Has it Clicked?- 6 Months In

Hard to believe I am now at the 6 month stage of my fledgling photography hobby! It has been incredibly uplifting, in some ways life affirming. Also frustrating and challenging at times as I grapple with the technicalities of focussing, exposure, metering.

There are still too many under and over exposed images that no amount of post editing can rescue. Also out of focus pics. I still need to figure out why I cannot use autofocus at some focal lengths. I actually enjoy manually focussing, but there are many occasions when just sticking it in autofocus is expedient, such as street photography.

Then there is shutter speed. Whilst understanding the role shutter speed plays in freezing movement to get a sharp image, and using a slower shutter speed to blur the image, it is another matter when I try to factor in aperture and ISO with those speeds.

Post Editing is another area that I have made some progress in, but I now realise there is so much more to this. I still enjoy using Photoscape X, and will continue for another 6 months at least with the free version. I am looking forward to learning how to change specific parts of an image- I have seen first hand what other photographers have been able to achieve and it is truly astonishing. It is a form of art.

Perhaps the best part of this new hobby are the interesting learnings I have gained. I have become very interested in vintage lenses for example, and can’t wait to buy some- many are so ridiculously cheap but offer a very different image than sharp modern lenses. Becoming more aware of other photographers, and listening to them on You Tube about how they go about their craft, and their values has been tremendously helpful.

However the best outcome of all has been going to places I am familiar with and seeing them in a completely new way. Just going about my day I catch myself looking at the light, mentally seeing potential compositions- it has literally opened up my eyes. Meeting new people has also been wonderful, such as my new photo buddy Kim Park, and the lovely folk who attend Victoria Photography Group events. I am also so pleased I have met Ron Pogue , a skilled professional photography teacher for whom no question is too silly.

So what next? Well, I take ownership of a Sony a 6000 any day now. Super excited to be able to use a more modern camera than the Canon 350 D, for which I will always hold in affection with thanks and gratitude for what I have learnt on it (and thanks too to my wife Bren for allowing me to use it!).

I continue to work through the book Stunning Digital Photography . Once I have completed that, I intend to do a comprehensive online course (a free one if possible!), to consolidate my learning. You Tube continues to be an excellent resource, along with the numerous online forums I have joined. I will continue to post to FB groups- seeing others work continues to inspire.

I am going to nail, one way or another, Exposure Compensation, focussing, and Metering Modes in the next 6 months. No more out of focus and under/over exposed images!! I will probably continue to concentrate my photography on landscape and street photography, and build on my increasing love of nature and flower images. I intend to keep on looking for the extraordinary in the ordinary. I will try to go out at least once a week either by myself or others.

Most of all I want to continue to have fun, and connect photography with Mindfulness, to produce images that help make my world, and the world in general, a nicer, more interesting place.