So – vision, shot precision, follow through.
As with weapons training (see previous post), so it is with street photography.
It’s giving me an insight as to what constitutes expertise.
There is expertise that comes with knowledge of the field – where you’re situated, what you have to offer in relation to what other people in your field have to offer, how it all fits in with what society (and the market) demands, and whether or not (or how) you would adjust to that demand.
Related to that, there’s the kind of expertise (i.e. skills) that can only come with painstaking preparation, training, multiple failures, as you move from naivete and self-ridicule to familiarity and finally (hopefully) to mastery.
It’s a journey from innocence to experience.
And with experience, hopefully, one could be innocent all over again.
You don’t truly master anything. As you can see, I’ve read my William Blake.
Do I dare disturb the universe? (I’m quoting T. S. Eliot here.)
The above gentleman spotted me right after I took the shot.
He put on his hat, walked right up to me, snarled, laughed, tapped my shoulder, and then walked away.
So naturally I felt compelled to carry on.
I stood at one spot and aimed at the wall.
I’m really not sure why I do things like this.
I suppose this is where art comes from.
Camera: Honeywell Pentax Spotmatic F
Lens: 24mm S-M-C Takumar F 3.5
Film: Kodak UltraMax 400
Hong Kong Lucida 
Reblogged this on Being Southern Somewhere Else and commented:
A beautiful meditation on expertise, failure, practice and preparation, as well as food for thought on the role of the artist within the medium and the ripples that result. I always enjoy these excursions he takes me on both in space and conscious thought.
From Innocence to Experience, and back to Innocense. Recognised it as Blake immediately 🙂 Lovely meditation.
Thank you!
Great share, and an applicable lesson to all things life related 🙂
Thank you!