Semper Paro

I have learned many things in life that I have yet to implement into my daily routine. First of all, I learned that procrastination is not a virtue. That being said, my journal entries will be very last minute, I guarantee.

I also know from experience that nothing comes from being unprepared. To me, being prepared as a designer is always having a sketchbook and a camera. Always.

Some of the most amazing shots happen when you least expect it. Walking in the woods, would you expect to find such a haunting image? No, which is why we must prepare for the unexpected.
The unexpected nature of human nature is another reason why it is so important to have that camera.

I do not believe that the first-hand experience is necessarily better when you have a camera, which is why it is ok to put it down every once in a while and see the world through your own lenses. However, sharing that experience with everyone you know can be like experiencing it over and over.

I say this not because I like to take pictures of people in embarrassing situations, though I do. I say this because the formal relationships and interesting geometry that spring out of these moments are priceless. As Jim Krause said in his essay “Photo Idea Index,” “With eyes wide open, your day becomes a stream of photo opportunities.”

He shows examples of how spontaneous or unexpected photos can give designers interesting studies on color, form, texture, symmetry, repetition, framing, details, movement, and looking at things from another angle.

I have always wanted to take better photos. As I have learned, practice, and preparedness, make perfect.