How do the Influences of the Stoics on nature photography link?
Stoicism is a school of philosophy that originated in ancient Greece and Rome in the early third century BC. It is a life philosophy that maximises positive emotions, decreases negative emotions, and assists individuals in honing their character virtues.
Stoicism and photography go hand in hand because stoicism lives alongside nature and appreciates living within it. Nature was here first, so we should obey it, and as nature artists or photographers, we can share how precious it is through our lens. A great deal, including photography, can be applied to our thoughts and actions.
Control what you can control. Don’t worry too much about the stuff we can’t.
We can make sure we’ve done our homework, know where we’re going, when we need to be there, how to get there, have packed all the equipment we need, and have obtained a reasonable forecast of the weather before we go out to find some inspiration for our photographs. We cannot, however, control the weather or whether we will see the sunrise we have been anticipating. or whether other photographers will have decided to position their tripods in the exact composition we intended.
Focus on the work, not the reward.
Consider how many times you got it right: the right settings, the right lighting, being in the right place at the right time to capture a sunset, a waterfall, or the sight of a bird. All of that hard work you’ve dedicated to the craft is what makes a photographer a pro. The time and deliberation you put in; the travel and walking; the carrying of equipment over a distance; and obviously, it’s nice to celebrate the reward, which is a nice shot.
Don’t waste the opportunity
Use your time while on location wisely; if you can’t do a particular shot due to the weather or other changing conditions, could you adapt? Try a different shot style; if you were looking for birds, you could adapt and do macro or landscape, floral; if you wanted to take a landscape but it was foggy, you could do mysterious black and white or patterns. To put all of our efforts and actions into the things we can control rather than wasting time, energy, or mental anguish worrying about things that are out of our control and might or might not happen. even if it is just how we perceive an event.
Plan for the worst
Imagine that the worst-case scenario occurs every day as a way to reduce stress at work (you lose your job, you lose a tonne of money, you become homeless, etc.). Prepare your mind for the worst-case scenario. However, the worst-case scenario won’t occur very often. Therefore, you will feel glad and relieved if the day is a little better than your worst-case scenario. Furthermore, you will have mentally prepared yourself for the worst-case scenario, so it won’t hurt you as much if it occurs. In nature and landscape photography, situations change, landscapes change, birds move and disappear, weather can turn against us, and you can forget gear. Therefore, when shooting outside, put on your stoic attitude and prepare for the worst and every eventuality, and you’ll be mentally and physically ready for any situation that occurs.
Conclusion
Focus on the action in your photography rather than worrying about whether your camera is good enough. Simply use it and take the best photos you can. Finally, don’t squander your time. Every day should be treated as if it were your last. This will allow you to concentrate entirely on your work. It will keep you from working on photo projects that mean nothing to you. It will assist you in focusing on what is truly important.
Yours,