Last night [12-13-2012], I was outside trying to capture a few “astrophotography” shots of the Geminid Meteor Shower.
As I mentioned in the “Church Project” post, photography is about capturing moments and photographers try their best to be prepared for the moment so that they are able to capture it. It does not always turn out with a favorable outcome. I was trying to capture meteors randomly falling through the atmosphere and because it was basically my first attempt, I failed… When I say I failed, I mean that I was not able to capture a picture to share!
However, that brings me to the point of this post. I learned from my attempt last night. I know that what I tried did not work. That means that I have to “go back to the drawing board:” read the instruction manual for the camera again, research what other people have tried, maybe I need a different accessory or piece of hardware. Then, I need to practice again. The old saying “practice makes perfect” applies to so many things including photography. Maybe next time I take the camera out to shoot a night scene I will get one good photo out of however many I attempt. The next time after that, maybe I get two. Sooner or later I will have practiced enough that I will know that I can get a good photo because I have accomplished it enough times – I will know what to expect.
That applies to almost any type of photography. I would not expect to get a decent portrait photograph the first time I hit the shutter release button with a person in front of the camera. If I am willing to learn, then maybe I will expect that. My objective is to continually learn, push the envelope of what I know and apply what I learn to every situation I encounter [if it applies]. Photography is a great field for this principle because there are endless opportunities. The only thing limiting what is able to be captured with a camera is the person behind the lens! [I am sure that has been said before!]
Of course, I will excel in some areas over others – that is to say, I am not going to put as much effort or I may not enjoy capturing some moments. That does not mean that there are not other people that can capture those moments, and do a good job at it!
JUST PhotographIN' 