“I love photographing. It’s that simple.” – Stuart Franklin How Do You Find Your Voice as a Photographer? is a question I have heard asked on many online platforms. As with most questions posed online, there are always lots of answers and opinions, and many of them are helpful. However, I prefer to use the term reveal rather than find because I believe that if we have been doing photography for any length of time, we already have our voice. It’s just a matter of uncovering that voice and letting it be heard; of having the confidence to believe in ourselves and our work, to know that whatever stage we are at it is ok to be at that stage. Personally, I have found that when I began to uncover my voice as a photographer it helped me to have a greater sense of ownership of my work. After spending some time getting to know my voice as a photographer, I find that my work has become more interesting to me, it has become more meaningful and ultimately more rewarding. So, how do you, as a beginner photographer, uncover your voice and allow it to be heard? Barriers to allowing our artistic voice to be heard. Obviously, if we don’t speak our voice won’t be heard. In photographic terms, if we don’t show our photographs, we won’t reveal our unique voice as a photographer. Yet there can be a lot of barriers which prevent us from showing our work to others. · We can be overly influenced by the comments of other photographers, particularly if we show our images on a photographic site where we will often encounter harsh critics. · We can be overly focused on getting likes on social media, and if these are not forthcoming, we conclude that it’s not worth bothering to post our images. · We can have an inbuilt fear that our photos are not good enough to publish. · We can feel that we are not adding anything new, that our voice is too common. These are just a few of the barriers to showing our images in public. I’m sure you can add some of your own. What is important, if we want to discover and reveal our own unique artistic voice through our photography, is that we begin to break down these barriers, take chances, and let our voice be heard. We will definitely be rewarded as a result. How Do You Uncover and Reveal Your Voice as a Photographer? 1. Find connections in your work. One of the best ways to get to know your unique photography voice is to look back over your body of work and find what links your photos. Do you normally shoot in a certain type of light? Do you shoot similar subjects/themes? Do you prefer certain genres over others? Do you favour a particular focal length? By ‘curating’ your image collection you will find links and connections that will help you discover the type of images you like to create and how you like to create them. I love to photograph near water, especially when there is a boat around. I like to try composition techniques such as natural framing, but not follow them slavishly. 2. Be inspired by others, but don’t copy them. I have recently become interested in woodland photography. Initially I feared that I wouldn’t be able to get any decent images as all I seemed to see were chaotic scenes and tangles of branches. So I decided to look for some inspiration from experienced woodland photographers. This helped me to know what I should look for and to seek out better compositions. I know I will never make images like those of the professional photographers, and I don’t try to. I don’t copy their settings as their cameras, lenses, tripods and filters are much better than those I have. I make my own images, experiment with my own settings, use my own eye to observe and compose, and I am delighted when I come home with at least one image I like. Finding inspiration in the work of others is part of creating steppingstones to discovering your own photography voice. 3. Take lots of photographs and show them to others. As I said above, if we don’t show our photographs, we won’t reveal our unique voice as a photographer. There are numerous ways in which we can let others see our work. We can create our own portfolio website, use an established photography website, or create a gallery of images on a blog as I have done here. Social media sites such as Instagram are also great ways to allow your photography to be seen, or you can enter one of many photography competitions or take on a photography challenge where you have to capture an image according to a particular theme and post your image for others to see. 4. Shoot what you love. Find your passions and capture those things. Branch out and discover new passions. Don’t be too influenced by what others like or try to impress your ‘followers’ on social media. Follow your own instincts, your own inspiration. Get other voices out of your head, particularly those that tell you what is right and wrong and how things should be done. Listen to your own creative urge that brings new ideas and new ways of reflecting your own personal perspective in your work. If you follow photography channels on YouTube you will discover that there is a wide diversity of photography styles among professional photographers, and even among photographers working in the same genre. In landscape photography, for example, some photographers will shoot hand-held while others will only ever use a tripod. Some like to include human made elements in their images, such as buildings, walls or fences, while others will only include the natural landscape. Some photographers add a human element, often to introduce a sense of scale, while many don’t like to include people for any reason. As beginners, we can experiment, take inspiration from others, find what appeals to us, and begin to form our own unique way of working in our photography. 5. Take creative risks. If you only take photos in places that others shoot from, and use common viewpoints, you will end up copying the voice of others rather than developing your own unique voice. Take risks on behalf of your photography. Try new things. Change your viewpoint, alter your perspective. Constantly ask yourself, can I try this another way? How can I make this image more uniquely mine? Recently I have begun experimenting with Intentional Camera Movement (ICM). It may not appeal to everyone but I intend to continue exploring this type of photography to see where it leads. Conclusion As beginners it can be hard to discover and reveal our unique photography voice. There are many barriers that prevent us from doing this and many influences which convince us that we should keep our voice to ourselves. But I believe that if we are going to progress in our photography, we need to have the confidence to let our voice be heard. We need to put our work forward without fear of judgement. We need to see each photo as part of the unique way in which we see the world and be proud to share this with others. We need to let go of the need to please others and reveal our true creative selves. And that’s when the true enjoyment will begin. If you like this post please feel free to share it.

