Passion

Lately I've hardly been photographing anything, lacking of inspiration is what I blame, or laziness. Not caring about sunsets, sunrises, nature, vistas etc.

Two weeks ago I was on vacation at Tenerife, Spain. I've been there several times before, it holds the highest peek in Spain, Teide and it's always a pure joy tho shoot this vulcano. This time what did I do? Just layed by the pool sipping a beer and enjoyed life. When I came home I had skot 15 photos of the pool and my fiancee, usually I shoot about 1000 shots on a vacation. Hrmm LAZY and lacking motivation.

I haven't been out shooting landscape for over a month, until a couple of days ago when I said to myself that this isn't sustainable. I pulled myself up and went out into the woods nearby my hometown.

This was the result.

Sitting in the nature, enjoying a beautiful sunset, it hit me why I do this. It's so simple, just beeing out enjoying the present, trying to dokument something as beautiful as it was when I sat there on the hill watching this beautiful sunset. Trying to capture the feeling/mood. And at the same time knowing that it's impossible to capture nature in all it's beautiful vesture as I saw it this evening but atleast try to get as close as possible.

I wish you all a great weekend
/Fredrik

Where do you get the inspiration?

Lately I've been lacking inspiration. I haven't taken any photos for over 10 days. My thoughts on this post is to list some of what I do to get inspiration and hope to get some comments on your thoughts and tips on reclaiming inspiration.

One of the first things I do is to browse the web, just looking for some beautiful pictures.
On one hand this could be somewhat counterproductive if you both lack inspiration and at the same time is a bit depressed because of this. Then thoughts like "Wow what a beautiful picture - I can never achieve something nearly as good" But on other hand you can think "Wow what a beautiful picture - I wonder how he/she achieved that. How can I achieve that with my equipment? Right now I've been watching some of von Wong's youtube channel and I have to say, he is a great source for inspiration.

Sometimes it's a good thing to go on a walk in nature not thinking about angles, composition, what would be a great picture, gear, camera settings etc. Just go out and enjoy nature and all it's beauty. I've still not seen any photo that trump nature.

If you don't have to consider money, go out, buy some new equipment like a new camera, a new lens, filter or something else. Or take a photo workshop in a foreign country.

If you are like me and don't have limitless amount of money, choose gear that limit your shooting. Like only bring a 50 mm lens. Or a even more challenge choose a fisheye or a 400mm lens.

Join a community with specific topic, perhaps a topic that is outside your comfort zone. Like if you mostly shoot landscape, join a beauty shoot community or the other way around.

I've joined +The Arcanum and I'm in +Glenn Guy cohort. There I get a lot of inspiration, mostly from my fellow cohortians but also from other people in The Arcanum both masters and people in other cohorts. And this hangout thing on Google, what a great thing. I can sit up here in the north of Europe having a video call with people from all around the world, talking about photo and everything there around.

There you have some of my source to inspiration. Now, please enter some of your idea's in the comment field.

Please visit my page www.larssonsphoto.com to see my photos and buy prints.

Wish you all a great weekend
Fredrik

The Humanitarian

So we are here at last, number 10 on my list of photos/photographers that have done a profound impact on me and my photography. This is part of a quest given to me from my master +Glenn Guy at +The Arcanum 

Pick number 10:

The Racetrack at Sunset by +Colby Brown 

Well, what is there not to love in this photo. The powerful sky with the colorful clouds, horizon placed a third down. If you go for phi composition the foreground stone maybe is a tad to low but I think it works great in this photo. Perfect leading line in to the picture and an interesting pattern in the ground.

I have followed Colby Brown for a while, one reason being for his beautiful photos. But also for his humanitary work. He started The giving lens, an organization that attempts to blend photo education and giving back to local communities through sustainable development projects. TGL offers photography workshops in various countries around the world that allow you to not only futher your photography skills, but make a difference in the lives of those you work with along the way.

Well that was my last pic for this quest, hoping +Glenn Guy passes me and let me go to the next level. :-)

If you want to see some of my photos be sure to head over to:

www.larssonsphoto.com

Wishing you all a great New Years eve

The Educator

Ok, we have arrived on number 9 on my list for a quest at +The Arcanum in +Glenn Guy 's cohort.
This is a man that has produced tons of educational books and videos and have taken me from a totally newbie to where I am today. Now I'm hoping this wonderful experience with Arcanum will help me to the next level in my photography.

Pick number 9:

By +Scott Kelby 

This is a powerful portrait, lighten just right to emphasize the toughness in the player. Also the processing, tight crop and composition underlines this. 

Scott Kelby has produced many books on retouching, Lightroom and Photoshop. He also produces +KelbyOne where you can get videos on virtually anything in photography. I've looked at several of them for example +Moose Peterson , +Joe McNally and many more.

This is a part of a quest in +The Arcanum in +Glenn Guy 's cohort, where I'm to pick ten photos or photographers that have had a profound impact on me and my photographing. This is pick number 8.

If you want to see some of my photos be sure to head over to:

www.larssonsphoto.com

Wish you all a great day.

The traveling man

Ok we are at pick number 8 in my quest at +The Arcanum  in +Glenn Guy  's cohort. Today's pic is a man who in an intervju in +Fstoppers  (I think it was) said that he has been on the go for the last 3 years with no current adress. He has traveled the world and what I think he is now doing a video with Fstoppers.

Pick number 8 is:

Winds of inspiration, Japan by +Elia Locardi 

In this photo Elia has thought about everything, right moment, right light, right processing, right composition etc. The reason for this pic and Elia is that he emphasizes how important the right time is for a photo. Like here, perfect condition for the mountain in the back and the valley, great light on the blossom and the temple. Many, me included bring our camera on our vacations and dedicates perhaps a day photographing hoping for the right conditions. And it's nothing wrong with that but you have to have a great deal of luck, but the photos are sure good enough for the family album but perhaps not good enough for your portfolio. He says that he visit the sight day's in a row to get the right light, sometimes over a week. Learning point - be patient.

This is a part of a quest in +The Arcanum in +Glenn Guy 's cohort, where I'm to pick ten photos or photographers that have had a profound impact on me and my photographing. This is pick number 8.

If you want to see some of my photos be sure to head over to:

www.larssonsphoto.com

Wish you all a great weekend.