(Traveling now and scant time to hook into the Internet.)
But thanks to several of you for mentioning me in this thread and to Don, for recommending our Vision and Technique Workshop (although you have never taken it).
First: I have never, ever, ever made a photograph with my collectors or buyers in mind. Never. Once, in 1979 as I was leaving the Chiracahua Mountains heading north there appeared before me a "perfect" scene: good foreground and midground, mountains in the background, a sky that meshed exactly, and great light. I said to myself, " if I make a photograph of this I will sell lots of prints of it." I paused a brief moment, and realized that the only reason I would be making that photograph would be to sell it. I debated with myself for a minute or two whether to make the picture or not. I decided not to, because the only reason I would have been making it would have been to sell it. It was too easy--no personal growth would have been involved. And if there is no personal growth, why bother? It is the experience of photographing that is important. Consider the photograph to be a bonus. If someone ever wants to buy a photograph consider it a triple bonus--but selling a photograph is never the reason I (or Paula) ever make a photograph.
Seeing photographically is what it is all about. Sorry, Aggie, you were unable to attend our two-evening, one-day " Vision" workshop right after the LF conference. It would have definitely goten you out of your comfort zone.
Photography is all about seeing photographically. The technical part can easily be learned. (And so much of it is irrelevant--I haven't a clue what Scheinpflug refers to.) The visual part can also be learned--you just have to get started in the right direction. I think what we do in our workshops is figuratively spin people around and get them pointed in the right direction. Here are a few comments from participants at this last workshop.
"I just wanted to drop you a note to let you know how much I enjoyed the workshop and how refreshing it was to the emphasis on seeing and creativity." (This from a fellow who has taken many workshops.)
"I would like to thank you for the wonderful workshop this past weekend in Carmel. Not quite a week has passed and I find myself continually thinking about your visionary approach to photography...the concepts of the rhythms, relationships, connectedness, edges, movement keep replaying in my mind. Though I believe some of this to be intuitive by nature, to actually for the first time have an intellectual understanding will have an incredible impact on my photography as I move forward. When I mentioned that "I wanted to discover my place in the world and it's relationship with photography" this is not what I expected but is in fact what I needed!"
About two years ago we ran into a fellow who had taken our workshop a year previously. We asked him how his photography was going. He replied, "Great. I am having the time of my life. I go out with my camera every single day." We were astonished--who has the time to go out with their camera every day? And then he added, " And one of these days I am going to bring film."
Sure, just do it. But really, you do need to know what you are doing--visually. You need to be pointed in the right direction, otherwise you are just spinning your wheels, making, more or less, the same photographs over and over again.
Recommendation: if you fully understand what you are photographing, do not bother. You will not learn anything, you will only be making a "good photograph." If, on the other hand, you do not fully understand what your camera's lens is seeing, you might have something there that will push you beyond where you think you could go, visually.make the photograph. Personal growth can ensue.
But the real bottom line is to enjoy the process; "Pleasure in the process" (to quote myself) "is ultimately what it is all about." Just go out and have a good time and don't worry about all the rest of it.