Sometimes i read the digital photography school emails. Sometimes they pile up unread like old newspapers in the corner. Today i read one from a few days ago which had some photographer quotes in them. I gleaned a few that seem pertinant to me right now…

“You’ve got to push yourself harder. You’ve got to start looking for pictures nobody else could take. You’ve got to take the tools you have and probe deeper.” – William Albert Allard

I need to remember to learn to the tools i have, and learn them well. And remember to push the envelope, don’t slump and get comfortable.

“I always thought good photos were like good jokes. If you have to explain it, it just isn’t that good. – Anonymous

Don’t be afraid to take risks, but reign it in. it’s gotta make sense to the audience.

“Twelve significant photographs in any one year is a good crop. – Ansel Adams

I take every shot with equal amount of umph. But i can’t expect the cover of Time or Life with every click of the shutter. If this is true, my batting average would be around .00006.

“It can be a trap of the photographer to think that his or her best pictures were the ones that were hardest to get. – Timothy Allen

Just Tuesday, i spent 20 minutes setting up light for a shot that turned out ok. The shot right after that was 45 second set up and is way better, both technically and emotionally for the viewer.

“The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it.” – Ansel Adams

Keep reminding myself of this one. especially when photos are sent out for review. Or when i walk into somewhere there’s other photographers and they have the nicer lenses, or cameras.