Shoot the One You're With

Joe McNally says to shoot what you love. Chase Jarvis says the best camera is the one thats with you. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young said, " If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with."

More after the jump...


Okay, so the days of free love may be over and I certainly don't subscribe to the lyrics of the famous song but I do believe that if you can't shoot what you love, shoot the one you're with. It does pay to do the shooting with a camera and the best camera is, indeed, the one that's with you. That means if all you have is a cell phone, whip that puppy out and use it baby!


Now, I like big pictures and where I usually have my cell phone with me and can take pictures with that, I am seldom without a DSLR at my side. The fact is, you ever know when a picture will manifest itself and there is nothing you can do if you aren't prepared by having a drink camera. Of course, carrying a big camera around just begs people to ask, "Are you a photographer?" to which the proper reply is always, "Yes and may I take your picture. Here, sign this model release."


There are some things I love to shoot. I love to shoot sports. I love to shoot nature. I love to shoot historic places. However, most of the time there isn't a game going on inside businesses in the city. But, I do have a camera with me. Alright so there might be a game but Freecell and Doom don't count. Anyway, when something looks interesting or an idea strikes, I have the ability to shoot at that very moment. Why is that? If I need to tell you at this point you need to click here.

I very much do not like it when my wife is in the hospital but, and she will be the first to back me up, I have a camera with me when I'm there with her. I shot the above Life Flight image while she was hospitalized. Medical stock imagery is big business and the perfect place to get those images is where they happen to keep all things medical. "Excuse me nurse. Would you mind signing this model release?" I have shot oodles of medical stuff and my wife, believe it or not, is the first to suggest shots for me. "Did you get the ID bracelets on my arm? Don't forget the IV." 

"Yes dear."


These aren't always the most interesting shots but they do sell and who's to say that there isn't some doctor, somewhere, that wants to hang a 20x30 of a Foley bag on their wall.  

Shoots get canceled at the last minute and things don't always go the way we've planned. Why let that stop you from shooting? Shoot what's around you. Shoot what you know. The point is that if can't shoot what you really want to shoot that there is always something that can be shot. If you can't shoot what you love, shoot the one you're with. Maybe I can get Steven Stills to write a new version of the song. What do you think?


So, today I was planning on shooting something I love to shoot, football games for i9 Sports.  The games were canceled because of a winter storm that blew in last night. Thanks Ma nature! Snow is everywhere. Guess what I'll be shooting today.