Most of us underestimate the power of gratitude to boost our mental wellbeing. When I was young, I often heard the phrase ‘count your blessings’ but I certainly didn’t realise the multitude of positive effects which counting our blessings can bring, including increasing our happiness and life satisfaction. Today I have come to believe in the power of gratitude to make a difference to our outlook on life and thereby improve mental health. When I am grateful for life, for health, for beauty and for the love that is abundant in my life, and when I focus on this gratitude and have an appreciation for what is, I cannot at the same time entertain self-pity, envy of others or negative thoughts, and this has to be supportive of my wellbeing. But that is just my opinion. What does the science say? There is a sizeable amount of research to back up the claim that gratitude increases our happiness. One of the main cornerstones of positive psychology is the psychology of gratitude. I have an interest in this area and I recently wrote a post entitled What is Positive Psychology and How Could It Change Your Life? Positive psychology starts from the premise that most people are happy most of the time and that this sense of wellbeing can be built upon. One of the areas of our lives that we can develop is the area of gratitude, and there are many reasons why we should cultivate an ‘attitude of gratitude’ in our lives. In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships. Giving thanks can make you happier. Published: November, 2011 Harvard Health Publishing - In Praise of Gratitude There is a growing body of research which suggests that gratitude can be seen as a ‘life orientation’ in some people. in other words, for these people gratitude is not just practised when they are thankful for something done for them. Rather, their feelings of gratitude stem from noticing and being appreciative of the positive things in life (Wood et al., 2010). Other researchers refer to the existence in some people of a ‘grateful trait’ (Watkins, Woodward, Stone & Kolts, 2003). We can all develop this attitude of gratitude and become more appreciative of the little things that are available to us every day, and what emerges from the research is that feeling gratitude is extremely powerful. There is a strong link between gratitude and happiness, and happiness is related to life satisfaction and general wellbeing. Cultivating gratitude will therefore benefit our health in a multitude of ways. Often when I look at photographs from a certain place they bring back memories of that time, the people who were with me and the emotions I felt, which all invoke a sense of gratitude As well as having images in our general photography collection which bring back good memories, one of the benefits of doing photography more mindfully is that it increases our sense of gratitude and, as we have seen from research, it follows that this will bring benefits to our mental health and wellbeing. But how exactly does mindful photography help to increase our sense of gratitude? Louie Schwartzberg, a cinematographer, suggests that the work he does with time-lapse photography can be a form of meditation. Schwartzberg states, “Nature’s beauty is a gift that cultivates appreciation and gratitude,“ and he talks about how there is a connection amongst us all, and a universal rhythm in life (Schwartzberg, 2011). I can easily see, when I think of a typical mindful photography shoot, how this is so. I go to my chosen area and observe my surroundings, using my senses to really be in the place and in the moment, listening to sounds and becoming aware of any smells around me as well as taking in the visual environment. I look around for photo opportunities, assess the possibilities for landscape images, close up images, how to use different perspectives, how to vary depth of field, and so on. I consider how best to compose my image and how I can convey the emotion I feel in this place. When I fully absorb a scene in this way, I become aware of aspects of the scene that will not be part of my photo shoot, such as the gentle swaying of flowers and grasses in the breeze, the lapping of water onto the lake shore, the twittering of birds and the buzzing of bees, the warmth of the sun on my face. Seeing, hearing and sensing the beauty of nature produces moments of awe and wonder, moments when I can leave aside the busyness of everyday life, of ‘doing’, and spend a few moments just ‘being.’ It is in these moments, which are part of the mindful photography experience, that I feel gratitude for being alive and for all that life gives me. Most of my mindful photography experiences are in places where I am close to nature, such as woodlands, lakeshores, near mountains or by the sea. Even when I am close to home, in a built-up environment, my mindful photography practice urges me to see beauty wherever I can, particularly to try to find beauty in the mundane. No matter what environment I may be in, I can walk slowly, observe, listen, and appreciate what I see and hear. Mindful walking has become recognised as a way to connect more with the world around us, so when we add a camera to that experience, we use our photography as an acknowledgment of the unique beauty that we see and that we are privileged to capture. We begin to appreciate what is on our doorstep as well as the magnificent landscapes and beautiful places that we may be fortunate enough to visit. In mindful nature photography we can see trees, hedges, plants and flowers with different eyes, while in urban landscapes there is an abundance of features, such as lines, shapes, texture, contrast, reflections, light and shadow, to draw our eye and extend our powers of appreciation. When we begin to notice that which we were previously too busy to notice, we become open to hearing how our images speak to us. Our final images are always a collaboration between ourselves and our subject. Regardless of how great our equipment may be, we are still influenced by weather, light, creation (natural or human) and time, and our interaction with each, in order to produce our final image. When we ask ourselves what we have learned in making each image, and acknowledge our interdependence, we have a perfect opportunity to show gratitude to our subject, to show gratitude for the experience and to show gratitude for everyone and everything which had an influence over our final creation. In mindful nature photography we can see trees, hedges, plants and flowers with different eyes ********************************* This is one in a series of blog posts relating to mindful photography. You might also like to read my previous blogs: How Trying Mindful Photography Really Changed My Perspective Does Photography Support A Mindfulness Experience Or Take From It How Embracing Mindful Photography Has The Power To Transform Your Life 3 Powerful Reasons To Embrace MIndful Photography If you know anyone who might enjoy this post, please feel free to share the link.

