Issue 146 of the SNYC Newsletter
Greetings everyone! Forgive my tardiness publishing this issue. There never seems to be enough time to get everything done. I’m a bit behind in a few things these days. December has been a busy month and the international travelers are back. Bravo!
New York City is requiring proof of vaccine and masks in most establishments. For myself and people who are taking my tours and workshops, we are using an abundance of caution.
That said, it is still possible to have a great time and gain experience and have photos that reflect that. If things start getting worse than I will assess the situation. So far, it’s the same protocol that I’ve been using all along.
Thank you to everyone who has taken workshops and tours with me this year! I couldn’t do it without you. AND thank you to everyone who purchased gift certificates last year. Don’t be shy. If you’re in the area, I owe you one.
Happy Holidays and New Year to everyone & Happy and safe shooting!
The real act of discovery consists not in finding new lands but in seeing with new eyes. Marcel Proust
Reader’s Comments
You should feel free to comment on this newsletter. Whether it’s a suggestion, a comment or even if you disagree with me. I think that we can learn a lot by sharing how we feel about all things photography. My guess is that we often have similar feelings about things that aren’t addressed in social media. No judgements here.
One person commented:
I loved this issue! Great advice and love the opening photo😉
Thanks so much! I’m very happy to know that you enjoyed this issue and found the advice useful. That’s why I publish it.
Photography is Who We Are
Photography, like language and the arts in general, gives us the opportunity to express ourselves in our own manner. But first we have to believe that our way is worth something. We have to believe in our self worth and validity.
I have noticed a trend under the surface in many of the photographers that I work with during workshops and photo tours. People feel that their work isn’t good enough.
For starters, I’ve always felt that I can be better and do better. That is something that will never go away. It is the nature of being human. It is one of those traits that keeps us from getting lazy about who we are as people and in our photography.
At some point a number of years ago, I said to myself ‘fuck it.’ It is ridiculous how wrapped up we get in this idea that we need approval from some professional for our photography and even for who we are.
I make no claims for being a perfect person nor as a photographer. Photography allows us to become more of who we are and to accept that.
So my message to people taking my workshops for quite awhile now has been, just be yourself. Just be yourself. This is not an exam where you will pass or fail. Fail is only our inability to be ourselves.
Just do it and keep on doing it. The more you do it, the easier it gets.Be bold.
Sometimes there are spurts of one fantastic photo after another. Other times it isn’t so easy. Yes, just keep doing it. And do it without harsh comparisons or looking at the social media achievements of others.
My job, when I’m doing it well, is to help you see the possibilities of how you can achieve your own style and self-expression. AND to help you feel some confidence in following your instincts and intuition.
Keep Shooting & Be Happy.
I have created a Buy Me a Coffee page and I’m still trying to figure out how to create the button with the link on it. I’m a little challenged with some of the technical stuff
In the meantime, the link above should work. I love coffee and I love it when I get treated to one :-) But no sweat if you’re unable to contribute. The newsletter is still free for all.
Thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee!!! Mucho love.
Another Year Past
The yearend is really an artificial marker of time. It is a time when we can stop and look back at what we’ve done throughout the year.
For many people, myself included, the diminishing daylight hours and the drop in temperature is a good time to slow down and look at what we’ve done this past year. It helps us to see the possibilities of where we might want to go.
Excuse me to the readers who are in the Southern Hemisphere. But it’s possible that it could also be a good time for you to look back as well.
At any rate, you’ve likely heard me mention my motto about seeing with new eyes. I am always noticing new and different styles and trying out different techniques. They don’t always work out. Sometimes it’s repeated practice that turns these experiments into something that I continue to use.
I don’t go out shooting with big expectations. I shoot as an activity that I almost always enjoy. There are some important things to keep in mind when going out shooting. Here is a list of some of those things that are an important part of my routine.
Sleep - if I haven’t had a good night’s sleep, I know that will likely have a negative effect on my photography.
Food - I can get pretty cranky if my stomach is growling.
Batteries are fully charged the night before.
SD cards are reformatted and ready for the day.
Camera settings are the first thing I check. We always start a workshop doing a run through of the basics that we’ll need for the day.
Dress for the elements. This is of course, very important.
I tell people on a regular basis that I think that street photography may very well be the most challenging genre of photography because it demands of us to be well prepared so that all of our attention is used by our vision and our ability to respond to our environment.
If you have a routine that you use to prepare for your day of shooting, I’d love to hear about it and share with others.
Did you know?
You can like the newsletter at the top and at the bottom of this issue? You can also share it on all of the usual platforms. And, best yet, you can comment! Yes, your comments and suggestions are always welcome. Dialogue is cool. Just hit reply.
Year-end Special
I'm having a 15% off promotion that runs till the end of this year on gift certificates for yourself or others. Use the code 2021Special when purchasing a gift certificate on my site. Gift certificates don’t expire.
Biweekly Photo Assignment - Your Favorites of 2021
It’s that time of the year again when we post our favorites of the year. We can look back and see what we liked and how we would like to improve or just new methods we would like to work on. And for extra points you can write about why you like it.
You can interpret this assignment and don’t be afraid to post creative photos. As well, it’s good to know why you chose the photos you did and it’s maybe best to post them individually so they don’t get buried.
This is a voluntary assignment if you want to take part. You can submit your photos to the Facebook group for Shoot New York City and also on Instagram tag @shootnycity. If you're not a member of the Facebook group yet, all you have to do is request to join.
It would be great if as a group people would comment on photos submitted as well. Let's have fun! Happy shooting and sharing! And you can connect with other people that you share an interest with.
Further Viewing
Dennis Hopper was not only a great actor. He was also a great and little known as a photographer. His daughter presents this short video. I hope that you enjoy it.
Upcoming Workshops:
Workshops are still a maximum of 3 people. Social distancing and masks are required. And with fewer people in each workshop everyone can gain even more individual attention.
Workshops are only being scheduled on a weekend day now. If you would like to have a weekday workshop or a workshop in other areas of NYC, let me know with some lead time and I’ll see if others want to also attend it. Otherwise I continue to provide private workshops on weekdays and in other neighborhoods.
For those who haven't done a workshop or photo tour with me in the past I have a number of reviews on my website and also on TripAdvisor! Workshops are both for people who live here and also travelers, as are photo tours.
Photo tours are one-on-one and arranged on an individual basis for both neighborhood and photographic style and can be designed as a workshop as well. They are customized to your interests and level. Thank you for your patience and Stay Safe!