10 Photographers describe their Photography Journey.
Ten photographers, professionals, amateurs and passionates, shared their stories on how they have learned their skills and styles over the years. Read about their journeys through the amazing world of Photography.
As macular degeneration slowly begin to fade my eyesight, I picked up a camera. This allowed me to see in detail the sights I missed in person. I had a Sony A1, that I fitted a magnifier to, so I could see the live view LCD screen. Later I bought a Nikon D300, its viewfinder was bright enough for me to compose my shots. After joining two local camera clubs, I learned to better compose and edit my photos. Although legally blind I compete against fully sighted photographers in our local fair. This year I won three first-place awards along with two special awards. Including the Fair Directors Choice award. I also produce a calendar for the last ten years that I give to my family and friends.
I describe it as a child who is growing up and learning this from all the sources available but most important from the lifestyle… A guy who is adventurous and reckless, humble and outgoing… Living his life based on his believes.
While thinking about how to describe my photography journey, I remembered something that happened earlier this year. I was sitting on a large rock in the Siq way in Petra, Jordan with a friend, just chilling and resting at the end of the day. While sitting, a woman passed by us, saw us sitting on the rock and stopped. She took out her camera and asked if she can take a picture of us as we are, on which of course we agreed. After a couple of shots, she said: “Since I became a photographer, I can no longer be a tourist!”. That statement stuck in my head since then and now that I think about it, I can describe my photography journey as a blessing and a curse! Ever since I started this journey with a camera phone in my hand, cruising the streets of my home town, I was infected with that need to look for the not obvious. To see the small details, to gaze at the beauty of the surroundings, to try and seize that one special moment. It is a never-ending journey to express how I see the world, a journey to express my inner world. It can be a lonely journey, but a journey where I don’t ever feel alone!
I feel that my photography journey represents my transformation. From feeling lost to gain self-awareness and discover who I am! Working almost every day to improve my craft, and as a person giving more than I can take.
My photography journey was like an adventure, I fell in love with this passion when I was 10 years old when my mom brought a camera with the roll and I took so ugly and blurry pictures but I still have them in an album. In the beginning, I didn’t know all the stuff like the technique, the exposer or the iso and I have never taken a course but I’ve always tried to document things on my own though I’ve seen that it’s not enough. I’ve learned that there are a lot of rules to follow for taking good pictures but I also learned that beautiful photos come from passion, from one’s commitment to being able to bring something special and unique through a shot.
It´s a way to rediscover life: to make better photos you need to read new books, talk to new people, travel to different places and understand how much and how many images can change and compose your best memories of life.
The story of Photographer in the summer vacations of the year 2012, a boy of 12 years old went with his photographer uncle in a grassland. Both were wandering for best photos. Suddenly, the boy saw a beautiful butterfly flying. He said to his uncle “Please capture that butterfly in your camera.” Uncle looked at him, smiled, gave his cellphone to the boy and said: “Remember one thing, capture this butterfly when wings are fully spread.” The boy was unfamiliar with photography and how difficult task it was! But he was running behind that butterfly with a cellphone and after Two and Half hours he captured the butterfly on the cellphone and shouted: “I got it!!!”. His uncle saw photography and gave him compliments. The boy was very happy. Both came to home and uncle realised photography skills in that boy. On 5th August of 2013 Uncle gave him, as a birthday gift, a Nikon coolpix P600 camera and told him “ Just play with Light, Speed and Composition!”. From that day boy’s photography journey was started and that boy is me! “PARSHAD SHAH” I’m doing experiments in photography and participating in Shuttout photography contests. I am the Civil Engineer badly addicted by PHOTOGRAPHY!!! I love photography and my journey has no end.
Frustration, learning, realisation, acceptance and then more learning leading to joy. Then go through the cycle again, it’s a tough process but worth it.
After starting photography a little over a year ago I felt I have definitely grown to where I am now today. It has been a fantastic journey so far and I can’t wait to see what the future holds. Printing out my photography and seeing the transition of my photos from when I started to now has been very helpful and great to see. Being a professional photographer doesn’t happen overnight. I have learned so much about lighting, posing, composition and post-editing. I continue to learn something new every day and I soak up all the knowledge that I can. Each photo that I can capture is a priceless moment in time cause that’s a moment that you can’t get back and to be able to capture something like that is truly special.
My photography journey started by capturing the beauty of life. It was a way to capture memories and my photo albums serve me as personal diaries. But this passion for capturing beautiful life moments grew into something bigger, a desire to share with everyone the way I see the world, especially with those who miss the small details and hardly notice that the world is beyond words beautiful.
And what’s your story? How did your photography journey start? Share your beginnings with us. Who knows, maybe we’ll grant some bonus prize? :-)
