A magic answer that will suddenly turn them into a 'photographer'.

Well folks, it ain't going to happen. No one but you, by the sweat of your own two hands and the efforts of your own mind will make that happen. I know, I am going to hear from some out there who will say that unless someone tells them what to take pictures of they cannot get any good results. So, this month we go over a few things that can improve your photography.

Or, to put it more simply, shoot with a purpose and you will have a good reason to be out with your camera. A goal you are pursuing that will improve your odds of getting good images. After all, if you don't know where you are going, how will you know when you have arrived?

This past month I finally stopped in at the Jensen Historic Farm in Wellsville, Utah. I stopped because I kept driving by and looking at the barn, the old buildings and the old machinery. I would see it with the tourists swarming over everything. I would see it in the rain. But, one day in a blowing and nearly blinding snow I glanced to the side of the road and saw the peak of the barn in a ghostly line against the white sky. I couldn't stop then, but two days later I went in to see about photographing the buildings.

I went in and got permission to photograph on the property. The farm was closed for the season but the gentleman in charge said "go ahead and take some photos, but watch out for the cowlot, it's awfully muddy".

He was right. So I put on my mickey mouse boots and walked into the mud and snow and got a few good images. I didn't get the image I had seen from the road because the snow wasn't blowing and the light had changed. But, I got a few good ones. I sure wanted what I had seen the other day but the weather wasn't cooperating.

Well, I went home, processed the film and was excited by what I had. I printed a few images and then went back and gave them to the manager of the farm and then talked to him about spending a bit more time photographing. He agreed and we were set.

An image of the barn and house is shown. I shot it with both 5x7 and 4x5. I wanted to work with it and I can enlarge 4x5. (5x7 will come after I rebuild an old enlarger I bought last year). Since I wanted a historical view of the place I thought it important to try and recreate the feel of the photographers of the past. The bigger camera. Shooting on location in whatever weather happens when I am there. Printing to match the historical values of the place.

So, take a look at the first image of the barn and house. It is nice, nothing special. A record of what was there. It is printed cleanly and for detail in the shadows. It looks good in a mat and framed.

Now, take a look at the second barn and house image. The same image except for one small change. It is toned in Agfa Viradon BrownToner. This image sings! The original print really jumps off the paper when you look at it. I hope your monitor does justice to the subtle, rich tones that fairly glow. It has the look, the feel of history in a place dedicated to that very idea.

The second image gets much better reception than the first.

I went looking for fulfillment of an idea. I went to the farm with a specific purpose in mind. In this case, I was successful in getting an image that expressed the idea.

No, I didn't get the line of the barn in blowing snow, that will come later if I am lucky and the weather cooperates. I did get an image that is worthwhile, true to the purpose for which I took out the camera. A nice, clean, uncluttered image of a farm that could have been taken in the 1920's. I like it and enjoy it.

Without the brown toning, the work on the image after I printed it, the image just doesn't speak to me of history. Printed straight it is only a record. It is a good beginning. It is the added effort that recreates a feeling of history for me.

Next time you aren't sure what to photograph, go somewhere-anywhere. Take a good look around you and pick a destination. It doesn't matter where. Just go. Then try to get an image that tells you about the place. The feel of the place. An image that speaks to you and to others. Positive or negative, it doesn't matter, just so it says something more than "why did you waste the film".

A lot of the great images you look at in wishing the creativity would kick in were the result of this type of quest. Part of it just being there. Part of recognizing a good image when the possibility was presented. Part in having the photographic skill to get it on film so you could present it to others.

All the great photographers have a purpose when they photograph and all face a 'block' somewhere along the way. One really good way to get past it is to shoot through it, going out with a purpose and shooting until the purpose is fulfilled. Find a reason to get excited about life and you will get excited about photographing it. When your skill comes up the level of your excitement your images will show it and you will be happy to have others see them.

Best of all, others will also see the excitement as they view the images.

Technical info: The prints were shot with an Anba/Ikeda wood view camera. 4x5 Kodak TMax 100 film, processed in Ilford ID11 just a but more than my normal time to 'pop' the flat lighting a bit. Printed on Forte Multigrade warmtone paper, toned in Agfa Viradon to express what I thought the image should say. The untoned one just doesn't do it for me. shooter@brigham.net