I didn’t really get what I wanted – but that’s ok.

Managing expectations
Planning ahead is good. Knowing what you want and how you are going to get it before the camera is in your hands creates the kind of situation that turns good shots into great shots. Bridging the ‘creative gap’ is most often accomplished with significant forethought. It’s important. I know photographers who have stacks of notebooks filled with shot diagrams for shots they have yet to take.

There’s a problem though. When going to a new place or entering a new culture, what happens when we envision shots that don’t exist? The camera in our brain is often bigger than the one we hold in our hands – that camera being limited by physics, time, space, and reality while the one in our head is allowed to roam free and conjure up endless amounts of images. This can create a huge gap that, if not recognized, can eventually lead to frustration.

Let me make it abundantly clear – a good imagination is absolutely necessary and blurring the lines between reality and non-reality is so important as a creative. Some of the best pictures I’ve ever seen are achieved when a photographer goes to great lengths to bridge what they see in their head with what they can actually produce. Having that kind of imagination is obviously important, no one is debating that.

But what happens when the creative gap is too large and unrealistic? For example I’m not going to find Tibetan Nomad with a 52’ TV playing Halo 3 on the grasslands no matter how much I want to visually highlight the juxtaposition between the modern and the ancient. That shot doesn’t exist and unless I’m willing to go great lengths to create a shot that isn’t at all accurate I’m just not going to get it. This kind of unrealistic creative gap can lead to a frustrated photographer and if pushed far enough, a bunch of offended locals.

Research, Flexibility, & the concept of Pre-disapointment
So how do we create realistic expectations in travel photography?  One of the best ways to manage expectations is to do as much research as possible.  Read about the people, place, and culture you are going to visit before you visit it.  Talk to people who have been there.  The more research the better.  Research has the capacity to help us prepare for the unknown and adjust our shot lists to fit what is feasible.

Secondly, it’s obviously important to be flexible.  If we aren’t flexible, we often start to force situations and end up with crappy results, pissed of locals, and a can quickly become frustrated.  A frustrated photographer hardly ever produces good, let alone great shots.  Flexibility gurantees us the ability to think outside of whatever box we might have built for ourself and continue to function as a professional.  Opportunities most often present themselves to those who are flexible.

Lastly, I want to introduce the concept of pre-disappointment.  As depressing as the idea sounds, it’s simply this – a mental realization that what we envision about a people, place, or culture before we visit it will rarely ever match up with what is true about the place.  Even with extensive research, the gap between real and imaginary can remain significant.  In fact, research without the concept of pre-disappointment can exsaserbate disapointment if research and reality don’t match up.  We must be mentally prepared to encounter something that is completely ‘other’ than what we expected, assess the opportunities, and move forward.  In short, pre-disappointment is that concept that, even with research, our imaginations will wonder away from reality and that we need to always be ready to be flexible with what we previously thought about something, even if we researched the heck out of it.

Don’t miss the forest through the trees
On a trip a few months ago I had one shot that I’d been planning for over a year. I’d envisioned the shot before on previous trips but didn’t have the tools or the time required to pull it off. I wanted to take a picture of a nomad yak wool tent lit with speed lights from both the front and rear and then keep the shutter open long enough to get the stars streaking through the sky – all on an expansive and endless grassland.  Sounds awesome, doesn’t it?  I had diagramed it out and knew exactly how I was going to execute it.

This last time when I went out I couldn’t find a single black yak wool tent and the scene which I’d been envisioning simply didn’t manifest itself. I tried to get a version of the shot but it just wasn’t working.  Lots of things weren’t going right (like, being chased by away by tibetan dogs + no strobes)   You can see the embarassing ‘result’ below – decidedly not good and not what I was after.

The point is that we shouldn’t overly obsessed about one shot – if it’s not realistic - so much so that we miss other great shots.  I obsess about shots all the time, but is it healthy to do so if the shot isn’t remotely realistic at the time and miss out on other shots? If it’s not working, pull back, regroup and go shoot something else. Don’t miss out on other great shots chasing a shot that may not present itself or will be a crappy ‘version‘ of your vision.  The opportunity to capture the shot will still exist – the vision doesn’t die with one or two tries.  I would suggest that the vision actually gets refined and made better with a few missed opportunities  I still want this shot – I can still see it in my head as clearly as if it were hanging on my wall.

First, we did have a great photo walk at Kum Bum/Ta Er Monastery.  It had been about three years since I had been out to this particular monastery – needless to say I didn’t get the memo that it had changed from a relatively quite and important monastery into Disneyland.  It was insane.  I got there and there were Chinese tourists literally as far as the eye could see.

In avoidance of tourists, I ended up spending 2 hours with a bunch of Tibetans who were renovating several of the buildings at the monastery – where no one was supposed to be allowed in.  But here’s the thing, I could speak some of the local dialect (read: 6 sentences – very little).  I’m not talking about Tibetan or Chinese – I’m talking about what they speak. I asked in the local dialect about what they were doing and if I could come in and take a look.  They were so blown away that they let me just wander around — my own private personal tour of the innards of one of the most important temples at the monastery.  As a 6′5″ American photographer, the local language breaks the ice even if I can’t carry on a conversation in it.

