I’ve talked and written a lot about the power of limitations over the years. From personal experience, as a photographer, I can definitely say that embracing limitations has had a big impact in my growth as a visual storyteller. Whether the limitations reside in the focal length, choice of color vs. B&W, the ambient light or the image format, I believe that they force the artist to slow down and become much more deliberate. Making successful photographs with such limitations also enhances the satisfaction of the artist. The greater the merit, the more gratifying is the experience.
Three months into a new personal project titled The Artist & The Space, I once again experience the benefits of limitations. Nothing is staged or posed, I simply record the artist at work. This project is shot in horizontal format at 35mm with the Fujifilm X-Pro2 in Jpeg Acros film simulation using ambient light and minimal post processing, if any. The point of the exercise is to spend time playing with my camera, not in the digital darkroom.
The project started as a way to get me out with my camera more often during the long Minnesota winter months, between travels and workshops. Surprisingly, the project has already received quite a lot of attention internationally. Maybe there is another lesson to be learned here… When you follow your heart and your vision, your passion will reflect in the work and in your attitude towards it.
Visit this gallery to see more of the on-going project.
Please share your own experience below! Thanks for visiting :)