I was asked recently how some of my shots were photographed. And often the most popular are the ones from the Fresh Series. Thanks to my fellow friends at Feedmelah.com, I had this shot posted in their blog and thus more publicity! So in any case, this will be a first in a series of “Making The Shots” posts where I’ll give it a go at explaining how I did one of my previous shots. I’ll do my very best and hopefully you will be able to try it on your own too! I’d definitely be interested in seeing how you managed with the guide I’ve provided, not to mention the results you got in the end, so do feel free to share =)

Alright, so what do you need:

1. Fresh fruits
2. A wine glass
3. Camera with kit lens
4. Flash which can be fired off-camera
5. Water
6. A white wall
7. Patience and perseverance + the willingness to wipe the spilled water and try, try again.

Now, as you can see from my little hand drawn diagram (inspired by Joe McNally and yes, I know I can’t draw digitally to save my life), the key to making the shot is getting the flash off-camera. There are plenty of resources on how to get this done, the most notable being the Strobist community. David Hobby has started what I can only call a real phenomenon and I am forever thankful to him for making the masses (myself included) aware of the beauty of off-camera flash. Anyway, I digress.

The reason the flash is fired at the white wall is so that the latter can act as a bigger, and softer diffused light, rather than the harsh one generated from a directly fired flash. Do keep in mind as well, that this shot was done back in late 2007, so I’m pretty sure I would do it differently today with the amount of knowledge and experience acquired since.

I first set the camera to manual mode, and set the aperture to f/8.0, the shutter speed to 1/160 sec and zoomed in a fair bit to about 40 mm. Note that there is really no right or wrong way of doing this. Just as long as you know WHY you are doing it, that’s all that matters. In my case, I set the lens aperture to f/8.0 so that I could achieve lighting solely from the flash rather than the ambient light (eg. sunlight) without letting the shutter speed go any faster than 1/160 sec at ISO 100.* Now that will be a mouthful for those unfamiliar with the terms I used. 40mm was set, well just because… because I needed to zoom in-lah =)

*By increasing the f-stop number, less light will be able to come in. Setting the camera to ISO 100 also reduces light coming into the camera. This means that the flash will become the MAIN source of light. The eBay triggers have a highest sync speed of 1/200 sec (if you are lucky). I put it to 1/160 sec just so that I don’t have to worry about camera shake, and thus be able to obtain a sharp shot even though it’s on a wobbly surface.

Then, I powered up the flash and fired it in Manual mode at about 1/16.

And yes, it took many attempts. In fact, I had to empty the glass and wipe the droplets away from the sides quite a number of times before I nailed it. Handy use of the towels too, I might add.

And then comes the processing. Shot the image in RAW, sent it into Lightroom. Did a couple of exposure and highlight adjustments. Added a touch of vignetting, and that’s it.

One Fresh Series shot completed. Easy, no? Try it yourself!

Has anyone ever told you that you could not shoot a wedding with a consumer camera?

How about someone telling you that you can only take events if you have f/2.8 zoom lenses?

Or what about having only the humble 50mm f/1.8. Does that mean you shouldn’t delve into serious photography?

We’ve all had those moments. Moments of self-doubt, perhaps due to peer pressure, or high expectations; mostly even self inflicted.

I learned recently from my own experience (and this isn’t even photographic) to defy convention, and to try to defy the odds that are stacked against you. In this case, it was my participation in the recent 10 km run as part of the KL Marathon. Now, those who know me personally will tell you that I look unfit, and that I would probably never survive this run without training. And yes, they are probably right. Heck, just put it this way: my regular exercise constitutes me sitting at the terminal and perhaps walking to the LRT station before and after work. Well, there’s the odd weekly badminton here and there, of which I’m literally the beginner of the group. Hence, my unfortunate partner at the time will have to do most of the heavy lifting. I don’t gym, and I no longer remember the last time I seriously jogged.

So yes, you are right, the odds are against me. Perhaps as a combination of pure laziness, or a lack of focus, or a multitude of distractions, I did not get around to doing any form of proper training for the run. Right up to this point, my family were already joking I would not make it past the 3 km mark. My friends, well, put simply, they didn’t want to put me down, so they said I’d be able to make it. But I knew from the tone of their voices they didn’t think I would even finish this race.

