Photography: steps 2 & 3

I've been thinking about the importance of photography for this kind of blog, a blog that's attempting to capture a moment, a lifestyle, a creative act, an idea. As I've mused, a sense of a step-by-step approach to photography has emerged for me. So like I said in a previous post, I reckon Step 1 is taking your camera with you, no matter how mundane your errand or environment, cos you can never predict when the perfect visual moment will come together.

Step 2, in my experience, is reading through the camera manual so that you become familiar with your tool. I was annoyed for weeks cos the exposure setting on the aperture-priority mode of my camera was set one stop up, so everything was over-exposed, to the point where I couldn't use the images at all. And yet, using a short depth of field (ie. playing with the aperture) is one of the easiest ways to add focus or interest to an image. So finally I pulled out the manual and sorted out the solution. If I was really motivated, I'd write down the solution I found, so that next time I don't have to wade through it all again.

The next step, Step 3, that just seems to roll out, is to regularly and deliberately take photos. Making a regular photoshoot space, if you like. For me this means a space where I approach my photography as a creative act in itself, rather than using it to capture other physical creative efforts. Using the lens to see moments of beauty all around me. Experimenting with colour and effect. Seeing a place, seeing life, in a new way.

On Sunday we were at the Prahran Market, our old haunt, with some friends. The kids were having fun on the carousel, so I attempted to capture the moment...