“Landscape photography is the supreme test of the photographer – and often the supreme disappointment.” ― Ansel Adams Learning photography is difficult. Learning to do landscape photography well is particularly difficult as there is so much to master. You might ask, “Why not just use your smartphone?” Granted, the phone camera has taken a lot of the hard work out of photography, and for smartphone photographers the learning curve is not as steep as it is for those who want to use a DSLR or mirrorless camera. But if you want to improve at photography it is still important to know the basic techniques required to capture decent images, and there are a lot of them. Getting to grips with the basics I started my learning from a low base so there was plenty to master. Aside from the well known exposure triangle of ISO, aperture and shutter speed, and all the learning that this entailed, there was also learning about camera settings, understanding the influence of light on our images, knowing which camera mode to choose in which setting, metering, which I still have difficulty understanding, and of course getting to know all about lenses. Then there was the composition side of things; dealing with the numerous decisions and adjustments we have to make in order to try to capture that ‘perfect’ image. In the field At every location I spend time choosing the best lens, deciding which aperture to use, adjusting and re-adjusting the angle from which I shoot, looking for an interesting foreground, and dealing with a myriad of other considerations before I am finally happy with my shots. And inevitably, I have arrived at beautiful locations, tried my best to capture the beauty of the place, and left disappointed that the beauty did not translate into good images. This is one of my favourite places to visit, but my images don't do it justice. That disappointment often led to frustration and a sense of pointlessness; to a feeling that I’ll never be a good photographer if I can’t even make a good image in an amazing location. What changed? It was after numerous outings like this, when I put away my camera for the umpteenth time and left my location with a feeling of despondency, that I came across a sentence that was to completely change the course of my photography. I first heard this sentence in one of the early videos on a landscape photography course that was teaching me the basics of composition. Then I heard it again and it seemed to be repeated at the end of each video. After a lesson showing how to choose the best focal length for your landscape photos, or how to use framing to enhance your photos, or how to make use of leading lines, the photographer, Clifford Pickett, would say: Before you leave the location, put away your camera and take in the scene. Before you leave the location, put away your camera and take in the scene. And these words have had a profound influence on my perspective since then. I began to realise that beautiful locations had become just photography opportunities for me. I was often leaving these locations downhearted rather than uplifted by the beauty around me. I was failing to see and appreciate what was an amazing visual feast because I was so focused on getting my shots. I was failing to notice the way the evening mist covered the mountain top because the weather was dull and overcast and wouldn’t yield any good images. I was missing the way light played in the trees, because I was too focused on the fact that it was too bright to get a good exposure. I was missing how trees and houses and hills were reflected in the lake on a late summer evening because my attempts to capture the scene in an image were flat and uninteresting. By concentrating my focus solely on the image I wanted to make, I often missed the beauty of the place Then I heard that sentence. And I began to make one change after each photo shoot. Instead of putting my camera away and leaving the scene, I put my camera away and stayed. I stayed just to ‘take in’ the scene. These two words stood out for me in the sentence. It wasn’t put away the camera and enjoy the scene. What I was being urged to do, after the time I had spent manipulating the elements of the scene to give me a good image, was to ‘take in’ the scene around me; to observe, to be present, to really see before I left, and not to leave disappointed because my desire to capture a certain photo wasn’t realised. And it was that action, based on that sentence, that changed my perspective on photography. It has increased my gratitude for the beauty that I formerly took for granted. It has given me a new appreciation of the natural world. I now take the time to see what is around me, to listen and hear the sounds of nature, to notice the small things like tiny flowers, unfamiliar grasses, unusual rock formations, busy insects or the gently moving clouds above me. Putting down my camera and taking in the scene has allowed me to slow down, to take time for myself, to spend quality alone time rather than always rushing from one moment to the next, from one location to another one. An added advantage of putting away the camera and taking in each scene for a while before leaving is that it helps you become generally more observant. Learning to be more observant will increase your chances of capturing more interesting shots, regardless of the type of photography you practise. There is so much to see in every location. When you slow down you begin to appreciate all that is around you Conclusion Hearing and acting on this sentence has helped me slow down. The benefits of taking time to slow down and appreciate what is around us rather than frantically moving from place to place has a beneficial effect on our photography. But the benefits of slowing down extend beyond photography. Most of us rush at breakneck speed, hardly taking a moment to notice what is around us. By putting away the camera and taking in the scene, our perspective changes. By slowing down and taking this time we will begin to live more fully in the moment and be part of the world around us. So next time you are out taking photographs, before you leave the location put away your camera and take in the scene. It will be worth it.

