As usual, here are some images from my client work.
For you to enjoy and reflect on the elements discussed below.
Let’s define what a photographer is and does.
In the first installment, I let you into my experiences as a photographer. I mentioned also that the road was a long one – not centrally focused on photography at all. But for the purpose of clarity – lets define what a photographer is, and what he or she does:
A photographer is someone whom takes still images, especially as a job*
Simple enough, but the definition could be extrapolated further to include those whom do not particularly create images for a job. These people are perhaps not professional – but rather engage in photography as a past time; for the appreciation of its more artistic elements. We call these fine folk – Hobbyists of Enthusiasts (this series is really aimed at you folks). Regardless of what category one falls into, we all kind of start the same way. We discover photography through observation, mobilisation, education, and finally participation.
Observation
Typically, one comes across an image or set of images in magazines, books, newspapers, on social media sharing apps like Instagram or Facebook, elsewhere on the internet and even on websites like this one. You look at it and decide you like it completely. This is probably because of the way you feel when you take it all in. The look, the colour, and the composition… It’s all there, except you don’t really know all that yet. This is the point where someone says: ‘I could get into this’. Here you start to build an appetite for photography in general.
Mobilisation
This is the point where one goes from merely observing images – to the desire to make images oneself. It is in this phase that folks become more interested in the processes and tools used by photographers to create those epic images. It is also the point where people resolve to purchase their own cameras (perhaps after messing around on a friend’s or relative’s camera) and so they do a little research and ask around. There are a multitude of camera variations out there and each has a central purpose governed by the technology in context. This section will be dealt with in more detail in the next part (pt 3) of the series. You’ll recall that Andy asked me to help him with a camera selection and some tips for capturing good quality images for our coverage of the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week happening this month. He passed through this phase heading towards the point where one becomes concerned with the techniques and workflow needed to create photography – even at an informal hobbyist level – there are points of consideration.
Education & Participation
Really, the mobilisation, education and participation phases happen almost concurrently. As I inferred earlier – this phase deals with the basic theories you need to know about taking an image. From now on, see it as an event – filled with measured variables that, when combined specifically, will result in different end results. Here terminology and technique are absorbed, varied and refined. We will go through the finer details of this phase in Part 4 of the series. For any other information, contact me here and I shall respond accordingly. 
