Time Management and Photography

Time management is something we all can benefit from. Circumstances might steer people this way or that, for me, I have lots of options (I'm single, and have a good day job), and have devoted my time to what I think will most benefit my growth as a 'nature and wildlife' photographer.

Here's my list of in focus things:

Locations Scouting

Animal Observation and Wildlife Knowledge

Gear Tech, handling, usage

Approach, techniques, taking risks, trying new, remembering old

Here's my list of out of focus things:

Image Editing Techniques

Printing

Photography Contests

Higher Education / Classes

What? Image Editing is in my 'out of focus' list? But I use Lightroom, Photoshop, Photomatix, selective this, raw processing that... Yeah, it's like that because, a superbly processed image of a boring or common subject is still boring or common. Vincent Versace said something like "I'd rather see a shot of well lit laundry, than
a poorly lit shot of an amazing building" (whatever he did say it was that light matters more than the subject...)

For me and wildlife photography I like to think that there's light and there's also animal behavior and uniqueness.

Back to "Time Management and Photography"! To simply state things, I've focused on what I think matters most. The rest will follow and add to that strongest element. I'd rather shoot for 12 hours and edit for 1 hour, and then go back out the next day and shoot for 12 hours and not have time to edit.



Without taking the risks, devoting the time to new locations, subject observation, exploration, etc, so much would be unknown and unseen to me. If it looks like there's something in my images that can't be nailed down, can't be easily explained - it's a lot things. Risks, visits, failures, observations, and drive to make it all work, for a moment here or there, 1/500th of a second at a time.



--50--


-Jon