pagespicsMid-Year Musings
A Personal Reflection
As most of my regular readers know, I work as a teacher in India (at the wonderful Canadian International School). Teaching Internationally has provided me with opportunities to stay in countries for an extended period of time and to explore areas that would be missed as a tourist. My vocation also provides ample holiday time to explore and photograph different parts of the world. This Summer I plan to travel to the Himalayas and to Thailand. Hopefully, the Himalayas will provide plenty of local flavours for Street Photography, as well as open the doors to play with my neglected landscape skills.
Multicultural Bangalore
While long holidays and travel opportunities are possibly a reason for every 4-weeks-a-year holiday office worker to hate me, the purpose of this post is to reflect on the year so far and to think about what may be around the corner. One method of reflecting I teach my students is to use a PNI chart. If a PNI chart is good enough for them, then I guess it should be fine by me. PNI, stands for Positive, Negative and Interesting
Positive
The ‘StepOutPhotography’ Collective has come together. We have created a movie of our first project to be aired at the LSPF (London Street Photography Festival). Secondly, mainly thanks to the talented Birka Wiedmaier, I am learning of numerous opportunities to get my work published.
India is providing the opportunity to capture incredible portraits.
Taken next to KR Market/ Bangalore
I have finally got my act together to use Instagram, and wondering why I did not do it sooner. The platform is full of inspiration and it can be humbling to see the creations of other photographers.
I managed to travel for a long weekend to Kolkata. This was one of the best photo experiences of my life! Travel is definitely a key method for personal growth.
Negative
I am not posting to my YouTube account as much as I had planned. What can I say? There has to be times when work and life have to come first. However, I am not giving up, there will be more material to come!
While there are some astounding opportunities for photography in India, I am struggling to get candid action shots of life. In short, I stick out like a sore thumb. Every time I go out I return with a hundred posed photos of children who want their pictures taken. How could I refuse?
Although I have traveled a fair amount around India, there is still so much to see. Throughout the second half of this year, I must explore the country more with my camera in hand.
Interesting
I stopped moderating for the G+ Street Photography group. The position was gobbling up my life. I had begun to shoot with only that group in mind and was becoming too narrowly focused. It is a group that welcomes all Street Photographers, and that is an excellent thing. However, since quitting the role I have been focused on groups with consistently excellent photos. Focusing on only the best photography out there is certainly stretching me as I try to carve my own niche in the Street Photography Community. However, the G+ group is run by an amazing group of people and I miss the interaction. Hopefully I will return in the future.
I have a two-month break ahead of me. I have wanted to try and capture star trails for years, and cities just have not cut the mustard. I have no idea how this will turn out, but nothing ventured…
Another Holiday in Thailand. Yes Please!
Flash photography is being added to my ‘toolkit’. I am starting to get some better photos and am enjoying trying something different. My photos taken with flash are not consistent as I am playing around with different approaches. At some point, I am going to have to use off-camera flash as I still find the direct on-camera approach too harsh.
Finally, I have just finished teaching a Street Photography workshop to a bunch of 12-year old students. They have (mostly) achieved a high level of success. I promised them I would display the best work here, which I guess will make next week’s post.
That is all for this week. Only nine days left till I am photographing the Himalayas! I will, of course, keep you all posted and hopefully have some great photos to share.
Take care and keep clicking, Chris
pagespics 