Image taken by Ron Pogue https://ronpoguephotography.com/
In this celebratory blog post I will be looking backwards (and forwards) as I reach this 2-year anniversary of starting photography. I will share the things I have learnt, and most importantly my hopes for the coming 12 months. I aim to try not to make this a self-reporting card, more a reflection piece, I hope. You can let me know if I succeeded if you like!
When I set out to learn how to use a camera, I had no idea of how important it would become. I just wanted to get to grips with a “proper” camera and take nice pics. I very quickly learnt a number of things- it was not just about figuring out which buttons and dials on the camera to use, but also how crucial composition was, and the different composition styles available. I discovered an untapped creative part of me that I had not discovered as a means of expression before. Going out with my camera, thinking about the image, then getting home to see it on the computer screen provided much pleasure- eventually! Like most people I spent the first year hoping rather than expecting the image to turn out O.K.
I have learnt a lot about myself in the process which I will touch on more later in the article.
On the technical side, in the first year, in addition to finding my way around the camera, I struggled immensely with getting the right exposure. It took months of trial and error, and understanding the exposure triangle before it clicked, and the too dark or too light images became the exception rather than the rule. In the past year the technical challenge that has exercised my mind has been on focusing and getting sharper images. I struggled with the focus magnifier, and with simply remembering to think about focus area and focus mode. I was glad to learn about where to put the focus point in landscapes, and I really did try to understand hyperfocal distance but if I live to be a hundred, I will not get it!
I still use automatic white balance a lot, but it has been fun both inside and out to see how changing this function can dramatically change the tone and feel of an image, and I will experiment more with this going forward.
Another big learning curve has been figuring out distance from subject and focal length, and how these impact depth of field and sharpness. Landscape photography has been my learning ground, but Macro photography is also instructive with these skills.
I have enjoyed learning how to use different types of lenses, including vintage lens, and am now beginning to understand how get the most from each lens . My favorite at the moment is the Sony 18-135 mm f3.6-5.6 for its sharpness and versatility- and it is not too heavy!
Underpinning all of these struggles was my penchant for rushing. I have finally been able to reign in my incessant excitement when I see a good perspective and to slow down and think about everything I need to. Perhaps being drawn to street photography from the get-go is partly the reason why I have been down the point and shoot road too many times!
There are phases to the photography journey in the same way there are phases to anything that delights us and is something we want to commit to. In my initial phase I reverted to how I usually am when I discover something exciting and absorbing- read, read, read, and watch innumerable You Tube videos on everything photography. I am sure this is how we become seduced after a couple of months into wanting the greatest camera in the world with the best lenses to boot. This is a double-edged sword- it is great to learn as much as possible quickly and find others with a similar passion. However, it can be overwhelming too, and whilst much of the material out there is incredibly helpful, it is often subjective, contradictory and can slow down the learning process. What I have learned is buying better lenses is more important than having the latest camera.
I have also learnt that no amount of reading, watching You Tube videos, or receiving valuable constructive criticism from others online is how I learn best. I know I need to practice the same thing over and over. I am sure if I were a child now and not one growing up in the 60’s and 70’s I would be diagnosed with ADD. I don’t and never will “get it” the first time…. or the second, indeed I need to repeat things over and over to make it “stick”. Then I need to keep doing it or I will go back to the beginning again. On the one hand I like to think this shows fortitude and a ‘never give up’ attitude- but boy does it make learning photography hard work and slow! I am extremely grateful I found the community on the A Year With My Camera course- knowledgeable, friendly, and always encouraging.
Like many photography beginners I have fallen into the trap of comparing myself unfavorably to others, be it people posting online, those in a photography group, or camera buddies. It would be very easy for me to feel others that started out at the same time as me are more advanced, are producing better images, have better gear etc. etc. For someone unconfident from the get-go about my abilities with the camera it can be morale sapping. I have needed to regard as an urban myth the famous Henri Cartier-Bresson saying, “Your first 10,000 images are your worst”. Make that 20,000 -and counting!
I have realized it not only serves no purpose to compare myself to others but is actively unhelpful. There is a freedom in settling for images that please me, that I can feel some sense of accomplishment in. Regarding both praise and criticism with the same even attitude has helped me maintain my pleasure in the wonderful craft.
