Thirteen years ago, I received a Canon DSLR as a birthday gift (I did ask for it). I wanted the camera to capture life moments of our kids participating in sports. I did use the camera for that purpose for the first five years or so. Later, when the kids were grown, I started experimenting with my camera and trying to make art. I liked to draw and paint when I was younger, so I thought this could be something I’d enjoy.
At first my shots were more of the “snapshot” variety, you know the pictures I talking about. You see something happening and you take a quick snap. Gradually, I started to learn more about the camera settings and began to see in my mind’s eye what I wanted to capture.
Of course, visualizing your shot and actually achieving it are two different things. Over the years, my skill improved and my processing of each photo also improved. One thing that helped me improve was doing a 365 project, which I did back in 2012 (and yes, I should do another one). Having to take a “decent” photo every day really gets your mind thinking! I’ll share a link to those image below.
The second thing that has helped me become a better artist (with my camera) is the Photography Scavenger Hunt. This group of wonderful photographers gets together online every couple of months to share their creations from a list of given Hunt words. The Hunt is currently on round 30 and I have participated since round 2 (It’s hard to stop!). I have met many of these scavengers in person, first local folks then later by going to their yearly meetup. Everyone in the group is passionate about photography and willing to share and help newcomers as well as veterans. A very welcoming group and tons of fun!
Another way I have improved my photography was learning to use post processing tools. Of course, there is still much to learn, but I love to make my image the best it can be! I currently use Lightroom, Topaz plugins, Photoshop and a few other programs to edit my photos. Recently, I’ve gotten some recognition and more and more people have told me they love my photography.
My 365 project from 2012 is here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/wadebrooks/albums/72157628260820863
Here's one of my favorite recent images
Cheers,
Wade