Well-known landscape photographer Thomas Heaton has said of photography: “It’s not about taking the picture. Technically that’s easy. It’s the seeing that’s difficult”. I believe that Thomas Heaton is making the point that there is more to photography than knowing about exposure, settings, and so on. Photography is essentially a creative process, an aesthetic process in which the photographer’s vision is paramount. But realising that vision can be difficult. If you want to compose interesting images rather than simply capture pretty views, then you need to become more creative with your photography. And this involves more than just knowing the technical side of photography. It involves seeing, thinking about the image, making decisions and actively composing according to how we see. Photograph vs Snapshot I recently spoke to a landscape photographer who said he often gets so excited about the big picture in front of him that he forgets to include a foreground in his image, something he always regrets later. This got me thinking about creativity in photography and how it can be easy as beginner photographers to always try to capture the pretty view rather than look for a more compelling composition. Of course, it’s good to capture the obvious photo first, the pretty view, just to have it in the bag, but we can then go in search of the less obvious images and try and become a little more creative with our photography. After all, we won’t improve as photographers if we just take the obvious, ’easy’ images all the time. So, how do you become more creative with your photography? I would suggest you begin by asking yourself why you want to take photographs. Do you take photos to try and capture the emotion you feel when you visit a location? Do you want to capture certain elements that convey a real sense of the place? Do you want others to know, by looking at your photos, what it is like to be in this place? If these are the reasons that you engage in photography, then you’ll be interested in doing more than just capturing the ‘big vista’, the postcard image of the place. You’ll want to go deeper; you’ll want to explore the area, get a feel for the place, experience the different elements that make up this location that you have chosen to photograph. To do this, there are a few accepted techniques that you will want to follow; a few composition tips that will help you create a photo that will capture the essence of the place in a way that is personal to you. Your images will not look like images taken by other people, they will be uniquely yours. What are the techniques that will give us a more creative, personal image? The image below is a nice image, but it has been taken hundreds of times. You step out of your car and there it is, ready to be captured. When you stand in front of the vista, with the mountain looming over the water below, there is a real sense of emotion at the beauty of the place. Yet this emotion is not conveyed in the image. Even with top of the range camera gear the image will be flat and lacking the 3-dimensional element that the eye sees in reality. A look around the location reveals other aspects of the place that can help us create a more personal, thoughtful image. In the image below I thought about composition. I found this lone tree and placed it to one side of the image with the mountain behind. I experimented with how to place the tree to get the most pleasing look. I also moved around to try to position the tree so that it could be clearly seen. To me, this thinking element, the deliberate positioning of a subject with another subject, or with a foreground or background, is what is meant by creating an image. It involves consideration and decision making. When I take a photo such as the first image above, I rarely think about the subject. The beautiful view is just there, created by nature with no input from me. When I am creating an image, on the other hand. I have to think about the subject, the ‘main character’ of the image, decide where I want to place that subject in my frame, and think about the ‘supporting actors’ – smaller subjects, foreground, mid-ground and background elements, light, and so on. Light is often a main player in your composition even if it is not the actual subject. There are many different types of light and light can add drama, interest, beauty or emotion to your image. Paying attention to light, deliberately choosing certain light conditions to achieve a certain effect, is part of the art of creating an image. If we follow the light, it will often dictate where we will point the camera. I was fortunate on this occasion to be close to the coast during a spell of sunny weather. The sunsets were almost guaranteed! I made a few images in this location. Several elements came together in the image above. My main subject was the distant boats, but I also wanted to include the pier as a subject. I deliberately came out at sunset to capture some colour in the sky, which adds to the story of the image. Adding a foreground Getting close to the rocks in the foreground gives a different perspective to the photo above. Adding a foreground also adds depth to an image as our eye is led into the back of the frame. In this image I tried to balance the rock in the foreground with the small boat on the left, creating a diagonal line. In this image I liked the rock- it seemed to resemble a head- but wanted to set it in context of the sea and land so I added a foreground element of grasses while the sea is the mid-ground element with the sunset over the distant mountains creating the background. Use of space We don’t always have to fill the entire frame in our photographs. Negative space is a technique that can be used to add some creativity to our images and to create interest for the viewer. The negative space on the right side of the frame ensures that the viewer’s eye is drawn to the trees on the left. In this image there is a lot of water and sky in the frame, and they are a similar colour. To me this gives a sense of the solitude of the lone boatman. Rule of Thirds Until I started studying composition and learning about compositional techniques in photography I wouldn’t have realised that I was using the rule of thirds, yet instinctively my eye found images using this ‘rule’ more pleasing than images where the subject was placed centrally. It is generally understood that when people look at images their eyes are drawn by default to the parts of the image that correspond to the intersection of the lines in the 3x3 grid rather than to the centre of the image. The ‘rule of thirds’ is something I find myself naturally , though not slavishly, following as I personally feel drawn to composing an image in this way. That said, there are times when I feel that a subject placed centrally can also be visually pleasing. I always check visually and place my subject accordingly. When you include the horizon in your image it can seem natural to position it centrally in the frame. However, the rule of thirds suggests that to place the horizon along one of the two horizontal lines in the 3x3 grid is more effective in terms of a pleasing image. Sometimes the sky will determine which line is best to use. If the sky has no interest, it might be best to place the horizon close to the top horizontal line, whereas if the sky has dramatic clouds or intense colour it may take up two thirds of your image, to give it prominence. In this sunrise image, all of the drama was in the sky so I gave it prominence. I deliberately kept the buildings and trees as silhouettes to accentuate the dramatic clouds. Leading lines A technique often used by photographers is the creative use of leading lines to draw the viewer’s eye into the frame. Anything that forms a line can be used; a road, path, shoreline, hedge, railway line, wall, and the line can be straight, winding, curved or s shaped. In fact, the more creative you can be in finding and using leading lines, the more pleasing will be your resulting image. Lines will often lead to a main subject, but they can also be used to create mystery as the viewer wonders where the line leads. In this image the dry stone wall leads to the top of the hill and beyond. It makes me wonder what is on the other side. Natural Framing Often, finding a natural way to frame a photograph adds interest to the image and increases its effectiveness in attracting the eye of the viewer. Frames can be trees or branches of trees, walls, arches, indeed anything which provides a frame with which to surround the main subject. I composed the image then waited until a person walked into the frame. This technique can be overdone yet used sparingly it can be a good way to add something extra to what might otherwise be a banal image. Conclusion While you may want to capture some of the iconic images of places you visit, as a beginning photographer who wants to improve at your craft you will also want to go deeper, to expand your creations so that they express your own vision, rather than simply reproduce the creations of others. The words of Thomas Heaton quoted at the beginning of the post are very true. It is technically easy to take a photograph, but the easy photograph won’t necessarily express the vision of the photographer; it won’t offer anything different, anything unique. It is when we start to see, which is what Heaton says is the difficult part of photography, that we really begin to create images. I hope these suggestions have given you some ideas as to how you can become more creative with your photography, and produce more personal, unique images. If you found this post helpful, please share it. You might also like these posts Why We Should Be More Intentional About Our Photography Is There a Difference Between a Snapshot and a Photograph?

