How I loved and Hated Photography

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    Most people have hobbies which are much different than the work they do to earn a living. Photography is certainly one of the more popular ones. If it fits your personality, meaning if you like walking, being alone on your own, spending hours focusing on one thing and of course if you love visual arts than photography is for you.

    Once you decide on photography as a hobby you should purchase a semi professional camera and first thing you do is to sign up for a beginner’s photography course. In this course you will learn the technical specifications of the camera and basic principles and compositions of photography. Then you throw yourself on the streets and start taking pictures using the basic techniques you learned. All of a sudden you realize how great the pictures you have taken compare to your previous amateur shots. You will show them to your friends who don’t have a clue about photography and get lots of compliments for the photos you have taken.

    Then you will get bored of taking the same pictures and join a photography club and start taking pictures as a group. As time goes by you will learn many of the greatest photographer’s names and start to follow their photos. And then you realize actually how simple were your photos that got great compliments compared to the professionals you saw. Nevertheless one of your photos will stand out in your photography club and with any luck it will be shown in a small exhibition among the photography clubs. You will proudly share this information at work with your colleagues and even for a short period of time you become popular among your friends and family.

    Unfortunately things may not continue to be as great. You will not get another great shot. You will start to question yourself about every photo that was taken randomly by you. You will start to think that you need a better camera and sell the already expensive camera of yours for much less and buy another much more expensive camera. You will notice differences in the beginning and become hopeful. But the next big shot will not happen. Things will be similar among your other club members and competition will slowly take over the fun and enjoyment. Everyone will race to take the best picture.

    Whatever the best photographer in your group is taking pictures of everyone will take the same pictures as them. And if someone has caught a better angle or spot he or she will quietly keep it to themselves. Your photos will not get chosen for the gallery or any displays and you will realize the administrators are putting their own photos anyways. Your friends and colleagues will ask about the next gallery exhibition and they will joke about when you will become famous and quit your job and become a professional photographer.

    At this point you will start to lose interest in the photography club, it will become stressful for you. You will become frustrated and start seeing nightmares about it. Your routine job will start to relax you and the camera will start to exhaust you. And finally you will throw the camera aside and feel relieved. You will relax on your couch, turn on your favorite show and enjoy life one again. The end 🙂