I first held a “camera” in my hands about 26 years ago. It was an old Russian Zenit that was on my dad\’s shelf in the closet. I don\’t even remember what made me buy the film for it and go out to take pictures. I didn\’t know anything about it, and I guess I just felt like doing something he was related to. I like to remember those few days, let\’s say afternoons. One photo sticks in my mind, and that was of a several-month-old puppy sniffing a dandelion.
I can almost see it in front of me, the brown boxy skin on his forehead, the fuzzy green grass in the background, and the yellow dandelion right by his black “nose”.
I can\’t say I\’m driven by a desire to be a professional photographer, but I find comfort in this activity and it brings a kind of freedom to my life that wouldn\’t be possible without a camera.
I got into photography by accident at the turn of my ket (41-42). I needed to speak and write in English within a few months and my teacher, Katherine, helped me with that. One day I saw her post with her photos and I must admit that I was intrigued by them.
They told a story about everyday things. They were well focused, colourful and their composition managed to convey the story to something inside me.
It intrigued me, or made me explore that inner feeling, and I decided to try to express what I perceived in their photographs in something that appealed to me. This is a statement of my current self, the one two years ago had no idea what digital photography was and to be honest, I probably despised it a bit anyway. Which I\’ve completely forgotten. Digital photography accept my sincere apologies!
I can\’t say how well I\’m expressing myself, but I feel a sense of peace and relaxation every time I take a photo. Perhaps I can mention that a friend of mine, his grandfather, and his dad have admitted to being into photography as well, shared with me his skepticism about my decision to go this route, and warmly, after seeing my photos, said he liked them.
I was surprised and inwardly tearful.
I can do something well just out of my own interest and skill.
Photography, or photography means painting with light.
We can say that it is up to us how the final photograph will look like. It is our self-expression, our freedom and liberty. Just like the wide field of a painter who expresses himself through a white canvas. However, it\’s good to stick to certain principles and parameters of how we conceive the resulting photograph.
I have been shooting for over two years now and I am gradually understanding more and more the relationships that maintain the magic triangle (Sensor Sensitivity, Shutter Speed, and Aperture) to achieve the desired result.
It\’s all about getting enough light on the sensor, in the situation we\’re shooting, and under the conditions that currently exist, so that the sensor can mirror what we\’re pointing the lens at outside. It was nice to discover that I am more of a practitioner than a theorist. so it took me two years to finally get it right. Which is one of the things that photography has helped me discover about myself. Even if I didn\’t fully understand the connection, I still enjoyed shooting and there was always something to explore and somewhere to grow. There was no need to push anything, the peace, exploration and joy of spending time with photography alone led me there. Not just understanding the magic triangle, but also seeing what makes photography worthwhile, and becoming more comfortable with all the buttons and settings on the camera.
There\’s no rush in anything. Just keep going and expanding your possibilities, so that the fervor that brings you to an activity (not just photography) can turn into a flame that can always bring you back to peace.
On Katka\’s recommendation I equipped myself with an Olympus camera for my photography journey. So far, after two years, I don\’t miss anything and I still shoot with this brand. I started out with the OLYMPUS Pen Mini E-PM1. I admit, I remember nothing but absolutely nothing about it. All I could remember was the Olympus Pen E-PL7, but somehow I had a feeling of a gap, an empty space, like something else was missing, and it was only after a few minutes of browsing through photos that I came across the E-PM1.
And it was my first digital camera.
I\’m currently using the OMD series and the Mark II. The previous two, the E-PM1 and the EPL-7 don\’t have an electronic viewfinder built into the body, which I found I was missing so I could really focus on the shot. I needed one.
I ordered the VF-4 electronic viewfinder for the EPL-7 and that opened the way for me to proceed. Without this step, I don\’t know how my journey would have continued.
I bought it through eBay and basically all the equipment that has passed through my hands in two years I bought second hand (three cameras and 7 lenses).
I wasn\’t too worried about running out of anything else or damaged, Tech isn\’t cheap and second hand pieces are usually well cared for, and almost half the price of new. The only thing to watch out for is how much the camera\’s shutter has shot before a service center needs to step in.
You can find out from a digital photo that has a marker in it for how many shutter speeds. I\’m sure you can find some guidance on the web. I didn\’t know this at my start, and all three cameras have been fine for me fortunately. I just know about it now, so that\’s an exclamation point in my mind to possibly ask about it next time so I don\’t jinx myself later.
So second hand tech is safe, but always respect how you feel about the communication with the seller, and also whether it\’s a purchase that will practically help you take the next step on this good journey.
I wish you well on your creative journeys.