The amount of self doubt was starting to hit me as well. I tried to reassure myself, and even did some math. 10 km in a qualifying time of 1 hour 30 minutes. Okay, that equals 90 minutes. So it means I’ve to finish 1 km every 9 minutes. To break it down further, 100 m every 54 seconds. Hmmm… seems more than possible. After all, back in the day, I used to be able to run sprints at 15-16 seconds. So perhaps it will be possible. And then it occurred to me the night before, that I’d have to be up by 3+ am to make it to the location as road closures would mean a logistical nightmare. So I would be running on less than 3 hours of sleep in total from the evening prior. Oh joy, this was looking even more like an impossibility.

And so the moment drew close, and I headed off with some friends, did some basic warming up, and joined the huge masses that had signed up to join this 10 km run. Heart beat faster, nervous smiles, and soon, it was 7am, and the start of the run was flagged. So it began. I kept at a pace I was comfortable with, or thought I was. First kilometer passed, and then the second, no sign of slowing down yet. At this point I had already beat a family member’s prediction that I’d run out of steam at the 1 km mark. I reached the 3 km mark before I could not hold the initial pace and brisk-walked (so one family member did get it right), and mind you the way I do the latter is faster than most.

Got to the first water stop, and gulped down a cup (which took a while no thanks to the horrendous organization) but nevertheless, I continued onwards. The next 3 km was an exercise of regulating the brisk-walking to the uphill regions, and the jogs to the downhill portions.

At the 5 km mark I looked at the countdown I had set in my phone for 90 minutes. 45 minutes had passed. I had 45 minutes to cover the rest of the run. Basically, at this point, I felt like I just dug my own grave. I had no idea how I was to finish the remainder in exactly the same time I had finished the first half. But then it happened. I decided not to look at my phone anymore. And I just kept on going. For durations where my legs felt like giving way, I brisk-walked for a few minutes. I zoned out everyone else whom I was passing or was passing me, and just made it a conversation between me and my inner self. I let the music from my phone fill up my eardrums, and focused only on the steps I was taking one at a time.

Every now and then I would pick up the pace until I could not fight the mental strain anymore, and then brisk-walked. I did this interchanging of pace right up till the final kilometer. At that point, I told myself, that there is no way I am going to finish this race walking. Mustering whatever energy I had left, I started to run. Well, to most it would seem like just a jog, but the point is: I was determined that I was no longer going to walk. I held that pace. 100 m passed. The pain increased. I continued to hold pace. Another 100 m. I reminded myself of the Mount Kinabalu climb I did the year before. That climb was one where it was a severe case of mind over matter.

Flashback to one year ago:

The climb took me more than 5 hours on the Mesilau track, of which I carried my DSLR the entire journey. I also took another 3+ hours to get to summit, also with my trusty Canon 350D and 17-40mm lens around my neck, kept underneath my jacket. Ask anybody who’s done the climb and they’d tell you to carry a DSLR is crazy, because the longer you are up the hike, the heavier every SINGLE thing will weigh. Even a camera as light as a 350D in the DSLR world, will weigh like a few kilograms by the time you are nearing the summit. In more ways than one, the Kinabalu climb in itself was another exercise of defying odds and mind over matter. I decided 2 weeks before the actual date to fill up one of the available slots in the trip organized by the company. My training was about 3 hill hikes in the week leading up to the actual climb. And I remember when I was doing the last 2 hours heading up to the summit, my knees were giving way, and I could only take 20-30 steps at a time before having to sit down, lie back and curse. But I persevered. And even when the sun light started to come up, and I started to deflate, I carried on. And I made it in the end. Defied the odds, and made it to see the sun peak over the clouds, and just take in the glory that is the summit of Mount Kinabalu.

Trust me, until now, nothing beats that high of being on top of Southeast Asia, and also having beaten the odds, overcoming your own pains and mental blocks, and most importantly achieving what you thought was impossible.

The words of wisdom my dad passed to me then (he climbed it twice) was simple: “Go at your own pace, you’re not racing with anybody. Take your time.” And that mantra I kept for the KL 10 km run.

Return to present:

Another 100 m. The pain was starting to become unbearable. But I saw the finish line. Moments later, I passed it. And my time: about 1 hour and 15 minutes. I did it. The skinny chap whom no one gave a chance in finishing in the qualifying time, did it. And without training too. It was a moment to savor. And one to shut all the doubters up for some time to come.

So how does this apply to photography? Well it’s simple. The next time someone tells you that you can’t do something because your gear isn’t sufficient, defy them. The world’s greatest photographers of the past, had nothing but prime lenses, manual focus and FILM. And they came home with some of the world’s most renown images. Think Henri Cartier Bresson and Ansel Adams. In fact there are some prominent web writers on photography that claim that the best way to learn photography, is to pick up a film Leica, one prime lens, and shoot in black and white. Mind you, as pricey as that little beauty is, it only has manual focus, and none of the live-view AND large chimp-able LCDs AND awesome 51 AF points, etc.

