And from that, a blog was born. Exactly one year ago by baby, this blog in case there was any confusion, entered into the world. Or at least the internet world.
I started without the intention of growing a large audience. Rather, I just wished to have a forum where I could post my photos and talk about my life. Readers were just a bonus, something I wanted but wasn’t sure how to achieve. I kind of thought that my blog would become popular on its own, as if it had some magic force attracting readers.
I had just begun on my photographic journey at the beginning of my blog. I was still using my trusty iPhone 4 as my principal camera. To me, the iPhone was as good a camera as I could ever want. It accurately reflected what I saw, and seemed to be the best camera for me.
I wasn’t only interested in nature photography in the beginning; I also liked taking pictures of food, especially as I was making it. Thus, my phone endured a lot of abuse, and being coated in various substances. One day it decided enough was enough and quit working. Luckily it was under warranty so I sent it off to be fixed. My biggest worry about sending my beloved phone away was the thought that I would be without a camera for a couple of days. What if I saw something really beautiful, and wanted to capture it? What would I do? I pulled out the family compact camera from where it had been stashed once we got back from France with a sigh. I didn’t like the compact. It wasn’t as user friendly as the iPhone; I had to think a bit to use it. I could never get the pictures to turn out like I wanted them to.
But I was stuck with it, so I decided to make do. I took it outside, and on a whim, aimed it at some random brush and snapped away. The resulting photo took my breath away. It won’t win any awards, but that photo was priceless to me. There was such a clarity, and saturation; it captured the scene with such beauty. I never realized that the compact had such power. It surpassed my iPhone. Granted, it took some getting used to, but it was well worth it.
I haven’t looked back since that first photo. I attacked the compact with unwavering curiosity and checked out as many photography books as my library had. I shot pictures almost every day; each day finding new angles, new ideas that I liked.
The folders of my photos tell the story in short hand. There is the ‘Senior Year’ folder, exclusively taken by my iPhone. Then there is the ‘Actual Camera’ folder, one that grew rapidly. Once I picked up the compact I never went back to the iPhone.
Sometimes I think that I have progressed so far, and learned so much about photography. Then I go back to my earliest photos and am surprised that they aren’t took different from the ones I take now. They have their own unique qualities to them. They generally are cooler than photos I take now, and slightly underexposed.
I have learned a lot, and my photos do reflect that.
Last year:
This year:
I have learned the importance of lighting, focus, aperture, and all the other components of photographer. I'm still a little sketchy on focal length but I know by next year I will have that down pat.
Last year:
This year:
The biggest change has been, of course, the change from compact to an SLR. I love my SLR and the pictures I get from it. I know I still have a long journey a head of me, learning more and taking better pictures. Still, it's nice every now and then to reflect and see how much I have improved in just a year.
Last year:
This year:
Aside from my photography, a lot has changed in my life in one year. This time last year I was a senior in high school, living at home, not particularly sure where I was going to college. Since then I have graduated from high school, moved away from home, started college, meet a ton of new friends, studied new subjects, ect.
I am surprised that my blog has made it this far. I've tried to do blogs in the past but they've always suffered the same fate as my diaries; I start them, then get bored and abandon them. However, this little resilient fellow has made it to the one year mark, a mark that I am proud of.
What I am also proud of, or rather mostly grateful for is you, my dear reader. You are the reason why I try to post somewhat regularly. You are the reason why I love writing posts. When I started this blog, I was happy if I got five visitors in one month. Yup, a month.
You are the reason why, in the month of January, I got 268 page views. :D
So, thanks :)
Happy blogiversary! ;)
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