Something happens...


When the camera becomes a tool of profession and vocation instead a tool of passion and play. It's hard to explain, but photography becomes a more serious affair. There is less room for play and frivolity. In many ways, it's an allegory for the journey into adulthood. Play and passion are replaced by seriousness and primacy of productivity. Photography, though, is an art form. Even documentary photography is rooted in art. When the pressures of production and productivity are applied to an art form, creativity and joy are the first things to go. The same rote shots are repeated at every event, the same perspectives and framings employed; an organic art becomes a mechanical process of repetition; it's a road to burnout.


For me, the camera began as a toy. As a young child, I would buy old cameras from thrift stores and play with them. It's this relationship I carry forward today in my practice of photography. Play and creativity inject passion and energy into the process of photography. When photographers allow themselves the freedom to experiment and play with their equipment, they tap into a wellspring of enthusiasm that fuels their work. This enthusiasm is palpable in the final images, infusing them with a vitality and freshness that can captivate viewers and convey the photographer's genuine love for their art.


The Backyard...


Is where this play often starts with me. Just as my play as a child started in the back yard, my play today with the camera starts in the back yard. Photographing plants, animals, lights, shadows, anything that captures my imagination or speaks to me creatively.

Here, I found myself captivated by a lizard on my back patio. The camera was not only a toy to play with this instance, but also a meditative instrument with which to connect with nature, something to bring me outside of myself and into the moment.

I've also been playing, a bit too intensely if I may admit, a game of chase with this same Road Runner. As often as he comes around my yard, I have been unable to capture a satisfactory photograph of him. He's so fast and tricky. I swear, somehow even a 1/1600th shutter speed feels too slow to capture him. He comes directly up to the window to taunt me with strange noises, and by the time I have my camera and am ready to give chase, he's already too far gone. Then, as soon as I put my camera away, he comes back to the window to do it again. I swear, it's a game to him. It's a game to me, too, and although frustrating, feels very much like play and injects something special into my love and passion for photography.

Hummingbirds, though not as playful as Road Runners, are equally magical. Sometimes, I like to stand next to the feeder, as still as possible, with my Canon R6 Mark II and RF 70-200 f/2.8 and just capture them as they feed. This often feels more meditative than playful, but the camera is still a toy. A very expensive toy, but a toy nonetheless.

Plants, too. Banal scenes from the front and back yards that we become so accustomed to that we don't even notice them anymore. Playing with the camera in the yard not only takes us out of unawareness, bringing us into the moment, but it also fuels us creatively. The act of observing the details of nature in the back yard, such as flowers, leaves, or even insects, encourages mindfulness and a deeper connection with our surroundings. As one immerses themselves in capturing the play of light and shadow or the subtle changes in the environment throughout the day, a sense of presence and tranquility emerges. And it helps renew us, creatively.

Pushing boundaries and Experimenting with new techniques...


Using the camera as a toy and engaging in playful exploration fosters innovation and pushes boundaries. Professional photographers who step outside their normal workflow and traditional techniques often discover new perspectives and styles that set them apart in a competitive industry. Whether it's experimenting with unconventional angles, playing with light and shadow in unexpected ways, or embracing avant-garde concepts, these creative endeavors lead to breakthroughs that define trends and inspire others.


I've been playing and experimenting a lot with passing cars at night and using their headlights to try and explore giving photographs a dynamic and cinematic essence. I've had mixed results, but it's given me a much greater understanding of the role of light and movement in photography. What I learn and glean from this play will no doubt have a positive impact on my professional work, at some point.

It's almost embarrassing to publish all these. They're rough, unpolished, and a bit amateurish. But, play is unashamed. I had so much fun taking them, and I've learned a lot from the playful experiments. I am not sure how or when that will translate to tangible improvements in my professional work; maybe it won't. But, it's fun and it inspires me, creatively.


Carrying the Camera on Evening Walks...


Is another activity where I like to play with the camera. For me, it combines the meditative element of walking in the evening with the fun and equally fun and meditative experience of back yard photography. I will say, though, it's getting less and less fun going on evening walks with a 70-200 f/2.8. That's starting to feel less and less like play, but that's another blog post for another day... This is also a good opportunity to push boundaries and experiment with new techniques. I like to experiment with silhouettes and unique framing of everyday objects, like the moon.

And finally, everyday objects around the house...


For me, this is the ultimate play with the camera, and the most challenging form of it. These are objects you see every day; they become almost invisible to you. Playing with the camera in this way forces me to see in a different way, to transform the banal and invisible into something novel and unique.

In Conclusion...


Photography will always be, first and foremost, an art and passion for me. It will always be a medium in which I express myself creatively. Most importantly, it will be an activity I enjoy and have fun doing. The minute I stop having fun doing photography, the minute it becomes just a job, is the minute I quit doing it professionally. At the end of the day, my love for photography and the joy I get from it is worth far more than all the money I could ever make doing it. In order to maintain that passion and joy and to foster creativity, I think it's important to use the camera as a toy as often as possible, to use photography to play, to have fun with it as often as possible.