Tell Me About Your PAW or PAD Experience(s)

[RayPA]

I checked into Gregg's PAW thread, and I'm tempted by an invite to join Ray_G's Flickr group. However, I'm hesitant to join a PAW or PAD, because quite frankly, I've never been able to see the value in "doing" one. The ones I've seen (mostly on pBase) have only strengthened my conviction that there's little value, beyond being *forced* to shoot. And, really, the value for the viewer seems even less. 🙂

I'm leaning toward joining Ray's group, but I'd like to hear from those of you who have PAWed or PADded. Let's hear the good and the bad. What am I getting into? Where's the value? Was it worth the time and effort?

TIA! 🙂


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[furcafe]

I don't do a PAW or PAD per se, but I do shoot pretty much every day (barring illness, etc.), as reflected in my photoblog. You're correct that most of the benefit is for the photographer, as many of us who don't shoot professionally need all the practice we can get, especially when we're not feeling particularly inspired or creative & must force ourselves to find something photoworthy on a deadline. There's also the benefit of practicing your editing & post-processing/cropping skills.

A side benefit is it allows me to "exercise" my camera collection . . . 😛

 

[RayPA]

I don't do a PAW or PAD per se, but I do shoot pretty much every day (barring illness, etc.), as reflected in my photoblog. You're correct that most of the benefit is for the photographer, as many of us who don't shoot professionally need all the practice we can get, especially when we're not feeling particularly inspired or creative & must force ourselves to find something photoworthy on a deadline. There's also the benefit of practicing your editing & post-processing/cropping skills.

A side benefit is it allows me to "exercise" my camera collection . . . 😛

Good points, especially the last one! 😉

I am constantly working over old images anyway. Rather than surf around whle on the computer I am usually digging through scans and negatives to rework an old image.

Well I've joined Ray's group so I'm committed. I'm just going to have to think up something to make it interesting!

Thanks.


🙂

 

[eric]

I learned A LOT from them. I did it for 2 or 3 years. It'll force you make better photos by looking at everyone elses. I did it with film though and that was getting hard. Most people are doing it digitally.

You can do a personal project every week such as "this week, I really like that vanishing point the guy did the other week, I'll try to do something like that" or "I want to concentrate on a single emotion" or something like that.

I think PAW's, if you do it right and get your software all set before you do things, will help out. You don't want to do a PAW and fool around with web software at the same time.

 

[oscroft]

I read that PAW thread and was tempted by the idea too. But I think perhaps the biggest problem is that it would turn photography into a chore instead of a pleasure - I just don't want to be obliged to go out and shoot even if I don't feel like it.

 

[pvdhaar]

I've done a PAW for the last two years. My motivation was that my photos were for the greater part a collection of snaps.

A PAW is easily started, but I found that after a couple of months it took perseverance to see it through each and every week. About 9 months into my first PAW, I got better at spotting photo opportunities and that's when it actually became fun to do.

As far as learning is concerned, a PAW gives me a very good overview of how my photography skills progress and develop over time. It's also a benchmark for myself that challenges me to improve.

PAW-2005: http://www.photo.net/photodb/presentation?presentation_id=274657
PAW-2006: http://www.photo.net/photodb/presentation?presentation_id=310076

 

[RML]

I've PAWd since 2003 but only last year I had an almost clean run (except in week 6 I failed to come up with something worthwhile). All other years I, for too many reasons, did not always have a shot to post.

My PAWs aren't themed. I just shoot whatever I run into or project I have come up with. At the end of the week, I run through all of that week's shots and pick one that I like. Sometimes I'm on a roll and have more than one favourite and post several. I am pretty critical when it comes to picking a PAW shot. Though it doesn't have to be technically or compositionally excellent, it must be a shot that I care to look at over and over again. That's a pretty restricting criterium as I usually skip photos in a fraction of a second. Continuing my PAW forces me to stop and see my photos instead of just shooting like a fool and never evaluating what I shot.

 

[ferider]

I only started in June 06. Keeps me out of "trouble": forces me to shoot regularly, buy less gear and do less lens tests. Also was hoping that I would get regular feedback on my photos, but that didn't turn out as planned.

Best,

Roland.

 

[RayPA]

I read that PAW thread and was tempted by the idea too. But I think perhaps the biggest problem is that it would turn photography into a chore instead of a pleasure - I just don't want to be obliged to go out and shoot even if I don't feel like it.

This was one of my concerns, too. The other concern is that the whole effort seems to be very photographer-centered. That is, the benefit seems to be for the photogrpher, and less for the viewer. I have a tendency toward Remy's approach, to want to present finished or near-finished work. Yet, the concept seems to be more stream of concious, and that seems more personal to me.


🙂

 

[mc_vancouver]

I've got a really weird thing to say and I sort of wonder if I should even say it, but the hell with it: I've been taking fewer photographs over the last few years. something about shooting opening my eyes to the beauty of the world, and being content to experience it in the moment, without feeling the need to record it. i have asked myself and other photographers many times: why do we take pictures? why do tourists spend more of their time shooting photos than simply absorbing the new place they are visiting? is it that I feel the need to prove my existence, "I was here and saw this?" or "Look how I see things!"

don't get me wrong, i still love photography and value it as a testament to our lives, both personally and globally, and enjoy looking at other photographers work as much if not more as i did when I was shooting more frequently. but i think i get more pleasure, sometimes, from seeing, without fiddling with a camera, as i do, or did, from capturing what i was seeing at 1/250 at f/5.6...