Three days into the new year and it's begging for a List of Resolutions. Dieting, bad habits to overcome (these categories are often seen traveling together), finances, projects, anything. Just sit down and start writing! But I'm not going to oblige. A marginal optimist I am, but 2011 was like quicksand—plans and wishes, and friends, gone much too quickly. So 2012 is on its own.
Yet, since I harbor a slight list-making urge (another bad habit?), I'm going to satisfy it by creating a mental document, which is far easier to rewrite (or discard) later on. And I'm limiting it to photography—those things I do, or should, new ideas (that are old to others)—in other words, the usual work in progress. It's entirely personal, but I'm putting part of it out here for your inspection. If nothing else, it underscores the fact that photography is an evolving process—and, yes, it does check the box next to "list done." From the top:
1. Simplify Your Tools—Software
I recently downloaded a trial of Adobe Lightroom 3 to compare against two programs I own, Aperture 3 (from Apple) and Phase One's Capture One LE. I was also curious how it would feel in use next to Photoshop. The RAW conversions I've made over the last 2-3 years have been through CS4 (I used CS2 before that, going all the way back to Photoshop 4). Lately, I'd dabbled with file conversions in Aperture. But I felt I was doing too much bouncing around, and Lightroom seemed a possible one-and-done solution.
The first difference (my perception) was a noticeable (and pleasant) increase in sharpness, straight out of the box. Samples processed through Lightroom just looked better, and I also preferred its default colors. I went back and forth with several photographs and each time the results favored LR. My finger was momentarily poised above the BUY button.
BUT. There's always a but, isn't there? While I was evaluating the program I watched a tutorial on The Luminous Landscape, Michael Reichmann's comprehensive photography site, and midway through it he commented on how photographers often juggle several programs to do the same things, instead of choosing one and mastering it. DING! That sounded eerily familiar to another photographic truth—carrying less equipment frees one to shoot better photographs. One camera/one lens. OK, two lenses, but that's it. And suddenly his observation solved my software conundrum.
In short order I uninstalled the Lightroom trial (it worked well, but isn't my style), retired both Aperture and Capture One from the iMac's dock, and updated Photoshop CS4 to CS5—the new version does everything (and more) that I need. I'm comfortable with its interface. And for the way I work the combination of Photo Mechanic (IN box) and Photoshop (OUT box) is the most efficient, satisfying work-up I could ask for.
2. Become Familiar With Software Features You Don't Normally Use
When manufacturers stopped including printed manuals with their products it became easier than ever to just jump in and begin working, rightly or wrongly, with hard- and software. When all else failed we could download a PDF version of the instructions, and cherry-pick only the sections we really needed. Auto exposure bracketing? Selectable focus points? When would I ever use those features?
Software works the same way. Among photo-editing programs Photoshop is the ultimate Swiss-army knife—learning how it works can take years of practice—but studying articles and video tutorials, and practicing (including things I probably will never use) has inspired me to delve more deeply into the program's interrelated features, and moved me closer to perfecting my images. I do a little more each day.
3. Don't Believe Everything You Think
This isn't an original thought—I saw it on a bumper sticker recently. But it speaks to most of what I could add here. Opinions, mostly, certainly not gospel. Photographers as a group seem to crave arguments, but are often unwilling or unable to move from long-help positions—they know they're correct, is all. This year I've resolved (there it is!) to listen a bit longer to what everyone's saying—maybe I'll discover something(s) that changes my outlook, perhaps not. But I'll certainly open my eyes a bit wider, and that can't help but improve the view.
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