Solitary Fisherman

Where have I been? Gone fishin’— in other words, taking a break. Like me, if you experience a time when your creativity feels stifled, it’s better to take a break than go through the motions—especially with something as personal as photography and other types of art (and blogging for that matter). If you’re not feeling creative, it will be difficult to capture mood and essence in your photography.

Along those lines, my style is to photograph by feel rather than stick to hard and fast rules, so mood and emotion play a part in each photograph. Although it’s important to know all the settings on your camera and to master all the aspects of producing a great photograph such as lighting and composition, trust your instincts as well. If you’re preoccupied with setting things up for the perfect photo or churning out numerous photos, you may miss that golden moment when the light is sparkling around your subject or a unique opportunity is revealing itself right in front of you. The photograph in this post, “Solitary Fisherman“, was one of those opportunities. Although the lighting was not optimal to be taking any photographs, I was amazed when I saw the perfect outline of the fisherman against a sepia sky, right down to the detail on his fishing pole.

Having the camera in my hands allows me to feel my way through the process, especially when photographing moving subjects or unusual lighting situations. Mood plays a part in the final outcome, and I believe the only way to sense and capture that mood is to feel your way through it.

So, if you’re just not feelin’ it—go fishin’!

**One more note…stop by virtually to visit my portfolio at  Susan DeTomi Fine Art Photography Portfolio.