Category Archives: General Commentary

And the Winner Is…

February 27, 2017 kevin Leave a comment

It’s that time of year where the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognizes excellence in cinematic achievements in the film industry, and so many people tune in to see who will win awards for their creative talent.

I love seeing people excel at their art, whatever their art might be. The Academy Awards is not just about excellence in art. There is a lot of behind-the-scenes politics that goes on, and jockeying to make sure “their” film gets noticed. It’s only normal that would be the case because there are big bucks involved. Still, I’ll try to not be too cynical about it all, and just celebrate success in art.

I think about so many artists I know who are not “winners” in the sense of having gotten an award, but I look at the art they are creating and I very much see them as outstanding artists. I see them as “winners”, even without an award. And I see some artists who are getting better, gradually perfecting their craft, and maybe still have a way to go (hey we all do, honestly) but when I look at how far they’ve come, I cant help but see them as “winners” also.

Photography is a form of ART that is really pretty technical. For some folks, the technical stuff can be a little overwhelming. For others, they just love the technical stuff, and in some cases get obsessed by it. (Ok, self confession, I have a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, thus I have a degree in being a “nerd”) For us nerds, we have to be careful to not let our nerd-ness get out of hand.

Especially when you are bombarded with all the marketing out there, you can be lured into thinking that you simply must own all the highest quality technical gear available today: the absolute sharpest and fastest lenses, the “highest quality glass” (lingo for fancy lenses), cameras that go to ISO 3,280,000 or can shoot 11 frames per second or have a huge sensor, the most expensive lights available, etc. Now I am NOT saying that having good quality gear is bad at all. But what I am getting to is that as much as we might be tempted to think that our photographs will turn out so much better if we had the best gear available to us, that just doesn’t turn out to be the case.

This is ART. Creativity, talent, skill, and knowledge of how to make the best use of what you own matters way more than having the most fancy equipment available. Ultimately, “technical perfection” is not the “winner”. Strive to create great art, regardless of what camera you own.

Or here’s a musical analogy: You may have seen this youtube video of a street drummer doing some pretty cool drumming with plastic buckets. No fancy drums. Just plastic buckets.

I encourage you to push yourself to excel at your art. Don’t worry about how fancy your gear is. Just focus on using it better. Sharpen your skills. Ask questions. Learn. Make mistakes. Learn some more. Get better.

And don’t worry if your work is not as good as others’ yet. Just keep striving to be better. If you keep doing that, in my view, YOU ARE A WINNER.

Happy Picture Taking,
Kevin Gourley

General Commentary

The Value of a Photograph

February 21, 2017 kevin Leave a comment

If I go through all of my possessions, I find I really could discard most of them and it wouldn’t bother me all that much. Sure, some of the things I own are “necessities”, but the majority are really possessions of convenience. Even if they are necessity or convenience items, they are mostly replaceable.

And then there are a few things that fit in the category of “memorabilia”, those items that bring back a special memory, a vacation souvenir, a child toy, maybe even a dog collar.

Confession: I just can’t resist those machines you find in various vacation spots where you put in two quarters and a penny, and it flattens the penny into a souvenir. I know, it’s kind of goofy, but I like those. They aren’t just some trinket that was actually made in China. They are actually made right there, in front of me, at the moment when I was standing there in that spot. I have collected about 20 or so over time.

Another thing that is uniquely “made right there” is a photograph, and that is what I love about photography. A photograph “captures a moment in time”, embraces it, and hangs onto it for me. When I want to go back to that moment in time, all I need to do is look at that photograph again.

When it comes to that question of what possessions I truly value, the photographs are the ones I could never discard, nor could I ever replace them. They are about the only possessions I have that I could honestly say are “priceless” to me.

Some of my priceless photographs aren’t even priceless because they take me back to a memory in my life. They reach even farther back in time, prior to my life.

That photo I posted, for example, is a photograph of my mom when she was a little girl. I believe it was taken by her dad who was a professional photographer almost a century ago.

I love photography because it tells our life story. In the end, when we leave this world, virtually ALL of our possessions, the “necessities” and the “convenience” items, are most worthless to others … except for the photographs. I love having that photograph of my mom.

