I've had an interest in photography since seventh grade. I started by taking pictures of ospreys with my dad, and then branching out to capturing all of nature with my cheap cellphone camera. Eventually I realized that I really enjoy photography, and saved up to buy my own camera. As soon as the photography 1 class was available to me, I signed up, wanting to work on my editing and try out other types of photography then macro and landscape photography of nature. Although most of what was taught in this class I already knew [between a number of hours browsing photography websites, or just exploring my own camera through trial and error], I learned that it is always good to branch out of your comfort zone when it comes to taking photos. To develop as a photographer it helps to take pictures of anything and everything. I also gained many skills on Photoshop [and GIMP] through the amount of editing we did in class. Before this class I would spruce up photos a little on Windows photo gallery, but that was about the extent of my knowledge. It's so amazing how you can much more you can manipulate the light, color, and depth of a photo!
Photography has helped me learn about myself what my likes and dislikes are in styles and types of photography, and it has made me realize how much I love nature and love capturing it. Starting to take pictures of people was definitely a challenge this year, as I had only dabbled in it a little before. I still don't enjoy actually sitting down with someone for a photo session; I think it is much more enjoyable and natural to take pictures of people when we are all out doing something we enjoy, for example, when I'm out hiking with my family, I like to take pictures of them enjoying nature.
My favorite works definitely came from my macro project. Macro photography is where I feel the most comfortable, and I love playing with aperture. If I could do a project over again it would probably be the portrait project, as I only took pictures of my family inside, and most of the pictures turned out noisy as I had to boost the ISO way up.
I used a lot of dim tones in my final project. I've been feeling down lately, so the colors represent that. One of the photos is blurred and looks like there are several of me in them. That one represents confusion and chaos, as I've felt lately like I'm overwhelmed. If someone was to come away with one thing from my project, I hope they'd take away the feeling of sadness I tried to put in them. [not that I want anyone to be sad, hehe]
I have several things that I heard as I started getting interested in photography that I'd share with any future photography students. First off, it doesn't matter what type of camera you have! To take awesome pictures, you don't need a fancy DSLR or a 1,500 dollar lens. Just your regular phone will do, so don't stress about it. The equipment doesn't matter, the person behind the lens does. Another thing-- your pictures will suck. And that's OKAY! It takes a while to develop a style and figure out what looks good. You will get better; like any skill, it takes practice, practice, and even more practice. Don't be afraid to be proud of your pictures, as well. If you like them, put them out there, on your blog, on facebook, twitter, whatever. If you like them, other people are bound too as well. Be okay if someone doesn't like them. Ask for critiques and tips from other photographers, as there's a lot of people that would be happy to help! Last thing, keep taking photos, don't stop! Find something you love, and photograph it. Lastly [lastly for reals], HAVE FUN WITH IT!
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