My Journey

It was an autumn day in 2009 when I decided to buy my first DSLR. With little in the way of finances and little in the way of knowledge, I settled on Pentax – the Pentax K-m and two kit lenses, to be precise. For a number of months after, I continued snapping away in auto with little or no desire to do more than simply point and shoot.  Only after my arrival in Korea from the UK did I start to read more about the importance of getting out of auto and into AV or manual mode and the innumerable possibilities that doing so opened up.

The “Eureka!” moment for me came when I finally understood the fundamentals of photography: ISO, aperture, shutter speed and their relationship to one another. Personally, I think once you invest the time to learn about these three things it is possible to take your photography to another level. It may not make it instantly amazing, but it immediately separates you from the myriad other photographers who do not understand this triangular relationship.

If I am asked what I most like to photograph, my response is always, “People.”

I consider portraiture the most interesting field within photography. In my mind, there is nothing better than capturing a smile, some emotional connection between people or a certain mood. I guess this is why I enjoy low-key portraiture so much. The mood in such photography is almost tangible. You are drawn into the picture. I love the hard shadows, the isolation of the subject and the feeling you are looking in on a scene that is incredibly intimate.

It is also very simple. A single strobe, a light stand, a pair of wireless triggers and a light modifier are all you need to create something truly inspiring.

These days I predominantly shoot in manual mode because it slows me down and makes me think more about composition, as well as what I want to achieve by taking a particular shot. I am also trying harder to capture shots with good light. Good composition and knowing the fundamentals is important, but it is light that makes or breaks a photograph.

I also think the importance of faster, better lenses cannot be emphasized enough. The importance of good lenses, rather than any particular camera body, is a universally accepted truth. Sure, bodies help, but bodies come and go. Good lenses, on the other hand, will always be good lenses. Sadly, good lenses usually cost more than a good camera body.

To admit that I still do not know what my style is after five years seems strange even to me. However, that is where I find myself.  I feel I am far from being professional. I am self-taught with no formal training, which I would guess is similar to many keen expat photographers in Korea. I consider myself an amateur in the literal sense and wish only to improve my skill in this medium that I love.

Find me on Flickr, fineartamerica.com, 500px, and Google+