What I’m getting at is that the internet is most likely the course of your impotence when it comes to productivity. How many people pick up their smartphones and check something online or in an app in the morning.
Instead of picking up a camera and getting a sunrise. I bet 99% of us look at a smartphone before anything else in the morning. If only your first thought out of bed was what photo will I capture today, think about how much more you would achieve.
The internet isn’t bad, it’s the near-infinite stream of novel information at your fingertips that is. This hope of finding a gem in a pile of shit. This is what’s coursing your lack or willpower and killing your productivity when it comes to photography. Are you really happy after scrolling through your feed 5 minutes in? Is it really engaging? What did you get from it yesterday, can you even remember? If you can’t then this activity shouldn’t be a priority to you.
/Alexander Ben Korako Watson
It’s this easy access, this constant distraction that could be causing you to become unproductive. Take a moment and think, why you are checking your phone. What are you feeling or thinking? Most likely you want a reward, a Facebook like or Instagram follower. That possibility of getting a reward is the catalyst. You are more likely to be interested in minuscule achievements than the thought of taking a photograph. Constant novelty and access at a click can course addiction, this is where internet addiction stems from. Apps are designed to be addictive, the content doesn’t even need to be good. All the need is a trigger, and action, a reward and then you will start to invest your time.
Think about what people do when they are alone, bored or waiting, you and I turn to our phones to entertain ourselves. We consume information, even thou most of it isn’t educational nor memorable, it’s just something to do. You know what else you could be doing, taking a photo. Nowadays we have our phone at arm’s length all the time. Do the same thing with your camera. Take it with you everywhere you go, and the next time you are bored, be aware of it, and grab your camera instead of your phone and create an image. entertain yourself through creativity. Because while everyone else is reading their Facebook feed, promise me you’ll be outside taking photos instead.
A. B Watson is a New Zealand photographer based in Auckland. He primarily captures black and white photos with his Leica M. To see more of his work and thoughts you can visit his website and Instagram. This article originally featured here.
(Cover Image: Alexander Ben Korako Watson)
Images were taken with a Leica M (typ 240) using a 50mm Summilux and were used with permission.
2017-1-27 03:00
