How Patrick Started In Photography

 

My passion for photography has always been there. I found a 1964 Honeywell Pentax DSLR camera in my Grandfathers library over ten years ago. I could immediately feel sparkles and shimmers inside my mind when I started to Google how to use it. This camera was a lot more complicated than the Polaroid i-Zone instant camera I had as a child. I fell into a world of 35mm film aperture, exposure, range, shutter speed, and many more confusing terms I couldn't immediately comprehend. After taking the time to take photos with specific ISO settings, it became clear on how to operate this machine. I became the kid in class with a camera around my neck with a large camera flash in my bag.

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As you can see, I have taken many photos. I chose these photos because they expose my trial and error periods. These photos also show progress. The first roll of 35mm film I purchased ended up being beige/white washed photos that didn't have clarity. After learning about the settings I taught myself how to use the beige/white wash to my advantage. On my last roll every photo had amazing clarity and a true vintage look.

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The overwhelming world of photography became clear and understandable. More importantly, it confirmed my passions for taking photos. Photography taught me how to express myself and how different angles can make a huge difference. One time I stopped my friends while we were walking around downtown Anchorage and said, "Hey look at that leaf, do you see that?" My friends responded "So?" I told them to get lower to the ground and to look at the leaf. They still were not seeing what I was seeing. I explained to make the leaf clear in your vision and make the background blurry. They told me "Ok, now I see it, you hipster with a camera." This experience with my friends confirmed for me that I have a photography mindset and I found pleasure in that.