The Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi/450D Companion

CHAPTER 8

HOW TO MAKE A PHOTO

190

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

SHOOTING THROUGH FEAR

Unless you’re a war photographer or you like to shoot in hazardous loca-

tions, photography is really not a dangerous endeavor. Nevertheless, people

will succumb to all sorts of fear-based behavior when trying to take pictures.

e most common one is that they will stick to the ideas that they know

work, or that have worked before, rather than trying something new and

risking the bad feeling that comes when something doesn’t work.

is approach has two problems. First, what worked before in one shot might

not work in another. But more importantly, this type of fear keeps you from

exploring. It may be strange to speak of “courage” in a practice as harmless

as photography, but often you have to muster courage to thoroughly work a

shot. And what you have to be courageous about is failure.

e reason that most people don’t work their shots enough is that they’re

afraid they’ll get home, look at their shots, see that most of them are bad,

and then feel “oh no, I’m a lousy photographer.” So instead, they take the one

or two shots that are safe—the shots that are obvious or that have worked

before. While these shots may not be bad, after a while you will become very

bored with them.

e process of working a shot is like sketching before a painting or drawing.

Just as a painter sketches or a composer writes out motifs or ...