It’s a journey

Some people buy cameras to take snapshots, and they’re probably going to be fine with whatever their camera turns out on “auto”.  You’re not one of those people, though.  You’re trying to make images that make an impact on people, and you’ve probably experienced some disappointment along the way.

You’ve doubtless had photos come out not quite capturing the essence you saw in your mind’s eye, or worse yet, shot a sure winning photo that turned out to be a dud when you showed it to friends or uploaded it.  As painful as these experiences are, they’re perfectly normal, but we’re not always ready for that when we pick up a camera for the first time.

This video isn’t necessarily about photography — it’s really aimed at any creative pursuit, but if you’re new to photography, I think it might strike a chord:

As great as this video is, I think it implies an end to the growth you’re experiencing, and if there’s really an end to it, I’ve yet to find it.  I grow (almost) every time I pick up a camera or even revisit an old photo to edit it.  I have a different sense of composition, framing, and processing now than I did a year a go, or a year before that.  Maybe that just means I’m a slow learner, but maybe it means I’ll never stop growing.

I hope it’s the latter.