“There is only you and your camera. The limitations in your photography are in yourself, for what we see is what we are.” Photographer Ernst Haas (1921 – 1986). I took my camera out on a late December afternoon, away from the madness of the post Christmas sales. There appeared to be nothing worth shooting; no glorious sunset, no fabulous rainbow, no amazing light turning an ordinary scene into something extraordinary. But I wanted to get some shots. These are some of the results. Trees in Winter I love to see in winter Bare branches held up high In lovely, lacy patterns Against a cloudy sky. I learned this poem in primary school and it comes to mind whenever I take a winter walk and see the trees stretching their branches to the sky.

Thanks to all who have been following some of my blogs as I make what for me is an interesting and exciting journey into the world of photography. I would love to hear your comments, advice or questions. Please do contact me with any of the above, or just to say hi, at wildwillowways@gmail.com Photography is the simplest thing in the world, but it is incredibly complicated to make it work. Martin Parr, photographer. These words of photographer Martin Parr are very true. So many of us can take photographs easily with our smartphones and post them on social media for all to see. And we are very pleased with them. But yet of how many of these images could we really say, ‘that works as an image!’ And what is it that makes an image work anyway? That is the question I have been asking myself over the last number of weeks. I have studied aperture, shutter speed, composition, light, focal length, and yet I still ask the question, What makes an image work? Maybe I should re-frame the question and ask, Does the image work for me? Is it saying something that is important to me? Are these images presenting my own voice, illustrating my vision? When I started out on my photography journey I read much advice about finding out what type of photography I favoured before investing in expensive lenses. I started out with landscape photography, found that I enjoyed close-up photography and progressed to taking up challenges in many varied types of photography. A couple of months in and I find myself generally going for simplicity in my photographs. Cluttered images don’t appeal to me. I like to isolate the subject and blur the background in some situations, concentrate on a particular aspect of a scene when composing a shot in other situations or focus on a single aspect of a landscape rather than a wide, sweeping photograph with a lot going on in it. The desire to isolate a subject and keep a shot simple has not been by design but has come about spontaneously. I seem to be naturally drawn to creating a simple image and using techniques such as experimenting with depth of field or shutter speed to make the image more interesting and visually appealing. Unfortunately, without proper feedback, they may only be visually appealing to myself. However, photography is in essence very subjective. Photography is our unique way of seeing the world, of learning to be present in the moment and translating that moment into an image. Each of us needs to communicate our own vision, therefore it is important to continually develop our own creative awareness. While shooting on a seaside promenade recently I took lots of photos of people walking but I didn’t really like any of them. They were too ‘busy’; nothing stood out for me. My favourite photos of the day were the simple ones. These two were experiments with depth of field using manual and aperture priority. I also like the simplicity of these images. The whole philosophy of this blog is simplicity. I am not aiming to be a professional photographer and essentially I am learning as I go along and sharing that learning. I make mistakes, lots of them. I take many bad photographs. But I have learned to love some of my mistakes and bad images because they are evidence that I have at least made an attempt to learn something new. The difficulty and challenge of the craft—the way it stretches you and demands more of you than you expected—is not an obstacle to getting where you want to be; it’s the path to getting there. David DuChemin, Photographer

