I’ve been on a mission to simplify my life. I’ve been in an organizing and purging frenzy since the New Year. Can’t stop. Won’t stop. Sometimes, simplifying is not just about getting rid of, it’s learning something new. Yeah, the thought of having to learn one more something seems daunting…I know, I’ve been there. I am there. For a while now, I’ve wanted to improve my photography skills. I have owned dslr’s for 7 years now and up until recently, I shot exclusively in auto mode. I tried venturing out to manual mode a few times before, but words like aperture, shutter speed, and ISO frustrated and overwhelmed me. So, I continued taking pictures in auto mode. It was easy and I liked it. Until, I didn’t like it anymore.
When I started blogging, I really started to question my photography. I would pour over other blogs for days on end, oogling at the gorgeous pictures. I read tips on taking pictures in natural light. Oh yeah, I had this whole elaborate set up and it was a complete nightmare to pull everything out every time I needed pictures. Then, I would proceed to take 20 more extra steps and still fall short of the look I was trying to achieve. Enter: photography rage. Just me and my camera having it out. Actually, just me having it out.
I really started to dread taking pictures. It was anything, but simple. I finally just relinquished myself to the idea of learning something new. I recently invested in a new camera and lens, so this was also a big motivator. I picked up my camera last week and switched it over to manual. I still didn’t understand all the settings, but I just started taking random pictures. Every now and then, I would get one that I liked. I would try to remember what I did and recreate it. I did this over and over again until I started to see some progress. Also, I’m fortunate enough to know several professional photographers in my area. They have been a huge help in simplifying photography terms!
I’m just in love with these photos I shot last night just as the sun was setting. I do not have a trained eye, so I’m sure there could be many things wrong with these photos. Maybe in time, I will learn what they are, but for now….they are just what I was trying to achieve. It was so simple.