Growing

Hopefully, everyone grows over time, in various ways. However, the most important thing about growing is knowing when growth occurs, and if it is in the right direction. The basis of comparison is between past and present, so I guess records play a huge part in making that happen.

Unfortunately, memory is a rather faulty medium of record taking. There's a tendency towards omissions and embellishments. If the memory isn't faded at the time of recollection, it's probably inaccurate anyway.

For my shooting, I guess what I do appreciate is my own tendency not to throw things out. Especially digital things. Not necessarily a good habit, but handy in this instance. I remember (with my faulty memory, of course) the first photography lessons I took, and how I talked about the photography greats back then as if it were a new discovery.

At that time, I dare say my shots were...well...crap. They still are now, but they're crap mk ii. Yet the only way I could've known that for sure was to actually grab the old ones, laugh at them, then laugh at the current ones...only a little less loudly. Sometimes louder, in fact, if they turned out worse than the ones I took a couple years back.

I guess what's true about shooting is basically what McCurry said about his own shooting: It's basically 1 great shot in 1000 others. I used to believe that the great masters made a masterpiece in every shot they took. But after hearing accounts from other people in the business, it's really a matter of a whole load of effort, with the experience and skill to back up those attempts. Probably some luck, too.

Still, I think that's where the difference between an accomplished and a novice shooter will lie: The accomplished shooter will fire 30'000 shots in order to get the scoop. The novice will fire 30'000 and still not get it. Maybe one day I'll find my way out of n00b'land. One day.