Thinking Some More About Photography

I’ve been on a photography kick for the past few days, and I’m really enjoying it. I’ve been posting a lot of photos on my Instagram, which is a social network I’m really loving. I love seeing so many creative artists taking some fantastic photos. It’s inspiring, and it makes me want to be a better photographer. Years ago I watched some Lynda.com videos on photography, and a lot of the concepts stuck around, but I never really used it in any active way. I’m back to watching photography tutorials on Lynda.com, as well as some on Skillshare, and I really feel like I have all the knowledge I need; I just need to go out there, take pictures, and learn.

All the way back on Day 60 I talked about wanting to buy a very good camera. Even though I really love the iPhone 6’s camera and that it’s super portable and always with me, my desire for a better camera — a professional camera — is back. I feel like I’ve artistically wasted my current stay in Montana. Sure, I’ve taken some great wildland firefighting photos, and I’m currently processing and editing the best shots I took over the past few years, but I know if I was a bit more active about it, I could take some beautiful shots of Montana’s gorgeousness. I don’t know… just something I’m thinking about and currently feeling.

One thing I don’t like that I do is think that by getting another tool, I would in effect be more creative and/or productive. An external object isn’t going to fix an internal flaw. What’s wrong with the camera on my iPhone? It is the most popular camera in the world. I guess I want a certain look that my iPhone can’t produce. And playing around with physical lenses seems like so much fun to me. Also, I want to work with RAW images and have an excuse to buy and master Adobe Lightroom. They did just come out with version 6 today. I do have to consider the cost, though: a good camera, mirrorless or a DSLR, a couple of good lenses, Adobe Lightroom, and probably an external hard drive to store all my images, will run a few grand, not to mention the added time sink using, learning, and processing all these tools.

Photography is just a hobby, and a man needs a hobby. Writing, on the other hand, isn’t a hobby. It’s my life. It really is. I love doing it, I love thinking about it, and I love getting better at it. Photography could very well be a passing fad. Just something I’m excited about now because it’s a distraction from… whatever. Life or something. Or it could stick around for a while. The joy is in the journey. A year from now I’ll know. Tomorrow, though? Who knows. All I know is that I’m excited about it now, and I just want to learn about it more and go out there and take some awesome shots.