Photography's WOW moments! Photography has an interesting history. I imagine that when Joseph Nicéphore Niépce discovered that he had actually captured an image that didn’t react to light, the first permanently fixed image that he could show to his friends, he experienced one of life’s ‘wow moments’. The photograph, which is the earliest known surviving photograph made in a camera, was taken in 1826 from an upstairs window of Niépce’s estate in the Burgundy region of France and is known as ‘View from the Window at Le Gras’. The first colour image, taken by James Clerk Maxwell in 1861, probably produced a similar reaction, as I’m sure did the first digital image when it was produced in 1957, almost 20 years before Kodak invented the first digital camera. Photography as an art form has such a steep learning curve that it produces many ‘wow moments’ for the photography student. Aside from capturing occasional stunning landscapes, for myself these moments came when I managed to capture an image with a nicely blurred background, when I captured motion in a scene, when I began to see how to work with different lights to create different outcomes and effects, such as the ‘starburst effect’. As was the case throughout the entire history of photography, progress in the art of photography is about continual practice and continual surprise when an effect or composition turns out as intended. Playing with light Here I experimented with silhouettes of trees using different light. In the first photograph the image was deliberately overexposed while in the second the image was properly exposed according to the camera's light meter and the fading light. Both photographs were taken on a late November evening. The final images are slightly different as a result of the different light. I see this as a first step in learning how a camera responds differently in different lighting conditions and getting to know how I can set my camera to get the most pleasing exposure or to experiment with different effects. The importance of light What makes photography a strange invention is that its primary raw materials are light and time. John Berger (art critic, painter and poet) The essence of photography is light; without light there would be no photography. The word photography itself means ‘drawing with light’. It is also about the balance between light and time; how much light will hit the sensor and for how long. Understanding the role that light and time play in photography will make the process of making images more rewarding. George Eastman, the founder of Kodak, once said, Embrace light. Admire it. Love it. However, above all, know light. Know it for all you are worth, and you will know the key to photography. Understanding the ‘exposure triangle’ has been a big part of my learning so far, and learning to read the camera’s light meter has helped me move from auto or semi-auto into full manual mode. I am assured that the process becomes more intuitive with time and practice. Added to this, I have tried to take lots of photographs and made a project out of improving my techniques in different areas. Most of my photographs don’t produce the wow factor but, as the photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson remarked, “Your first ten thousand photographs are your worst.” In that case, I have plenty of room for more practice and more improvement.

Following on from my last post, a second aspect of my new learning was what to do with shutter speeds and how this knowledge might enhance my photography. My only initial knowledge was that the shutter closes for a period of time once the shutter button is pressed and that the length of time for which the shutter is closed can be varied. I also knew that we were talking fractions of seconds. What I didn’t know was the range of shutter speeds available and what effect a ‘fast’ or ‘slow’ shutter speed would give. Once again, out with the camera for some experimentation. There was a fairly small amount of movement of the water over stones in these images, but the setting did allow me to get close enough to experiment with shutter speeds. My first attempts were not so good, although I do see a difference in the images due to the variation in shutter speeds. In the first two photographs the bubbles are obvious where motion has been frozen, while in the third the silky look means that motion is captured to some extent. I made another attempt, this time with slightly better results. Freezing motion seemed to be a bit more intuitive and yielded better results than conveying a sense of motion. I decided to have a go at capturing the motion of vehicles as they passed on the road. I enjoyed the results as in these photos there is a definite sense of motion going on. In each of these attempts I was using shutter priority mode on my camera, where I changed the shutter speed and allowed the camera to determine the aperture and ISO. I decided to have a go with capturing motion using fully manual mode for the next image, below. Both aperture priority mode and shutter priority mode enable us to add variety to our images and become more creative with our compositions. They are well worth learning and using to enhance your photographs.