I have always been an inward looking philosophical type which is partly why I chose Registered Psychiatric Nursing as a career and why I practice a Buddhist pathway. Thinking about what I am trying to express, why am I actually interested in taking this image, how photography is informing who I am, and it’s meaning in my life has added a rich dimension. Two people on You Tube who have been particularly inspiring in this regard are Sean Tucker and Alex Kilby, both of whom I have written about on my Helpful Resources page.
A few months ago, I realized that I had plateaued. I suspect this is quite common. By this I do not mean my photographs were consistently good- there were the usual batch of “scratching the head” images when I could not figure out how or why an image was not working. I think perhaps I still don’t know what I don’t know. This has led me to revisiting the Stunning Digital Photography book, and the two course books for A Year With My Camera. It is a way of consolidating what I have learnt, and I hope will provide pointers for this coming year.
I have noticed that particularly in the past 6 months I have become far more circumspect and honest with myself about photos I share online, particularly on the AYWMC site. I had been posting religiously on FB and I am now ready to reduce that output. To be honest I had hoped I might direct some traffic to this web site, and in this respect, it has had a limited value.
With regard to this website, whilst it has not reached the readership I was hoping for, it is meaningful to me as a record of my photographic journey, and a way to share my latest images with those interested in seeing them. I notice my blog posts are less frequent and that will be the case going forward. I intend to continue to post new images in the gallery section and the occasional blog piece when inspiration strikes!
Recently, I discovered how rewarding it can be to photograph in all weather. The day recently during a sudden rainstorm when I said “no, I am not going home, I will see what there might be to shoot” told me I had crossed another milestone.
If someone had told me two years ago how much pleasure I would have photographing flowers I would have laughed, but I like nothing more than to photograph flowers and plants in parks and gardens. There is also something about being in a forest that has a particular impact on my sense of wellbeing. It is a spiritual experience at times. I don’t yet have a photography 'style', and may never have, but I can’t help noticing how drawn I am to woodland photography. Two You Tube Woodland photography channels that I have enjoyed and learnt from are those of Courtney Victoria and Simon Baxter,
Photography has provided some lovely, serendipitous moments of unplanned for conversations. Another delightfully unexpected event was being invited by Rachel Kiers to assist her in offering a Smartphone Photography course for people that have experienced mental health challenges through Mental Health Recovery Partners in Victoria BC. As someone who has experienced lifelong dysthymia and depression this was significant for me. We both enjoyed it and will be offering further courses next year.
I am looking forward to the next 12 months with balanced realism and the tantalizing belief that I am improving. I intend to learn about focus stacking and utilize the Affinity 2 photo editing software I have purchased. I also intend to learn how to produce simple abstracts and combine one or more images together to produce a unique new one. Abstract photography may look like magic but I know now it is technique and imagination. This will involve getting to grips more with Affinity 2. I had used a great free photo editing software for the first 18 months until I felt ready for something more advanced. I now realize I went from a bicycle to a Ferrari! I had no concept of layers, masks, and other advanced editing tools. I can now do reasonable global edits and have just begun to dip my toes into Selection tools to be able to edit just parts of an image. Getting my head around this will be a game changer. As much as I would like to be a purist and be happy with the shot I take, editing is a huge part of the photographic creative journey, and I want to do it well.
I am toying with the idea of asking a photographer for one to one in person lessons. I think I may need that to improve, and I have a couple of photographers in mind. I am also going to join the AYWMC year 2 cohort in January- I suspect this is where I really find out what I don’t know! However, it is such a friendly site with great role models and know I will benefit.
I am hoping that in late 2025, or early 2026 I will be able to upgrade from my Sony a6000 to either an a6700 or even a full frame camera. This next camera is likely to be my “forever” camera, so I am thinking very carefully about this.
Photography has changed me, and for the better. It has become an important part of my life. I have gone places I would not have gone to, and more importantly has transformed forever how I see familiar and new places. I feel a sense of happiness when out shooting and have learnt to be patient with myself. I finally have a creative outlet. My lifelong response to trying something new and difficult was to try for a bit then give up. I have never stuck at anything like this before, and I was determined not to give up this time. I could not have imagined the rewards would be so meaningful. Sure, I still get frustrated at times, and sometimes I am disappointed. However as long as the camera works, and I have a lens, I can go again. I cannot wait to see what the next 12 months bring!
If any of this resonates for you please do drop me a line at here or battleswithbokeh@gmail.com
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