Re: [Leica] Creative juices running...

[Ted Grant <tedgrant@shaw.ca>]

Frank Filippone asked:

> Ever notice how, once in a  while, you get it all together?  Your pictures
> are just a step above your average output?  You just seem to be clicking?
>
> I wonder how we can all get "in that mood"?  Ideas?<<<<

Hi Frank,
I think this occurs when you've spent time looking at books of other
photographers which create an emotional charge of adrenaline of "Oh my God I
just gotta get out there and shoot!"

A book that pumps me up when I'm down or wondering what to do with myself
while not working on a specific project is, "75 Years of Leica Photography."
It's not a portfolio of one photographer but a cross section of many,
actually every photog has only one picture and that's the neat part about
it.  HCB and ted Grant have equal space, one picture each! ;-)

By the time you're a couple dozen pages into it you begin to squiggle in
your seat and the fingers are twitching to grab your Leica and get going out
into the world to shoot... anything, it's a magical kind of re-action.

It's very motivational and helps one to look harder for magical light and
moments.

Then there's days at 6 a.m. you're quietly doing a walk about with an
absolutely clear mind and you're bright eyed with the beautiful light
because you are looking for pictures while everyone else is still in bed.
And at 6 a.m there's a whole new world before you and away you go again.
Why?

Because, normally you are still in bed also. But now you're experiencing a
beautiful new world, even though you may have been on this street a hundred
times before, now you're seeing it bathed in an entirely new light and fresh
morning.

When I go on a shoot in a new area of the world or city I always try to do a
couple mornings like this and quite often you become so pumped you forget
about what your assignment really is.  And if the light is right, it's a
very relaxing feel good picture taking time. And as often as not, some of
our best pictures happen because we're  unencumbered with the usual day to
day routine.
ted




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