Not speaking the local language is not a death sentence in this type of situation, but it continues to open opportunities for me and have seen it do the same for other photographers – I’m not breaking any new ground here.  People like to speak their mother tongue, right?  They are usually extremely proud of it – significant pieces of the culture live in the language and if you can manage to utter ANYTHING , the doors start flying open.  We are now free to interact however we can – it doesn’t just break the ice, it takes 100 pounds of C4 to it.

So what are the benefits?  The main benefits that continue to show themselves to me are as follows:

• I get access to places I’m not generally allowed to go.
• People literally and instantaniously brighten up and are incredibly surprised and happy to hear a foreigner speaking their language
• The subjects are usually more excited to get their picture taken.

Heck, I could write an entire blog about the benefits.

With that, I leave this to you –  What are your struggles, experiences, and perceived benefits of language in photography?

(all the following shots are from this years WWPW)

I’m surprised at how much I’ve done.  How often do you look back?

In the last six months:

• I have worked more as a web designer than I really want to – a trend that continues.
• I have worked on staff for an NGO doing earthquake relief, photography, and design
• I have had several very close friends die
• I have had way more conversations with my drunk dry cleaner than I wanted
• I have broken one Chinese-made bed.
• I have consistently been 4 times the size of an average Chinese dude.
• I have witnessed the most annoying sandstorms on earth – and eaten sand.
• I have frozen my butt of – more than once.  I am butt-less.
• I have eaten more noodles than…you.
• I have been married to my wife for three freak’n awesome years
• I have been to Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, Thailand, and Narnia
• I have travelled by cab, boat, plane, ferry, train, motorcycle, subway, and scooter
• I have taken two extended trips into remote Tibetan areas
• I have shot three ethnic weddings in less than a month
• I have spoken 3 languages that are no my own
• I have been above 16,000 feet
• I have discovered that Russians like to be naked at beaches in Thailand
• I have broken or bruised at least one rib and bleed more than desired
• I have been amazed at how fast nomads can learn photography
• I have taken close to 15,000 frames
• I have spent significant time in temples, mosques, and monasteries – and KFC
• I have photographed 12 individual ethnic groups and distinct cultures
• I have had serious altitude sickness
• I have tried unsuccessfully to purchase, order, or recreate a white seamless setup on the plateau
• I have had to cancel two Lumen Dei tours
• I have done a lot more than I thought

Alot can happen in six months.  Check out my last 6 months in black and white after the break

I’m excited to announce that I will be leading a Kelby Worldwide Photowalk this summer.  It should be an exciting time to be in Qing hai and an even better time to check out Kumbum monastery.  Remember to sign up here:  http://worldwidephotowalk.com/walk/xining-qinghai-china-kumbum-front-gate/

Take a look at some of the information below about the walk after the break

Worldwide Photowalk @ KumBum Monastery Photo Walk

Hello PhotoWalkers. My name is Brian Hirschy. I’ve lived in QingHai for many years now and help facilitate Lumen Dei (http://www.lumen-dei.com) Photo Tours throughout the Kham and Amdo regions of Western China through Plateau Photo Tours. I’m excited to be able to host a photo tour this year in a historic part of Tibet/China…Kumbum Monastery.

We will be be meeting at KumBum’s main entrance (near the Ticket office) just before 4pm. We will then meet again at the gate at 6pm. We are planning on providing some transportation, but if not, you can find a taxi there very easily out to KumBum near KunLun road for about 100 RMB for a round trip. It should be exciting time of exploring one of the major important and well known Tibetan monasteries in the area.

For more information, please check out the following:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumbum_Monastery

http://kekexili.typepad.com/life_on_the_tibetan_plate/2007/01/post.html

If you have any questions or comments, please contact me at the following:

email: info@brianhirschy.com
phone: +8615209782454

* as always, with foreigners carrying around cameras in places like this, our schedule has the possibility of changing. I’ve never heard of any “issues” with foreigners or photographers at this particular monastery at all compared to other areas. That being said, please pay attention to any changes that be made in the schedule/planning. The “climate” for photographers is always changing here, however, Kumbum has always been a very open place for photographers.

So, if you are interested at all, please get in touch with me.  It will be a blast of a time.

http://worldwidephotowalk.com/walk/xining-qinghai-china-kumbum-front-gate/

Welcome back  to our  ”I’m a Photographer: Discussions on the life of a Photographer“ series today (three weeks late).  I apologize for the delay in these, however I had a very good reason. (also see here).  If you aren’t sure what these interviews are all about, check this out.  This is our 3rd of 6 interviews and the last three will be posted in the next week and will include guys like David E. Jackson.

