Now & Then: A Personal Retrospective

I'm sure at some time or another you have heard that one of the great things about photography is that there are endless things to learn--we are always learning.  I know that after being enrolled in the Art Institute of Pittsburgh Online Division for over two years now I still have such a long way to go in terms of knowledge/wisdom still to be acquired, but I would like to take this time to reflect on how far I have come.  Maybe you can relate  ;-)

Before I started school I had almost no knowledge of photography but I just knew it was the path I wanted to take--we all have to start somewhere, right!?  It is so thrilling to be able to have random, advanced conversations with new people about photography, cameras, and other related topics.  I even remember my first shooting class before I had my first DSLR.  I was using an old point-and-shoot to capture images for my assignments in Digital Image Management.  (Keep in mind, this was two years ago!)  I had to choose four different categories for images in which to build my collection.  

Without much insight as to what made great photos at this point I chose what I felt would be fun and still a little challenging: Line, Pattern, People, and Nature.  The first time I went out to photograph people was the first time I realized that I did not want to be a portrait photographer!  It was difficult, intimidating, frustrating, and just did not feel like something I could ever be comfortable doing even in a studio.  I couldn't even get Line and Pattern straight in that class, I was always submitting the wrong kinds of subjects.  I just didn't get it and didn't understand photographic design at all.

Move forward two years to present day and I have a whole new outlook on my skills and abilities as a photographer, I have actually exclaimed that I feel as though I was born to be a photographer!  Working with people now feels like second nature and even though I don't always know what I am doing when I use my "fancy" setups, I have definitely improved in technique as well as developed my mind's eye and artistic observation.  Now I did get better after that first shooting class, especially after I learned more about how to use my DSLR, but, as embarrassing as it is, I will post some of my own work today to illustrate how far I have come and to give you inspiration about never giving up and working hard to pursue your dreams.  (By the way, I just recently began considering staying in school to pursue a degree in Journalism!) 

Going from thinking I would only ever be a Nature photographer to feeling like I could do absolutely anything with a camera (career-wise) gives me such pride in my journey thus far.  In two years I will probably look back and grimace at my work now, but in the meantime I will just keep learning.

Now & Then: People (candid)

Now & Then: Line

Now & Then: Nature

The thing that has changed the most in the last two years is my comfort zone.  I went from a shy, awkward, stalker-like person with a camera to approaching people and asking if they would mind me photographing them, making phone calls to get access or permission to do something, and feeling more confident with my presence--I don't feel like I look like a stalker, I look like a photographer now.  

I think I get turned down about 1% of the time when asking to photograph people candidly so there really is no need to fear rejection when faced with an opportunity to break out of your comfort zone.  In my experience, I have found that people are very willing to be photographed or even to let you have access to something.  A lot of it has to do with personality.  I am approachable, engaging, polite, and respectful when I talk to new people but I also give cues with my facial expressions while I'm shooting if I haven't had a chance to speak to them yet.  I will smile a lot, give the appearance of satisfaction after previewing some of the exposures I have captured, and linger around a bit rather than abruptly walking away.  

So, what qualities do you have or do you think need improvement as you progress as a photographer?  Do you have a story you would like to share about breaking out of your comfort zone, how you have developed, or maybe some examples of your work that show how far you have come?  Leave me some feedback in the comments or post your questions, I would love to hear your experiences!