I Love Photography

Photography Is Part Of My Life Now

By: SunnySmile

Written on July 27th, 2010

Ever since I could remember I wanted to learn photography . I think I have a creative personality and always wanted to express myself in some way in form of images. I can't draw and don't like art, don't understand sculpture, tried poetry and it didn't go far. So I laid my eye on photography. I was in school then and was really thinking about it a lot. But I really doubted I could master film photography and turn film into pictures in my very own black room...

And I believed it would remain a dream until digital photography was invented.

My first digital camera was a simple point and shoot type, I was taking pictures at all get-togethers and parties with friends. But soon enough I started dreaming of a professional DSRL camera.

And the day came, and I took it in my arms and we lived happily ever after :))

Playing with my favorite toy (Canon EOS 40D) for three years now, getting better at it. Though I still can't find my style and what exactly I enjoy taking pictures of :)
Portrait, landscape, macro and so on and so forth. Want to try wedding photography. Right now all is interesting to me.
But I don't go shooting everything in sight. I take my time, choose good angle, play with light. Or just catch a good moment.

When taking photos, I always try to find an interesting angle to shoot from to show the world around me in a beautiful and sometimes unusual way.
I always take tons of pictures during the 'photo shoot' and then go through them and delete 80-90% to leave the best. I can take around 2500 pictures in half a day and then leave just 250 deleting the rest.
But out of the gigabytes of pictures I have taken in the past years, there'll be just a hand full that I really like. I criticize my photos a lot. And always find something looking not so good or not as I wanted. So I make a mental note to myself for the next time :)

Friends like my photos a lot and say that some are so good they could be postcards. I know they mean it as a compliment, but for me a 'postcard' means a dead photo. And I want to learn to take 'alive' photos, the ones that speak to you and tell a story. So I have tons to learn and really looking forward to it :)

Photography is part of my life now and I wouldn't want it any other way.

By: SunnySmile

Age: 26-30 , Female

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12 responses

Pmacphoto

I have been shooting photos since 1965 when I was in the navy, I bought a small Kodak camera for $7.50 my digital I bout almost 5 years cost me $700.00 and every I know is self taught. I have a few great photos but still looking for that perfect shot.

Jan 14
1 like
- SunnySmile
  well, i'm such a self-critic that i might never take that perfect shot, simply because i'll criticize myself to bits hehe. But yeah, I have my camera for almost 5 years too, and i think i'm just finally starting to figure out what exactly i like to shoot. good luck with your craft :)
  
  Jan 14
  1 like
- Pmacphoto
  I love nature, especially the mountains, sunrises, sunsets, waterfalls, flowers, clouds just anything to do with photography. No children, weddings and just no people, they are a pain in the ***.
  
  Jan 14
  1 like
- SunnySmile
  lol interesting pain in the *** comment hehe. Over time I actually realized that for me its the other way around. Just scenery doesn't do anything for me anymore. I mean, I can shoot very nice pics and they look stunning and all, but with people in the photos different stories can be told. I'm swinging to shooting people more. I love candid photos, love showing emotion in the photos. And I really love when I can show the person I'm shooting how differently I see them. And when it comes to girls, I really enjoy looks on their faces when they see the end result.
  We all are used to our friends taking our pics and them turning out horrible, simply because they don't know how to shoot properly. So I really enjoy seeing reactions on other people's faces saying wow I didn't know I can look that good in pictures! I just need to overcome my shyness and move into professional photography.
  
  Jan 14
  1 like
eptunp

Yeap, I hate that misconception that it's the camera and not the photographer that captures those decisive moments.

I still have my first digital SLR an Olympus, it was the cheapest I could afford at the time. I love it and want to get a Canon or Nikon. But we'll see. I haven't used my SLR in a long time. Ever since I have my iPhone, it's replaced my camera -- now that is sad.

I miss using my other manual film cameras, so fun! Any ways thanks for posting this story.

Apr 9, 2012
1 like
- SunnySmile
  Thanks for your comment :) Thing is, don't be sad that your iPhone replaced your camera for you. There's even a whole movement about it - iPhoneography. I was skeptical until I saw what those new iPhones can do and what all those apps for processing photos in-phone can do. If you like it, not sure why you're sad :) I for example always want to control the settings etc so I don't see myself using a phone or a point-and-shoot (unless forced [asked] by someone to take their pic with their phone/point'n shoot lol).
  
  Apr 10, 2012
  1 like
lunnas

I love taking and sharring pictures I look forward to seeing your pictures

Apr 8, 2012
1 like
ksparrow

I have been a photographer for years. I love the age of digital photography. Keep enjoying your work. Weddings can be wonderful for you to use your creativity, but it is a bear because 1) everyone owns a digital and does not want to pay the high prices for your expertise 2) the less you charge, the more they control you and 3) you lose one important picture and it can cost you ALOT. I still do wedding photography, but I limit myself.

I love portrait photography. If you look at my story Kate Sparrow, you will see a self portrait that I cannot beat on myself. We all are our own worst judge, so to say I love my picture is pretty good, I think! (I have picture posted on infrared photography somewhere here under stories too)

I love Canon. I have had a 10D for years and LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT (see my photos I've slowly been posting). I choose the IS 28-135mm lens and 10-20mm IS lens and the wide angle lens can really rock your boat.

Good luck to you!

Feb 7, 2011
2 likes
SunnySmile

EH - um, I'm too lazy lately and barely take any photos in the past months... Gotta work on that :P

As for the weight of a SLR... I'm so used to it that when I take a smaller camera in my hands... it just doesn't feel right. :)

Feb 5, 2011
1 like
EternallyHopeful

GW - you beat me here by 3 months!! LOL I like yours and SS's idea of taking stacks of photos, and editing them out at the end. Think I'll try that.

SS - I've always been a terrible photographer. But I hate this little cheap camera we have,and the phone ones are even worse. My husband just got an SLR - a Canon too. And it reminds me of all that's good about photography. Just holding it, with that weight, I feel inspired. So I understand what you mean when you say 'I took it in my arms and we lived happily ever after' :) How are your photos going now?

Feb 5, 2011
1 like
SunnySmile

@patientalpha: my respect to you. there's just no way I'd learn how to handle a film camera. And I agree, I also hate when people assume that an expensive camera is all it takes to create a good picture. To tell the truth about 2 years into my photo hobby I started thinking that it must be the camera and not my skill that makes good pictures. Until I asked a friend to take a picture of me with my camera. I even set the automatic mode for her. OMG. It was one of the worst pictures of me that I saw in a while!

And another example. About a month ago I was on vacation with a friend. I took my Canon, she took her point and shoot camera. She would ask me to take pictures of her with her camera, I'd ask to do the same but with her camera (she cant even hold mine properly lol) After we came back and sorted through our pictures she threw out most of hers, and the best pictures taken with her camera were of her taken by me. And there she was saying it must've been because her camera is old and she needs a new one. LOL whatever.

So I realized, if you suck at photography, even the most expensive camera won't do you any good. And if you have the right skills, you can make very good pictures even with the cheapest cameras.

Jul 29, 2010
2 likes
1Babe

I'm looking for a camera now. There is sooo much out there right now. It's hard to choose.

Jul 28, 2010
2 likes

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