Conception (an idea is born)
As artist and creator, I can divide the life of my images into four distinct phases. The first phase is conception. This is when the very idea of the image is conceived in my mind. I imagine it in my head, think about what I want it to look like, what meaning I want it to convey, and what I will need to provide (costumes, locations, opportunities) in order to bring it to life. This is the planning stage.
In some cases, the conception phase is very short - when I'm feeling inspired, or spontaneous; when a picture opportunity presents itself to me and I rush to grab my camera so that I may capture it; or when I already have my camera out and begin brainstorming for ideas on the spot. Other times, an image is planned out in detail far in advance - weeks, months, sometimes even years if it requires a rare opportunity, or if its priority level isn't very high - and I spend much time thinking about it before I have a chance to bring it to life.
Great images can be produced by either approach, as can bad ones. There is a greater sense of accomplishment when a well-planned photo turns out well (and a corresponding level of disappointment when it doesn't work out), but some of the best photos are born of pure serendipity. An artist must have good instincts in either case.
Construction (a photo is created)
Once plans are made, and the proper time has come, the image enters its second phase: construction. This is when the photograph is actually produced within the camera. It transforms from a hypothetical concept in my head to an actual, viewable, shareable image. This is also when the majority of the physical work involved in a photoshoot occurs.
More often than not, a single idea will produce multiple variations - with subtle or major differences in lighting, posing, framing, and composition. The amount of wiggle room available may depend on the strictness of the concept, or the degree to which I've mapped it out in my head, as well as the creativity of my imagination, and the ingenuity of my technical experience, all in the moment that I am shooting the concept.
Moreover, as a self-portrait photographer - as I have explained in the past - there is a lot of trial-and-error involved, since you cannot be operating the camera and posing for the image simultaneously (in most cases). I tend to err on the side of taking too many images (for better or worse), in order to improve my chances of getting one or more that not only cover all the basic requirements - e.g., the image is in focus, I'm standing in the right position, my pose looks good, the sun is shining - but also stands out to my eye as an exceptional work of art.
Culmination (the photo is polished)
Once the shoot is done - after I have exhausted myself; taken enough time or shot enough images; after the necessary conditions (such as natural light) have expired; or, in the best case, if I'm satisfied that I've gotten the image(s) I want - and I've packed up my stuff and gone home (if I'm not already there), the image enters the third phase: culmination.
This is the stage where I can see my concept bearing fruit. It occurs mostly while I'm sitting in front of a computer screen, and (in most cases) before anyone else has seen the image. If I've done my job well, after culling and post-processing, I will end up with at least one image that I think looks really good, and communicates my message clearly (if there is one intended). I will generally get very excited about it (as you should with any good piece of art), and periodically pull it up to look at it again and again while it's still fresh to my eyes.
Sooner or later - and this may not always happen right away - I will publish that image in some form (even if it's just posting it to my blog), releasing it to the world for it to be judged and (hopefully) admired. Photo sharing sites are better for community feedback in my experience, although blogging gives me more control (and less restrictions). At this point, I will ideally begin to get a sense of how other people feel about the image, whether they think it's as good as I think it is, and whether it gets across my message as well as I think it does. This is where you learn what works and what doesn't work when it comes to using art to communicate with the world, and where you discover what it takes to satisfy an audience (if that's something you're concerned with).
Competition (the photo is evaluated)
This is the beginning of the competition phase - where an image joins my greater body of work, and proves its mettle against every other image I've ever taken. Sometimes photos that I really loved when I took them lose their luster, and become less enthralling, or are surpassed by similar images I'd taken previously, or end up taking later. Other times, images I had more or less glossed over at the time begin to stand out because they possess a certain compelling quality that is nevertheless hard-to-gauge. Or, my opinion of an image might change as my own tastes grow and evolve, or as my perspective on its meaning changes, or if it represents a particular moment in my life, the significance of which grows in importance as time marches on.
Inevitably, the images I like and the images my audience likes will not always be the same. But I do value the opinions of others, as a successful artist must learn to juggle his personal tastes with what the public likes, so that does have some effect on what I consider my greatest works to be. Although transient, there is undeniable value in the images I like just after I take them, regardless of how they measure up in the long run. That's part of the fun of being an artist, and trying to create something of value to communicate your feelings and experience to the world. There is also some excitement in the risk - putting your talents on the line to see whether or not your skills are up to the task of realizing your creative ambitions. If at any point you fail, there is always room to learn and improve, and try again some other time.
In the long run, however, it can be said that the only thing of real, lasting importance, is the impression a photo makes over time. Both to me personally, and to the world at large. And as my body of work continues to grow - and with my own growth as a photographer, I am adding what I like to believe are generally better and better photos each year - this is constantly changing. But as it does, I become an ever more competent photographer, with an increasingly impressive portfolio to show off to others.
I've been doing this photography thing seriously (meaning beyond just dabbling) for about ten years now, and I feel like I'm gaining the confidence that ought to come with that. There are flashes of brilliance going back to my original daily nudes project [NSFW] in 2008 - hints of my creative talent shining through even my lack of experience. But I have improved enormously since then, both in my ability to take better pictures (through sheer force of experience, having taken so many in the last ten years, by developing an instinct for what works and what doesn't), and my own personal standards, as I desire to show myself in the best light.
Where do we go from here? Perhaps all the things I'd dreamed of, that I hadn't realized I wasn't ready for back then, will happen now. Or perhaps I'm still not ready, in which case I'll just keep working at it and keep getting better, until I'm good enough that somebody notices. Or I'll eventually die in obscurity, unappreciated by the broader public. Whatever happens, I'll keep doing what I enjoy, and getting better at it, because it makes me happy, and gives me a sense of purpose in life.
