Tracy received her most recent issue of LensWork today. For those that are not familiar with that magazine, it is second only to National Geographic as my favorite photographic inspiration. She had been encouraging me to submit a series of photographs for publication consideration. Three months ago I read through their submission guidelines, all 11 pages of single spaced text. At that time I gave it more thought and decided that when I would submit my work, I would enter my Forever Tango shots from 2007. I wanted to tell a story in my submission and since the opportunity to shoot something so passionate, so sensual and at the very same time powerful just doesn’t come along that often, I feel it made good subject matter.
And for a reason that is more important, I learned much during those three live performances about the making of photographs. By immersing myself into the passion of the moments I was able to the best of my ability, capture the passion being performed and displayed. As each dancer came off stage sweating and breathing as if they had just run the 100 yard dash, I too was sweating and breathing heavily. My perspiration was not from dancing, but crouching under spotlights and focusing with all of my might to capture the pinnacle moments of their movement.
But as I look upon the series of photographs this month’s photographer Janet Woodcock made of common farm animals, I am humbled. And so for a time I will wait to submit work. Motivation for my own growth comes from funny places and at times when one least expects it. And in this case from faces and tonality of simple barnyard animals.
