july 29, 2022
I spoke with a friend last night about how I shoot for themes (books/exhibitions/etc), and it helps clarify when I should stop, where I should go, what deserves investigation. The basic concept is to put a draft concept of your exhibition/book/gallery/roll of film/etc into your head, and then only stop to shoot that. Skip every other shot, no matter how alluring.
It's a simple concept but it's one that has given my life a certain zen attitude when shooting; so much of last year - so much of my life - has been spent in a frenzied haze of activity, doing every activity, accepting every assignment, taking every potential photograph, so that I don't regret missing out later. Life is short; I needed to hurry up and live it.
Then I shot The Pilgrimage, a digital-only photobook in the course of two days in a severe heat wave in the middle of Nevada, driving a truck that had no A/C (or roof). Stopping too much and losing my fast-moving breeze was ill-advised; I had to keep in motion and only stop for the shots that I actually had to get for my book. Dawdling meant I would run the risk of heatstroke.
I had to focus to survive, and that meant skipping excursions I'd have liked to take (like that dirt road behind the fence - supposedly led cool places; never got a chance to see). I had to prioritize - this project now, more projects later. I skipped many potential photographs on that journey.
I made peace with it by reminding myself I can always go back for as long as I'm alive, and while life is short, mine's already been a lot longer than I expected. I'm hoping to be here for quite a bit longer, which means I can plan to re-visit the Sierra, and drive that dirt road, and see what photos await me there.
I can go back, and visit all the places I still haven't been.