My Journey through Photography 4 (Final Part)
So onto where I found my inspirations, what drives me, my ideals when it comes to photography and where I see my career going in the future.
As a young photographer I was lucky enough to receive National Geographic magazine each month. I always looked forward to the magazine arriving and I don’t think I read an article till I was in my mid-twenties, it was always the photography that grabbed my attention. This was in the day before the world found internet so it was a monthly wait for the next issue and my next fix of stunning images from the photographers of National Geographic.
National Geographic Cover with Afghan Girl
It was through looking at these photographs and trying to find out about the photographers that my interest really spiked. One of my inspirations was Steve Mc Curry, who famously took a photograph of a young Afghan Girl for National Geographic. I will be writing about Steve in my next article so I won’t dwell on him now. Another inspiration was the postcards of John Hinde. These images of Ireland and its own stunning scenery and simple images showed me that it’s not always the sunsets and slow moving water shots but simple proper composition can also be used to make a great photograph. Don’t be afraid to copy postcard images when starting off, and then develop that image a bit different with different angles.
This brings me to my ideals as a photographer, don’t be afraid to take a picture that you have seen a 1000 times, get the composition right, get the in camera exposure correct as well and if you get this much right and you like the finished photograph, well then you have succeeded. This is not a recipe for award winning images, but it is a simple recipe for images that you will be happy with. And first and foremost that is the most important thing about taking photographs, you being happy with your images. Of course to make a living you need to start to take images that other people will like, but if you start of well and get the simple things right, all the other stuff can develop.
Me at work in a studio setting with a Canon 7D and 70-200 2.8 Lens
So what does the future hold for me as a photographer? At the moment things are very fluid. Having just started a new job, the football season coming to an end and my final year in college now is not a time for big decisions or changes. I will always take photographs, I will enjoy sharing them online and hopefully will continue to be paid to teach beginners and for my photographs. I won’t get rich but my photography will always bring me happiness and I hope some of the images I take also passes on some pleasure to my viewing audience.
I hope everyone has enjoyed reading my journey, from a young lad getting my first camera to a mid-forties man who still has a love for photography.
A Man With His Camera Photography 