I’ve never done any outdoor photography. I mean, I’ve taken a camera outside, pointed it at something, and took a photo, but I’ve never taken a good camera to a location with the intention of taking photos to later edit and share.
After a year of sitting in my Chicago studio apartment and pointing my camera at wine bottles, I decided I wanted to expand my knowledge; I want to be a better photographer. So, I took my camera with me on a trip home to see the family. My mom, who does some killer nature photography, took me to Big Spring in Van Buren, MO to get some photos.
I was a little nervous, my first photos (which aren’t posted here) were pretty boring shots of hills and water, I think I was overwhelmed by how much there was to shoot, like I was just trying to take a picture of everything at once. Gradually, the composition of the photos tightened up, I started switching lenses, climbing up hills, and out onto rocks.
I didn’t think I’d need my micro lens for nature shots, I assumed I’d want the larger lens with more range. To my surprise, I enjoyed shooting with the micro lens more than any of the others, I barely touched the big lens. Focusing on the small details, moss, leaves, rocks seemed to capture the feel of the place for me more than the big, wide, shots I started with.
It was also fun to be there with another photographer, I had the chance to compare how I was shooting a subject to the way mom composed her shots. It made me look at things differently, pushed me to try different approaches.
Most of the pictures I took weren’t worth sharing, about a quarter were blurry or out of focus. At home I take most of my pictures on a tripod, the lighting in my apartment isn’t great and I use a slow shutter speed to get more light. Here, everything was shot by hand, which was another challenge for me.
In the end, I took several photos I was really happy with. More importantly, I took myself out of my comfort zone and learned more about who I am as a photographer. I want to do more of this.
If you have any feedback or constructive criticism, leave me a comment and let me know what you’re thinking. Thanks, for reading.
Thank you for the compliment on my photography, Son! I thoroughly enjoyed our day out in nature together. I think you took some really cool pictures, and I look forward to seeing more of them in the future. I may have to step out of my comfort zone and try some still photography one of these days, and I know I will need your guidance with that. Keep shooting!!