Photographer's Dilemma

I spent my entire Sunday watching football and fixing up wedding photos I took a few weeks back for a friend. I get so lost into the images…my brain starts to lose focus. I’m not sure people truly understand the full extent of image correction. It really takes finesse. The slightest tic here or there changes everything. And you have to stay consistent. THAT is the most difficult. Especially with shots that are taken at different parts of the day. It’s downright grueling. Also, there’s so many gimmicks to make your images pop these days. I try my damndest to NOT use those things. Color washes to make images look vintage (shit, I already shoot on film). Or select coloring…which I NEVER use. THAT is a ridiculous look that, for some reason, when people are starting out in photography love it. It’s that thing where everything is in black and white except for an image you want to have color. It’s stupid looking and hasn’t worked since the late 70’s.

To be fair, we are at the mercy of clients. What I’ve realized over anything else?...all wedding photographers do the same shit. Because you are so limited in what you can do. But there are a lot of experienced wedding photographers who know the bits and pieces that they want for the artistic expression…or to fulfill their style. I have a style, which I don’t necessarily know what to call it. But it’s very similar to…oh say…the same way some cinematographers have a “look” they’re cultivating (not so much anymore since people have turned to digital, cinematographers all look the same, because studios want a specific look=boring and serviceable).

So it goes without saying that all we see are the same thing over and over again. Perhaps me being able to shoot my friend’s wedding gave them a different perspective. It’s hard to tell because (and yes folks, I’m falling into the trap). I do what I think other people want. I should just do what I want. The rest will fall into place. Okay, I’m going to stop worrying about it.

Anyway, I just remember my photographer friend had mentioned a few years back this uber-professional photographer did a magazine shoot and he spent two full days fine tuning one image (MASSIVE Photoshop). Didn’t sleep, ate very little. He was so enraptured in making this one image perfect. It’s weird, touching up your own work requires a different maniacal brain than…just being a shooter. It’s a mental exercise, to which…unless they pay me a TON, I wouldn’t want to deal with it. My brain hurts thinking about it.