Settle for the picture problem… – Tom Bol Photography, LLC

Cree and I shoot each week.  Sometimes we’re on workshops, generally we’re taking pictures assignments, and different occasions we simply like to seize our cameras and go discover one thing to {photograph}…no agenda!  Photography is meant to be enjoyable, all it’s essential do is seize your digicam and see what’s on the market to {photograph}.

But I’ve seen by means of the years one factor that forestalls photographers from going out to shoot….are different photographers.  You know the way the situation goes…you run into one other photographer or learn on-line about how unhealthy circumstances are, or there aren’t any cubs at bear places, or they drained the reflection lake….so that you higher not go, it will likely be horrible.  I’m all about getting recommendation about circumstances from others, typically this recommendation is properly intentioned, however I simply don’t fear about ‘bad condition’ stories.  Instead, I settle for the picture problem!

If I listened to all that white noise I’d by no means depart the home!  Here is a common reality about images….there may be all the time an ideal image to be made it doesn’t matter what the circumstances…you simply have to seek out it.  When you might be taking pictures assignments you don’t name up the editor and say circumstances are unhealthy, no pictures right here.  Editors and artwork administrators anticipate you to create magic, that’s the reason they employed you.  Don’t be discouraged or postpone if circumstances aren’t what you imagined.  Truth be instructed, a few of my greatest photographs have been made after I had individuals telling me how horrible circumstances are.

A couple of years again we have been on the brink of take a gaggle to Lake Clark to {photograph} bears.  But on-line photographers have been commenting that there have been no cubs, and that it was a ‘bad year’.  Honestly, any bear is an efficient bear yr for me, I can’t get sufficient bear images!  We arrived with our group and there have been loads of bears, simply not as many cubs as in years previous.  We photographed plenty of attention-grabbing conduct and interactions.  But one morning we had an ideal, clear dawn.  And we discovered a bear roaming throughout the tidal flats silhouetted in opposition to orange reflections, a shocking second.  I took the picture, and it’s one among my favourite bear photographs I’ve ever taken.

Bosque Del Apache is known for its sandhill cranes and snow geese.  Birds by the 1000’s migrate by means of the flooded ponds alongside the Rio Grande river.  But one yr the well-known ‘crane ponds’ have been drained, and no birds have been touchdown there.  Reports from Bosque mentioned don’t come this yr, there aren’t any birds, the crane ponds are dry…it’s a waste of time.  We had a workshop scheduled, so we arrived and located the crane ponds fully dry with no birds.  As we scouted the refuge, we discovered fish and sport had flooded a brand new space proper alongside the street, and even higher, cranes had packed the pond.  That evening we took our group there, and we had one of the vital superb sunsets I’ve seen.  The pond was loaded with cranes, extra birds have been flying in, and the sky and mirrored colours have been excessive.

One yr we have been on the brink of take a gaggle from Bosque Del Apache all the way down to the White Sands NP.  Other photographers have been telling us ‘just don’t go’.  There was restricted entry, and supposedly tracks in all places within the sand.  When we arrived a lot of what was mentioned was true.  Our favourite parking zone was quickly closed, and the dunes had tons of tracks. Our first morning we parked in the primary space, and determined to stroll down the street about 1/4 mile, after which stroll up into the dunes.  About 100 ft off the street the tracks have been largely gone, and about 1/2 mile off the street we encountered an unimaginable elegant scene.  A pristine wind swept dune and the white gypsum sand have been reflecting the unimaginable pink and blue civil twilight within the sky.  It nearly didn’t look actual within the digicam.  The second was good, and our complete group acquired the shot.  This is one among my favourite photographs from this space, from a yr that circumstances have been ‘horrible’.

Last fall we went to Ouray, Colorado to {photograph} fall aspens.  We had heard the well-known reflection pond (crystal lake) had been drained, and that colours weren’t nice that yr.  We arrived to seek out that the lake was solely about half full, however nonetheless had respectable reflections.  But Red Mountain Pass had the very best shade I had ever seen after 20 years photographing the world.  And we discovered a magical aspen forest exterior of city to {photograph}.  A lone spruce tree was rising up by means of the thick aspens, all the things was bathed in a wonderful yellow glow.  Once once more a few of my favourite aspen pictures have been taken on a yr that we heard was a ‘bad’ yr in Ouray.

The take away right here is don’t be discouraged by what others let you know about places.  They could also be attempting to assist, however simply know there may be all the time images to be made.  Just contemplate it a photograph problem, and discover your superb picture…