"What do you do when you are at a really boring reception where there is nothing to photograph?"
Yes, I have been asked that question, more than a few times!
Not surprisingly the question is often, although not always, asked by relatively new or inexperienced photographers.
I'm of the opinion that these photographers may possibly have brought unrealistic expectations coupled with a set of predetermined images in their minds.
My response to these photographers is to firstly stop going to any wedding, event or session with preset ideas in their heads of what they are going to photograph and how, especially if these ideas are based on what they might have seen of other photographers' work.
When one's expectations are low or non-existent then it's almost impossible to be disapointed and one is able then able to look at the situation and make one's evaluations based on what is actually in front of them rather than what they might have seen on a recent trip through bridal blogland.
Sometimes the question is asked by photographers who might have been shooting events for years and are perhaps seeking something to rekindle sparks that have burned out or are low.
I suggest to these photographers that maybe they have stopped looking, perhaps they have seen it all, perhaps there's not much new for them to see at such events.
Looking and Seeing - there's a huge difference. One can look, for that killer shot maybe, all day long and it's rarely if ever going to jump in front of you.
If one practices looking long enough one begins to "see".
I looked at the back of a chair in my garden.
I saw some raindrops
I looked from a slightly different perspective
and there's a different image altogether.
I begin to "see" some more...
It's simply practice, no quick and easy fix, yet the practice, the exercises in looking are tremendously rewarding.
