Musings #1: Photography practice

Starting out in photography isn't as simple as one might think. For starters, that "green mode" shot is all that most of us might need for most situations. But going beyond that "good enough" quality and fully utilizing your camera's capability to show your unique perspective can be a little tricky, especially if you're starting out (just like me!). And no, like most experienced photographers would tell you, buying an expensive camera does not cut it. You may read tons of tutorials out there and even ask people you might know to teach you, but as in all things, you can only improve significantly if you practice enough.

But sometimes, practice can be daunting; especially if you're trying to figure things out on your own. You could have many potential hurdles too, like: potential subjects can turn out not inspiring enough, unappealing view, stuck in an uninteresting place, not having ideal lighting, not having enough available time for practice etc. The list of reasons could practically go on. I have experienced that a lot, especially during the time when I was really starting out. But then again, as I have observed and as many good photographers share in their respective contents, the place and subject is one thing, but shooting and owning a photo through your own perspective is unique to only YOU. It's what makes you different! And it will show in your shots.

So here's my personal take on photography practice: try to use your surroundings. In my case I found the perfect practice subject; the sky view from my apartment's back balcony! I liked it since it constantly changes, and sometimes results in picturesque view. It also works for me since I only got time for practice before I go on to my day, or when I arrive home - which is perfect since most of the interesting sky view happen on either sunrise or sunset. Like this portal-forming clouds:

However, there are also times when I arrive home too late to get an interesting shot. Like this rainbow which I have missed to take a shot of:

And since lighting conditions could vary considerably during sunrise and sunset, timing is everything. The window time to take your shot could be really narrow. Take a look in this red sunrise which I happen to take when I woke up too early in the morning:

And the same sky just barely 5 minutes after:

How about you? What's your practice style for photography? How about in other things you're interested in? Hope you got something from my post. Will post some other photos and travel photos soon. Take care!