After approximately a year of learning photography I abandoned my kit lens. I (mistakenly) came to the conclusion that my kit lens was holding me back from doing all the things I wanted to do with my photography. In fact, I even felt that it was responsible for my failure to make a great image! I moved to a telephoto lens, but quickly realised that it was primarily of use only in certain situations. I found that the same was true of my 50mm prime lens, which was my next purchase, even though I liked it for its ability to produce a pleasing bokeh. I did some research on the type of lenses others bought to replace the kit lens and found that the 17-50mm was a popular choice. That was my third purchase. Did any of these lenses instantly give me better images? No. What has helped me to improve my photography has been getting to know my camera, focusing on composition and learning about what makes a good image, rather than believing that if I could afford a great lens, it would miraculously improve my photography. Recently I seem to have read several articles praising the kit lens and giving reasons why we shouldn’t discard it too soon. I was intrigued to see what I had been missing so, after reading how useful this humble lens can be, I decided to go for a walk with my 18-55mm kit lens to see what it could do for me. I went out with my camera and kit lens just as the sun was beginning to make an appearance on a mid-October morning. I deliberately underexposed this image as I wanted to catch the patch of light beginning to creep across the sky. As the sun made its way through the trees I captured this image. I like the leading line made by both the fence and the path and also the contrast between light and shade. The lens can cope well with close-up images (above) as well as being a capable short zoom (below). After my outing with the Nikon 18-55mm VR lens, and having captured the above images, I would suggest 5 reasons why I would not recommend doing what I did and dismissing this lens too soon in your photography journey. Why I returned to my kit lens While learning photography, it is the photographer who makes the difference, not the camera or lens. I stress the phrase ‘while learning photography’ as obviously for professional photographers who are expert at their craft, having good photography gear does make a difference. But for keen amateurs it is more important to put our effort into improving our skill than into buying more expensive equipment. The 18-55mm kit lens has a decent focal range and really can be used in a range of situations. I didn’t bring any other lens with me on this trip, and I deliberately didn’t use my phone camera, so each of these images were taken with only the kit lens. My kit lens has vibration reduction, reducing the need for a tripod. One of the advantages of my phone camera is the ability to have it to hand when I come across a photo opportunity. With the kit lens on my camera, I can take it with me for those unexpected moments knowing that it will work well hand-held yet be able to capture images which a phone can’t quite manage. The kit lens is an inexpensive lens. This is particularly true if purchased with your camera. When I decided to move on from my kit lens, I realised that I would have to spend a lot of money to buy a lens that would have an equivalent focal length. I ended up buying a relatively inexpensive telephoto lens which is not the sharpest, a fixed focal length (prime) lens which has its limitations and a more expensive lens with similar focal range to the kit lens, but which is a lot heavier to carry. Abandoning my kit lens, was an expensive mistake. The kit lens is a light-weight lens. When I go on a photography trip, I often need to walk some distance to find a subject or scene that I want to photograph. I sometimes choose to carry just one or two lenses in my camera bag to reduce the weight, but invariably they are not the lens I want. For this reason I have been taking my Sigma 17-50mm as the most versatile lens, but it weighs 565g compared to the 195g weight of the kit lens. My back does not thank me for carrying a heavy lens all the time. The result is that I get to spend more time exploring and looking for photo opportunities. The kit lens is a relatively versatile lens. Ok, it’s not the best or the fastest lens in the world by any stretch of the imagination, but it is a versatile lens which has a minimum aperture of f/22 and a maximum aperture of f/3.5-5.6. Unfortunately, this maximum aperture is one of the disadvantages of the kit lens if you like to have the option of a narrow depth of field to create pleasing bokeh. However, at 18-55mm it does cover the most frequently used focal length range so it can be used in the most common shooting situations required by beginner photographers. When used at its widest angle, 18mm is wide enough for landscape photography while when zoomed in to 55mm it gives you a fairly decent close-up image. All images taken with Nikon D3400, 18-55mm VR lens. I hope I have given you some reasons not to rush out to replace your kit lens just yet. Spend some time experimenting with it, seeing what it can do, and only when it is truly holding you back creatively will it be time to move on. FURTHER READING Trust me when I suggest that, as a beginner photographer, you shouldn’t rush to abandon your kit lens because I moved away from my kit lens too soon, and now I am returning to it. But if my post hasn’t convinced you, you might like to read this article from petapixel. IF YOU WOULD PREFER TO WATCH… Check out this video from Henry Turner Why I LOVE my Kit Lens

It is now 3 years since I returned to photography, and I have received so many unexpected benefits from this amazing pursuit. I have been taking more time in nature, I have become more observant and more appreciative of the world around me. Photography has enriched my life in numerous ways over the last few years so I want to shout about it! Here are 10 ways in which I believe photography can be of benefit and add to our lives in a positive way. These benefits may overlap at times, but many of the things that have been proven by research to enhance our health and wellbeing do overlap and complement one another. 1. Photography encourages us to become part of the great outdoors New research published by Harvard Health, a branch of Harvard Medical School, suggests that for many people who suffer from depression, anxiety, stress and mood disorders, “interacting with nature is one of the best self-improvement tools they can use." https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/sour-mood-getting-you-down-get-back-to-nature (pub. March 2021). Just by taking a walk in nature, immersing ourselves in the outdoor life, we can reduce stress and anxiety and lift our mood. There is a vast amount of research which will back up these claims. In 2020, researchers at Cornell University found that as little as 10 minutes in a natural setting can help us feel happier and lessen the effects of both physical and mental stress. When we are outdoors, we get away from staring at our screens or being bombarded by notifications, and we can forget about targets and tasks to be completed. We can leave behind our worries, breathe deeply of the fresh outdoor air and feel a renewed sense of calm. Photography is a pursuit that primarily takes place outdoors. Street photography, landscape photography of all kinds, close-up nature photography, and sometimes portrait photography, necessitate spending time outdoors. It is landscape and nature photography that offers me the most opportunities for spending time outdoors. I love to bring my camera on my morning walk, but even when I don’t my phone camera is always at the ready to experiment with what is on offer in the morning light. Walking through woodlands, strolling along by the seashore, climbing hills; being exposed to trees and sky and the sounds of nature, are all beneficial to our wellbeing and as we concentrate on making images we are subconsciously connecting with nature at the same time. The research article quoted above suggests some ways in which we can spend more time outdoors. I would add photography to this list. Like gardening, photography can be a mindful activity, taking us away from our stresses and worries into a calm and mindful state. It combines movement with being outdoors in nature, which adds to the benefits. The following quote sums up the research into the benefits of spending more time outdoors: “There is mounting evidence, from dozens and dozens of researchers, that nature has benefits for both physical and psychological human well­being,” says Lisa Nisbet, PhD, a psychologist at Trent University in Ontario, Canada, who studies connectedness to nature. “You can boost your mood just by walking in nature, even in urban nature. And the sense of connection you have with the natural world seems to contribute to happiness even when you’re not physically immersed in nature.” https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/nurtured-nature 2. Photography gets us moving It’s hard to do most types of photography while standing still. Doing portraits in a studio might be an exception but, generally speaking, photography involves movement. Sometimes it involves a lot of movement. I usually spend at least an hour walking around a location, looking out for a photo opportunity. And that’s just when I photograph close to home. When I visit a new location, I will want to make the best use of my time and discover the full potential of the place so I might spend two or three hours wandering around with my camera. I always consider this to be time well spent because even if I don’t come away with great images, I have had lots of movement, and that can only be beneficial. 