inspiration and tips /Joel Grimes

The people at framedshow.com are releasing some inspirational interviews. Have a full cup of your favorite beverage, sit back and enjoy 47 minutes of inspiration by an upper class photographer Joel Grimes talking about career, passion, technique and composite work. It’s worth it. It’s worth even the second round.

When you’re ready, you can check him out at http://joelgrimes.com

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take a break

Coming back from a long (and very unexpected) break in photographing and blogging (sorry about that!) I sit and think about the consequences of it. Of this and all the other similar breaks I’ve had ever since I started taking photography seriously. It seems to me that breaks aren’t as bad as one might think (especially the workaholics out there). As long as they’re somewhat controlled, of course.

In the past years one thing has always come alongside of breaks – a leap in creativity. It’s odd, as most photographers (me including) say that creativity best develops while working. This is true. However, my creativity often jumps off the scale after a lengthy holiday. Or a pause from shooting for a month.

It’s a bit as if I’ve spent all the time of the break filling up with fresh angles and ideas. I never stop observing the world around me and I guess when I don’t output my impressions graphically after some time I’ve got a whole lot to work with. At least that’s the way I explain my creative leaps.

Unfortunately, a lengthy break does come at a price. Especially if you rely on this particular work to cover your living expenses. The question, I suppose is how much will the creative leap compensate for the time off… So far I’ve been pleasantly surprised. What’s your experience?

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steps to success in microstock

Yes, it really is that simple. That is, if you care enough to realize it and adjust whatever it is that you’re doing accordingly. The catch? Do it now and you’ll be ahead of the crowd, because far too many of the middle class contributors aren’t putting the three piece puzzle together just yet.

Why am I telling you all this, you may ask. Firstly, because I don’t want you to be stuck in the same spot I was for far too long. Secondly, because I believe the entire industry will be revolutionized if more of the people who depend on it actually took it for what it can be. So, read on and analyze your own situation as you do it.

#1 BE SERIOUS ABOUT IT. I suppose you can get just this part down and be as happy as one can be. This is the foundation on which you’re building – your hobby, your business, your holiday money… whatever microstock is to you, it stands on “how seriously you do it”. Ironically, this may be the easiest step to describe as it comes down to one short question: Am I going to make an effort to make this happen or not? Check these definitions of “serious” to see the picture from another angle. There is no some sort of “microstock secret” to being serious. Really, there isn’t.

Are you choosing to be serious?

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