Why are you shooting those images now? for fun? "wala lang"? do you have vision and direction?, do you just want to be "in"?, just go with the flow? can you cross current? In your group photo shoot sessions- do you find your images different from others? or exactly the same banana? "meron din akong shot nyan" ibang angle lang. Do you just want to show your images online?
Last question- saan mo gagamitin yang mga shots mo?, portfolio?, ikaw ba yan? (your image as a photographer)...time is running out, dont just waste your shuttter clicks...set your "forte" and your direction straight...even if you shoot those small peebles on the beach while the rest of your group mates are shooting the horizon, so be it...time is gold, set your vision and work on it now....

What will you be 7 years from now?
...and more questions?

- Will you be still shooting weddings, birds, fashion, nudes, portraits, macro, landscapes, abstract, underwater, flowers etc?
How old are you by then? where you able to invest some time for your exhibit of fine art images (where your fine art signed images appreciates 10% every year)...you will remember that i told you this in 7 years...see you again by then:)

True... True... :) I know my shots and general perspective to photography is not the same banana as the majority, nor do I succumb to peer pressure in my photographic quests...

... Just a little bit more...

This is the exact sentiment that I gathered from my wife a few days ago. After I showed her some of my pictures, she told me that they are all very predictable. Just like all the rest. Her exact words were " You should have your own point of view". I think it will take some time before you really will have your own. Similar to developing the "eye" for it?

Why are you shooting those images now? for fun? "wala lang"? do you have vision and direction?, do you just want to be "in"?, just go with the flow? can you cross current? In your group photo shoot sessions- do you find your images different from others? or exactly the same banana? "meron din akong shot nyan" ibang angle lang. Do you just want to show your images online?
Last question- saan mo gagamitin yang mga shots mo?, portfolio?, ikaw ba yan? (your image as a photographer)...time is running out, dont just waste your shuttter clicks...set your "forte" and your direction straight...even if you shoot those small peebles on the beach while the rest of your group mates are shooting the horizon, so be it...time is gold, set your vision and work on it now....

What will you be 7 years from now?
...and more questions?

- Will you be still shooting weddings, birds, fashion, nudes, portraits, macro, landscapes, abstract, underwater, flowers etc?
How old are you by then? where you able to invest some time for your exhibit of fine art images (where your fine art signed images appreciates 10% every year)...you will remember that i told you this in 7 years...see you again by then:)


wow! this opened up my mind...
i can't wait to see and talk to you next week sir.

@Earl Nap Borj

Let me tell you a story....approaching year 2000 I was invited by Pilipinas Shell to judge ( for 2nd time then) their painting contest...i suggested to them to open up "the Shell "digital art category" as part of the contest...they listened and i gave all the criteria, rules, and they started the category the following year with me as the main judge...in that contest, 6 years ago i observed that digital art is still very young, my fellow judges were so amased on the entries submitted, dahil bago at konti pa lang nag po photoshop o corel pa lang madalas nuon. So you will see just a little effects then..
Last week, i was invited again to judge and saw hundreds of entries of the digital art category again for Shell...this time, i had this feeling of getting excited to see the images...but when i take a closer look at the images they all look the same, they all use the same software (with the abundance of software and filters on hand maybe, aided by p&s and phone camera)...gone are the days when artist stop for a while and think, we are tempted to be controlled by the software, the tools, the gadgets, the "uso" or the fad, rather than the process to which the joy of artmaking evolved. Going back to the judging, with my fellow 5 judges i continue with the process of eliminating and choosing my best 10 choices....there's one entry that i keep holding on through votes from hundreds down to fifty then to 20, it's just a simple full black background with a few white lines scratches as if you see scratches on your window sheilds...among hundreds of full colored entries with so much software tools, that's my choice...and the final tally counted that entry as 2nd Place...
My point is where are we heading in photography 7 years from now- i guess we will go back again (even just in principle) to the old school of photography- where the joy of the process in artmaking is present rather than immersing ourselves with so much "tools" and "fad" at hand today...it's ok to explore and find our vision, but little by litttle we can start now....:)

Thanks for sharing Ross! :) This inspired me more! Yes! :)

Will be 40 in 7 years. And as the saying goes...

As an artist, hope to be quite satisfied with my work by then. Hope to evolve a lot without burning a big hole in my pocket at the same time. But in 7 years, full-frame will be the norm and digital medium format will be coming down in price. So am hoping that my investments now would last me for a long time.

Recently I've been smitten by a wide-format printer bug. But by then, should be able to look at my printed work and not tell myself that I've just printed a gigantic postcard. It must have a certain ethereal look in it.

As a designer, i always try to study how the europeans and the americans think and develop their design. Most of the designer i meet middle eastern of asian they tend to follow the trend which the Europeans and Americans are doing. I did was try to play around with the designs mix match then learn more about my own culture and myself.

