How to Shoot Self-Assignment PhotographyA dedicated time slot and a willingness to improve photographic flaws is how Doug Sahlin ensures success on his self-assignment shoots. |
Article By Jennifer Gidman Images by Doug Sahlin |
Self-assignment photography serves a variety of functions: It can fill the gaps when there's a lull in your typical shooting schedule, it helps you master particular techniques or equipment, and it stokes your creative fires when your regular routine has got you in a rut. Doug Sahlin often takes the time to shoot self-assigned images with his partner, Roxanne Evans. |
Although it may seem overwhelming at first (Where do you start? What do you shoot?), going in with a plan and plenty of inspiration can help you capture great self-assignment images. "William Albert Allard offered the perfect advice," says Sahlin. "He said: 'You've got to push yourself harder. You've got to start looking for pictures that nobody else can take. You've got to take the tools you have and probe deeper.'" |
Read on for Sahlin's tips to jump-start your own self-assignment sessions. |
Dedicate time just for your photography. \ |
Figure out what will drive your self-assignment images. |
If you're looking for inspiration, you could also do something fun like flip through the dictionary, find a word, and say, "That's my assignment - I'm going to photograph that word." Maybe you don't even literally photograph it. For instance, your assignment could be "blue," so perhaps you go out and photograph things that are blue, or maybe you photograph people who are feeling blue. If your assignment is the concept "small," maybe you shoot macro. |
You should also always carry a little notebook. If you take a different way home from work one day, you might come across something you want to shoot. You can take what I call a couple of "rough sketches" with your smartphone, as well as jot down some notes in your notebook about the location and other details you might want to remember. Then, when it's a dull day and you want to shoot something different, go back through your notebook, find the places you shot with your smartphone, and head back there with your big camera. |
Bring friends along for a photographic learning experience. |
Limit yourself to one lens. |
Think before you click. |
You also want to draw upon your past experiences for context. To quote Ansel Adams, "You don't just make pictures with your camera: You make pictures with the books you've read, the music you've heard, and with the people you have loved." |
To see more of Doug Sahlin's work with his partner, Roxanne Evans, go to www.dougplusrox.com or to their Facebook page. Check out Sahlin's new book, "Mastering the Lensbaby," on Amazon. |