Landscape Photography - Seascapes - Travel Ideas - How-to's - Camping
Choosing a Genre: How I found mine and What it Means to me.
When I set out on my photographic journey I really had no idea of what I wanted to do or how to get there. In fact I really just wanted to understand how to use a camera and be able to take a decent photo.
I have mentioned before that I took a lot of random photos, which helped me learn the basics. However as I got more and more hooked I felt I wanted to focus on one or maybe two genres. But what would they be?
I am a firm believer in doing what makes you happy. Typically this revolves around something you are interested in or are passionate about.
I was passionate about travel, and in particular National Parks and spectacular scenery. I also love hiking and wanted to document my travels. What better way than to photograph them, and combine the two in Landscape and Seascape photography.
It Started on a Beach
I am very lucky to live in a beach town with gorgeous sunsets and so it was only natural that I found myself on a beach trying to take photos of the sunset. I really had no idea what I was doing, so I watched a few "how-to's" on YouTube and went back to what I had learned about camera settings.
The beauty of digital photography is that it doesn't cost anything to take picture after picture. I then went home and had fun editing and practicing with different themes and effects.
I returned to the beach several times a week and over time I was becoming more and more experienced. Still a lot to learn, but making progress.
Now, I do love taking seascapes, and I do love my town and the opportunities I have have here. But I wanted more. I wanted to get out to some of the beautiful scenery that living here in the USA offers.
Getting Out
A chance encounter led to a wonderful opportunity to get out of town and travel to some amazing areas of Arizona and Utah.
One day while shooting on the beach I saw a fellow photographer and we got talking. It turned out that he was an incredible photographer and had traveled extensively, photographing some amazing places. We chatted for a while and agreed to plan a trip. This would be the start of my adventures and I couldn't be happier.
In my next post I will tell you about that first trip and what it meant to me as a photographer and how it helped me both improve and also appreciate the wonder of nature.
Here is a sneak peek.
So Now What?:
Your journey will be different to mine and there is no rush to find your genre or style. Maybe you don't need to or want to and that's ok. At the end of the day it is what you enjoy. Remember this is for you and no-one else. You will find your love and your style and that is ok.
Just enjoy what you do after all it is meant to be fun.
I would love to hear about your journey and your ideas. If you need any assistance please reach out to me.
Next: A Big Trip?
A big step for me. I was so unsure of myself and suffering from imposter syndrome, but it all worked out way better than I could have hoped for.
I will tell you all about my Big Trip next time.
In the meantime, if you have any questions, please reach out to me. I am always happy to help.
So is That It?:
No!, not even close. I am far from done learning. My journey has only just begun and I make a point of trying to learn every time I pick up my camera. I think that is part of the enjoyment, its a never ending journey.
Thanks for reading - Get Out. Get Creative.
Graham
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MY GEAR
Camera
Canon 90D - More Info
Lens
Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L II USM - More Info
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM - More Info
Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art - More Info
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM - More Info
Bag
Shimoda Explore V2 35 - More Info
Tripod
Leofoto Poseidon LP-324C - More Info
Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod - More Info
Filters
Freewell Magnetic Quick Swap System - More Info
Inspiration (I hope)
My photographic journey is ongoing and I am learning everyday. Here is an image I captured on a trip to Yosemite.
*I fund some of my traveling through sales of my work. You can check them out here.