Cello Motion

words and images by Warren Wilson

Trust me: exciting, exhilarating, adrenaline-pumping, and sense-of-accomplishment are all great words to use when something, tried for the first time, works out. It can be a mind-blowing thrill. On the other hand, “come undone” is a term used to the opposite extreme to convey an event not going as well as expected. In shorter terms, it’s a failure.

Yep, I said it. Failure is not a word I like to cling to for an extended period of time. But, there are times in which we need to own it. Owning it doesn’t necessarily mean letting others see your failures. And, that’s something I avoid. I don’t mind talking about the failure, but I never go so far as to show you the proof. “See! Here’s the proof. I failed.”—Nope! That won’t happen here.

Failures in photography are best kept to yourself because you can remedy the situation. We learn from our mistakes. We pick ourselves up and try again, and often, we’ll try again, and again because learning from our mistakes only makes us stronger. Don’t say you can’t do it; work at it until you get it. Or, alternatively, decide that it’s not for you and try something else.

One of my favorite genres of photography is what is called Intentional Camera Movement (ICM). In this technique, you’re already doomed to failure. Finding the right combination of camera settings is different for each subject. The idea is to shoot a lot of images and choose the best two, or three. Persistence is the key.And, remember this: If you aren’t having fun, it isn’t worth it!

Click here for a link to my ICM gallery. All images are for sale. Contact me for information.