This quote from Aristotle is the very essence of my passion for photography. And may I be so bold as to add “…and an image should always make you think”. Photography is, in my opinion, the most powerful form of media we humans have within our grasp. The power of memory, documentation, history. All of these, and more, are encompassed within the realm of photography. “A picture paints a thousand words” isn’t even enough to describe the power of this medium. A thousand words, perhaps, but also a thousand emotions, memories, ideas, beliefs, tears, laughs and so on and so on.
I am relatively new to the world of photography as a profession, but it has always fascinated and enthralled me. It began as a child when I got my first camera – a Kodak 110. I spent my allowance on film and developing. Then when I was about 14, my dad got me a film SLR at a yard sale which I carried around in a big tatty bag. Again, I spent all my money on film. Then something miraculous happened – Dad brought home a digital camera for his Ebay business. A massive two-hands-needed-to-hold camera with a floppy disk which took about 5 photos. Probably about 2 megapixels or something but we were utterly amazed that we could take pictures and then see them on the computer immediately! When Dad was at work, I would steal the camera from it’s hiding place under the desk and take pictures until it was time to put it back. The natural progression of camera to upgraded camera continued as I worked my way through a few different point-and-shoots. My first DSLR (digital SLR – the type with lenses) came Christmas ’07. A Canon 350d with 18-55mm lens. Boy did I work that one into the ground! It was permanently attached to me everywhere we went. Walks, beach, church, ASDA. My infant sons even learned to put their hand up and say, “no more pictures, Mommy!” I began to read field guides and pick the brains of anyone and everyone who would give me the time of day. I am still learning and always will be. I have made lots of mistakes and bought a few expensive, useless accessories. But in spite of the mistakes I have made, they have taught me soooo much about photography in a way that a class-room never could.
My favourite thing to photograph is people. Not just the happy times but the sad. Not just the beautiful, but the grotesque. Not just the memorable, but things some people would rather forget. I love photographing children in their natural space. My ultimate dream is to photograph birth around the world and I KNOW that I will accomplish this someday. I love photographing my friends’ kids for them because I realise that not everyone can, although they may want to.
The first time I thought that I should widen the scope of my dreams to include photography as a business, not just a hobby, was when I began finding snapshots I’d taken of friends’ kids framed, printed on canvases, given to the whole family as gifts and otherwise displayed with pride in their homes. What I considered to be snapshots, people were considering to be ‘real’ photography.
So with all of that said, my goal for this blog is not to use my words to speak to you, but to allow my photography to speak to your heart if it can.
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