Musing January 2013
The Power of Positive Thinking
Happy New Year! Although I am not a big fan of New Year’s resolutions I do believe in the power of positive thinking. Either approach, if given consistent thought, usually results in actions that make a difference in the quality of our lives. Looking back on the year I came across a few thoughts I’ve wanted to share but didn’t get around to, for one reason or another. Though on the surface the subject is photography, each can be applied to most any aspect of our life.
1. My only New Year’s Day tradition is to lock myself in the darkroom and print. I love working on this day because it’s my day to print what I want to print. I have been doing this for many years. I enjoy listening to the football games while working on negatives that I want to work on, rather than those that need or should be printed. It is my mental health day in the darkroom and no matter what happens the rest of the year I’ve made time for some personal work. It is good for my soul. I encourage you to take a day for yourself and do the work you want to do, not the work you feel you need to do, wherever your creativity leads you.
2. Think positively about your work and ask yourself why you do it. It is easy when working independently to fall into the trap of thinking nobody cares but me so why do it? The truth is that you need to care about your work. If it’s not important to you then it won’t be important to anyone else. You don’t have to become arrogant but you should believe that your work of the moment is the best work you can do at this point in your life/career. Then make sure that it is the best work you can do in this moment – your best vision, your best print, your best presentation. Bring passion into your work, be creative and above all, enjoy yourself. It all matters.
3. In thinking positively about your work, imagine where your project is going and what other projects you would like to do. This includes thinking about images you want to make on a field trip, places you want to travel to photograph, prints you want to make, even photographers you would like to meet. For years I said I wanted to go to Scotland and eventually it happened in ways I could have never imagined. There have been times I wanted to make a certain image. I could see it in my mind’s eye. I went and was able to make it happen. It doesn’t happen every time but if I’ve been thinking about a specific image, location or idea for a time it seems to happen more often than not. Most recently, after several years of an interest in photographing in China, an opportunity came up that I was ready and able to say “yes” to. In March I will teach a ten-day view camera and platinum printing workshop in Hangzhou. Maybe it will turn into a location for future workshops or maybe it will be a one shot deal. Either way I am going to China to work with Chinese photographers, make photographs, and to teach. If I hadn’t been thinking about this possibility I might not have been ready to say yes to the opportunity. Thinking positively about our work is the first step.
4. Competitions are a process of selection, not rejection. Enter any you think you have a shot at gaining a place on the wall. The jurors are selecting work for an exhibit with a specific theme or idea. They are not rejecting work and then hanging what is left. It may sound like a small point but it is a very important point to remember. I have not gotten in exhibits I felt that I should have gotten in only to realize when I saw the show that my work would not have hung well with everything else the juror was selecting. I have gotten into exhibits for the same sort of reason. We often have no idea what the juror’s vision is or what they want the exhibit to look like. Yes, it still hurts to get that thin envelope. It feels like rejection at first but remind yourself that you were not selected instead of rejected. When you enter work for competition or exhibit, remember the following:
Submit your best work.
– Don’t submit work that you think is similar to work shown last year. There will be a different juror this year.
– Follow your own muse and interests. You will eventually find a juror who agrees with you.
– If you are making work you believe in, and do it seriously and sincerely, it will get better. Your vision will evolve, and when it is finally selected for an exhibition you will be able to say, “this is what I have been doing all along.” In truth, you’ve finally made it clear enough for others to understand your vision.
5. This has been a year of photographers acting badly, arrogantly assuming that as photographers or artists the rules and limitations set at specific locations don’t apply to them. They driven cars where cars were not to go, moved rare and valuable items because it made a better composition, set up tripods where tripods were not allowed, and bossed others visitors around while they were shooting. These behaviors reflect baldy on all photographers. Furthermore, these properties become restricted to all photographers because of the actions of a few. Ask permission. Play by the rules. Be respectful of others at all times. Everyone paid the same admission fee as you and has the same rights and privileges.
Furthermore, if you photograph regularly at a location that is owned or operated by a nonprofit group or organization, please consider joining that group. If you photograph in a national or state park, join the support group that does extra things for the park. If you like to work in a local historic house, fort or mill, join the organization that maintains it. It is usually not very expensive and helps to create good will. If you make some good images, share them with the organization and offer to let them use your images on their website or to save as documentation for their historic files. You just may find yourself more warmly received on future visits – and with more privileges.
May you fill 2013 with positive thoughts about your work and positive actions in making your work as well as find positive receptions for your photographs. These are not resolutions but simply affirmations. I am positive about that.
Tillman