Photography has been an art form since the 1940s, immortalizing moments in time (some good, some bad) and inspiring generation after generation to challenge subjectivity.
When I picked up a digital camera for the first time I saw more than a simple tool to freeze what was in front of me. Instead, I saw something that would allow me to utilize my creativity and vision to create art. Like the painter who picks up the brush for the first time, I was immediately enamored by the infinite possibilities and freedom afforded to me.
I stepped in and out of my hobby over the years until my early twenties when the pandemic refueled my love for the art. I became obsessed, lapping up all the videos I could find on YouTube, acquiring gear faster than my credit limit could keep up, and shooting thousands of photos each week.
Take special note of that last part.
I think that’s partly where I went wrong.
Photo by Clément Rémond on Unsplash
You see, YouTube and Instagram are filled with photographers just like me. They walk around the city and shoot hundreds of photos, sometimes over a dozen on the same subject, the same shot. This rapid-fire way of shooting guarantees you get that perfect shot: the one where her eyes are open, the bird’s wings are frozen, and the car looks like it’s not even moving.