When you read content on the Internet, you will eventually run across material that falls along the lines of five easy steps to a good photograph or three easy ways to make killer portraits. There are literally thousands of these lists. I imagine I have written several myself over the years.

The weeks leading up to recording this week’s podcast have got me thinking about this idea that things should be easy in photography. I mean should photography be easy? In my own work and in helping others, I have had countless conversations about how hard it is to make work, so I wonder about the disconnect between easy and hard. The struggles of the time, energy, inspiration and sharing all come up over an over again. I personally feel that there is much to be learned and gained in the person who in the face of things not being easy continues to work forward and create new work. I also believe that it isn’t always easy for anyone no matter what they say. 

Our challenge is to find that there is something to be gained by working when it is hard and yet have the wisdom to know that great images might appear simple and easy but that doesn’t mean the work leading up to them was. Sometimes simple and easy are not the same just as hard to create doesn’t mean something is right. 

Gear used in podcast

All three Rode components as kit

Adobe Audition (part of create cloud subscription)