3. Photography increases our confidence One of the ways in which we can become more confident is by perfecting our skills at what we do. As we develop in competency, we grow in confidence. Photography is a skills-based activity, where we continually learn new skills, find new approaches to doing things, discover what we like and dislike and adjust our thinking to accommodate new learning. As we develop our unique photography ‘voice’ we become more secure in our own ability and better able to express ourselves through our images. And photography is a hobby that we can start at any age! 4. Photography encourages us to stay in the present moment It is difficult not to be in the moment when taking a photograph. Unless we spend our time aimlessly snapping what we see around us, we will want to take our time, be present to the scene around us, compose carefully and observe closely what is happening in what can be a quickly changing environment. We will be aware of light and how it is affecting our subject, of the potential for drama in the sky as clouds form and move above us, and we will be attentive to other elements such as colour, shadows, reflections and shapes that influence our images. Photography keeps us alive to the moments and aware of what is happening instead of becoming distracted by the noise and busyness of life. It also helps us to appreciate and enjoy the moments as we capture them with our camera. Check out my post on how photography can help us to appreciate life’s precious moments. 5. Photography can enhance our cognitive skills as we age Photography is a pursuit that can be engaged in by people of all ages. A lot of the research carried out in relation to active aging would seem to bear out the idea that being engaged in a pursuit can improve memory and keep the mind focused, thereby mitigating age-related cognitive decline. Apart from the difficulty for older people in carrying heavy equipment, photography is a relatively easy pastime to engage in and many older adults who turn to photography during retirement years find that it helps them keep mentally alert and engaged. And with the popularity of mobile photography, having to bring along heavy gear no longer has to be an issue. A strong motivation to keep shooting! 6. Photography can help to focus the mind For those for whom life is busy juggling the demands of work, family and personal time, in other words for most people, photography is a great way to focus our minds on just one thing. When we are making images, we have to concentrate on the task at hand if we want to create an image that is properly focused, well exposed, carefully composed and pleasing to the eye. It is not something that can be done while replying to an email or text message (even in your head!) or when planning your next task. It requires your full attention and a clear mind, but the rewards are definitely worthwhile. 7. Photography can help to calm the mind Strolling along close to nature, watching out for potential images while listening to birds singing, waterfalls gushing, leaves rustling or rivers gurgling, cannot help but bring on a state of calm. If you walk slowly, you will see more, observe and hear the little things that you might not normally notice, and absorb more of your surroundings. So, Walk slowly… Be observant… Listen as well as look… Take it easy… Don’t chimp, just concentrate on the task at hand… And relax…no image will be perfect. 8. Photography can get us into a ‘flow’ state The founder of the term flow, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, describes flow as a state of complete immersion in an activity, a state in which people are completely involved and focused on what they are doing. This state is also referred to as being ‘in the zone’. www.positivepsychology.com/theory-psychology-flow/ It is considered to be a very healthy state which leads to increased fulfilment, satisfaction and happiness. Many areas of life – music, art, dance, writing – produce this state. Photography, too, can easily lead us into a state of flow; actively and fully engaged in making images. 9. Photography helps us develop our creativity Photography is a creative pursuit. It may not be creative in the sense that painting or composing a piece of music are creative, but we are still creating when we compose and capture our image. The camera is the tool, but the photographer is the creator of the image and every image we make is a product of our imagination and a result of our creative skill. As we progress in photography, we can allow our creative selves more leeway to produce images that are unique and that express our inner voice as creator. In photography, through the images we make and share, we find a way of showing how we view the world, of expressing what is important to us. Photography is about being a visual communicator, it is about paying attention to what is special in life and finding ways to present this experience to the world. 10. Photography encourages a more mindful approach to life There are many ‘gateways’ to living a less stressed, more mindful life. All we have to do is find the one that suits us. For me, that gateway is photography. Photography has taught me to slow down, to become more observant, to be more mindful, not just when I am out taking photographs, but in everyday life also. I have come to value the importance of observing more closely, appreciating beauty and noticing little things, which has actively encouraged me to live more fully in the moment and to adopt a more mindful approach to life. I hope that these thoughts have convinced you to give photography a try. It could be exactly what you need! You may like to read some of my other posts on reaping the benefits of photography. How Embracing Mindful Photography Has The Power To Transform Your Life How Photography Can Help You Beat Stress Why Photography is Good For Your Wellbeing How a Photo Walk Can Improve Your Mental and Physical Health

I am celebrating! It is three years since I started this blog and I have persevered! I have managed to keep writing, to keep taking photographs and to enjoy both activities through the ups and downs of the past three years. What started out as a blog documenting my journey as a beginner photographer has turned into a vehicle not just for improving my photography but also for developing my creativity. So how does writing a blog improve your photography and develop your creativity? Surely a blog and photography are very separate things. Actually no. It is said that creative writing exercises the same part of the brain as photography, so it makes sense that they complement each other. There are many ways in which writing about photography improves our photography process as well as our creativity as photographers. Here are just some of them. A blog allows you to share your story. You can share your photography journey, share stories about individual photographs, share your process for capturing images, share information about the locations you visit for your photography, and so on. And in sharing you are revealing part of yourself and your process to others. This is an image taken in my local park. I love this place and it offers lots of opportunities to develop my photography through the seasons You develop your thoughts about your work. As you write about your images and the process you go through to capture them you are developing your thoughts about photography and your way of working. It gives you an opportunity to look back. Your blog is a place to document your photography journey. It allows you to trace your growth over time and to see your development as a photographer. You can share your learning opportunities. In a blog you don’t have to only show your best photos. You can show your mistakes, present images that have taught you something and illustrate through your images your growth as a photographer. It keeps you motivated. Writing a regular blog keeps you out of a creative rut. You will want to share different aspects of your photography, and this will inspire you to continually look for new opportunities. It will encourage you to keep exploring new genres, new locations, new styles to keep your writing (and your photography) fresh and interesting. It helps you analyse and evaluate your work. Most of us don’t present our work to be analysed by others but through our writing we can, to some extent, do this for ourselves. As I look through images to illustrate a point in a blog post I assess each one to see if I like it, if it can be