How do you stay different?
Yesterday I read an article about the stages all the photographers go through – and it was pretty accurate in my case, just with a different dynamic. Not to brag, but I only spent one day in Auto mode, and I read the manual from the beginning (the article was suggesting that we spend quite a long time shooting in auto mode and we only read the manual way ahead into our journey). And I am usually not a personal who would typically read a manual. That was about 3.5 years ago, when I decided I need to upgrade from taking pictures with my iPhone and I got my first DSLR (a Nikon D5300) – one that was on offer with a 18 – 140 lens. It is just few weeks ago I sold all my Nikon gear – which was not easy as it had some kind of sentimental value to me. I am left now with my Fujifilm gear, a X-T1 with an amazing 56mm/1.2 lens and a 18-55 kit lens which I kind of regret I was was let myself convinced to purchase (the sales people!). The images below are made with this lens – which is ok for personal projects – but not amazing. Recently I came across an offer on Amazon for a XF 14mm at almost half price (new) – I saw Adorama, Best Buy and B&H had the same – and I ordered it. I also have my reliable and sturdy X-100S which I use most of the time for my urban explorations.
Ok, I started about being different and I ended up talking about gear. 🙂 The point is, speaking about stages, I am at a point where I ask myself – in a world overloaded with photography – how do I stay different, how to find my voice and how to be unique? There are many things I haven’t figured out but every time I press the shutter, I first ask myself: is this something most people see? I really wanted to make a decent image of Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge in Dallas, and I knew I still have time (before the summer comes) to see the reflections of the bridge in Trinity River. I walked around in the area for about one hour until I found this particular spot where not only I had the reflections of the bridge, but also long shadows of another structure nearby. It was about 30 mins before sunset.
This post is way to long for what I was planning, but I’ll let it be. 🙂
Claudia Curici Photography 