At Work. Find ART.

I am just finishing Annie Lebovitz's book, At Work. My sister, Dana gave it to me for Christmas... Lovely inscription - one that I would hope comes true! Suffice to say that she expresses so many of the thoughts I have while working diligently as a corporate/editorial/commercial photographer. She does capture what I try to include on my personal work -- trying to include "just enough" of the "every day clutter" to make things look real -- while maintaining control over her "tools" - the camera and the light. Really, she does make it look easy - and it is - given her experience(s). All this has gelled some thoughts... on smiling - A.L. says she never asks anyone to smile -- so I'm gonna stretch and give that a whirl. She thinks they look fake - I agree with her when she tells of the first time her daughter faked a smile. Her heart sank. Too true. My daughter + fake smile= same reaction in me. 

People standing, arms just dangling, right in front of a curtain -- not posing, just being... is this something I could bring to my editorial work? on technology - i, too, struggled trying to find the art after turning first to the computer to do my art - So much of my work lost its spontaneity. And then again when I put down the illustrative tools and picked up the camera. Another technology to learn to use as a TOOL. I could still see, I could still create - but I NEEDED to use this tool. And then AGAIN, when I was pressed into learning to use off camera strobes... Now that is tough. trying to balance ambient and strobes - not overpowering... Natural light shooters have it made. Timing is everything. It was easier for her - she was at the forefront... she was one of the first. That gave her a distinct advantage. Her courage to go out and do when she didn't know any better -- she just did it. (many of the fotos she included in her book I didn't understand...those "rules" were broken...) So many times, i have been told "don't do it like that" - well dam it - I need to break rules - act like I'm the first & am making the rules - more often. I have earned great success in my small world doing what i am doing... i need to break out of my comfort zone and gain back my creativity... Gotta find my art again.