If you have 10 minutes check out this fantastic short film – Transform – by photographer Zack Arias talking about some of his struggle with his photography.
Don’t let the light hearted first couple of minutes put you off – it gets quite…. powerful.
Check out the full sized version here. I hope you enjoy it.
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41 Responses to “Transform – a Short Film for Photographers” - Add Yours
March 1st, 2009 at 11:03 am
I’m not sure how something can be so sad and yet optimistic at the same time, but I’m thankful I just watched it. Thank you for posting this.
March 1st, 2009 at 11:09 am
Wow… That has to be one of the most intense things I have witnessed in a long time. It is as if Zack is speaking personally to every photographer ever.
March 1st, 2009 at 11:33 am
That was awesome… I really appreciated this…
March 1st, 2009 at 12:46 pm
This is great. Full of reality and inspiration. Thanks!
March 1st, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Well I definitely needed that. I’ve been feeling that funk lately, and I always forget to measure my progress by my own accomplishments, and not by the accomplishments of the Already Successful. It’s funny, sometimes people compliment my photography and all I can think about is how that picture doesn’t look nearly as good as Whoever’s.
A good reminder. A good reminder.
March 1st, 2009 at 3:09 pm
This was one of the best videos I’ve ever seen. I can really relate to the different seasons of photography. Zack has a way of breaking things down and identifying the “elephant in the corner.” Powerful and inspirational.
March 1st, 2009 at 7:26 pm
Great video. Like I was listening myself…. Thank you. It was such pleasure to watch&listen it. Great job!
March 1st, 2009 at 8:31 pm
I hate Flash…
Is there a direct link to the file somewhere?
Thanks
Paul
March 1st, 2009 at 9:31 pm
Wow, just wow.
March 1st, 2009 at 11:08 pm
@paul: If you click through to the blip.tv page there’s several options for downloading…
Quicktime .mov
MPEG-4 .m4v
Really inspiring video, thanks for sharing with us!
March 2nd, 2009 at 12:32 am
I felt he was speaking to me on all levels, not just photography. I get into the same funk with my work in information management.
March 2nd, 2009 at 12:32 am
Needed this just now….
Thank you!
March 2nd, 2009 at 1:10 am
sensitive american crap
March 2nd, 2009 at 2:03 am
Whats the background song?
March 2nd, 2009 at 3:11 am
Lots of great questions to ask yourself in this video. I joined a photography club about nine months ago. Its been great as it keeps me shooting and keeps me learning, however; I was falling into the trap of comparing my work to those of much more experience and better equipment. As “a husband” says above, I need to remind myself to measure my work against myself. This was very thought provoking and on a rainy day in Georgia I needed this. Thanks Zack.
Lou
March 2nd, 2009 at 3:38 am
Thanks for this, it was heartenng!!!!
March 2nd, 2009 at 4:55 am
WOW. This guy totally spoke for me … and to me … sharing so much of himself in the process. What a way to motivate. I loved it! Please feature him more often. Good stuff!!! Thanks.
March 2nd, 2009 at 5:06 am
This was just awesome – just awesome ! !
March 2nd, 2009 at 5:49 am
That was amazing!
March 2nd, 2009 at 5:50 am
Wow, what a powerful video! I agree with Dawn@MyHomeSweetHome about it being both sad; yet optimistic. All I can say is thanks Zack for being so insightful.
March 2nd, 2009 at 5:56 am
The darkest motivational talk I’ve ever heard. Magnificent, and I’m real glad you posted it.
March 2nd, 2009 at 6:31 am
Inspired by Bloody Mondays and Strawberry Pies perhaps?
March 2nd, 2009 at 6:48 am
Wow! I am one of those crappy beginners. Pretty inspiring video. Thank you.
March 2nd, 2009 at 8:10 am
Chris, the song is “Window” by Zack’s talented wife, Meghan. You can see a little more info and a link to download the tune on Zack’s blog here:
http://www.zarias.com/?p=288
This is a fantastic video from a great guy! (and a great photographer!)
March 2nd, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Awesome!
March 3rd, 2009 at 1:31 am
did he say “insationable“?
March 3rd, 2009 at 4:34 am
This goes beyond photography. Thanks so much Zack!
In Oneness…
March 3rd, 2009 at 1:53 pm
I think we’ve all had these moments and it helps to know we are not alone. I’d like to thank Zack for sharing a portion of his soul with us.
March 4th, 2009 at 5:48 am
That open my eyes to see from someone else prospective why I fill the passion for photography that I got. Thanks for sharing.
March 4th, 2009 at 9:03 am
great video… great insight…great production too
March 6th, 2009 at 8:51 am
Brovo Bro,
You really made the moving works go well with the eloquent speech.
I am in love with the long weird world, and the times it sucks, are so powerful.
You rip and tear a muscle as the weights are lifted. This is called a work out. Makes you strong.
Your timelapsey is wonderful, I am moving in those directions with my interest, and found yours inspiring.
I am 28 and fight and fail at the edge of coins for shutter clicks today. Adventure is my frame.
Residing in Portland watching the grey, cashing the last of the unemployment checks.
Sights on Guyana for a big break, and the ability to spread word about the earth.
This was very good for me to see right now.
Thank you so much for your art.
Travis-
March 6th, 2009 at 8:59 am
This 10 minute video by Zack Arias is very very depressing…….arrrrggghhh…why do this to us? Isn’t life full of crap without more of it on a 10 minute video? Damn!
March 6th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
There aren’t many people willing to be so honest. And his words were a good reminder of just how far the greatest of every profession has come from a beginning where they “sucked”. I hope I can always remain so honest.
But, he did not seem to ask the right question. In the end, how important is a photo? I don’t mean the end of his life, or mine, or yours. I mean, at time’s end, what do all those photos, those trillions of pictorial representations mean? Will any of them last for eternity? Can someone find their whole purpose in images?
Or, to get to the metaphysical point, can souls of people, that last forever, find their life’s purpose in a picture? A great man named Ravi Zacherias once said, “The loneliest place in the world is when you’ve accomplished the one thing you thought would bring your entire life meaning, and it doesn’t.”
Zack Arias will continue to dip into his winter funk, until he finds that something bigger than photography to satisfy him.
March 7th, 2009 at 2:56 am
Thanks for sharing. LR
March 7th, 2009 at 10:32 am
This was a great video by Zack.
It was great to see and know that even the pro’s also have their days when they don’t want to pick up that camera and shoot.
March 8th, 2009 at 3:26 am
If there wasn’t that ray of sun at the 8 minute mark, I might have driven off the road and right into a post. Truly well done.
And the beginning bits – really funny! Not crap. Thanks Zack.
March 11th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
It was worth waking up today just to see this video
I have nothing else to say
March 28th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Finally got around to watching this. Amazing advice for anyone, not just photographers!
April 7th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Thank you. This really puts life into perspective.
April 8th, 2009 at 5:42 am
That was exactly what I needed to hear. As great as the Internet is for its information it can also get depressing when you are able to compare your photos to the “Top 5 Photographers in the World”. I too have almost stopped taking photos because I felt as if I was ripping off my clients. Compared to my work from 10 years ago or even 5 years ago or even last year, I feel as if I am not as crappy as I used to be. :) Thanks so much for this video. PS. The sights of Atlanta made me homesick.
May 12th, 2009 at 3:48 am
Very thought provoking, I have actually started to feel better about my photography but only after I stopped comparing myself to everyone else out there – I’m going to play this to my students at college too as they all need to hear this from someone other than me!
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