I've been seriously into photography for about six years now. That number is crazy to me, it doesn't feel like it has been six years. I have learned so much over that time, both things I have been taught and the things I have learned from talking to others or what I've thought about myself. This post is a little reflection on all that time, and I think it will be a reminder for me in the future about what photography is all about, and why I started in the first place. Let's get into it!
1. Photography taught me that the equipment doesn't matter.
I bought my trusty Canon Rebel T3 when I was a freshman in high school. That was six years ago, and the camera itself was released in 2011. It's old considering how fast technology changes. Through all that time, I have taken pretty good care of it. It has survived trips to humid Ecuador and rainy Israel, occasional rough handling just from carrying it around, and times when I use it with less-than-clean hands because I may be in the middle of a food photography shoot. By now, it would be reasonable to replace it, but I don't have that need yet.
I don't know what people think of my photography or how high quality of a camera they think I have, but I think that the camera itself does not determine how high-quality my work is. A lot of the DSLR cameras have the same hardware and capabilities, but each photographer's subject of choice and individual creativity is what makes us all different. A lot of people think that buying the newest, shiniest camera will magically make their photos good, but that isn't the case. Sure, they might have good resolution or any other technical perks, but a photographic eye takes time to develop and it isn't something that you can buy.
My dream camera is the Canon 5D Mark IV, and I'm sure a lot of photographers would say the same. Unfortunately, it is thousands of dollars more than what I want to spend right now, especially considering that my camera functions perfectly well. Sticking with my T3 is a good choice financially, and it can also function as a creative challenge. Yes, my camera is old, but how can I push past that and create good quality and interesting work? I want people to thinking about my work as it is, not "What camera did she use?"
2. Photography taught me to see the beauty in every day life and be grateful for it
Part of developing a photographic eye is taking photos all the time. All. The. Time. I have a background in traditional art, so that helped me bring my knowledge of composition and other art principles into photography. I started out taking lots of photos of clouds, flowers, and my dog. Taking the time to look for and notice and photograph all these little things taught me to look for the details. As I think about photographing the view from my house, I could get an image like the one below that I have put on the blog before, or I could wait until summer when the trees around the river have grown back and the whole valley is greener. Seeing the beauty of the view in both summer and winter is something I didn't really notice before doing photography. I like to document this regular beauty, all the sunsets and flowers and cups of tea or coffee, and be grateful for it.
3. Appreciate the details.
I feel this with food photography, mostly. I love the craft that goes into cooking and baking and all the little details that come along with it. When I capture the details, it feels like the time I spent making the thing is worthwhile. Maybe you never think about the art on your latte or the way your dessert is plated, but someone did and they put a lot of work into it. I'm not doing food photography for anyone else but myself yet, but when I do, I want to do it in a way that honors the chef's or the baker's work.
4. People aren't as scary as they seem.
I'm talking about portrait photography here. All throughout high school, I leaned away from portraiture because I know a lot of people do not like having their photo taken, and I could always pick up on that discomfort as I was working. When I did a studio photography class that mainly focused on portraiture, I had to get over this fear really quickly. As the photographer, it is mostly our responsibility to put our subjects at ease. My subjects are probably as scared of me as I am of them. If I'm awkward, I'm sure that my subject will be awkward.
Now, I always get nervous before a portraiture shoot. I'm not a social butterfly, but I try and talk to my subject a lot, whether that be about how their day went or explaining the equipment I have to set up. I try and involve them in the creative process to ease their worries and help them have fun, because that's when I get good photos with genuine smiles and lots of personality. Once the subject and I are in a groove, shoots are really fun!
5. Photography has helped teach me to not compare myself to others.
Ever since I got into photography, it seems like everyone and their mother was a portrait photographer. That isn't a bad thing, portrait photographers are valuable and create important work. But when I was younger, sometimes I would feel like I "wasn't as much of a photographer" because I didn't like portraiture. I thought I wouldn't have as many options career-wise as someone who did fashion and beauty or family portraiture. Sure, I like portraiture more now that I've practiced it, but I also know that what I personally like to do is important and it is needed, too. I've found out that I think food photography is a blast and as long as I run with what I'm passionate about, I think that people will notice. I'm glad that now, as I do portraiture, I'm doing it because I feel like it and not because I think it will make people like my work more.
This got deep, but it's important. I'm glad to be able to reflect like this and see how my practice has changed over these six years. I'm sure it will change so much more as I continue my education and experience more life. The great thing is that I'll be able to document it all.
Thanks for reading!
xx, Hannah
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