Happy World Photography Day!
Hey, hey! Did you know today is World Photography Day? And since I’m kind of obsessed with all things photography, I figured I better write a little something about it. If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen that I posted about it today and gave 3 reasons why I love it so much. I had to keep it at 3 because, well, it’s social media and there just isn’t enough space to write much more!! But this blog is my own little space to write however little or how much I want, so I’m going to elaborate on those three reasons, and add a a few more to double it to 6. Are you ready? Here we go!
It’s just FUN.
Every time I pick up my camera, I get to create something new and unique. The possibilities are quite endless. There’s so many genres of photography, so many techniques to try. Different tools & equipment. My journey in photography started long ago in high school as a member of the yearbook staff. I loved capturing the action in sports photography, anticipating the next moves of the athletes I would track with my camera. After college, marriage and a few kids, and my focus shifted to documenting my own family, and then branching out to photograph other families. Then came seniors, then food, flowers, drone shots, still life, landscape, underwater (just kidding. I will never do underwater 😜). This list goes on and on and I’m fascinated by all of it!!
2. It's simultaneously old school and modern
I first learned how to shoot using my parent’s Pentax 35 mm film camera. I developed and printed my own pictures in the dark room of my high school. I still have that camera today! It sits on a shelf next to my drone that I fly recreationally to take pictures, too. The two are so very different, and it’s so fun to stretch my creative muscles using both. And equipment is constantly changing - there’s something romantic about using an old school camera or a manual focus lens, and something thrilling about seeing the newest, most advanced mirrorless camera in action.
3. I get to use both sides of my brain
it requires that I think through the technicalities, the exposure triangle and the science. Yes, there’s a very precise science to it all! From the way that lighting works, to the composition of an image, to color theory and so on. But it also requires that I use emotion, feelings and artistry to tell a story with my images. The two must work and be executed in harmony to create compelling images.⠀
4. It’s challenging
I'm constantly learning and improving. There’s always something that I can do better, something I can try, a technique to work on. I’ve taken numerous classes and watched probably hundreds of how-to videos. When I’m outside shooting, no lighting situation is exactly like the last. Every day is different, presenting it’s own unique challenges. As a family photographer, I capture different personality types which comes along with it’s own set of challenges - my 3 year old is definitely more challenging than my 9 year old!
5. It’s connected me
Photography has made so many connections for me that I otherwise wouldn’t have had. I love getting to know my amazing clients, what makes them special & unique, their family dynamics & personalities. I’ve also met some of the most amazing photographers here in our Omaha community, as well as artists literally across the world (thank you, Internet.). Photography is a thread that has connected me to so many amazing people, and I am so grateful
Creating friendships with other area women photographers and participating in styled shoots to push myself outside of the norm has been so satisfying!
6. I get to stop time.
When my children were born, I found myself telling them to slow down, stop growing. No matter how much I begged, they wouldn’t listen! The clock keeps ticking and we’ve gradually moved from one stage to the next. In what seems like the blink of an eye, I no longer sit in the rocking chair to rock my babies to sleep like I used to. Cribs have been replaced with bigger beds. Handwriting has become more sophisticated. Little by little, they aren’t little anymore. My camera was and is my way of documenting and remembering the moments that matter, both big and small. I get to do that for my family, and for the families that trust me with capturing their memories with the same care that I would my own. For that, I am so honored.⠀
