On Being a Beginner

by Kelly

So the other day I was chatting with one of my girlfriends at work.  She bought her first DSLR camera about a year ago, and since then she has been taking some of the cutest photos of her two adorable little girls. She has even started dabbling in children's and family photography. 

Anyway, that day we were talking about photography and she shared with me how she was a little frustrated with her photos.  How they didn't have that special quality she’s looking for – what she called an ‘it’ factor.   And I could totally relate because I have been there. In fact there are many times when I still consider myself a beginner.  But I reminded her that pursuing photography, like any passion or hobby, is every bit a journey.  And I encouraged her to just stick with it.  Reassured her that if she just hung in there, eventually it would all come together.

I was thinking about that conversation a lot over the weekend and my own personal journey in photography. Like a lot of  people, it began when I bought my DSLR camera in 2010.  And even though in the beginning I managed to get some pretty decent shots once in a while, most of the time, when I look at that those old photos I just want to cringe. 

For me, it didn't really start to come together until the fall of 2011 when I took my first BPC photography class, Picture Fall.  Because it was there that I discovered the kind of photography that really spoke to my heart.   

The only problem, though, was that I had just barely scratched the surface of what I like to call {capital P} Photography.  I had just started to understand the basics of exposure.  And it seemed like once I figured out one thing, there was always still so much more to learn – focal length, white balance, metering modes, etc. Not to mention post-processing and photo editing.  Truthfully...at times it was completely overwhelming. 

On top of that, I had a very bad habit of comparing my work to the other talented ladies in the class.  And I was frustrated that I couldn’t seem to get the kinds of amazing shots that they did.  Discouraged that I couldn’t seem to tell the story of my life in photographs…at least not the way I wanted to. 

Looking back now, there were two things that really inspired me to stick with photography.  The first was the community at BPC and the encouragement of the other women in my class.  Because they seemed to really get what I was trying to do and they were so supportive.  And then the second thing was stumbling across this quote by Ira Glass:

“Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through.”

This quote was such a liberating gift to me and I immediately took these wise words to heart.  I started reading everything I could get my hands on about the basics of photography.  I scoured the internet for inspiring photography sites.  I took pictures.  LOTS of pictures.  And I just kept at it.  Kept plugging away.  And bit by bit…I got better.

So fast forward several months and a couple more BPC classes later…I specifically recall it was a beautiful evening last June.  The light coming through my neighbor’s front yard was just amazing. And so I walked over to get some shots of the purple coneflowers in her little flowerbed. There I snapped a few photos that didn’t really stand out to me.  But then I knelt down and found the light.  And finally there it was...the light, the color, the bokeh...and to me it was magical.

That was the photo – the game changer in my photography.  The first time I ever felt like the picture in my head matched what showed up on the back of my camera.  Finally…it had all come together and I was overjoyed.

Since that day, nothing much has changed.  I still read, practice, and push myself to get outside my comfort zone.  I still look to the internet for community and inspiration.  Because the truth is that photography continues to be very much a learning process for me.  But you know, I think this is one of the many things I LOVE about it.  The chance to grow.  To evolve.  To view every day as an opportunity to look with new eyes…to see things differently. 

So if you happen to be a beginner and are feeling frustrated or overwhelmed, please…don’t give up.  Just keep at it.  Keep learning and practicing.  And while you’re at it, don’t compare your work to others.  Try not to get discouraged when your photos don’t look like the shot you see in your head.  Additionally, I would also encourage you to find a group to connect with.  It is our sincere hope that you will find the community here at FOL to be one of support and encouragement. We were all beginners once too, so we understand how important it is to have a safe, nuturing place to grow and learn.  And finally, get your work out there...even if you think it isn't good enough.  It is through those types of challenges that you stretch your wings.  

You've already done the hard part...you began the journey.  So just keep at it and I promise you that one day it will all come together. 

Until next time, 

Kelly

P.S.  Don't forget to enter the FOL 'Thank You' giveaway!  Follow this link to see the beautiful prize we have for you and to get all the details for entering.