Hello! Today I want to show you some of my reference picture collection and talk about reference photography just a little bit. Every once in a while I'll make a post like this and share a few of my pictures - I've got kind of a stockpile. These are from a week I spent with a point-and-shoot camera in Doha, Qatar on a student exchange in my freshman year at VCU.
Doha, Qatar - old school bus tire
I've saved pictures on my laptop for years and for lots of reasons, and I'm starting to really appreciate the folders and folders of images I now have. Many belong to other people, gleaned from the internet, but a vast minority of them belong to me, so I can use them freely.
Qatar from the air
Doha, Qatar - city buildings
Building up the habit of photography is a nice double-sided thing where I get to freely use references that I'm familiar with, as well as practice at a good skill.
I'm 1000% more comfortable working directly from reference pictures than not, but often really uncomfortable about using anyone else's photos. It's far too easy to abuse other peoples' hard work, and often complicated to credit or pay them properly.
When the stars align and I can either photograph the subject I need, or I already have pictures of it, I can sidestep the whole mess of using other people's work.
That's it for this week - if all goes well I'm going to be updating the blog once a week, instead of just when I finish a big project. Keep a lookout- subscribe via email (below) or like the facebook page!
Qatar - somewhere