Work Begets Work
[by Susan Carr]
I had the privilege a few years back of hearing photographer Ken Josephson speak at the Society for Photographic Education Midwest Regional conference. While discussing his own struggle with blocks in creativity or direction, he clearly stated his own mantra, “work begets work.” These three simple words have hung with me and continue to ring true.
The most difficult times for me, as an artist, are those periods between projects. It frequently takes me a while to know when a given personal project is complete, thus, the creating new work slows gradually, the emphasis shifts to exhibitions or other outlets for the project and my lack of producing new work sort of creeps in unexpectedly. Ideas for new projects start brewing, but the day-to-day work of making a living and getting my existing images seen takes over. Then, what feels like all of sudden, it will hit me that the real love of my life, making photographs, is being neglected.
I moved to Chicago four years ago. Relocating my home after 25 years was a daunting task and my move coincided with the completion of a significant personal photography project. Between actively exhibiting this body of work – a documentary project of home interiors – and settling into a new home and business community, I didn’t think about photographing beyond my commercial client work. Fast forward to this year, I acknowledged that my own photography needed to become a priority again. I simply feel lost without it.
My idea is to photograph my new home, the Chicago neighborhood of Rogers Park. I struggled with how to get started. I predictably tried to answer the why and how of the project before I initiated the work. Then I remembered Ken Josephson’s lecture. Work begets work. The process of creating work is the process of discovering the why and how. I wasn’t going to solve anything unless I simply walked the neighborhood camera in hand.
I am happy to say that this past spring and summer were productive. I walked miles, shot many rolls of film (yes, film for this work) and slowly the project is taking form. My advice for anyone struggling with their own vision is to simply get to work, pick up a camera and stop asking yourself so many questions.
4 Responses to 'Work Begets Work'
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I’m probably going to get this wrong, but wasn’t it Hemingway who said that the secret to being a good writer is to sit down in front of a typewriter and start typing?
Susan, I think many of us feel like this on a semi-regular basis. As a fellow Chicagoan, please feel free to call me anytime and we can go on an urban photo safari. I do this from time to time when things are slow. I just grab my camera and explore our great city. Yesterday I did just that and sure enough my cell phone rang with an assignment that I’ll be starting today! Maybe it’s a karmic thing, who knows? All I know is that it seems to work. Photographers need to photograph and as we know, ASMP is all about photographers helping photographers.
[...] Susan Carr, via ASMP’s Strictly Business blog, recounting the advice (“Work begets work”) she received from photographer Kenneth [...]
Thank You Susan for the article. It actually helped me clear my block. I’m back to making images.