Exploring Photography

Written and photographed by Paolo Mondragon

Photographers have one of the easiest jobs in the world. They make tons of money and all they have to do is point a camera at beautiful people and press a stupid button. Photography isn’t art. If they could, photographers would be painters. Since they can’t paint, or draw, or sculpt, or because they don’t have any real artistic abilities, they just snap a photo and call that “art.”

My wife had this old DSLR camera that she’d take with her whenever we went to various events. We were at an outdoor event and she asked, “Could you take my picture?” I took the picture and that was that. Upon reviewing the photo, I remember chuckling to myself because the tree branches in the background made it look like my wife had antlers.

I guess that’s when it really started. I started to ask myself questions. What are all those buttons on the camera for anyway? Why does the lens have so many numbers on it? And don’t forget the most important question of all: How come my photo looks terrible when compared to the ones in magazines and on Instagram? I had to find answers. Little did I know that the search for answers would lead to more questions and a lot of trial and error with a camera. Although I’ve learned a lot, there’s so much more to discover.

The questions I have are starting to change. They’re less about camera gear and more about composition, style, and storytelling. I’ve learned that each type of photography is unique but also connected by emotion. It’s the “awe” you feel from a landscape, the “love” from a wedding photo, and the feeling of “being there” from a candid street shot. Wait a minute, isn’t that what art does? In the words of Pablo Picasso, “In every photographer there was a painter, a true artist, awaiting expression.” I’d never call myself an artist, but if you keep this quote in mind the next time you take a photo, I’m sure you’ll take more care in making sure your dear wife’s antlers are more perfectly framed. Happy shooting!

The Author
Paolo Mondragon, a Canadian from Mississauga, currently works as an English teacher in Gwangju. Since his University of Toronto days, he has dabbled in music as his main creative pursuit. Recently, he has been enamored by everything photography related. He enjoys taking portraits and street photography the most. Follow him on Instagram @p_soma for more pictures.