Reflection

According to 'the photograph as contemporary art' (Charlotte Cotton) my photographic practice is stereotypical of 'the lone photographer scavenging daily life, looking for the moment when a picture of great visual charge or intrigue appears in the photographic frame'. I relate to this stereotype because, with the exception of exercises and assessments of this course, I cant remember a single instance when I have taken out my camera to undertake anything planned.
The first book on photography I read, many years ago, was written by a photo journalist who's name I forget. It was called 'a biased guide to photography' and focussed on the basics of composition and the use of SLR equipment. This was in the days when a built in exposure meter was an innovation.
I believe the author had been present in Vietnam, so the focus was on how to create the best image from events that were presented to the camera. I'm sure there must have been other elements but this was certainly the main learning that I took away. So, I have often had a camera on my person, I have regulary taken nicely composed pictures (at least to my eye), but I have never really attempted to use photography as Art.
This approach worked well with me at that time, reinforcing my view that photography was a mechanistic process for recording 'reality'.