The point here is to go back to basics. And it doesn’t get any more basic these days than a consumer DSLR and a 50mm f/1.8 lens.

Go out there and shoot the best images you can manage, and prove them wrong. At the very worst, you’ll learn how to appreciate the good gear when you finally do acquire it. But for now, with what you have, go out there and capture the best imagery you can muster. Trust me, if and when you do take back excellent photographs, you will surprise your peer. But most importantly, you will surprise yourself. And from there you will only improve as a photographer.

So the next time you ever doubt you can take a particular kind of photograph, or shoot a particular event taking place, just go out there and do it.

You will learn from it. Chances are you may even enjoy it. And even if you don’t, you’ll come back with lessons learned that no one could teach you by just telling you. And these, my friends, are the lessons that will stick with you. These are the ones, that make you a BETTER photographer.

PS: My next aim is to run the 10 km in under an hour, this time with ’some’ training. Anybody still think it is not possible? =P
Oh, and since we’re on defying odds photographically, what about shooting an event with consumer primes and no zooms? Impossible? =)

Have you ever had a photo that was just taken at the spur of the moment?
What about one that’s taken without even looking through the viewfinder or LCD?
Are some of your favorite photos in your collection the ones you did NOT envision when you first set out to shoot?
Have you ever made all kinds of preparations for a photoshoot, only to realize later that the shots you liked best are the ones you did NOT prepare for?
Did some of your best shots work just because everything fell into place, ie. the natural sunlight, the weather, the clouds, a person appearing at the right time, a cursory unexpected glance, etc.?
Would you ever consider any of your best shots a ‘lucky’ shot?

Did you answer ‘Yes’ to one or more of the above questions? If you did, you might see where I am going with this, but nevertheless do read on to find out.

Back in an earlier post on gear lust, I defined a formula for defining a good image:

Good Image = 20% Camera Body + 30% Camera Lenses & Accessories + 40% Technique/Skill/Composition + 20% Post Processing Ability

What I did not add to that formula was the element of luck. And in my humble opinion, luck has a weight as high as technique/skill/composition.

So, how does luck play a role in photography? Ask any photographer, and chances are that some of their favorite or even most famed and loved shots may have been somewhat accidental, and not at all planned. Yes, amazing photographs are created sometimes from nothing at all. It could be a chance encounter, it could be a shot from the hip, it could be a shot with the wrong lens on, it could have been the 5 minutes that you waited AFTER your official shoot ended. In most cases, it could just be a case of being at the right place at the right time.

Like it or not, luck plays a significant role in photography. Here are some personal examples I can present. The shot at the top of this post, was taken after I had shot at least a dozen shots of just the landscape. It was taken in Queenstown in one of the nearby parks, on the first day of my arrival there, and I was more or less done trying to coax out of my camera some shots of the bushes against the majestic mountains, ie. the classical landscape. I was already ready to start my walk back to the town when suddenly a family of joggers ran past. And it clicked. I turned around, took a deep breath, composed the shot, and snapped. Completely unplanned prior to the moment, and it worked.

Now another example, this one on the top Mount Eden in Auckland. There I was with my tripod, taking in the amazing colors of the sunset, taking multiple exposures in order to try and get a HDR (High Dynamic Range) image via software later. And so after taking what must have been dozens of photos of the same sunset against different views around the peak, I packed up my tripod, and started to walk back to the car. As chance should have it, I spotted a very nice motorcycle parked on my way back, and I just happened to turn my head. And there it was, the biker himself, staring out into the sunset, completely in his own thoughts. I dropped my tripod on the grass, quickly composed the shot, took ONE shot, and this was it.

To me, this will be the classic case of the unplanned leading to a memorable shot. I remember it like it was yesterday. It was one of my very first photography outings at the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park. I had just walked about the park shooting all kinds of birds and even chicks (the real kind, mind you) for hours, and was pretty much poofed, so I had headed for the exit. I had my camera bag with me, so I paused just before the exit, and started keeping my camera into my bag. And without any warning, this peacock unveiled its majestic tail in all its glory. I knew at that very moment, I had to take this photo. I had no time to change lenses, so I used the lens I had on the camera; a humble 50mm f/1.8. Did not even change any settings, and quickly shot 1-2 frames. And just like that, the peacock shut its tail. The moment had passed. But I had the shot.

I think at this point in time, there will be some gasps escaping from the lips of some new budding photographers, and perhaps some sighs in the rest of the knowledgeable photographic community.

