New Challenges - New Horizons
I have spent the most of my adult life in a continuous learning environment, mainly due to pursuing a career in the Fire and Rescue Service. The process of acquiring and maintaining skills was a key requirement of demonstrating competence, regardless of the role carried out. Whilst some of this knowledge was learned in advance of undertaking a role or a task, much of the knowledge was tacit in nature and gained from putting theory, policy and procedures into practice and then reviewing the results to determine what went well and what didn’t. The use of reflective learning utilising debriefings from incidents and exercises was a common methodology to build Incident Command experience in order to gain an understanding of managing dynamic situations so, in the event of a future similar reoccurrence, appropriate action could be taken to manage emergencies.
The concept of experiential learning in particular Recognition Prime Decision Making is similar to the approach I take to my photography. Whilst it may no longer be in an environment where life and death often occupied the same space, the key principle is still the same, that is, analyse the environment that I am in, recall my past experiences and apply previous learning where appropriate, whilst keeping an open mind to new ways to achieve a desired result for my work.
For me the cycle of learning in photography will be forever an ongoing process whether this is out on location with the camera or in the post processing stages of photography. This methodology enables me to understand what it is I need to do in order to obtain the best results in a given situation.
On retiring from the Fire and Rescue Service, had I learned everything? - absolutely not but I did learn a fair amount over my 30 year career. My photography is now following a similar path, there has been times of success and of achievement but there has also been those times where the day hasn’t panned out as hoped, but even on those days there has always be at least one thing to learn. With more time to commit to my photography pursuits I look forward to the new challenges ahead and the learning opportunities that will come over the horizon.
The creation of this website has been one such new challenge as I want this to be a place where I can share not just my images but also some of my experiences good and bad and what I’ve learned along the way. The best advice I can give at this time is just go out, apply what you have learned to date but keep an open mind to what you want to achieve and embrace those days where it doesn’t go to plan as it will make those days where it does go to plan more rewarding.