get back into photography

Well, when you’re in a beautiful and amazing place I guess it makes most people want to take pictures, right? I must admit I kind of reveled in the fact that my equipment and my understanding of the mechanics of photography and my camera probably made my pictures better than most of the point-and-shoot snapshots shooters I saw around the place, though! :)

I always wanted to roll my eyes at the people who only photograph touristy things, but I have to admit that these sorts of places get me excited about photography more than anything else. And I wasted years doing stupid student work that tried to be original or interesting or dark or creative, and it left me bitter and burned out. So I guess I should take my enjoyment where I find it, and get over what I thought I should be because of photo school.

I finally decided on the right dSLR for me, and ordered it not so long ago. I took it out shooting and feel really encouraged by some of the pictures I got back. The sharpness, color, and clarity, even in JPGs, is more real and vivid for me than anything I’ve shot digitally before – and the light wasn’t even very good where I was shooting!

Last night while I was cleaning out a cabinet in my house, I found and went through my portfolio boxes from some of my college photography classes. (I have a degree in photography.) I think that the pictures I took when I knew I was leaving (both the town and the field of fine art photography) were the most interesting, and for the first time I wondered if I was missing something by shrugging off photography to pursue other related interests. It’s time to find out.