From Good To Great

This week I was lucky enough to be able to hear a gifted photographer Brian Rueb  (brianruebphotography.com) speak about his most recent adventure. It was an excellent presentation and very instructive. Even earlier this year I attended an outing with the local photo club led by another amazing photographer, Frank Kratofil (frankkratofilphoto.com) involving HDR techniques for landscape photography.

I learned something from both of these artists, but the most important lesson I came away with did not involve any specific technique. These days we all have access to the same information and the same equipment, the secret methods and unknown tricks are long gone. All it takes is a little research and the willingness to try something new to stay current with the newest trends.

The part of the lesson that was most enlightening was the effort these guys put forth. Frank can be found in the field an hour before daylight in the middle of winter on a regular basis. If you’ve never been to the Klamath Basin in the January it is difficult to understand the level of commitment required.

Brian spent the better part of an evening spinning tales of his 70-day walk around Iceland. No car, no reservations, no support of any kind. Just a backpack and a camera. Now I love photography and travel as much as the next person, but an entire summer spent living in a tiny tent with no method of transportation other than my feet would be enough to stop most people I know, including myself.

My point is that these guys could make great shots with any camera. Sure they are better with great equipment, but they are both living examples that you still have to be in the right place at the right time to make magic. And that takes dedication and hard work.

I’m sure we all knew that, but it was nice to listen to tales of these guys working so hard to get the shots and understand that it doesn’t come easy for anyone. The good shooters put forth the effort on a consistent basis to get results. Even in this digital age you still can't replace hard work.