Above is a shot I spent an embarrassing amount of time trying to get right. At the end of my fixation on this shot, I was still not able to recreate the concept that I was envisioning. This happens sometimes and it really bothers me every time it does. I feel like I’ve been doing photography for long enough to be able to have a vision and execute it perfectly but it doesn’t work like that, though. As you practice more, it gets easier to replicate your visions but not every shot will be perfect. My first attempt was over exposed, out of focus and the composition was off. I tried to adjust my settings to the light and move the camera to frame the shell better but in the end, I still wasn’t able to get the exact look I wanted. The exposure was better but the frame and focus were still lacking.
So, this shoot was a photo date with my friend. We spent the day at Kingston beach and then we stopped at Taroona beach on the way home. I love taking photos in the same setting as other photographers because it allows you to see the differences in your work. For example, I learned photography theory in a really fast paced environment. I had to shoot true to the subject because the photos were uploaded to social media immediately. As a result, I became very efficient in shooting on manual and making sure that my photos are upload ready when I take them. My friend who I shot with, shoots to edit later. So, she doesn’t worry too much if a shot doesn’t look exactly how she wants it to in the end. Both styles are great but they make the product very different. I’m not sure what I would have done differently in order to get exactly what I was looking for. Maybe, I just wasn’t using the right lens or maybe I would have gotten it if I played around with it some more. I’m just not sure but I definitely will try it again and report back with the results.
On a happier note, here are some of my favourite photos from our shoot. I’m pretty content with how they turned out. I think simplicity is so beautiful and by making a few tweaks to colour and composition, you can make a simple subject tell a complex story. When I started learning photography, that was something the media team I was working with would always talk about. You need to know what story you want your photo to tell and then you need to execute it well. That has stuck with me and two years later I still implement that concept every time I take a photo.
Sometimes, I do ‘try-hard’ a bit and attempt to get more complicated shots. Most of the time, it’s a shot I know is going to test my camera’s limits. Many photographers will say that it’s not about the equipment, it’s about the artist but it’s also important to know your gear. My camera and lenses are wonderful but they don’t capture movement that well. So, I often don’t try to take photos of anything moving too quickly. I’ve tested and seen the outcome before which isn’t great but that doesn’t stop me from occasionally giving it a go.
I actually really like the outcome of most of these shots. They are obviously not Nat Geo quality but I am happy with the composition and focus. Even the shots where the initial subject wasn’t in focus tell the story I wanted to share. I was really surprised that you could clearly see what I was trying to capture because my camera usually gets completely out of focus on moving subjects. Clearly, it decided to work with me on this one and I’m going to take this win.
Here are some more terrible photos. I have no idea what I was really trying to achieve with some of these. I looked at them on my laptop after and had to have a moment of silence. I wanted to share my bad photos in this post because I remember feeling really discouraged sometimes when I first started. On social media, all of the photographers I see post these spectacular and well edited photos. I often wondered if I’d ever be that good and I also never saw anyone with the same photography style as me. I prefer my photos to look natural, most of the time I like them to like exactly like the subject I’m shooting. I don’t regularly edit my photos and as I said before, I like simplicity. Seeing the exact opposite all the time was not the most encouraging and I sometimes doubt that people would actually want to see my photos. So, I wanted to show my fails and talk about my style because clearly there needs to be more representation of different styles of photography and acknowledgment that not every shot is spectacular. Even after years of practice, it’s important to recognize that learning never stops and even when you think you have it down pat, there is still more experience to gain.
Finally, these are my favourite photos of the day. I love everything about them. The story that they tell through the composition and they are true to the colour of the scene. Getting a shot that I really like always makes the bad ones seem worth it. Every bad photo is a learning opportunity and gets you a step closer to perfecting your craft. I think when you’re passionate about something, it’s hard to not be upset when you ‘fail’ at it but it’s important to channel those emotions into pushing yourself to learn more. Not the point where you’re obsessed with getting it perfect every time but instead recognizing that you will make mistakes and deciding to keep trying again anyway.
So, keep trying. Don’t limit yourself or your gear but be realistic and learn the strengths and weaknesses of your equipment. Ask any photographers you know for help or tips. It doesn’t matter how much experience they have, any experience at all is worth listening to. If you don’t know any photographers, Google is always there, I’ve found charts on Instagram and Pinterest that were helpful and there are plenty of Youtubers who have great tutorials. I will link content below that was helpful for me but thank you for reading!
Photography is too much of an expensive hobby to give up.
Just a girl and her camera
Links:
https://www.instagram.com/jujushoots?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
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