Some of the photographs you take today may become priceless possessions to someone else later on. What a gift. You can create something “priceless” by simply pressing a button at the right time. That is even better than a flattened penny.

Some day, when I leave this world, my flattened penny collection may become worthless to others, but some of my photographs will live on.

Remember the importance of the photographs you take. They are the story of the lives of the people you love. They are priceless.

Happy Picture Taking,

Kevin Gourley

General Commentary

Clarinets and Cameras

February 19, 2017 kevin 1 Comment

I’ve used this analogy in several of my classes, so some of you have already heard this. 🙂

I love music. In many ways I think perhaps it is humanity’s most beautiful and complex art form. It is an art that can be expressed individually or collectively as a group of musicians in a band or orchestra. Music can be produced and enjoyed in so many different ways, and there is no one “right” way. Music gets inside us, gets inside our brains. A melody, words in a song, can inspire us, bring us to tears, make us smile, take us back to a moment in time.

I learned how to play the clarinet when I was around 13 years old. Wait, let me rephrase that. I started learning how to play the clarinet when I was around 13 years old. (It took a while.)

Have you ever heard a beginning clarinet student play that instrument? Wow, you can make a lot of bad noise when starting out. I feel sorry for what my parents had to endure when I practiced at home in my bedroom. Day after day, I practiced. Getting a little better over time, but boy did it take a while to get beyond just making noise.

Learning an instrument starts out as a technical exercise. You even have to learn how to place your mouth on the instrument right. (It is not as obvious as you might think.) You have to learn how to place your fingers on the instrument in the right way. And in creating the various notes, you have to press your fingers down or lift them up in the right order or it won’t work right. It is a bit complex.

And then there is the music theory you have to learn also. What is an eighth note, a half note, a rest? What is staccatto? Tremolo? On and on.

You spend a long time learning enough of the technical stuff before you really get to what is interesting: the music. Eventually, you have learned enough to discover the real beauty of the art is not in all the technical stuff of where you put your fingers and how you read sheet music, but rather it is how you make something beautiful with your instrument.

There are some similarities with photography. Granted, you can pick up your instrument, in this case a camera, and immediately start taking pictures (and it’s sure not that way with a clarinet). The more you learn the technical stuff, you can produce even better art with your camera because you have more ability to be creative with your instrument. You can go beyond the limitations imposed by using a camera in its fully automatic modes.

As you dig deeper into learning the technical parts of photography, it is important to remember the real objective is to get beyond the technical to explore the art of photography more fully. Learn the technical, but don’t get hung up on the technical. Learn the rules but don’t be afraid to play with the rules, bend the rules, maybe even break the rules if needed. Stay focused on creating art.

Art is more of an emotional thing than a technical thing. The technical stuff is really just a necessary means to an end. The fun really begins once you have learned your instrument and you start creating beautiful art with it. That is true whether it is a clarinet or a camera.

Music has many different genres, and so does photography. I encourage you to explore different genres of photography. Try new things. Explore. Experiment. Fail. Experiment some more. Learn from your mistakes. Discover what you like. Discover what you dislike. Eventually find your passion in the art. Find what you love, and do that. Find a way to express YOUR view of the world through your images. Don’t just copy others. The world loves a creative artist who expresses their art in ways they have not seen before.

Create something beautiful. Be an artist.

Happy Picture Taking

Kevin

General Commentary

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

January 25, 2017 kevin Leave a comment

Yes this is a photography blog, but what I am saying really applies to all aspects of your life.

We are creatures who mostly live in the “routine” of daily life. We keep doing what we’ve been doing because, well, it just feels easier.

When we were little, we were in our growth phase, where we were always learning, always growing, and the result was MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. We learned how to talk. We learned how to crawl, then walk. We learned about language, and science, and history, and so many other things. We learned how to drive. We kept growing and growing. Why? Because we were constantly being pushed OUT OF OUR COMFORT ZONES.

