Blog Author Richard Newman

First off, I’d like to say what a pleasure and honor it has been to work with Amy. She has been an inspiration with her vision and dedication to your Texas Photographic Society. A big tip of the hat to her, and I wish her well moving forward!

I believe in change. Change is growth but can also lead to uncertainty and that can be unsettling. Sometimes we are ready for it and other times it’s like a broadside car wreck. It can put us outside of our comfort zone and smack dab into the present. And, change requires that we be here right now. Deal with the effect of the change and move forward. There is no reverse.

Even when I approach a new or longstanding situation, I try to keep in mind how I might change my path to keep my ideas or approach fresh and how I might change my working method, my perspective or my vocabulary. While change can be wonderful, it can also be a painful learning experience. As they say, "no pain, no gain." If we’re lucky and/or smart, we can even prepare for change, like retirement, change of job or change of location and home. Even if we prepare, we can be sure of one thing, and that is change could be right around the next corner.

Throughout its entire history, change has consistently come to photography, from coated glass plates to miniature 35mm film to the pixel revolution. The change to digital was huge for me, since I entered photography through a large-format 4x5 camera. I didn’t believe in digital…silly me! Digital was a change that I protested and rallied against, and then came acceptance and embrace. The best part of photography’s change has been that traditional materials have not completely gone away, they are still an option for now. But it’s also me who has changed, and now I find them clunky and rarely use them.

So, strap on your seatbelt, get a grip on the wheel and forge ahead. And remember, you can’t always count on a road map to get you where you’re going. Change is gonna come.