I think photography changed my life. It does that to some people – I just didn’t know it immediately.
One day, I was looking for toys in our toy box (I used to share a room with my brother at the time) and found no joy. I went around the house looking for something interesting. Some kind of gadget I’d not seen before. I climbed shelves, digging to the back of cupboards and in draws until I eventually found something: It our family’s camera. I’d never seen it this close – It lived in a leather pouch and we only used it on holidays and to family weddings and such. I grabbed it, looked it up and down, found the wheel used to advance the film exposure and I took a picture. In fact, I took several more pictures and lost interest after that – I guess because I didn’t really know what I doing. I never touched it again until I was a little older and allowed to take it on a school field trip to Happy Acres. By I knew then how to work it but the dynamics of producing good & interesting images was the farthest thing from my mind. I just took pictures of stuff: the chalet we stayed in, my friends – you know – the usual stuff. I recall going with my dad to get the photos developed. Back before the days of instant gratification (before anyone in this country was using a digital camera in the early 90’s) you accepted that developing photos was a long, drawn-out process. I looked at the photos and no awe-inspiring moments happened. They were just photos. I’d love to tell you that my interest in photography manifested since I was a kid.
It didn’t.
Family Cameras always look like this. A proper #TBTAs a family, we never took photos often. The only other place I’d seen a lot of photos was at my Grandad’s place in Ennerdale. He had a lounge table with a glass top and in the gap between the wood & glass was a whole bunch of photos taken over decades. Photos of my parents, my cousins and my extended family & a lot of people I didn’t know. I centered on a picture of my dad & I thought it terribly fascinating to see what he looked like at my age. I realised then that photography is about capturing & suspending moments in time.
Decades later…
I started a media company and needed to become versed in the things that represented the services we’d be involved in. I purchased a small Sony ILC for the business and began taking pictures. [By mistake at first] I took some really good images & realised that I could make something of my photography. My journey then involved investing in more camera equipment, acquiring a solid education in creating professional photography. It took a while but today, the creation of professional photography is one of the services my brand is known for. I’ve been blessed to advise others (even other photographers working in industry) on the best way to get into the action of making good images. The other day Andy asked me to give him a primer on creating good images for our coverage of The Mercedes Benz Fashion Week happening next month. I thought to make an article out of it.
Here’s where you come in
Social sharing applications like Instagram, the increased accessibility of good, portable camera technology in cellular phones and the like, have done something to move the art of creating images… those moments in time … into the mainstream consciousness. More and more people are getting into photography in various forms. For those thinking of going further still, I have created a series here on #TheAesthetic to help you in your endeavors. There is a process (mildly similar to what I went through) that begins with a clear understanding of what you want your photography to do for you. Whether it’s to create good images on holidays, or to create images for more artistic motives… I can help get you through it. I’ll teach you the basics, give you links to legitimate sources and help you through your first purchase. Stay tuned… It’s about to get real.