improved, if it is worth showing publicly. I am often my own best critic, but this serves to send me back out with my camera to capture an improved image. When I look closely at this image I can see that it is weighted towards the left. Something to balance the image would have improved it It helps you understand your strengths. Analysis of images does not have to be negative. It is very powerful to be able to show those images that we are proud of and to understand why they make us proud. I often learn more from harnessing my strengths than by being too critical as it is the things we do right that are the building blocks for further progress. You can inspire others. You might not feel that you have developed enough in your photography to teach others but often the simple act of sharing your process, your successes and failures, can be an inspiration to others to get started or to keep going. It builds rapport. Sharing personal stories, sharing about difficulties you encountered and how you overcame them, sharing information about your images – where, when and how you captured them - all helps to show your personality and build a rapport with your reader. If readers like your style they will keep coming back to read more. It helps define your style. It can be hard to pin down your own personal photography style, but when you begin writing your style emerges in your words and through your images. As you look through your images you begin to see what connects them. These are the images you are drawn to capturing, the images you want to write about and share with others. You write about the things you like to photograph; you photograph the things you like to write about. It can double as a gallery to chart your progress. Your personal blog can also be home to your personal gallery where you can display your images. Displaying your images for others to see is a good motivator to become more creative, to curate your images and to constantly seek to grow and develop as a photographer. It helps you develop a map for your future journey. By helping you understand where you have come from and where you are now in your photography, your writing can help you develop your future path. When I look at how my writing and my photography have evolved over the past year, I notice that I have many posts written about mindful photography and about landscape photography. These are areas of strong interest for me, which I would like to develop further. Without my writing I may not have clarified my interests in the same way. How do you write a photography blog? There is no one way to write a photography blog. Blogs are as individual as their writers. · A blog can be reflective about your photography – notes on where and why you took a particular photograph, what you like/dislike and what you might do differently next time · A blog can be a posting on what currently inspires you, taken in any direction you choose · A blog can be about your learning and the discoveries you have made as you progress in photography · A blog can be a series of helpful articles sharing your experience · A blog can be an online diary and your approach can change to suit your needs. Blogs can have a mix and match style – it’s your blog and your choice of content, so present it in a way that suits you. Essentially, your blog is about sharing your journey in whatever way you wish. There is no right or wrong way. your blog is uniquely yours This image of mountain heather was taken from the top of Carrigoona looking towards the Sugar Loaf mountain, Co. Wicklow, Ireland I have discovered that if I write as I feel motivated to write I am being true to myself and trusting that my words might inspire, help or just reach someone who wants to read them. My primary aim is not to gain readers, it is to develop creatively as a photographer, hopefully to bring some readers along on parts of the journey, and just to enjoy the ride! Before you go, you might also like: Why You Need To Keep Writing Here's the Secret to Perseverance in Blogging

As learner photographers we have probably listened to numerous vlogs giving tips for beginner photographers, or read articles with titles such as: Top Tips for Beginner Photographers (10) Things All New Photographers Should Know 7 Ways To Improve Your Photography And so on. Most of them are useful and practical and they give new photographers suggestions which they can incorporate into their photography practice. At times, though, this advice can seem conflicting. One photographer might recommend doing something one way while another will suggest doing the same thing in a different way. All the advice given is well meaning but, as in all walks of life, different people do things in different ways. Having so many different tips from many different sources can be confusing and overwhelming. That’s why I like to pick one suggestion at a time and work with it for a while, until I can become familiar with the technique and using it becomes second nature to me. The latest ‘tip’ I came across was to ask ourselves the question, ‘Am I taking a photograph of something or about something?’ 'About' vs 'of' The suggestion came from photographer James Popsys on his YouTube channel, which, as well as being instructional and relevant for new photographers, is also very entertaining and well worth checking out. In many of his YouTube videos Popsys makes the distinction between photographs which are about our subject, which are part of the story of the subject, and those which are taken of a subject or scene, which may not have the same intentionality about them. These simple photographs might explain the idea better than words can. In the image below I made my image about two trees leaning towards each other. I liked the way they leaned into the frame and drew attention to themselves by being different to the other trees in the frame. In the same location, the photograph below is not just a photo taken of trees. It is a story about the trees and where they are placed in the woodland. The tree to the left is the main subject and the other trees are the supporting cast. It is an intentional photograph, a photograph about the subject. The image below, on the other hand, is an image of a peacock which I tried to grab as he walked around near where I was. Basically, what I wanted to do was manage to get the whole bird into the frame (which I failed to do!), so the photo was not intended to tell a story. I may go back to this location and try to capture the peacock in his environment. To do this, and make the photo about the peacock, I would need to spend time watching his movements, mannerisms and habits and building a story around him. The question ‘about' vs 'of’ has given me a lot of food for thought in relation to my photography. It relates to my previous post on how it is important to be more intentional about our photography and to think about what it is we want to capture, and how we want to capture it, rather than simply turning up at a location and snapping away. In the image below I wanted to capture the mountain in the background as well as the water in the foreground, yet the image seemed a little empty. I then spotted the boat coming along so I waited until it was in the position I wanted, then I took the photograph. How do we know if our image is an image of something or about something? An image that is about something often evokes questions in the viewer. In the image above the viewer might ask, ‘who is in the boat?’ or ‘where is he going?’ The addition of the person in the boat makes the image about the person and his boat, rather than just a view of the mountain. To be about something the image doesn’t always have to have a person in it. The story can be implied. The image above is about the boats left on the shore. To me, some questions occur on seeing the image, such as: Who owns the boats? Will the owners be back soon? Will the boats be taken out on the water? Where will they go? An image such as the one below is not just an image of a mountain; it is an image about this mountain on this particular morning when it was covered in mist. Finally… The distinction between making an image about something and taking an image of something might not always be clear. For me, it comes down to intention. If I take an image of something it is usually a quick image and not one that I have invested much time in. If my image is about my subject I spend time with my subject, observing, noticing small details, finding reasons why I want to make the image. Asking myself the question Is my image of something or about something has made a significant difference to the way in which I think about the images I make. It helps me to be more thoughtful, more intentional in the way I choose my subjects and more deliberate in the way I compose my images. It is a question worth asking yourself each time you are drawn to capture an image. Some days later... This procession of peacocks and peahens gave me an image that is about the birds, even though it lacks their beautiful colourful plumage! Do you make images that are of your subject or images that are about your subject? Leave a comment below.

