In a previous creative life I was a drummer. Still have a set in the office. And I still sit and bang on them. I am a jazz drummer by training, but played in rock and metal bands for a while as well. I traveled with a "soul band" named "Salt and Pepper" and recorded on a few albums that few ever bought. Before the days of digital it was pretty hard without a record company. But, hell, I had a lot of fun.

What does this have to do with photography? A lot. Let me first introduce you to Neal Peart. Neal is a drummer. He plays with a band called "Rush." They are known for extremely creative rhythm and some seriously kickass playing. They make it look and sound easy, even though it is incredibly complex music.

One of the things that many people think about drummers is that we make it up as we go along. Sometimes that's true for small things, a little fill here... a kick there. But for most things, those parts are learned. I have included a video of Neal playing a drum solo here for you to view if you like. I want you to keep in mind that his piece is memorized and played exactly the same for the entire tour. Neal prides himself on 'learning' the music to a point that it becomes natural to him. Will he add a flourish here and there to add a bit of whimsy to it? Sure. Small flourishes. Sparingly.

Here is the video. Take whatever time you want to watch and we'll talk photography on the other side.

Every stick motion, drum beat, cymbal crash and cowbell clink is deliberate. Planned for. Practiced. Tweaked and practiced some more. Till it is his. His sound, his music, his way. There is little leeway for error when you are sitting there in front of a bazillion people and TV cameras. You have to know what you are going to do, and do it so well that it seems more like a natural thing than a performance.

So it is with photography.

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