The making of a picture

There's nothing quite like being out on the road photographing and discovering new things. Just heading out I get excited. The world is full of possibilities. Beauty and interest are all around us.

And then when you get home, if you shoot digital, seeing what you've captured that day. Waiting for film results back from the lab adds a tremendous feeling of anticipation and excitement.

Both film and digital have their own unique appeal. For me though the absolute high point is actually making the image, when you're in that zone, almost zen and you realise as you press the shutter that it's going to be good. For the most part this only happens when I've previsualised an image, although as a photojournalist when you spot something and know it's going to make a fantastic picture you also get a tremendous kick.

For my more artistic photography though, I'll often have thought about making a picture for months, sometimes years before all the circumstances are right and I can actually take the image. The idea for the photograph below was conceived ages ago. It's a work in progress. Still not quite there but I'll be returning to this idea again.

Paul Indigo

Magda Indigo out photographing in Yorkshire.

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Approach to taking a portrait

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Beyond the obvious

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