Then i used this formula with my design. What i do is study each client how they move around with their enviroment their personality and their culture. Then i discover that it was effective. I now then starting to do the idea then experimenting more.

Its a continous experimentation and exploration. Its a never ending creativity. Its jus t how we learn to grow. Growth is everything and its being confident follows. If we learn to be confident then we can do what ever we want we cannot be controled by softwares. Its just knowing were you going.

I agree with you Sir Ross, its planning ahead and knowing where to go. Learning the process to get there.

I just realize something as i read your message. Hope that i should move on and explore more.

ross, pa workshop ka na ulit about this one, if there's even any merit to this suggestion :)

ross, pa workshop ka na ulit about this one, if there's even any merit to this suggestion :)


Soon again Raul:) ...just tied up with so many projects and events...i'd like to start with few artists here (to convince them:D) to go the fine art way:)

cool! should be interesting :)

Ano na nga ba ako after 7 years? Am I still be alive then? i really dont know, what i know is little by little im doing what my heart wants me to do and im happy at it.
I WISH 7 years from now i will be a fullfilled fine artist,
and yes its true ...we are going to remember you then.

Great lines here Sir Ross.....
cheers.

@Earl Nap Borj

Let me tell you a story....approaching year 2000 I was invited by Pilipinas Shell to judge ( for 2nd time then) their painting contest...i suggested to them to open up "the Shell "digital art category" as part of the contest...they listened and i gave all the criteria, rules, and they started the category the following year with me as the main judge...in that contest, 6 years ago i observed that digital art is still very young, my fellow judges were so amased on the entries submitted, dahil bago at konti pa lang nag po photoshop o corel pa lang madalas nuon. So you will see just a little effects then..
Last week, i was invited again to judge and saw hundreds of entries of the digital art category again for Shell...this time, i had this feeling of getting excited to see the images...but when i take a closer look at the images they all look the same, they all use the same software (with the abundance of software and filters on hand maybe, aided by p&s and phone camera)...gone are the days when artist stop for a while and think, we are tempted to be controlled by the software, the tools, the gadgets, the "uso" or the fad, rather than the process to which the joy of artmaking evolved. Going back to the judging, with my fellow 5 judges i continue with the process of eliminating and choosing my best 10 choices....there's one entry that i keep holding on through votes from hundreds down to fifty then to 20, it's just a simple full black background with a few white lines scratches as if you see scratches on your window sheilds...among hundreds of full colored entries with so much software tools, that's my choice...and the final tally counted that entry as 2nd Place...
My point is where are we heading in photography 7 years from now- i guess we will go back again (even just in principle) to the old school of photography- where the joy of the process in artmaking is present rather than immersing ourselves with so much "tools" and "fad" at hand today...it's ok to explore and find our vision, but little by litttle we can start now....:)

i saw this image in megamall. it was very appealing indeed.

Not exactly on fine arts photography, but more on fad photography and finding ones style..... it would seem to me that in advertising, it is very faddish and it goes in cycle. Currently, a lot of my advertising assignments are selective focus type of advertising and has been for about two years now. Before that, the directions I was given are "everything should be tack sharp" and that went on for years. I'm not sure why things work out that way.

On finding my own style, I don't know if I have my own style, but when I shoot for myself, I always gravitate to architecture and still life. Even at work, when we are given list of assignments, most of the time I pick the non-people type of assignments. The few times that I had to accept a fashion assignment, I hated it. Dealing with the model, their agent, publicist, their people, their people's people, etc. is very tiring for me and makes for a long night before I can even start clicking away. Comparatively, when I did a museum catalog and collaterals, I went in at 9pm and stayed till 4am the next day, and no one bothered me. I had the museum all to myself. And that was great.

If I win the lotto, still life and architecture is what I'll be doing today and seven years from now.

Soon again Raul:) ...just tied up with so many projects and events...i'd like to start with few artists here (to convince them:D) to go the fine art way:)


I sure want to be counted for this one Ross! This would certainly set my purpose as an artist at least for the next 7 years..:)

Hopefully retired (at 45) with lot's of time to travel and indulge in my passion for photography.

Mike

Since I got my 1st Camera, my intention of framing images in my lens is to interpret it to canvas, my camera it’s been the partner of my brush. Years back I took my images for reference purposes in my paintings. Hindi na ngayon; I am concentrating now taking my shots, not thinking of putting it on a gray canvas anymore. (pero humihirit pa din nauna ko pang ipinta mga latest shots ko kesa ipa-print):Grin:

7 years from now maybe am exploring more the art of Photography.

Sir Ross, remember we've met at Philippine Art Gallery during our Nude Session sketching it was January of 2004. You’re so cool & so down to earth.

I wish to join your Fine Art photography session.

7 years from now, I'd make sure that my current dreams are fulfilled; so I can dream and wish more... And I know I'd live a long, prosperous, happy and healthy life! :)

As for Photography... I'd be famous! YEAH BABY!

7 years from now, teaching photography and inspiring new photographers!