Landscapes. Hate em. Any guesses why?

Well, sit tight. I’m fixin’ to tell you.

There’s too damned much going on. That’s why. It’s easy to get distracted from the task at hand. Between framing, lighting, motion, focus, and all of the other things I should be learning, my mind just explodes. The harder I try, the more of a mess I make.

The few good captures I have were total accidents. What I thought was a good shot, ends up total and utter crap. Even editing doesn’t improve it.

Now, if you’re sitting here thinking, “this has got to be a metaphor for something”, you’d be right.

I’m obviously not a big-picture kind of gal. Unless something is clearly obvious and brings the shot together, like a sunset or boat in the distance, I don’t see it; nor can I present it in a way that others can.

Now, macros? Your focus is generally pretty tight; on one aspect of the bigger subject. It’s easier to hone in on what’s important.

Recovery is a lot like that. At least mine has been. When I try to look at the big picture, I feel overwhelmed. But taken one piece at a time, and placed under that microscope of Step 4, a picture starts to form.

It’s not always beautiful, at first. It takes some time. The key is to find that starting point, like in a macro shot. It’s always there.

And sometimes you want to look ahead; at how things fit together. But that’s the quickest way to lose sight of the quick win: that which is right in front of you.

You might have to repeat the same exercise, over and over, with only subtle differences in your approach. But with that clear starting point, practice, and your editing software–wait, we’re talking about Step 4 right now…not photography–um…and with your sponsor, you’ll get the affect you are seeking. Or you’ll at least get results.

Eventually, I know I’ll get better at landscapes and being able to see the big picture; tying it all together. For now, I’ll keep doing what’s been working.

One genre, one photo, one defect; one day at a time.