Decisive Moment

This image of General Henry Slocum was made at Gettysburg National Military Park. Controversy around his conduct at the Battle of Gettysburg arose from his indecision, delaying the advance to the battlefield. He later earned the name of “Slow Come”. I remember the visit to Gettysburg as if it was just yesterday. I was able to capture several good images that day. The clouds were simply awesome. Feeling a sense of reverence while walking, I tried to imagine the bravery these men had during this historical national event. After learning more about the  the battle and adversities for both sides I’ve come to realize critical times require critical quick decisions.

Life is full of situations where we have to make critical decisions, our jobs, business and personal issues sometimes require a quick decision in order to move forward. In photography making quick decisions while making photos is something we attempt to avoid. But there are several opportunities to utilize your leadership ability of making decisions. One of the biggest challenges I think Fine Art Photographers face, is when editing their own work.

The context of editing I’m referring to is when deciding what images will not be included in a portfolio. Photographers associate their images with the experience while making the image. Thoughts such as effort put forward to get the shot, personal sentiment, personal preference as to how good an image may be compared to the others.

Selecting images for my website is challenging. Photographer’s images are like their babies, we have an attachment to all of them, but that doesn’t mean some images will fit within the context of a particular portfolio on your website. Editing my work is something I had to get outside help with. Thanks to Stella Kramer, I’ve got a lot better idea of what not to include and how to order them.

Photographers should separate their personal connection with their images when editing. Selecting a photo you think is less worthy that fits within the context of your portfolio is much more effective than including your favorite. As artist and collectors, context should be obvious, so make a decision to have a decisive moment when editing your collection.

David is a NC based photographer. To see his online gallery click here.

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