You mean to say that photography is about luck? What about all the hullabaloo about skill and gear and composition and experience and all the other jazz? So, we might as well all be photographers, and just take photos with a simple camera phone…

Now hold it right there. I only said luck is a factor. But it really only is ONE factor. Now consider this: just because a moment happens, doesn’t mean you are able to photograph it, unless…

1. You have A camera with you
2. You are able to pick up the camera, aim, and COMPOSE the shot
3. You are able to use your camera in a very, very quick manner without fumbling through the controls

The bottom line is, you MUST know what you are doing. You must have the skill of composition, the technique to pull off the shot, and also have the right focal length for the lucky shot.

There is a saying that goes, luck favors the prepared. And this could not be any more true that it is for photography.

If I did not have my camera with me during one of the above moments, I’d never have gotten any of these images. If I did not know how to compose the shot, let alone use my camera like the back of my hand, I’d never have been able to give it the impact it gives today or capture the moment as it unfolded in front of my very eyes. If I knew nothing about post-processing, I’d never have been able to enhance the shot to bring out the moment as I saw it. And in the words of David DuChemin, if not for the VISION that I had acquired over thousands of exposures, I’d never have been able to translate the moment into the shot anyway.

A good photograph is a lot of things. Luck is only one factor. And if anything, the real talent about the skilled photographer, is CONSISTENCY. Like it or not, luck will only result in one hit wonders. But skill will ensure you are able to capture the moment again, and again, and again… as and when it happens.

So, here’s my message: Train that vision, learn how the camera works, and be prepared. Because as I’ve already said, luck favors the prepared.

It has to be said that not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to travel as part of their job description. Be it a few days of training, a meeting with clients, or medium to long term project stints abroad, there’s something almost classy about being able to travel for business.

Mention business travel to any layperson, and one of the many things that come to mind are phrases like ‘business class’, ’sightseeing’, and in Malaysia specifically ‘Wah, so nice… so lucky!’ Trust me, I’ve heard this enough times that I casually let it go in one ear, and out the other (whilst forcing a smile and shrugging).

Here’s the thing about most business travel. Firstly, it’s usually a bit of give and take. Most of the time, business travel involves a tightly packed schedule to optimize the cost of such a trip, especially if it’s funded by an employer. This would include being quickly whisked away from the airport to the office for scheduled meetings/presentations right up till the end of the business day, chaffeured off back to the hotel, where there is a likelihood of ordering room service, having the TV tuned to CNN/BBC and having the work laptop open to check for emails from back in headquarters. That is, assuming you’re not already on a Blackberry. Business trips are very commonly an exercise of getting as much things done in as little time as possible. So much so, how much time is there left to do the photography that you enjoy the most on your travels? The answer: Very minimal unless you are an excellent time manager.

Of course, it’s not always that bad. As a photography enthusiast, being in a new country always presents a host of opportunities. In the extreme case, you’d at least have photographs of the airport, the hotel room, and the view from in and around the hotel. And perhaps if you’re really lucky, you’d be able to have some time off work, perhaps after business hours, or even over a weekend to wander around and capture in the sights and sounds of the local culture and surroundings. And that of course means if you do bring any kind of photographic kit, you’d be presented with an opportunity to do some form of travel photography.

Therein lies the classic conundrum of a photography enthusiast when on business travel.

Do you or do you not bring your DSLR and its many accessories?
And if you do, which lens do you take with you?
Do you carry a tripod?
Do you forsake the opportunity to shoot altogether?
Or do you compromise and bring a pocketable camera for at least some snapshots?

I myself am faced with such questions whenever I need to go anywhere out of town for business. The dilemma always revolves around whether or not it’s worth carrying all the weight of the professional photographic gear during a trip that is clearly not designated to be a ‘leisurely’ or ‘photographically driven’ one. What if you do happen to have time to shoot? Would you regret not bringing that lens with you that you left behind back home?

The lesson I’ve learnt from all of this, is a case of finding the balance (as in all other things in life). Here’s a simple checklist that might help you in deciding.

Ask yourself the following questions:

1. How much time will you have to do any form of photography during the trip?
If your answer involves only the time after business hours, and no weekends, you might want to consider only taking a pocket camera with you. If you do have a weekend to yourself, and you have a little day-trip or so in mind, by all means bring as much gear as you feel you will use. The key here is to bring only what you will definitely use.

