Life is full of expectations. From the very beginning of our childhood, we are surrounded by experiences of expectation. From the excitement the night before Christmas over the first anxiety of exams in school to the first kiss – imagination, hope and expectations are driving us and determine our way to feel.

We can feel disappointed when the expectations were to high and reality did I not deliver what we expected. We can feel excited before we enter the experience and that excitement can be very fulfilling and bring our pulse up. In photography, we can have the biggest expectations with regard to our pictures and compare these with others. We can be surprised how well some pictures come out and we can be very disappointed by pictures that suck.

Expectations are the drivers to take the camera in the first place. Last week I watched a documentary about Vivian Meier, a nanny that made pictures during here spare time – a lot of them, very good ones. But she never got published during her lifetime. She ended up with about 100000 negatives, most of them never made it as a print during her lifetime.

What were her expectations when she took the camera? She barely did see the final results. She did not drive towards publishing, at least not with the same drive to make pictures. What made her tick? What did she expect?

We may need learn  to manage our expectations, because expectation is something good when it makes us move and is motivating. However, it may also get in our way when we are overburdened by it and it gets in the way to allow creativity flow. The right level of expectation is good, but we should not be driven by its energy alone. We should learn what it does with us and how we can use it in the best way rather than allow it to determine our feelings and burden us too much with the feeling of pressure. Pressure starts in the head – and it’s often the result of too high expectations.

Our photos should please us in the first place, and they should be good for our development. All we should expect from us and the pictures we make is, that they allow us to grow.

We can expect to grow. But not too fast. We need to grow in a pace that lets us control the way. And enjoy the journey. That is all that is expected from us.

 

 

 

Canon recently announced that two new cameras with impressive resolution will arrive soon. The technical specifications sound very promising – more than 50MP, interesting new features, especially for the landscape photographer. This new gear is tempting – indeed.

But, the more I think about it, the less I need these cameras. They do not improve my photography significantly. They are incredible tools – true! But the tool is just a tool. The best carpenter can produce beautiful craft with mediocre tools, but the worst carpenter can get the best tools – they will not make him master of the craft.

We life in a universe of things, and things are dominating our day to day life.

It is very difficult to not be entangled by this culture. Things are shiny, nice, and somehow we think that we are connected to them, that we become somehow different if we own these things. It is what we learn from the very beginning. Even in school it starts. But when you think intently about this and ask the right questions:

What would significantly improve my art? –

You will come up with answers that are quite simple. And cheaper than the latest gear. Of course – if you are the master carpenter, you will try to get the best tools, because then they do make a difference.  But if you are not there yet, some other things will suite you better.

I just printed an old picture that I shot with my Power Shot G11. You now what: The picture is amazing, even without 50MP.

 

I like digital photography.

A lot.

My photography has improved significantly in terms of quality of the print, the way the pictures can be used, shared etc.
However, it has not changed the way that I make pictures. I still try to get it right in camera, avoiding a lot of post production work.
Though I am technophile, I realise that I am not very happy doing this digital work. I love to print and finally hold the print in my hands (see it, touch it, feel it). I live to frame it and could not stop staring at it on the wall. But the digital work …

I use a digital calendar. I love this.

A lot.

It makes my life so much easier. I can use and synchronise it through all of my devices. And yet – I always have the feeling that a paper based calendar would fit me better. I love touching the paper. I love writing with a pen. And I have a better feeling about what the week will be about. It gives me pleasure to use it, touch it, feel it. I like using my hands to write, every letter a little bit different, the lines forming a peace of artwork.

I read on iBook. And the digital magazines. I like this.

A lot.

It saves me space, time and money. I do not have to carry around a lot of weight. The books are always with me, I could read wherever I want, whenever I want.
But – touching a book, holding it in the hands, reading printed words, skimming through the paper, being surprised by good typography and new font types … feeling the paper – that is a different experience that the iPad will never give me.

So, I am analogue.