Monday, June 7, 2010

Unhealthy? Nah.

My current obsession is with photography. Well, maybe current is not exactly accurate. I've been interested in photography for a long time now, and have been taking my own pictures since I got my first camera in 2006. I recieved a decent Sony point-and-shoot for my birthday that year, and I loved it. I took that camera with me wherever I went, and still do. I've taken pictures of everything around me, and even went far and abroad to get a good shot. One lesson I learned quickly is that getting a good shot does not require hours of scouting locations or extensive prep time to get. It was mostly just about getting out and seeing things for how they truly are.

The first few months I had my camera I took hundreds of pictures. I took pictures of buildings, plants, people and crowds, lakes, activity and anything else that caught my eye. And that is really the secret to photography, using your eyes. I would just walk-or ride my bike-somewhere (anywhere) and just see what there was to see. I would experiment and test my equipment. I would frequently stop and look at the most seemingly uninteresting scenes and find something worth noting about it, if not something worth photographing.

Recently I purchased a new camera, a very decent DLSR. This camera is a huge step up from the little Sony I had been using up until this point, and is a bit intimidating. Using a point-and-shoot camera is easy. Point, zoom, focus, shoot-and that's it. My new Canon EOS Rebel T1i is a bit more advanced and required a bit of studying up to get a decent shot. I've written about it here before and I don't think I'll go into it any farther this time. I will say that with all the practice I've been getting I am getting better at using it and taking better pictures. At least I think I am.

I don't claim to be great at photography, but the reason I keep going and trying is due to what photography has taught me. I have learned to look, really look, at everything around me. I see the color, the splendor, the majesty of life around me. I have to really see, because if I don't I may miss a once-in-a-lifetime vision. Another thing: Every once in a while, turn around, look at the path you have taken, and look at everything from a different angle. I guarantee you will see things in a whole new manner.

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