2. What kind of country is it? And how secure do you feel?
Usually in a less developed country or in a country with a not-so-good reputation of security, you may want to leave the expensive gear behind. The last thing you want is to be a screaming billboard of a target. Having said that, if you take the necessary measures and practice a bit of street wisdom, you may be able to work around this problem and carry that DSLR anyway. Me? I’d stick to the pocket camera for the instances mentioned. Though having said that, my pocket camera is an LX3. =)

3. How much luggage space do you have?
Now, do keep in mind that there is rather limited luggage you can bring on business travel, especially with all the working wear and accessories you already need to carry. To add to that, it also will depend on how generous or spendthrift you are feeling; ie. the space required for souvenirs and shopping as well. The important thing here is to ensure you don’t carry more than you need. The 2 kg Manfrotto tripod can be left behind unless you’re really certain you’re going to use it. Perhaps it’s worth considering something like a little Gorillapod.

4. How long is the overall duration of the trip?
Needless to say, the longer the trip, the higher the decision will sway towards the DSLR equipment. Simple reason being that the opportunities for photography tend to increase proportionally to the duration of the travel stint.

Now, having put all this into consideration, there is one last thing you will need to consider.

Really, seriously, ask yourself if you really feel the passion and drive to want to photograph when you’re on this business trip?

If you have even a niggling sense of doubt, stick to the small camera, or better still, borrow one from a friend if you don’t own one. There’s always the option of making use of the camera phone too, but frankly, I’m no iPhone 3Gs user, so I’m not going down that road. Having said that, there’s nothing wrong with the concept and as such, the latter is very much a personal choice of mine.

As one Chase Jarvis says, the best camera is the one you have with you.

So… what kind of camera gear do you bring on a business trip?

The further along this journey you go, the closer you get to your destination. In this case, it’s the journey to define yourself as a photographer. It is about finding out what makes you tick, what sets you apart, what your images say about you, what kind of photography makes you strive for more, and what doesn’t quite strike your fancy.

It could be capturing the life of the people around you. It could be taking grand panoramas around the world. It could be capturing the defining moments of others. It could be bringing out the beauty of strangers through photography. It could be to tell moving tales. It could be about simple poetry. Basically, to each his/her own.

You don’t have to love one of the main genres of photography to define yourself as a photographer. You don’t have to be a professional. Same way you may never even need to own a DSLR. The whole idea behind defining yourself as a photographer, is knowing what kind of photos the person deep inside you wants to take, and will feel fulfilled taking. It’s the sort of photography that will drive you and take you to the next level. If all else fails, it’s the photography that you find joy in doing.

I’ve gotten a lot of nudges in this direction with events that have happened recently. They include Shootfest where I was able to meet a whole list of amazing photographers such as Jon Low, Zach Chin, Jenny Sun and Fiona Lim just to name a few. I could list them all, and I really should, but I know I’ll still forget somebody. So I’ll take my chances.

Then there was Steve McCurry’s talk which took place in Kuala Lumpur recently. To those unfamiliar with this name, Steve McCurry is the photographer behind the iconic image of the Afghan girl. Having seen even more of his work during his short talk organized by the US embassy, I’m left feeling very humbled. His images were jaw-dropping to say the least. It left me with a lot of hidden insight by reading between the lines, but nevertheless I left feeling pretty awestruck.

And then there’s David DuChemin’s Within The Frame, a book I highly recommend to those suffering from Phase 4: The Photographic Lull. Somehow or rather, the author is able to put into perspective (not to mention in the form of a well written book) the means of developing your photographic eye and defining your relationship with photography. He calls it developing your ‘vision’, basically honing your ability to take the images that you see with your mind’s eye. I remember finding this book whilst stumbling through Joe Mcnally’s blog, the latter another photographer whom I am a fan of. Hesitated for a full day, and ordered it from Amazon the next day. No regrets.

I personally have gone through a bit of agony, and put my closest friends in a fair bit too on this journey of self-discovery. I’ve done the unthinkable and switched from a Canon system to a Nikon system (a story I’ll leave for another day). I’ve bought a smaller non-DSLR camera. I stopped photographing for a long time, and at times only just played the role of a lighting assistant. I’ve gotten inspired by the books written by Joe Mcnally. I’ve taken short trips out of the city. Like I’ve said, it truly is a journey.

I have to admit I’m not quite there yet when it comes to being able to define myself as a photographer. I’ve been through all the phases I’ve described and more. As it stands, I just want to enjoy my photography. I can’t yet put into a clear perspective what my relationship is with photography. All I know, is that it’s a real passion, and I can spend hours doing it. But it does not mean I’ve gotten close enough to define myself yet.

To be able to achieve such photographic nirvana in itself will be a sense of achievement. It’s akin to finding your purpose or aim when you get lost in a barrage of distractions, decisions, and many other things in what we call ‘life’.

