I’m often asked by folks who are becoming newly acquainted with their love of photography how they should get started on their journey. To them I always say, “Pick a camera, any camera, and just start taking pictures.”
This might sound reductive, but it’s actually quite foundational. I think one of the keys to the kingdom of understanding the work you aim to create is to create a lot of it. A lottttttt.
To illustrate my point, I’ve found that my iPhone is clutch for the fleeting moments that I’m struck by inspiration. One of my favorite rabbit holes of late is street photography and I’ve found that it requires predictive movement and swift action. Although it has its limitations, my phone is always in my pocket (often in my hand) and it is because it is always in reach that I am ready to make a capture. I’ve learned to work with, even appreciate (some of) the limitations.
It is because of the limitations that I feel I have to actually earn the photo. I’m not usually thinking about the “perfect moment” when I find it but the curiosity driven by something within my soul keeps my head up and actively engaged with the world around me. It’s a seductive feeling when you get it right (whatever your standards of right are). Especially in today’s nearly fully-automated way of being.
“If you are not willing to risk the unusual, you will have to settle for the ordinary.”