If you’re going to be a serious photographer you’ve got to get off Facebook, Instagram, X and whatever else and actually pick up your camera and go out and shoot some images. And what better time than right now as we enter into the start of what looks like a long cold Canadian winter?
So what images?
Well as YouTube’s Daniel Milnor says in this posting “Shifter: Question and Answer #61” what are the things that are keeping you up at night? And as Milnor says he’s talking to you “guys” (as he says 99% of his viewers are guys) men aged 30 to 60 on social media trying to find reasons not to use their cameras LOL.
Facebook and the rest are designed to keep you watching a screen and not shooting images.
If you’re going to be a photographer says Milnor you need some “hard bark”. You need the tenacity to actually get out there and stop comparing 50mm lenses on YouTube all day (oops guilty as charged).
Milnor mentions Ami Vitale (as seen in photo above) as an example of someone who is out there. This amazing National Geographic photographer, writer and documentary filmmaker is someone you should study. She is a Nikon Ambassador and does host workshops and offers portfolio reviews.
Sure we aren’t all going to be living in war zones and travelling through over 100 countries and end up a six-time winner of the World Press award but we don’t need to be hiding behind a screen afraid to go and shoot something!
Milnor also mentioned Ontario photographer Larry Towell and his amazing photos of the Mennonites which ended up as The World From My Front Porch. This 10-year project was shot within a few miles of where we live in Oakville by a local photographer!
One of Towell’s projects was a photo essay shot between 2013 and 2015 where he photographed the above and underground construction work in Toronto’s Union Station (where we all end up when travelling from Oakville to Toronto via the Go transit train). Yes he’s shot more interesting things in more exotic places but Union Station is right next door to us.
At my local club The Oakville Camera Club (in Oakville, Ontario) we have lots of educational opportunites including a daytime (mainly for those retired who can attend during the week) Outings group who are very active often going out as a group shooting several times a week.
This is what everyone who is serious about their photography should do. Join a club and get out shooting. Don’t let the Canadian winter slow you down. Wear big boots and long underwear and a wool togue and gloves.
Consider designing a project for yourself. Don’t think you’re going to make any money out of this (you might but it’s a stretch) but you might get a decent photo book to show your friends and fellow photographers.
We are also a short GO transit train ride into Toronto where the Toronto Film Shooters (check their Facebook page – I know ironic what?) is going out this coming Saturday (Dec. 13) and the Toronto Photo Walk group also has monthly events free for all photographers whether brand new or seasoned old pros 🙂
StreetShooters 
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