You see, once you’re able to define yourself as a photographer, no matter where photography takes you, no matter how many lows you go through, you will always have a direction to fall back on. You will know what drives you, and why you photograph. That little bit of light at the end of the tunnel, or so they say. The little spark to keep you going.

So I encourage you, yes you, to have a think about it, perhaps when you’re in Phase 4, and are going through a lull. What drives you as a photographer? What makes you different? What makes you… you? That answer, when you do find it, will be enough to keep you going, and I hope make you an even better photographer.

As for now, I’m still on this journey. Care to join me?

Photography Is A Journey

Phase 1 – The Possibilities are Limitless
Phase 2 – The Gear What-Ifs
Phase 3 – The Official Assignment
Phase 4 – The Photographic Lull
Phase 5 – Defining The Photographer In You

I’ve basically outdone myself and just broken down photography into 3 phases, and so let’s do a recap.

In Phase 1, it’s all about the possibilities, the sheer excitement of owning a DSLR and being able to take wonderful imagery. Then in Phase 2, we progress to getting very involved with the technicalities, and the ‘wanting to get more gear’ ideas. Then in Phase 3, we take it up a notch and get involved in the first official event as an appointed photographer.

Now, right up to this point, some photographers tend to find themselves getting caught up between Phase 2 and 3. The journey also does intertwine with Phase 1 since this phase’s various possibilities will drive you towards different equipment’s uses in Phase 2 and open doors for more opportunities in Phase 3. Generally, it means that there will be more shoots, and more gear, until finally you have all the gear you feel you want to get. So you keep shooting more, and more, and more… and not to mention, continue to find justifications to any new gear you acquire.

Then one fine day it happens. You feel uninspired. You run out of things to shoot. You start feeling a little down. Perhaps one event too many and you start to lose track of why you do this. Why do you do photography? The next job feels like a chore. The invitation from a fellow friend just starting photography to shoot a place you’ve already done twice over, and you can only stifle a yawn. The irony is, this phase, The Photographic Lull can happen if you’ve been shooting thousands of frames recently, or even when you’ve shot only a handful in the past few months. The bottom line is the whole feeling of deflation and the lack of inspiration.

It is one of the many lows most of us photographers go through. And it’s hard to pick ourselves up from this. And very often, at times like this, we do the strangest things. Examples include shooting with an iPhone, taking photos with toy cameras, dabbling with film for the first time, taking random photowalks, revisiting an old photographic flame, just to name a few.

There are many self, home-cooked remedies to this. One thing I’ve personally found to work wonders is to go back and look at old shots that you took yourself over the course of your journey. Particularly the old favorites or the ones that others complimented you for. Somehow that in itself, sometimes lights up enough of a flicker within you, that you find a new spark of inspiration. Or at the very least gives you a tad bit of a confidence boost. And then you find that little bit of drive to keep on going on this journey.

It could even be attending a workshop, or meeting new people in the photography business. Shootfest was one such opportunity. And it worked its wonders for me as well.

Sometimes there are those who don’t find this little spark. Unfortunately as a result of this, the drybox sees your camera gear a lot more than you do. And it may come to pass that you may never pick it up again to shoot like you used to.

But it’s not all doom and gloom for all. To some, it becomes a bit of soul searching. If you’re passionate enough about photography, somehow or rather, you’d be able to drag yourself out of the little rut, even if in desperation, and try and find a new challenge.

That in itself is not something to belittle. And very often, this passion will drive you to the next phase in this journey. And it’s one I’ve not yet reached. But I do know what I’d like to call it.

It’s called: Defining The Photographer In You.

Photography Is A Journey

Phase 1 – The Possibilities are Limitless
Phase 2 – The Gear What-Ifs
Phase 3 – The Official Assignment
Phase 4 – The Photographic Lull
Phase 5 – Defining The Photographer In You

The learning continues, and you now have probably your original camera set up, and a second lens, and perhaps a flash unit. Phase 2: The Gear What-Ifs will still reside in memory, but very soon, a contact will start to notice how into photography you are. And right about this time, you will receive an invitation. The conversation will go somewhere along the lines of the following:

Friend: Hey I notice you’re into photography. Saw your photos, they’re nice.
You: Thanks, yes, it’s really fun. Still learning.
Friend: I see. Hey I have this friend of mine having a wedding/event this weekend, would you be interested to come and shoot for it?
You: *Lips quiver with excitement, and you try your best to contain it* (and obviously in your subtle/obvious/reluctant/enthusiastic manner, you agree)

And there you have it. Phase 3: The Official Assignment; the invitation to be a guest photographer for someone’s wedding, or someone’s event.