Our next interview comes from my good friend, Stephen Hunton.   He is full time professional photographer and as of last month started his own Advertising firm – another busy guy.  Stephen is one of the nicest guys I’ve ever known and his dedication for his art and furthermore for his family shines through – even while being busier than ever.  Stephen lives in Atlanta and is one of the only photographers I know that truly practices what he preaches – get your butt out there and hustle!

Take a look at what he’s up to. Be sure to check out his work here, here, and here with some shot’s at the end of the interview.  Also be sure and follow Stephen on Twitter!

Quickly describe your situation/life/craziness as a photographer.

Full-time photographer, hustler, marketer, people meeter & greeter

Real quickly tell us what you shoot, your style and what the perfect day of photography would look like.

Right now I shoot a little of everything, from corporate to music to weddings.  My sweet spot is music/editorial and I hope to grow that into commercial.  My perfect day of shooting is really a bunch of days before and after the shoot.  I love to concept a shoot, plan, prepare and then execute that vision on set and in post production.

Where did the photographic bug come from?  Why do you suspect it hasn’t faded away?

In high school I took a photo 101 class.  We used film cameras and got to play around in the darkroom.  I LOVED IT. But, I guess the real bug came in ‘06.  My first son was about to be born and my parents hooked me up with a D80.  I was terrible with a DSLR but because I’m a bit uber-competitive, I just shot everything under the sun until I started to figure things out.

I guess it hasn’t faded away because it’s the best way for me to exercise my creative side and I love the emotion that comes from the images.  It’s also just cool how this photographic community has grown online/offline and I think that keeps you drawn in, when other photogs are sharing/caring/encouraging each other.

Why do you think it’s so hard to transition from a person working a full time non-photographic job to a full time photographer?

It takes a completely different mindset.  You go from knowing that you have a new check in the mail every 15 days to wondering when the next gig will be.  There are these huge roller coasters of ups and downs.  I’ve always been a people person, but once I hit the ground as a full-time photographer I became an instant hustler.  Nobody knows me unless I somehow figure out how to share my work with them.

What’s the most frustrating thing about being a “Recently full time” photographer?

Not knowing all the right moves.  In my old job, I could do pretty much any project easily because I’d done it before.  Shooting a TV campaign for $1 Million wasn’t difficult because I’d done it before and there was an amazing team of people around us to make sure everything alwasy got done.  Now it’s JUST me and there are days of feeling like things just are not progressing and days where validation pushes me back to center again.

What’s a bad day look like for someone in your position?  What’s a good day look like? What are the frustrations and successes?

A bad day…. no leads, no meetings, no emails.  It’s rare to not have any emails come through, but back in December I got my first taste of a freelance Christmas… nobody’s working. nobody’s responding.

A good day is shooting a fun project that is more than just showing up and clicking the shutter.  I prefer shooting when it’s involved creative input and some vision.  I also love days where I’m getting to network and meet new people to either share my work or hear about what they’re doing.

If you had to give an educated guess, why do you think most people in your position struggle to make it?

It takes really thick skin to do this and you have to be willing to fail often.  Some of the most talented people I’ve known in life, whether creatives or athletes or musicians, have struggled the most because they just felt that it should be given to them.  Just being a good photographer isn’t enough, you have to also have a hunger to grow your business.  I honestly probably use my camera 5-10% of the time.  The rest is business growth, whether it’s meetings, emails, introductions, phone calls, blogging, tweeting, lunching… you get the drill.

What’s a recent or next “big step” or decision in you photographic career?

A next step in my career is figuring out how to merge photography with my advertising career.  I’ve had some opportunities to do branding consulting/development and have realized that I do love that business as well. I think diversifying my business will help me to bring more value to corporate/commercial clients and hopefully allow me to be more selective in the types of photo jobs I go after.

I started a consulting/branding company called Rocket Shine recently and am spending a lot of time figure out its brand and how we’ll move beyond the first Client we won (before we had a business name) and find a balance between growing the photography side of my life with the growth of this business.

What keeps you going?  What motivates you to keep doing this?

Passion.  Family.

I’m passionate about creating images and growing as a photographer.  I know I’ve got so far to go in this journey and it’s my family that really motivates me to push hard and stay a “hustler”.  We’ve been at this for 10 months, and “the lights are still on” (the phrase I use when people ask how it’s going), so we’re blessed to have come this far.

What advice would you give to someone in a similar situation as you?

Get hungry.  If you’re not hungry, don’t come to the table because there are plenty of other photogs out there that are WAY better than you.  But, there are plenty that are nowhere near as good as you.  To recall my Senior Quote from highschool (and the mantra I lived by when working my butt off to get a college scholarship to play D1 Tennis) “Hard Work ALWAYS Beats Talent, if Talent Doesn’t Always Work Hard.”  We all fall somewhere into that quote, but if you work hard you’ll find yourself getting more opportunities to prove yourself and grow your business.