What Does Your Photography Mean to You?

"What does your photography mean to you?" Did you ever think about it? Seriously?

I have and I do, and it’s the first chapter in my book, Photo Therapy Motivation and Wisdom – discovering the power of pictures.

So I'm asking you, "What does YOUR photography mean to you?" Post a comment below here on my blog so all can see. More important, in verbalizing your thoughts, you might gain some insight in the importance of your photography.

Here are some of the comments from the chapter.

- An escape.
- A way of seeing more deeply.
- My social life.
- A way I write my history.
- Love and happiness.
- A happy accident.
- I have no choice. Freedom.
- Owning art.
- Back to my roots.
- Because of it I'm living today.
- Staying fresh.
- Art heals.
- I have to see with new eyes every day or else I'm nothing.
- I see better when I make art.
- Personal evolution.
- Living Legacy.
- Saved my life
- Let me be a kid again.

Again, I look forward to your comments. I always hear something new, and inspiring.

Explore the light,
Rick

Introducing My 40th Book: Photo Therapy Motivation and Widsom

Whew! I feel much better now that I’ve gotten 40 books out of my head! :-)

So here’s the deal: A new filter, camera, lens, tripod, reflector/diffuser kit and speedlite can surely help you make better photographs – but they can’t necessarily make you a better photographer.

That’s where my 40th book, Photo Therapy Motivation and Wisdom – Discovering the power of pictures, comes in. Understanding why and how we are motivated to make pictures – and what your photography means to you – is of the utmost importance. So is learning about emotional intelligence for photographers, how to steal like an artist, realizing that it’s never to late to be who you might have been, and understanding the difference between looking at seeing. Exploring light and color therapy also helps.

All those topics and much more – including my 40 quick-tip “Sammonisms” and 20 “missions” (self assignments) – are covered in my latest text-only book.

Click here to order the Kindle book from Amazon. $9.99.

Click here to order the paperback book from Amazon. $15.99.

Well-known photo educators, who also believe in the power photo therapy, contributed to my latest work. They include: Art Wolfe, Trey Ratcliff, Scott Bourne, Skip Cohen, Richard Bernabe, Randy Hanna, Ron Clifford, Denise Ippiloto, Derrick Story, Jonathan Scott (The Big Cat Man) and Steve Brazill.

Unlike my other 39 photo-rich books, Photo Therapy Motivation and Wisdom – Discovering the power of pictures, has no photographs between the covers. Yet, I feel as though it is my most important work. I trust this book will make you think – hard – about your photography, and about how using your brain, the best photo “accessory,” will help you become a better photographer. Or as stated by black-and-white landscape photographer Ansel Adams, “The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it.” 

Famed photographer Lewis Hine said, “If I could say in words what I say with my pictures, I would not have to lug around a camera.”

It’s not that I am tired of lugging around a camera. It’s just that I think the motivational and inspirational message of this book is better expressed without showing my own pictures. Rather, in reading the 35,000-word text, I’d like you to imagine your own pictures – and potential pictures – while I am describing a situation, process, technique, feeling or emotion.

My son Marco asked me, “How long did it take you to write this book?” First I answered, “Three months.” But then I changed my answer. “In reality, it took me almost 70 years to write this book – because it includes not only photo lessons, but life lessons as well.

One-on-one Photo Therapy sessions, in person and on-line via Skype are available. The sessions include a portfolio review (on-line gallery). Cost is $125 an hour. Shoot me an email to arrange a session.

Enjoy - and I’d love your feedback, here or via email.

Rick

P.S. Below: This is how I looked while writing 35K words… and after!

My New e-Book – Get Motivated and Stay Inspired – is Here!

My new e-book – Get Motivated and Stay Inspired – is now available for direct download to your tablet or computer. I'm very excited about this e-book, because I think we (and that includes me) all need some inspiration and motivation from time to time.

The cost for the 195 page e-book is $4.95. Click here to download from my on-line store. Here's the scoop on the book.

Throughout the year I enjoy giving seminars to audiences around the county. Most of my talks are how-to photography talks, during which I share my favorite photographs from around the world – each image is accompanied by a photo or Photoshop/Lightroom or travel tip.

One of my favorite seminars is Get Motivated and Stay Inspired. It’s not a how-to, technical seminar. Rather, it’s a seminar on how to get inspired and how to stay creatively motivated.

The talk is about an hour and a half long. I have taken the highlights of that talk – My Top Ten Techniques to Get Motivated and Stay Inspired – and put them into an easy-to-read e-book (just a few of the 194 pages shown here) with the same title, which you can read in less than ½ hour.

Although the e-book is photography-centric, I feel as though all creatives can benefit from reading it.

Yes, I hope the photographs (some of my favorites) themselves are inspiring, but my main goal with this e-book is to encourage you to be as creative as possible while getting motivated and staying inspired. Hey, I figure if I need inspiration and motivation, there are others who feel the same way!

I think you will enjoy learning about the Four Levels of Learning – levels we all go though. I also think you will find inspiration in the quotes, which include: "When you are though changing, you are through.” And, “If you think you can you can, and if you think you can’t you can’t.” And, “It’s never too late to be who you could have been.”

I also think you will enjoy learning about my “Six Steps for Creative Visualization” process, and the difference between seeing and looking. Big difference.

You will also find short assignments in the e-book. It's good to have assignments, and to challenge yourself to be as creative as possible.

I hope you enjoy the e-book - which looks great on the iPad. As with everyone who takes one of my classes, when you purchase the book you become a student for life. That means you can email me questions for the rest of my life.

Good luck with your photography and with your art!
Rick