The excitement and nerves are hard to contain. You start asking friends whether or not they’ve done weddings/events. Sometimes you find a contact who’s a freelancer, or a semi-pro, or maybe even a professional and you ask them too. You start doing your research, and then you start panicking.

Why?

Because suddenly you realise that the flash you didn’t buy yet from Phase 2, or the lenses that pros use for wedding/events are not the ones you own. And to make matters worse, a high number of people that you know whom are knowledgeable enough, will tell you to invest in a lens or a flash or something pretty pricey. Think things like f/2.8, IS/VR, primes, flash etc.

Right around this time, you usually end up doing one of the following options:

Option 1: Buy a new lens/flash
Option 2: Borrow equipment from a friend
Option 3: Wing it, and just go with the flow with what you have

No matter which option you take, you will very likely still go through this phase. But after making your decision, you start to focus on other photographers’ works covering similar scenarios. You start doing your homework. And with that, you take a deep breath, and dive straight in.

The wedding/event will go by in a flash, you’d likely have taken a few hundred shots in under 2 hours. You would have taken a few shots of each just to be safe. And you’d be running high on adrenaline. This is the stuff that people live for… the adrenaline rush. Depending on how well the shoot went, you may even think of doing this more often.

You may hit a brand new high. You may find your calling. Or maybe you won’t. Maybe you go home and realize, “Holy crap, my shots didn’t come out so great.” You may instead find that you are going to have to spend hours doing post processing to save the images that are key. Or you may even console yourself that this is your first shoot, so you believe you can do better.

Very likely, this phase will feed your gearhead tendencies if you have any, and you will start wanting professional gear, and the better camera. It will also be somewhat of a reality check, possibly even a humbling process. There is a chance you’ll get a handful of excellent shots, and you will start thinking, “Hey, this isn’t so hard, I can do this too!” Or you may go “Wow, I have no idea how the pros do it.” Either way with the experience under your belt, you may revert back to Phase 2 and again back to Phase 3 and do this on repeat till you’ve gotten all the gear your heart desires.

Or you reach Phase 4. This I call The Photographic Lull.

Photography Is A Journey

Phase 1 – The Possibilities are Limitless
Phase 2 – The Gear What-Ifs
Phase 3 – The Official Assignment
Phase 4 – The Photographic Lull
Phase 5 – Defining The Photographer In You

So you first start off with Phase 1: The Possibilities are Limitless. Gradually, you find yourself looking at more images taken by other people, particularly via Flickr. You look at an intriguing photo there, and you start checking out the EXIF (the technical data behind the image containing camera, lens and setting information). You also start asking friends who do photography what camera and what lens they used to take the images.

Right around this time, you are likely to buy your first extra lens that did NOT come with your camera. Very likely it’s a 50mm f/1.8 or something similar. Cheap. Good. Fast. With Bokeh. And just like that, it begins.

Phase 2: The Gear What-Ifs…

Symptom 1: You ask friends and fellow photographers what lens and camera they used to take a photo you like and wonder ‘what if’ you had the same setup
Symptom 2: You start checking out how much those lenses cost and where you can buy them and wonder ‘what if’ you owned them
Symptom 3: You start checking lens review sites to see if a particular lens is any good, in some cases you just ask your photographically inclined friends to let you try their gear so that you can answer some ‘what ifs’
Symptom 4: You think of getting another ‘cheap-ish’ lens or accessory, like a simple telephoto or a basic flash to satisfy some ‘what ifs’
Symptom 5: You gradually think less about techniques and instead focus more on what a lens or accessory can do for your photography
Symptom 6: You start lusting over things like L lens, f/2.8, f/1.2 and ‘what if’ you owned them
Symptom 7: You begin to start using the excuse that your images are no good because your gear is not good enough

Any of the above symptoms sound familiar? Well, that’s just Phase 2. I personally reckon, usually during this phase, the high you had during Phase 1 is still pretty much there. This means you’re still happy with the possibilities, but only now, it’s no longer about what YOU can do with what you have, but rather what you can do with what you DON’T have YET. The thrill and exhilaration will still be there, but you do find yourself gaining more interest in the gear itself, especially since it is one of the things you learn about as you progress further along your journey.

Right around this time, you’d start to meet more photographically inclined friends and hobby groups. You’ll start being more exposed to different lenses and different cameras. All in the name of learning. And all in really good fun. But you’re now more informed on the gear you’re using, the gear you not yet have, and also the gear you desire. It is intoxicating. And it’s just so easy to keep getting involved in all the gear lust, and the wonderful lenses and camera gear you have yet to own.

