I was photographing a two-year-old’s birthday portraits when he did what most two-year-olds do during photo sessions: refuse to take photos. The thing that rescued the photo session from teary-eyed photos? I put my camera down.
I learned photography on a digital camera and, unlike my role model, who first learned on film, I didn’t have any qualms about limiting my photos for the sake of the film prices. I was perfectly happy taking as many photos as my memory card would allow – enough so that I earned the nickname “Pepper” for my love for burst mode.
But photography isn’t about recording absolutely everything that happens – or at least, good photography isn’t about that. Photography is a way of framing the world that communicates emotions and events without words. Photography is a selective framing of the world around me.
When I put the camera down, a few things happen. One, I take the time to get the shot right. In the case of the two-year-old, that meant the toddler got some snuggles until he felt more comfortable. And I got some photos with grins instead of tears, never mind that it took a bit longer to get there.
But, when I put the camera down, I become an observer, not a photographer – and those observations can inspire my next shots. When I’m only looking at the world through the limits of a viewfinder, I’m not seeing everything unfold – and I could be missing the perfect moment that’s unfolding outside my frame of view.
When I put the camera down and take a look around, I spot different locations, different people, and different scenes unfolding that can inspire my next shot. When I’m photographing a wedding ceremony, for example, I always make a point of looking around beyond where the bride and groom stand, which is where I find the shots of mom wiping away a tear or a flower girl taking a nap.
As a creative, I think it’s also equally important to spend time not behind a camera. Besides avoiding burnout, I feel like my mind wanders more without a camera in my hand. It’s when my mind wanders that I come up with my best ideas for a shoot, whether that’s a concept, a location, a prop, or a lighting setup to try.
If I’m struggling to come up with ideas, that’s usually a hint that I need to take a break, take a walk, do something without a screen and without a camera to revive my creative spark.
Putting the camera down allows me to interact with portrait subjects, catch additional moments unfolding, and brainstorm new ideas. I’m a much better photographer when I balance the moments with a camera up to my face with the moments of thinking and interacting with the world around me.
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