The Importance of Innovative Exploration

The key to keeping your passion for photography and business healthy, alive, and well... Exploration!

Proven technology pays the bills, but fresh ideas lead to big things in our experience. Exploration of new technologies has been key to our survival and success in our careers. We aren't in the imaging industry for the money, most certainly there are other businesses we could choose that would be more financially stable than being an artist that makes a living with a camera. We choose this life instead because it forces us to think in new ways, and that is an exciting daily phenomenon.

Part of growing means trying new things. If Ihad started my photography career in digital, I might even go backwards and make it a point to learn the science behind photography at it's most basic level. Fortunately, I've already walked that path for over a decade, and am smarter for it. Back then, photography was a completely different business model, and one with limitless financial potential. Today however, it's the creativity that is limitless and it's what keeps me up late, and why I rise early to continue the photographic journey. It's creativity that fuels this never ending existence we live.

Our Current Innovation Explorations

With that said, there are some new technologies and formats we have been exploring in great depth over the past six months. One of those technologies is a new camera created by Lytro called the Lytro Illum. We are going to be doing a series of posts, including some videos, over the next six months in which we use this technology in new ways, and are excited about sharing exactly what this camera can do. Let's just say it is unlike any other camera that has ever been brought to market. Simply an amazing new way to think about images, how we view them, how we share them, and the style of stories we can create with them.

The next technology we want to highlight is something called Flixel, and how amazingly well it pairs with 4K Video. It's a software and cloud based imaging solution that is a creative tool for producing cinemagraphs, and for telling stories in a new way that blends motion picture clips and still images together. Again, it's an imaging technology that forces both the creator and the viewer to think differently. We look forward to sharing some of our content using this as well in future posts.

Lastly we have been exploring mirrorless cameras, 4K video and the effect on our creativity. If you explore this website you will find lots of content created this way. While friends and colleagues have stayed with the tried and true DSLR style cameras, we have added new formats like the Micro 4/3's Lumix GH4 to our gear bag, and it's making a profound impact on the way we tell stories, and our ability to get original new content shot, edited, and out the door. You are sure to see this trend continue from us, and we expect this concept will grow outward from here.

Thinking Differently is What Art is All About

Exploration takes time, and mastering a new technology takes motivation. I've had many fellow photographers ask me questions regarding monetization on new technologies. If you are an entrepreneur I get that, the bottom line matters because it has to. But, in our experience mastering a new and interesting way to see, and be different in the process, offers greater financial possibilities than churning out ordinary work day in an day out. If you are on that path now eventually you will be warn down to the very core of your existence and be thinking of quitting. Burn out is the hardest longest way to fall. Instead, take charge! Get out of the mindset that the camera is just a way to make money. Rather, make the camera the toy you always wanted again and start challenging yourself to explore something new.

Exploration is the key to keeping your passion for photography or whatever else you do healthy, alive, and well.