be -maybe still is- a website where you could post your photo for the day in a calendar to show that you were doing your homework and you could share your daily photos with your friends- poor sods.
No, photography should be spontaneous -not forced .If you go on a trip or to an event-street carnival-hot rod show or whatever-shoot away in a burst of creative output and then if life passes your camera by for a few weeks well so be it.
You did not like it when your mother insisted that you ate your greens did you?Well don’t get the same feeling about using your camera.A photo a day-not a great idea.