Branching Out
It’s always a good idea to stretch yourself artistically. Getting out of your comfort zone and learning new skills or fresh ways of doing things can be scary but also exhilarating. And what better way to try out some camera equipment than during a bustling, outdoor ‘portrait’ session with four young children? I was briefly considering a switch to Canon’s 60D (then I could use all of Darwin’s lenses!) but in the end found the overall resolution of the files not as good as my trusty Nikon D300s. But it was a challenging exercise indeed to test the new gear during an unscripted, outdoor photo shoot with four rambunctious youngsters chaotically running, jumping and occasionally tumbling through a field of dandelions. Here are some of the results from the day.
Sam's Rant 
Way to go Sam! I know I personally need to follow that advice.
P.S. I met up with Dave Brosha for a brew and conversation Saturday evening. He was in town leading a workshop. He’s a great example of someone who lives that advice.
I love the photos, and the advise, sometimes it is easy just to get the job done, and fall back on what we know. I will keep your advise in mind this week as I work!
Great pictures. Too bad the Canon didn’t work for you, so you could share Darwin’s lens collection. But, then again, you get to use all that awesome Nikon glass!!!!
Great job on these Sam! I totally agree that it’s good to stretch yourself… no matter how scary it can be. Some of my first people photos were of the CEO of a large oil company… that was scary, but it forced me to do my homework and learn under fire! We all need a little fire under the ass once in a while to keep growing as artists!
Great portrait, Sam! The last photo with the little girl is my favorite, she’s so expressive. I agree with you, getting out of our comfort zone is a good way to learn and explore our creativity. 🙂