Driven to Shoot

Looking back over the 40 odd years of my career,I have come to the realization that I have always been driven to photograph. A friend once commented that photography was not what I did,but rather it was who I was. In a multitude of ways they were correct in that analysis. My grandfather was a photographer and from an early stage in our relationship,I can remember being fascinated by his darkroom. Later,as I accompanied him on various assignments and outings,I became fascinated with the whole idea of photography. Later still,I worked with him and began what would become my life's obsession.He trained me on the view camera and for many years he held a disdain for anything smaller than a 5x4 camera. These lesser contraptions were for the amateur,the hobbyist whose use for a camera was to record family events and vacations. Although his attitudes would eventually evolve to acceptance of the 21/4 X 21/4 format,Pop was never comfortable with the 35mm for professional work. His attitudes and meticulous attention to craftsmanship and quality stayed with me as I ventured out on my own and stood me in good stead, even when I embraced the 35mm format. I brought the same attention to detail and composition to that small format,that I had with the larger view cameras and it has always rewarded me.Pop always insisted that you had to use the film to capture exactly what you wanted and not just have it in there somewhere and get it out in the darkroom. He also made me very aware of the concept of capturing the image with a single shot,or two, at the most,the second for backup,because that was all you had time for with film holders. That discipline,that mantra of not wasting time or film came with me to the 35mm and has never left.I have never been an advocate of the shotgun school of photography,"shoot enough film and you are bound to get what you need",RUBBISH!!! That mentality is for amateurs and fools. Photography is a craft and it's true practitioners are craftsmen,not tradesmen. As such,the craftsman must know and understand not only his craft,but also how his craft is to be used by others. If it is to be reproduced,how will that be accomplished and what must he do to best facilitate the optimum results. One does not simply capture an image and move on.

One of the many things that disturb me when I hear people touting the benefits of digital capture is this concept of shotgun shooting approaches. Statements such as,I can shoot so much more now and sort it all out later,or I can get sooooo many more images on a flash card and if I don't like them I just delete them and shoot again,do not bring me any feelings of improvement over film,but rather ones of dismay at the implied lack of professionalism and craftsmanship.Likewise the idea that you can fix it in the computer later if it isn't quite right,reeks of amateurish disregard for quality,composition,exposure and craft. The idea behind being a "professional photographer" for me, has always been my ability to produce what the client requires,when they require it and with as little out of the camera work as possible. Yes, we always had to have film processed and such,but the point behind it all was that we saw, in the viewfinder and captured on the film,in as few frames or sheets as was prudent,what our client wanted to see. If all a professional did that an amateur did not,was to shoot a horrific amount of film in hopes of achieving a winning image,then why hire one in the first place? For God's sake even a blind squirrel will eventually find a nut! Surely as professionals we must expect more of ourselves than that.