Are you an intentional photographer or a ‘snap happy’ photographer? I must admit, before I began to take photography more seriously, I fell into the latter camp. I would arrive at a well-known ‘honey pot’ location, be in awe of the beautiful view, then get out my phone and snap away, hoping that I would have a ‘nice picture’ to take home with me. However, as part of my learning in photography I began to study the work of good photographers and appreciate good photographs, and my attitude towards taking photographs changed. I began to realise that good photographs all had some things in common that helped them appeal to the viewer. All the photographs that I admired were composed intentionally to include certain elements. Some of them had a leading line directing the viewer’s eye to the subject or into the centre of the frame. Some had subjects deliberately placed in a certain way within the frame. In some of the images, there were layers to include a foreground element, a mid-ground and a background. I took this image on a hike close to my home. I tried to do more than just shoot one mountain from the top of another. I got down low to include some foreground which I hope makes the image more interesting All these images used light effectively and added drama or mystery or evoked emotion through their choice of subject and in the way they told their story. I came to realise that it is not a good view or an interesting scene that makes a good image; it is the way in which the photographer interacts with these elements, how the elements are intentionally placed and how the overall image is composed to achieve maximum impact for the viewer, that makes a good photograph. Now when I arrive at a scene, I don’t just grab a camera and snap that beautiful view. I spend time observing, thinking about what I want to achieve, what way I want my image to turn out. In the above images I tried to be more intentional about my compositions, rather than randomly snapping Since I am not a professional photographer, and don’t need professional equipment, I often find myself mentally imagining my images as I walk along and then taking out my phone camera to see how I can translate this image in my mind into something real and tangible. In this instance I was looking at reflections in a river as I walked past and wondering if there was a spot that might give me a vantage point from which to make a reflection image. With a bit of scouting, I managed to find this spot and get close enough to get the bridge reflected in the water To sum up Even though my images would not be ‘keepers’ to most photographers, to me they are an important part of my learning curve therefore they teach me more about photography than simply snapping a beautiful view. I don’t go to many iconic locations. I prefer to make my images by composing intentionally in lesser-known locations, rather than taking photographs of the views that are presented in front of me in iconic locations. My image may not be an image of an epic scene, but it will represent a step further along the road of learning how to put all the different photographic elements together so that they result in an image that is pleasing to the eye and maybe worthy of a second glance from the viewer. Thank you for reading. If you found this post useful, please feel free to share. You might also like my previous posts: Snapshot vs Photograph: What is the Difference? 7 Simple Tips That Will Improve Your Enjoyment of Photography

“We are making photographs to understand what our lives mean to us.” — Ralph Hattersley I’m writing this on my return from spending some time in a place that I love, a place that I return to every year to relax, unwind and take some photographs. This place is Mullaghmore , Co. Sligo, Ireland. During the time that I spend here each year I take the opportunity to get out early, regardless of the weather, and see what images I can make. I try to capture some sunsets, which, when they happen, are a fabulous feature of this part of the world. Here I have a coastal landscape, mountains, cliffs, winding roads, a busy harbour with lots of water activities going on, and an abundance of one of my favourite subjects – boats – to work with. Being in this place always calms my mind, helps me to de-stress and re-focus, and it presents many opportunities for mindfulness and mindful photography. One of the real benefits of taking my camera on this vacation is that my photography becomes one of the highlights of my time here. While I enjoy walks along the cliffs, immersing myself in the beautiful coastal surroundings, eating good local seafood and exploring new places, it is my photographs that bring emotional solace, and they stay with me to rekindle my memories throughout the year. My camera is a tool that grounds me in the moment and helps me to appreciate each moment more fully. While making pleasing images is my goal, I do enjoy the process; I enjoy putting my learning into practice, experimenting, discovering new ways of doing things, evaluating the success or failure of my efforts. I experimented with shutter speed as the waves crashed against the rocks When photography becomes a way to experience a place it enriches that experience. By spending time observing, becoming aware of the physical features of the place, feeling the emotions associated with the location, I find myself connecting in a particular way with the landscape. During my stay in this part of my country I became a little more familiar with the ocean, with rocks and coastal vegetation, with light, sunsets, a full moon reflected on the water and magical misty mornings. I encountered people who live here, whose livelihoods depend on those who visit, and visitors who were experiencing what this place has to offer. On this occasion I was privileged to be able to capture a slice of daily life as I wandered over the cliff tops. The horse had been happily grazing when he heard the sound of a car coming. I watched as he became aware of whose car it was and began to make his way over to his owner. She kindly let me take their picture One of the joys of photography is that it helps you to see in a new way. You discover new things, often minute details previously unnoticed, and you become aware of new perspectives on familiar things. This is true regardless of our location, but when you are in a place that you love, a place that is familiar but is a contrast to your home environment, photography makes this a richer place, a place of abundance, not just for what it yields in terms of images but as a totally immersive, almost spiritual, life experience. ***** I hope you enjoyed these reflections and that they will encourage you to use photography to enrich your experience of familiar places. Please share the post if you think someone else would like it. Further Reading: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/article/travel-photography-tips

“For me, the subject of the picture is always more important than the picture,” – Diane Arbus This quote from controversial American photographer Diane Arbus helped me to realise the importance of subject in photography.* Most photography instructors will say that having a definite subject in your images will help to make them more appealing to the viewer. This is true in nearly all types of photography, with the possible exception of abstract photography. And if that subject happens to be something awesome, then you are immediately on to a winner. Awesome subjects can be hard to find, or even recognise, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to find them. It is probably true to say that in street photography subject is everything. It is through subject that we tell our story and working in this genre has helped me to seek out more interesting subjects in all areas of photography. While in many areas of photography the subject is a person, this does not have to be the case and our chosen subject can be any number of things - an object of any kind, an animal, a tree or a plant. The subject can even be a cloud formation in the sky, an unspoiled reflection in a lake or a beautiful sunrise or sunset where the colour itself is the subject. The subject can be something unusual, something unexpected in a particular location, something that might not immediately show its beauty. What we need is to have something definite to draw the viewer’s eye and lead them into the image. In the image below there is no real subject; there is nowhere for the viewer to focus, nothing to lead the viewer into the rest of the frame. Without that the viewer will not linger, there is nothing interesting to hold their attention. In the following image, taken in the same place, I looked around for a subject, something that would attract the viewer’s eye and perhaps encourage them to linger in the photograph and look beyond the immediate subject to the distant mountain. Similarly, in the scene below the image benefits from having human subjects. Finding a suitable subject is an aspect of photography that I have struggled with at times. I have tended to take my photograph of a scene in front of me without asking myself what exactly it is that I am focusing on, and those images would undoubtedly be passed by without a second glance. But when I consciously try to find an interesting subject, my images are more appealing to myself, and hopefully also to others. Ask yourself, what exactly is my focus? If I can say exactly what it was that I focused on in my images, then chances are I have a definite subject. In this image my focus was on the dead tree. It is larger than everything else in the frame, which is a choice I made to give my subject priority in the image... In this shot I focused on the lights of the village as the sun set... My subject here was the old building bathed in the morning light... I liked the way the boat lay idle along the water’s edge, so I made it my focus here… I loved this scene of canoes left against a wall, and I felt they had a story to tell… In this bed of wildflowers, instead of taking a shot of the whole bed, or even a bunch of the flowers, I thought that picking out one flower, and making that the subject, might be most effective… I often seek to tell a story with my subject... Sometimes my subject is a part of something rather than the whole object, and I give that priority in the frame... In my mind I try to ask myself, what am I focusing on here? This gives me the best chance of having a well-defined subject. I made the stone the focus in this shot... Knowing what it is we want to shoot when we arrive at our photography location is an important part of the image making process. When I went to this location recently I didn’t go just to ‘take some photographs’, I went with certain images in mind. I wanted one of my subjects to be the sunset over the boats, I also wanted to capture the pier in the soft evening light, and I also knew that there would be other interesting subjects. Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin Having said that, I am always open to the opportunities a location might offer and am never too rigid in my expectations, but having certain images in mind on this occasion helped me to find and focus on definite subjects. Conclusion The subject in your image is usually the first thing the viewer sees when he or she looks at the image. Having a strong subject , or more than one subject, in your images is important to ensure that the viewer pauses to take a closer look. A subject doesn’t have to be human, but it should be something that catches the viewer’s eye. If you ask yourself each time what your subject is, you will have more chance of including a strong subject in your image. When you have a definite subject in your images, you are more likely to end up with images that you will want to keep, perhaps edit a little, and show to others. I find that when I don’t do this, I often end up with ‘nothing’ images that I want to discard and that no amount of editing can salvage and make interesting. Trying to ensure that I have at least one subject in my images is a lesson that I want to keep to the forefront of my mind as I progress in my photography journey. Do you agree that the best images have definite subjects? Let us know in the comments If you found this post useful, please share. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Diane Arbus was a documentary photographer whose subjects were mostly people. Her images were not easy, pleasant-to-look-at images. She didn’t reveal the beauty in everyday life. Instead, her images portrayed humanity in all its humanness, even its perverseness, and at the same time her photographs demonstrate the primacy of subject because her subjects speak for themselves, they tell their own stories of fear, misery, rawness, hope. Her photographs of American men, women and children often had a darkness to them, and she became known primarily for her striking black and white images of social ‘outsiders’.

What is ‘chimping?’ Chimping is defined as the act of looking at your camera’s LCD screen immediately after taking a photograph. Being able to review your photo just after you’ve taken it, and not having to wait for a film to be developed, is one of the pros of the digital camera Yet there is also an argument against that. I recently heard well known photographer, Nick Carver, in an interview with Thomas Heaton (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhRlHhr44WI), say that one of the reasons he likes film photography is that it keeps him from being tempted to look at his screen after he takes a photograph. This comment got me thinking about the term chimping and whether it’s a good or bad idea in photography. There are pros and cons to chimping. Pros of chimping #1 It gives you an opportunity to review your photo I used to do this a lot when I started photography. I’d take a photo then have a look at the screen to see if it came out as I had hoped. This gave me an opportunity to correct any mistakes such as a distraction on the edge of my frame, a badly focussed shot or even a poor composition. It meant that I didn’t go home with a set of useless images and a sense of disappointment. This is one of the reasons why I think chimping might be a good idea when you are learning photography. We all make mistakes when learning so checking our images gives us a chance to get it right before we leave a scene, especially if we might not return there frequently. To have an opportunity to rectify simple errors by moving to the side a little and taking another shot or realising when we look at our image that the subject might look better from another perspective, enhances our progress as learners in photography and is an important element in our beginners toolbox. #2 It helps you critique your images The second reason I give in favour of chimping is that it can help us become critics of our own work in a positive way. We learn to recognise how our images should look and what mistakes we might be repeating. For example, I tended to have distracting objects in my frames. A stray piece of grass might have blown across the image, there might have been an unsightly wire that I hadn’t noticed or maybe a person walked into the frame at the wrong time. By checking my shots, I was able to learn what I was doing wrong and try to eliminate these distractions when I am taking my photographs. #3 We can delete photos that we don’t want and save space on the memory card Obviously, if we constantly check our images ‘on the go’ we will spot those that we don’t want and will be able to delete them immediately, thus freeing up space on our memory card for more images. In this sense there is a definite ‘advantage’ here over film photography. I often had a film developed only to discover that some of the images were useless. Undoubtedly, if I could have deleted these in the field I would have done so. Maybe I should have chimped here, then I might have noticed the pole behind the horse's head. Not ideal! Cons of chimping #1 It spoils the ‘flow’ of photography I put this as the first reason against chimping because I used to overdo checking my images and found that it was beginning to spoil my flow. Instead of focusing on what was happening around me, I was too concerned with checking to see if I got the previous image right. Often, particularly with a subject that might not be stationary, I missed the next moment by looking back on a previous one. I learned the hard way that I was blocking the chance of a good image by constantly looking back and I was spoiling the moments by constantly checking the screen. #2 It puts emphasis on getting the product right rather than enjoying the process The second reason I don’t like chimping, especially after every shot, is that I feel it puts more emphasis on the product than on the process. Others may feel that this is a pro of chimping but for me process is important. At times I can lose myself in the art of making images, I can forget time and just be fully immersed in what I am doing. When I am in the photography ‘zone’ like this, I am not so concerned with whether my images are perfect, I just enjoy making them. By having this attitude, I practise my learning with a greater sense of enjoyment and ease, and I find that some of what I have been learning comes naturally when out with my camera and I really don’t have to constantly check whether I have got everything right. #3 It increases battery consumption From a practical point of view, having the screen on and checking it constantly will consume a lot of battery power. One of the pros of chimping might be that checking images and deleting unwanted ones will save space on the memory card, but if this act results in ending up with no battery it’s not a great advantage. Conclusion There are mixed feelings about chimping among those in the photography community. For a professional photographer who uses film to ensure that he doesn’t do chimping there is a strong bias against the practice. For a learner it may initially have its uses. Personally, I find that when I am in a location that I am not likely to return to I try to take a set of images, mentally critiquing as I go along, then take a break to check through the set for any obvious mistakes or adjustments I can make to give me a more pleasing image. When I am close to home I try to just shoot and keep shooting, stay in the flow of image making, and, knowing that I can go back to these locations on another occasion, I will enjoy the surprise of not seeing the images I’ve made until I view them on my computer screen at home. On this occasion the sun was sinking fast so I took as many photos as I could with the sun lighting up part of the rocks while causing a reflection in the sea. If I had stopped to check each image I would have missed a lot of opportunities If I want to push myself to come down firmly on one side of the argument I would say that my overriding feeling about chimping is that it breaks the photography flow, it puts the focus on the product rather than the process and, to some extent, when I engage in the practice I feel that I am putting an emphasis on looking for perfection rather than progress, and that is not what I want from my photography. From that viewpoint I do think that too much chimping will spoil our photography experience. But in certain circumstances it does have its uses, so, as with most things, a sense of balance in using chimping, and a clear awareness of why we are chimping, is required. What do you think about chimping? Do you do it? Why? Why not? I would love to hear your views in the comments below

Would you like to capture a silky waterfall by using a simple technique on your iPhone? Recently I went out with the sole intention of trying out Live Photos on my iPhone 11 Pro. I was particularly interested in seeing if I could get a silky waterfall image, similar to that achieved with a dedicated camera and slow shutter speed. I found a suitable waterfall, opened the phone camera and turned on Live Photos. How to locate Live Photos Live Photos is easy to use. When you open your camera, you’ll see a circle icon in the top right-hand corner with a line through it. Tap on the circle to turn on Live Photos. The line will disappear. It is now possible to capture motion using your iPhone. I shot this photo using Live Photos When you have taken your shot, open the image from the square on the bottom left of the camera screen. Scroll up from the bottom of the image to reveal Effects – Loop, Bounce and Long Exposure (screenshot) Choose Long Exposure and watch as your image is transformed into a long exposure image. I experimented with the effect again using a spinning garden ornament. Is the effect as good as that achieved by a dedicated camera? No. Do you get the same experience as using a dedicated camera with its range of shutter speeds? No. But despite the fact that using Live Photos on an iPhone to capture motion doesn't quite match what can be achieved with a real camera, using Live Photos is fun and easy to use. Whenever I come across a beautiful waterfall or other moving object I can take out my phone and easily make an image that captures the motion, adding another dimension to mobile phone photography. Why not give Live Photos a try if you have the option on your phone?

