I Suck At Photography
when i fell in love with photography
I bought my first DSLR camera in December 2015 for an upcoming trip to the US Virgin Islands with my wife. It was a Canon Rebel T5i with the standard kit lenses (18-55mm and 55-250mm). While recognized as a solid beginner camera, I knew nothing about it and proceeded to fire away on auto mode for the entirety of the trip. As a result, we landed back in Chicago with a respectable tan and mediocre photos to remember it by.
That trip changed my life for two reasons. First, we decided we no longer wanted to depend on a plane ride for access to the ocean. We’d eventually pack our bags for Seattle and then San Diego where we currently live. Second, I then knew I wanted to pursue photography - whatever the hell that meant.
My photos were ‘meh’ and I had zero clue how to operate a DSLR, but there was much to love already. Holding the camera, the click of the shutter, the simple joy/challenge of paying a little extra attention to detail when capturing a moment. All of which have become practically foreign due to those flat rectangles in our pockets (or better described as bottomless pits to store photos we’ll never see again).
Needless to say, I was hooked and wanted to learn as much as I could about photography.
from skyscrapers to volcanoes
Shot of Mount Rainier on a hike in Mount Rainier National Park
Fast forward to March 2017. We moved from our beloved Chicago to Seattle for a new adventure. Talk about a photographer’s playground. Mountain ranges in every direction, beautiful National Parks, deadly volcanoes, wildlife, etc. At this point I had taken some elementary photography classes as well as purchased two new lenses - the infamous “nifty 50” (aka 50MM f/1.8) and a super wide angle 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 - so I was ready to pack up my gear and hit the trails.
And that’s exactly what I did for the next 3 years. My wife and I bought every piece of camping and hiking equipment we could find at REI and started exploring every inch of the Cascades. We found new adventures each weekend, and I never left the house without my camera in tow. I started to put all of my focus into landscape photography and was learning more and more by simply getting outside and shooting whatever I could.
L stands for luxury
January 15, 2018. That’s the day I decided to invest in a future in photography - literally. I pulled out my credit card and bought the new Canon 5D Mark IV with a 24-70mm f/4 lens. The emotions were overwhelming. It felt like being handed the keys to a Ferrari shortly after finishing driver’s ed. I was familiar with the basics, but there was so much to learn. But wow, just feeling the weight of a 5D body in your hands is amazing. And let’s be honest, attaching an L series lens to your camera and seeing that red stripe for the first time is a day no Canon photographer forgets. If you don’t shoot Canon, the L stands for luxury and these are the crème de la crème of Canon lenses.
Over the course of the next two years, I tried to learn as much I could about this camera and photography by watching Youtube videos, Creative Live classes, reading materials online, following my favorite photographers, etc. I also added more gear to my bag. I upgraded to the 24-70 f/2.8L II, and my most recent buy was the 85mm f/1.4L, which is my absolute favorite lens. If you’re wondering how I was able to afford all this professional level equipment, all I have to say is that Best Buy’s 0% financing is a beautiful thing (not an ad). I bought one item per year once the previous one was paid off.
Quick Tip: If you’re thinking about a new lens and can’t decide what to buy, find a camera store near you that offers rentals. During my time in Seattle, I rented from Glazer’s at least once a month. That’s how my love affair with the 85mm started.
when a hobby pays
Commissioned project for MiiR
With that glorious red stripe giving me the slight bit of confidence, I decided to start reaching out to brands and asking if I could make social content for them. To my surprise, it worked. It’s amazing how a simple DM can lead to real opportunities.
Now, I’ll be clear. These early opportunities didn’t all result in traditional payment. I didn’t have a portfolio or previous work experience, so most of the projects were in exchange for free product. While not ideal, it is a great way to build a real portfolio and make connections. The strategy did pay off and I eventually started landing paid projects. I’ll dive into this more in a future blog post and cover some of the do’s/don’ts I learned along the way.
The commissioned jobs certainly weren’t paying the rent, but they provided much needed hands-on experience and allowed me to increase production capabilities (e.g. hiring talent, location rentals, props, etc.). On the flip side, with “real” photography work coming my way, my insecurities began to skyrocket.
i suck at photography
And that’s where I’m at today. Instead of shooting as only a hobby, I now scrutinize every piece of content I share on my website or social media knowing that a potential client could see it. I’ll look back at work I created as recently as a week ago and find myself hating it.
Even as I follow people I admire for inspiration, I’ll immediately begin to over analyze my own work by comparing it to theirs (a big no no). Naturally, my insecurities get worse, and I think twice about whether or not I have the talent for this. I know I’m not alone here, and most people would probably say they’re their own worst critic.
As depressing as that sounds, I promise I still LOVE everything about photography. I especially love being a student of photography and learning as much as I can. I wanted to start this blog to share some of things I’ve already learned, as well as the countless tips, methods, styles, etc. that I haven’t even scratched the surface on. I’m not an expert and I’m not a “professional” photographer. This is more about being honest about my insecurities and sharing what I learn along the way.
So, I welcome you to join me as I try to suck just a little less at photography.
