As a board certified behavior analyst, today's photojournal prompt is particularly exciting. What Kat has presented us with is called a task analysis - a breakdown of a more complex skill, like tying shoes or.. making a photograph. It clicks with my brain's scientific way of thinking.
When I am at work or trying to figure out my next steps in life, small or big, I always come back to a concept I learned from a marcus buckingham podcast - strengths and weaknesses. He conceptualizes strengths as things you are good at, yes, but also - ready for it? - things that strengthen you. He says that things you are good at, but hate, are not actually strengths, but weaknesses. And worse, because you're good at them, people keep throwing them at you. I am an excellent interviewer but I hate it - but I get assigned most of the interviews, during which I am just dreaming about being somewhere else. I am also an excellent materials-maker, and while I am laminating, creating visual supports, etc, time just flies by. I'd do it even if I didn't get paid. It's a thrill.
That's what we're looking at here, as well - our strengths and weaknesses in the photographic process. (PS - something you suck at but love to do is neither a strength or weakness - it's a hobby, lol).
My strengths in the photographic process are: -seeing a subject - since I had my little epiphany, I can sharply identify what exactly it is I wanted to photograph, what about that subject, and am beginning to conceptualize how I want to present that to a viewer. -I love most of the exploration except when technicalities get in the way. -Review is a thrill, and less and less a surprise (as in, oh, I thought that would be great and it was awful kind of surprise). -I love sharing with others and receiving feedback.
My weaknesses are: -Editing is boring. I also don't have proper editing software, and further, my ultimate goal is for the photographs to require little editing to begin with. I'm not yet into the editing-as-creative-process part - probably because I haven't been exposed and I don't imagine I'll ever have time for it. -I never get an end result although putting photos up on the blog is often disappointing because out of their context in my photostream, they're often not as exciting as I thought. I also find the cropping or color or something about a printed product to be very disappointing when I get them back. I don't think printing processes have caught up with the digital aspect ratio or something.
One area of frustration I continue to come up against is lack of equipment to do what I want to do - e.g., my girlfriend would like me to take her new portraits in exchange for providing interior design for my cottage. I want to agree, but I don't have a good portrait lens, reflectors, or the skill to get good SOOTC shots, or any training regarding posing and making people look good - even though it's one of my motivations.
One area that I see I get jazzed up about over and over is exploring the subject - and letting it reval itself.
a. Intention to photograph b. Seeing a subject c. Exploring/studying a subject with your camera d. Review of your images e. Editing of your images f. Getting an end result – on the wall, on the web, etc. g. Understanding your images h. Sharing with others i. Receiving feedback
9 comments:
The idea of something you're good at but hate doing being a weakness rather than a strength is an interesting one. That pretty much describes how I've made my living for the past 25 or so years. Perhaps doing that thing that is easy because I'm so good at it, has kept me from discovering and developing my real strengths.
This was another example where I've learned as much from someone else's "homework" as I did from doing the lesson myself. Thanks for sharing your insights.
Lee, the more this concept sank in for me, the more I wondered how I ever thought about things differently. One great exercise is to collect green and red index cards, and write specific activities that strengthened you (green) and weakened you (red) throughout a week. It really can help tip the balance of the workday over time.
Wonderful post; you definitely have a keen sense about what inspires you and what does not. I am very impressed. (This is the next assignment I'm catching up on.) I definitely agree that your statement about the talents you hate as weaknesses is a very interesting one. I hadn't thought of them in that respect. You've given me things to think about! lol. Again, wonderful insights!
Thank you Laura! It's something I work on everyday, especially since I'm gifted w/ a boss that checks in frequently to ask if I'm happy, what I like about my job, etc.
JJ,
What an interesting concept-this idea of the true definition of our strengths and weaknesses. Something important to think about.
I really admire your ability to pre-visualize a photo and then get those results. I find that I am often surprised by which of my images are successful - which may partly explain my attraction to the editing process :)
This part of the photographic process is obviously a real strength and skill for you.
JJ, I had no idea that what I was doing had a formal process or name! Awesome! I just know that it works for me and I do it all the time. :) Thank you so much for sharing that! I also like the idea that something you are good at but hate is a weakness. It is so easy to get pulled into those areas by the positive feedback you receive, whether in our art or other aspects of our lives. I used to be in that loop with my day job and have worked hard to get clear and communicate what I do/don't want to do, because otherwise I will continue to be asked to do things I don't like. No one can read your mind, you have to communicate.
Thanks for such a thought provoking post! I'm so glad that you are clear on what parts of the photographic process you like, and that you are focusing on those.
I love these post that really make me think! This group has pushed me, pulled me, and made me dig deeper into myself!! You have such a wonderful talent for expressing yourself!!
Fabulous thought provoking post.
Kat, you have a day job?!
Brenda, I wouldn't say I pre-visualize something and it comes about at all, it's more like a starting point and from there, something emerges.
I agree, this course has pushed and pulled at me too, and has also helped me demand, scream, push, and pull at my family to give me the time to do it.
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