Photography has always interested me. The way the sun sets behind mountains or how the blur of a background behind a flower can really make it pop has always spoke to me. There is something about photography that takes art to a whole new level of captivating.
Following the end of my sophomore year, I decided to pick up a minor in photography and really learn the ins and outs of how professionals capture their beautiful pieces. I was completely unaware of how much actually went into capturing that “perfect picture” though.
We have probably all used filters and zoom on our iPhones, but when you’re using a camera (I have a Canon Rebel T7) there are so many more moving parts than just simply pressing a button. Adjusting apertures, shutter speeds, exposures, and all of the smaller components of photo taking are completely new to me, but make for pretty awesome results.
Making these minor adjustments while taking a photo can result in capturing a bird in flight, a shooting star, or the streaking headlights of a car passing by. Besides the technical aspects of photography, though, the meanings behind photos are far more exciting.
After trying my hand at creative writing, drawing, and painting, the field of photography is completely different from all of them. Pictures speak words that stories could never tell in my opinion, and it doesn’t stop there. Can you remember a time when you didn’t pull out your phone on a trip to the beach or a fun day with friends? Most of us will probably will say no, but that’s alright!
Photos are meant to capture moments and give us something that we can hang onto for the rest of our lives. They are passed down the generations to show our ancestors and describe what life was like so many years ago. This was what drew me to the art of photography and why it is so important in our lives.
There is nothing that can truly put you back in a moment in time better than seeing it for yourself. Being able to capture those moments is truly astounding. One day, I hope to have my photos posted around the world along with pieces of my writing, and really gain an audience who is just as much in love with the message as I.