Then, naturally, more often than not, it happens. Phase 3. This, I’d like to call The Official Assignment.

Photography Is A Journey

Phase 1 – The Possibilities are Limitless
Phase 2 – The Gear What-Ifs
Phase 3 – The Official Assignment
Phase 4 – The Photographic Lull
Phase 5 – Defining The Photographer In You

As the title says on its own, photography to me was, is, and will be a journey. It is one of many ups and downs, of periods of inspiration and expiration, and of many different phases. But it is one I will continue to go on, for better or worse.

My closest friends know how crazy I am about photography. It’s also how I came about to decide the tagline of this website.

Some people may ask, how is photography a ‘journey’? It’s a noun, it’s a hobby, it’s an activity, it’s a job, it’s an art… There are so many words to describe it. So why is it of all those suitable words, I decide it to be called a ‘journey’?

Well, simply because, in the past two years of doing this, I’ve gone through so many phases.

I’d like to call Phase 1: The Possibilities are Limitless.

What do I mean by this? Well, during the days of which you use a simple point and shoot (P&S) digital camera, things were simpler. You pick it up, you set it to Auto, and as the name suggests, you point and you shoot. Done. Whatever comes out of the camera, is decided by how you ‘composed’ the shot, and how the camera wants the shot to come out. Sure, some might argue that you have some control over it, eg. scene modes, +/- ev compensation, high iso… but seriously, not everyone bothers. A majority of P&S owners are more than happy to leave it on Auto, and just snap.

However, the day you pick up a DSLR, is like walking into a whole new world of possibilities. It’s like all of a sudden you broke down the walls of the 3x zoom, the so-so image quality, etc. There’s nothing you can’t do. The images look sharper, have an obvious depth of field, there’s the ‘bokeh’, there’s FULL MANUAL control. It becomes all about what YOU can do, not what the CAMERA can take. You read and research, and you realise the pros are using similar cameras, and the world suddenly is full of different opportunities.

You go to the nearby zoo or bird park or what not, and you start shooting birds, animals and aspire to be a wildlife photographer. You start taking photos of your family members and relatives and you start wanting to be the family’s official photographer. You start photographing your beautiful beau, and you start aspiring to become a portrait photographer. You attend a friend’s wedding, and you take a few shots, and you feel you have the ability to become a wedding photographer. You hit the streets and snap everyday life, and suddenly you’re a street journalist.

There’s so much excitement, so much joy, it’s like, wow.

Your camera suddenly goes everywhere with you. In the eyes of the uninitiated you’re a professional, lugging around this brand new bling-bling of a camera like a fashion statement with pride.

And without warning you arrive at Phase 2. I’d like to call this phase, The Gear What-Ifs…

Photography Is A Journey

Phase 1 – The Possibilities are Limitless
Phase 2 – The Gear What-Ifs
Phase 3 – The Official Assignment
Phase 4 – The Photographic Lull
Phase 5 – Defining The Photographer In You

PS: I know there will be those out there who started with film, and I bow and kowtow to you for I have the utmost respect for you. This and the following articles are written with digital in mind, so sit back, and know that this might not be so relevant for you, but I do hope you can draw parallels as well.

Rummaging through my archives again yielded one of my favorite planned shoots to date, simply because there was no pressure, and by jove, did these two know how to naturally work it for the camera. They make any budding photographer’s life a breeze and I do look forward to being able to maybe do a shoot for either of them again in the near future.

For the record, James and Kerri aren’t actually a couple, other than both being personal friends of mine. To date, they are arguably still the two most photogenic people I personally know. To everyone else I know, please don’t take any offence as I probably just haven’t photographed you yet to decide… =)

Being able to go back through my archives and finding shots like this does make me wonder what the fuss is about all the latest and greatest camera gear. I myself got lost and bought myself a brand spanking new camera that will likely financially choke me for a while to come, but I digress. My point being, I was able to take shots like this with much simpler gear than I have today. Why can’t I do so anymore, and to my dear readers, why can’t you? =)

I have fond memories of this shoot, and the people involved in it. And it puts a smile when I am reminded of the mishaps too, including one shot where I have my face completely white-d out with the light of a full powered flash unassumingly triggered by a dear friend. I vaguely remember having a darn good laugh, not to mention temporary blindness and seeing stars for a bit. All in the spirit of good photographic fun.

Note to self: Always remember to have fun…

To James and Kerri, I thank you sincerely for reminding me of another high in my photographic journey.