What is photography - More than clicking a button!

Eat-Sleep-Drink

In today’s world most of us have access to decent cameras and we know clicking/pushing a button will capture a photograph. But most of us do not know what photography is. It happened with me too.

I started learning the techniques but never knew what photography as vocation meant. Had I known it since beginning, maybe I would had better idea what to expect and what to achieve.

Let’s pick up this definition of photography from Wikipedia and try to make sense of it.

“Photography is the science, art and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiations, either electronically or by means of a light sensitive material such as photographic film”

In short photography is CHASING LIGHT. Okay! I know this does not simplify anything.

Chasing Light

So let’s get our hands dirty and break down the above definition.

• ·         Science – the technicalities of the field like rules of composition, ISO, Aperture etc.

• ·         Art – how to use the above science and mix your feelings and vision

• ·         Practice – Repetition of above two for lifetime

• ·         Durable images – Physically and Psychology

• ·         Recording light – The real deal. The final Product.

Okay! Now this makes it more complex I suppose. So let’s see how we can get inducted into photography.

Like any art form, photography will take some time to master too. Two key skills for any photographer is patience and perseverance.

I tackled this complexity in steps.
The first thing is to learn the science of photography. Understanding what different terms like Aperture, Shutter speed, ISO etc. means. What are the different techniques of composition and post processing will have to be learned. In short you should be aware of technical capabilities of photography and what capabilities your tool (camera) has.

Then comes the part where you learn how each of these effect a photograph. Changing what causes what. This way instead of just capturing what is presented, you will be able to create images with your own vision and feeling from any given scenario. Once you have you identified what your vision is, your photographs will start becoming piece of art.

It is needless to say how much theoretical education you have, till it is applied in field it does not become knowledge. So practice as much you can. In short you should be sleeping-drinking-eating photography.

Practice everyday

Once an image has been captured, it can be saved/printed for sharing with others. There are many methods of output and archival. However your real aim should be creating images which are even worth archiving. We will get to this in our later stages.

All of these learning and efforts is with an aim of capturing light. Photography is all about chasing light or the absence of it. The whole world we see are varying shades of light. As a photographer your main job will be to see and present light where it makes sense to common public. 

You have the power to give or change perspective of others through your vision.

I know this article might have made you thought – It is too much of effort. But if you give photography one month, I can guarantee at least some improvement, which will make you curious to learn more and step up to next level.

Over course of next few months we will go in details - the science and the art aspect of photography.

Chasing Light Blog Post - Click Here
Learn how to see like a camera Blog Post - Click Here
 
 

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