And then for some of us, we had kids, and that was another comfort zone leap. It was that moment where we said “OMG, NOW what do I do?? This baby didn’t come with a user manual!!”

As our lives progress, it sometimes feels easier to grow complacent. We’re tired. We can’t find enough hours in the day. We have responsibilities to so many people. We lose sight of what matters to us as we meet the expectations of society or our family or our employer. We get on a treadmill of life, and just keep putting one foot in front of the other, and there we go, just doing what we have been doing, just to get by, and find ourselves wandering around in our comfort zone.

With photography, and almost everything else in life, if you want to GROW beyond where you are now, embrace the concept that your growth will happen if you intentionally step out of your comfort zone, just like you were doing when you made all of those big accomplishments as a kid.

Growth requires intentionality. Want to get better in your photography? Push yourself to learn the aspects of photography you don’t know, or don’t just keep photographing the same subjects in the same way. Pursue activities that lead you to improvement, that challenge you, that lead you to growth.

You may have heard this quote before:

“The definition of insanity is doing something over and over again and expecting a different result.”

Well, on the Internet, this quote has been attributed to Einstein, Ben Franklin, and Mark Twain. So, I have NO idea who originally said it, but I must admit it IS kind of crazy to just keep doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting anything different as a result.

Of course, I could give a counter-point: with many pursuits in our life, we DO need to keep doing the same thing over and over again, to PRACTICE in order to get better at what we do. I learned to play the clarinet in school. I definitely had to keep practicing over and over again, to get better. But regardless of how much practice I did, the end result is that I just became a better clarinet player. To go beyond just being a good clarinet player, requires pushing beyond clarinet playing, on to the next goal.

I started this post by saying “Yes this is a photography blog, but what I am saying really applies to all aspects of your life.” and it really is important for us all to think about what we want out of life.

The most exciting moments in life are those moments where we dare to go beyond the boundaries of our comfort zone and achieve something new and great and different and say “WOW, I can’t believe I did that!”

Where are you now, and where do you want to go with your life? See your comfort zone as just a resting spot, but not your destiny. Don’t stay there too long.

General Commentary

Auld Lang Syne

January 1, 2017 kevin Leave a comment

Here we are, in a new year. We look to the new year ahead with expectation that somehow we might make it “better”. With well-intentioned “New Year’s Resolutions”, wishes of “Happy New Year” to our friends, we look ahead with expectant hope.

Amidst the celebrations of New Year’s Eve, an old tradition was the singing of “Auld Lang Syne” which originated from an old Scots poem from 1788. Wikipedia has a good article about it. Set to the tune of a traditional folk song, the title may be loosely translated to mean “for (the sake of) old times.”

As we look ahead to this new year, it is worth reflecting on the year that ended, our memories we carry forward, our challenges we faced, our joys, our friendships, our family memories, our loved-ones, our disappointments, our celebrations… our lives. Inasmuch as we look ahead to this new year, this remembering of the past year is just as important because it shaped who we are.

The photographs we took over the past year all capture brief moments in time, fitting together snippets of our life experience like pieces of a puzzle. No one photo tells the whole story. Over time, we discover which of those images become priceless to us, as we want to hang on to those moments, at least through the photographs. We remember loved ones who are no longer with us. We embrace occasions we’ll never experience again.

“Photographers deal in things which are continually vanishing and when they have vanished there is no contrivance on earth which can make them come back again.” – Henri Cartier Bresson

For auld lang syne, for the sake of old times, I hope you will remember the good in your life. Say “I love you” to those whom you love. Be thankful. Learn from your mistakes.

Now you are prepared to take on this “new year”. Make it a great one. Take a few photographs along the way. You’ll want to remember this year.

Kevin Gourley

General Commentary

Christmas Eve – An Invitation

December 18, 2016 kevin 3 Comments

Dear friends,

This is not like any of my other posts on my blog. In fact, this has nothing to do with photography. This is just an invitation.

