Photography is a Collective Ongoing Practice of Art

I often find myself doing a shoot of a “practice” of some kind or another.  The shoot could be band practice, football practice (see Auburn Tigers Football Practice Report for 2008 // Photos), soccer, or any number of other subjects, but practice for an upcoming event or game. [Although the Auburn University Athletics department is less enthusiastic about anyone photographing any practice of any kind, for any reason, of course.]  I have had several people in the past ask me why I shoot a practice instead of just waiting for the real thing (what ever that means).  Well I do have the camera in my hands and taking photos probably 4-5 days out of the week, so why shoot a practice?

Mainly because I need as much practice as I can possibly get, just like the people who are practicing.  Really for me, it isn’t practice, it is always the real thing, but there are several reasons why I like shooting a practice over a live or actual event.  Less people, I have better access to the subjects, and it gets me prepared for the non-practice event, and it’s usually fun.

On Wednesday I took these images of the Cornerstone band practice and there are some of my favorites of the band to date for several reasons, but one is because I have had a lot of practice with this band myself.  With two guest musicians, Paul pictured just above playing the bass from Matha’s Trouble, and Jake playing the keys from Encounter made for a great practice session.