FROM SKILL SET TO WORKING PROCESS

SKILL SET

From Skill Set to Working Process

WRITTEN BY: STEVE HOLLOWAY

Here’s how I turn skills into an instinctive working process.

1) Practice/learn one skill at a time. No matter how many new skills I read about, I usually pick one skill at a time to practice/learn.

2) Use the skill in the field. Often. I use a new skill often enough in the field to decide if it fits my process. Then, if I’m adding a new skill to my process, I use it over and over until I use it instinctively.

4) Bring you own “voice” to a skill. Even if I start by copying an idea I want to emulate, I find repeating the skill often enough inevitably brings my own “voice” to that skill.

There are exceptions. One that comes to mind is when I was developing two skills described in David Mamet’s book On Directing Film.

The skills were based on answering the questions, “Where do I put the camera?” and “What do I tell the actors (people in the scene/shot)?” These were two skills that didn’t overlap and made sense to take into the field together.

If you try taking two new skills into the field together and they aren’t complimenting each other, pick one and come back to the other later.

That’s it. A short post that could be the most important.

QUICK READ: PASSIONS

What are Your Passions?

One of my passions is vintage cars. If there’s a vintage car show is within driving distance, we’re there. Photographing what you’re passionate about instinctively adds a unique point of view to the images.

This 1932 Ford Deuce Coupe (above) was photographed at the 2021 Key to the Hills Rod Run car show. Captured on an iPhone 11 Pro Max with Beastgrip and Bluetooth shutter release in natural light. Camera was positioned at headlight level.

SKILL SET