It’s an invitation for Christmas Eve. I realize you all have differing views on the whole topic of “religion” and “faith” (and believe me, I have gone all over the map through the years). I am a Christian, but for almost half of my life, I was not a Christian. I have been agnostic, atheist at times, so I do understand different viewpoints on this subject and I totally respect you for where you are now on such matters. As a Christian, I figure if I can simply strive to love others, and not condemn someone for being different from me or waste any time “judging” others, I am doing ok. God knows (literally), I am pretty imperfect myself.

So, if I haven’t lost you in my first two paragraphs, I’ll get back to that invitation. I was sitting in church today, thinking about what an incredible group of people we have at my church. They are the most loving and generous and kind people I have ever known. Since Christmas is coming up soon and we have a beautiful Christmas Eve Candlelight service this Saturday, I wanted to invite you to attend.

You might already have plans for Christmas Eve, and that’s fine, or this might not be of interest to you at all. But if you’re somewhere “in between” where you don’t have plans and hadn’t even thought of going to a Christmas Eve service but that sounds interesting, we have 5 different services in our brand new sanctuary. My church is Bethany United Methodist Church in NW Austin, at 10010 Anderson Mill Road. If you are interested, here is a link to the website with more info about the services, what they are like, and which ones have child care.

I just thought I’d put this invitation out there for those of you who might like to do something to make this Christmas Eve special as we experience the wonder of “Christmas”.

I am grateful to know so many of you who have taken my classes, gone on destination workshops with me, follow me on my website or via emails or my blog or facebook.

I wish you all Happy Holidays, and for those of you who say “Merry Christmas”, I hope yours is indeed the best Christmas ever.

Most sincerely,
Kevin Gourley

General Commentary

The Thankful Project

December 9, 2016 kevin Leave a comment

Here it’s Friday. We have just about made it through another busy week! Thank God It’s Friday! TGIF!

I am a real believer that we photographers will create better photographs if we intentionally make it a practice to take in ALL the beauty and wonder of the world around us. The first step in doing that is to STOP TAKING IT ALL FOR GRANTED.

The stuff we take for granted is most likely what we will overlook in our photography. It might be the simplest of things… the daily routine of getting the kids out of bed, making breakfast in a hurry, driving to work, our family, our kids, our parents, our home, our job, our friends, our coworkers, the car we drive, the air we breath, the water we drink, the sunrise each morning, the list goes on and on.

The next time you think you have nothing to photograph, just start making a “gratitude list”. Think of all the things and people you are grateful for. Then make it your project to photograph those things! You may discover this project will result in your most meaningful photographs, especially later on in life.

So, instead of TGIF, practice gratitude EVERY day.

Kevin Gourley

P.S. Want more ideas on how to be re-inspired in your photography?
Join us for our ‘Rekindle Workshop‘ in 2017!

General Commentary

Quality Over Quantity

December 4, 2016 kevin 1 Comment

I was just reflecting on NUMBER of photographs we are all creating these days… thousands, tens of thousands… It’s overwhelming. In fact, it is so overwhelming, that we see articles all the time about optimizing our workflow, tips for maximizing our productivity in cranking out even MORE photographs, presets and plugins that increase our efficiency in pumping out quality images with less editing time.

Don’t get me wrong, we ARE able to create excellent images with the currently available tools, but so much of the focus seems to be on QUANTITY. We have to get those pictures edited quickly so we can get them posted on instagram, facebook, on our blogs, and a long list of other social media and image sharing websites. That way we can get our affirmation from the world about how great we are. We want more “likes” because if we get more “likes”, we must be doing something right. We want to win more online photo contests, because, well more is better, I guess. (?)

Having learned photography back in the “good old days” of film, and knowing the long hours I spent in my darkroom painstakingly working on creating one good image, I am finding myself sort of missing those days. The focus was more on “let me get this ONE image just right”, rather than the stress of “how do I quickly perfect these 4000 photographs I took last week on vacation?” Who the heck is going to look at all those photos anyway? 😉

Sometimes I feel like I am on this treadmill of cranking out more and more images, and someone keeps turning up the speed faster and faster. Who the heck is turning up that treadmill?? Wait, is it ME?

Maybe it is time to slow down, and focus on creating a few great images, and ignore all this talk about optimizing workflows and pumping out large quantities of images.