"The more you shoot the more you learn why you shoot." I recently listened to a video tutorial by a well-known photographer who, while suggesting that observation and discovery are vital elements in improving our photography techniques, urged the viewer not to do this discovery using a phone camera, but rather to have a real camera at hand for this experimental work. He cited as a reason for saying this the fact that the lenses and focal length are very different between phone camera and dedicated camera and that the phone camera will give an inaccurate impression of what a photograph with a dedicated camera would turn out like. While I do take his point, and know that it makes a lot of sense, I also believe that the phone camera has a role to play in improving photography, particularly for learners. Why do I believe this? Well, let’s take a look. I have come to realise, something which to me was quite a major revelation, that there really is a lot to learn in photography. Photography is not just about going out with a camera, pointing at a few subjects or scenes, pressing the shutter a few times and coming back with great images. Apart from learning all about our camera, there is a lot of learning about the art of photography that must take place before we begin to produce anything worthwhile. We need to understand the importance of light and how to use it to our best advantage. We need to be able to identify a strong subject in our scene that will draw the viewer into our image. We need to know about composition, learn composition techniques and know how to best compose our image so that it is pleasing to the eye. We need to learn about some of the accepted ‘rules’ of composition but also be brave enough to break them so we can follow our own instincts. If our photography is to become something that we own, something unique to us, then we need to experiment, explore, discover things for ourselves and do things our way. What do you want from your photography? For me, photography is experimental. I don’t expect to go out and make amazing images. If I get even one image that pleases me, I consider that to be a success. What I do want is to make progress. I want to see a development in my photography; an improvement in the quality of the images I make. I want to compare my images to those I made last month or last year and see that I have advanced, even if the advancement is just a small step forward. I want to master the essentials – to be able to identify strong subjects for my images, make better compositions and learn how to make better use of light. I want to be able to notice mistakes immediately rather than posting images with glaring faults that no photographer, not even a beginner, should make. All of this needs study and practice: study of the many and varied elements that go to making up a good image; practice to internalise these elements and to be able to use them naturally when taking photographs. Some of this work can be done by reading, listening to or watching tutorials and learning from instructors online or in workshops. But most of the real learning is done ‘in the field’. This is where we put the theory into practice, when we take what we have read or heard and use it in the making of our images. How can the phone camera help? Learning photography involves constantly observing, being on the lookout for photo opportunities, finding ways to improve. I believe that the phone camera can help us here in several ways. Below are the three most powerful ways I see in which your phone camera can help you improve your photography. 1. Improving Composition When I am focusing on composition techniques my ‘camera in my pocket’ is invaluable because I can take it out at any time, frame up a scene or subject, and see whether it works as a composition. For example, when I am learning about how to use leading lines to enhance my images, I can look out for examples of these as I walk in my local area or park and experiment with their use by taking out my phone camera and trying out different ways to incorporate leading lines in my images. I always think leading lines are more effective when there are people in the picture. In this image it is almost as though the path leads our eye along to the two walkers In this image the road runs on past the walkers and leads our eye beyond them into the distance The same is true for other composition techniques such as natural framing, symmetry or using different perspectives. My phone can help me to experiment with different ays of using these techniques to capture an image. I used the bars to frame the image, and managed to capture the boats between the bars The water provided a good symmetrical image here I like to capture subjects from unusual perspectives 2. Finding Strong Subjects When my emphasis is on identifying a strong subject for my images I can observe as I walk around to see where I can find interesting subjects or elements that would make good focal points, and I can shoot my subject from different perspectives to see what turns out best. 3. Working With Light Light is an important element in photography. It is something that is always changing and that affects our images in different ways depending on its source or intensity. Shooting with the light behind us will give a different result than having the light behind the subject. Side light will reveal another result. Shooting in soft, diffused light will give a different result than shooting in harsh light. Being able to experiment with different light has opened my eyes to the importance of light and my phone camera has provided opportunities to experiment at different times of day and in all kinds of light. These images were captured on an early morning walk in summer, before the light became too harsh Conclusion While some photographers will say that it is not a good idea to experiment with photography techniques by using a phone camera, others will no doubt say that a phone camera is good enough to make our final images without having to resort to a real camera at all. For me, there must be a balance. I don’t exclusively do mobile photography, but neither do I see it as second best. At times my phone camera gives me exactly the images I want, and I often take photos with only that camera. I don’t see my phone camera solely as a tool with which to experiment before I bring along my big camera to make ‘real’ images. But sometimes it does fulfil this function. It allows me to practise my learning, to experiment, to discover new possibilities, and most of all to enjoy the journey rather than becoming too focused on a finished product. Over to you. Do you agree with the photographer who tells us not to practice photography with a phone camera or do you think it has a role to play in helping us become better photographers? Have your say in the comments below. You might also like to read my earlier post on the same subject.