“Twelve significant photographs in any one year is a good crop.” – Ansel Adams

Dear Ansel Adams, What would you have done in this “digital age” of photography? Instead of using your view camera, if you were using a digital camera, would you still say that twelve significant photographs in any one year is a good crop? Somehow I think you would have.

Note to self: S-L-O-W D-O-W-N
Focus on quality over quantity.

Kevin Gourley

General Commentary

Light & Photography Workshop

Image December 1, 2016 kevin Leave a comment

We just wrapped up another Light & Photography Workshop! This course is a comprehensive look at light in its various forms, both natural and artificial, and we look at the many ways we photographers can control and manipulate light to create great photographs!

Over several sessions, we explore the ways light works its magic to make images beautiful, and then dig into the details about how to operate electronic flashes (speedlights) and studio strobes (monolights).

The course ends with a session done in my studio where the participants have a chance to photograph a couple of models, putting into practice what we covered in class.

Student Comment: “Kevin’s Light and Photography class is fantastic. The small class size ensures everyone get personalized instructions. His tips for using every type of lighting from flashlights and household lighting to pro photography lighting make this class a must for every level of photographer. His demos were the highlight of the class. Every photographer can learn from this class. The add-on model shoot session is also a must.”

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE and let us know if you’d like us to add another session soon! Your input is important!

Here are some photos taken by participant, Sandy O’Connor:

General Commentary

Make the Choice to Improve Your Photography

November 26, 2016 kevin Leave a comment

Most people start out using a camera using its most automatic settings. Many stay in that mode of taking photos, not really knowing what they are doing, but sometimes getting good results, and sometimes not. If you’re not satisfied with that, I encourage you to learn more about how to best use your camera.

The starting point for you to get better images is to attain more control over your camera. That can be intimidating to dive into all those settings and options, especially on any of the modern day digital cameras.

While camera manufacturers have tried to add more and more fancy features and more ‘automatic’ options, they have added lots of complexity. In fact, I think they have maybe pushed this a little too far. But then, the real key is to learn which of those settings are really important and which are not.

In my Photography 101 Workshops, we focus on covering the important fundamentals of photography that every photographer should know. Learn what options really matter and which settings you SHOULD be adjusting to get the best shots. You really can create better images if you do not have your camera in its fully automatic mode. It is just a machine. It is not the artist. You are!

We spend time looking at technical details, but also explore various other factors such as light and composition and the importance of YOU and how you see the world around you.

Photography is a very powerful and meaningful art medium. We capture images that have great value to us. Our photographs tell our life story. We remember those special moments with loved ones. We embrace moments we will never get to experience again. I encourage you to make those images you capture the best you possibly can. Some of the images you create will be of priceless value to you and your family later on.

So, if you have not already taken my Photography 101 Workshop, I encourage you to consider it. And if you have taken my Photography 101 Workshop, I encourage you to consider taking my Photography – Mastering the Fundamentals Class or one of my other classes to expand your photographic skills even further!

Student Comment: “I thoroughly enjoyed the Photography 101 class. I learned so much about my camera that I’m much more comfortable pushing myself and my photos. The classroom setting is comfortable and Kevin is a really great teacher – combining technical information and answering questions readily. Kevin’s way of teaching is friendly and you feel that he listens to you and understands what your needs are. I can’t wait to take another class! I will be telling all my photo friends about Kevin and definitely encourage them to take some classes!”

I also offer Private Teaching on virtually all aspects of photography, meeting your time schedule and specific photographic needs.

Want to have some fun on a real photographic adventure? Join us on our Rocky Mountain Photography Workshop! Get prepared for the trip first by taking my Photography 101 class!

KGPhotoWorkshops Blog

Category Archives: General Commentary

And the Winner Is…

The Value of a Photograph

Clarinets and Cameras

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

Auld Lang Syne

Christmas Eve – An Invitation

The Thankful Project

Quality Over Quantity

Light & Photography Workshop

Make the Choice to Improve Your Photography

Kevin Gourley Photography Workshops, Austin, TX – Austin Photography Classes