When I started on my photography journey I knew very little about the vocabulary of photography. Terms such as ‘bokeh’ were new to me, and while I was familiar with the term aperture, I didn’t know how it worked in photography terms. After some study into this area I now know the basics and have become familiar with how aperture works to create depth of field. There are lots of good articles that describe and explain aperture much better than I can, but to put it simply, when I have a wide aperture (low F stop) I am able to focus on a subject and blur the background, in other words create a shallow depth of field. I recently took this information out ‘into the field’ to put some of my learning into practice. I started in my own garden isolating some flowers and blurring the backgrounds. My lens allows an aperture of F1.8 but I discovered that I couldn’t focus properly at this aperture so mostly used a slightly higher F stop. I did a few experiments indoors and further afield, attempting in each case to isolate a subject and blur the background. Normally choice of subject would be important in shots like this as it is the main focus of the shot, although for experimentation purposes I wasn’t too concerned with that. Taking the experimentation with aperture a little further, in the next shot I attempted to isolate the third pillar and blur the others, while in the apple experiments, using an f stop of 2.8, I tried to focus on each apple in turn, blurring the others. This technique would be useful for focusing on one person in a crowd and blurring everyone else. My second experiment was with opening the aperture to different widths and taking shots of lights. My next experiments will be with shutter speed.

What is Flow and why is it important for our wellbeing? I’m sure most of us know the feeling – we get so immersed in what we are doing that we forget about everything else and time passes with our realising it. Most of us have also heard the term ‘being in the flow’. What we might not know is that research has been done in this area and the research would seem to indicate that being in this state is good for our mental well-being. Italian-born psychologist, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, was the first to recognise and name the psychological concept of ‘flow’. He defined the concept after interviews with artists who reported that they would get so immersed in their work that they would forget about everything around them, even eating, sleeping and showering. Flow is “a state of heightened focus and immersion in activities such as art, play and work”. It is the state of the writer writing, the musician composing or performing, the artist, potter, sculptor engaging in their craft, the athlete ‘in the zone’, the dancer dancing, the cook creating a meal, the child at play - the list is endless. Positive Psychology argues that when we are in a state of flow we lose consciousness of ourselves, move out of our head and into a more positive, rewarding state; a state of fulfillment. Research in this area indicates that people who experience flow on a regular basis have lower levels of depression and anxiety. Mihaly Csíkszentmihályi actually goes so far as to say that flow is the secret to happiness, https://www.ted.com/talks/mihaly_csikszentmihalyi_on_flow?language=en https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-flow-2794768 If these claims are true, and the converse is also true that lack of flow sustains anxiety, it is a good reason to develop an interest, a hobby, a project in which we are really invested and in which we can become so fully involved that we regularly experience ‘flow’. Photography as a flow activity For me, photography is my flow activity. When I take my camera out and about I can forget all about my every day cares and concentrate on the activity at hand: How will I frame the picture? Which angle will I shoot from? Will I try for a wide or shallow depth of field? How can I get closer to my subject? How do I get the best shot? Photography is a subject that has vast potential for learning, for improvement, for creativity, for adventure, for enjoyment. It fits very well into Csíkszentmihályi’s explanation that, "Flow also happens when a person's skills are fully involved in overcoming a challenge that is just about manageable, so it acts as a magnet for learning new skills and increasing challenges." In that sense I have found my pursuit of photography to be a real ‘flow’ activity. Everyone will choose their own activity but it appears to be important to at least have some such activity which will develop our positive mental health and well-being. Here I wanted to achieve the star burst effect by using a high F-stop, in this case F16. These are my first few attempts. Conclusion Spending time with my camera observing, experimenting, discovering new techniques, overcoming challenges and enjoying the places I visit are activities that bring me into a flow state, a real anecdote to the stresses and anxieties of life. There is a real link between photography and flow. What is your flow activity?

My first posts in wildwillowways.com were written during August and September and I have ordered them to represent my journey as a beginner in photography. Future blog posts will appear as written and will hopefully reflect a continuing journey. During my research into camera equipment I relied extensively on user reviews from other amateur photographers and appreciated camera tips. I believe that being willing to take criticism will help me develop my photography skills so I welcome comments from readers of this blog. Please let me know what I am doing well and how I can improve, or pass on ideas for future blog themes.

Part of my reason for getting started with photography was my desire to slow down and begin to notice life as it unfolds around me. I want to go to interesting places and shoot both natural and human life. I want to tell stories through pictures and see things from new perspectives. i want to share my journey with anyone who is interested in following and hopefully learn from many people as my journey progresses. Photography offers all these things and more. I am not a professional photographer and don't intend to post photographs for their technical ability. Rather, I want to experience aspects of life through my camera lens and capture some of that experience for others to share. I will learn new techniques as I go along, and these too I intend to publish so that they might inspire just one other person to follow my path into the exciting field of photography. Everyone who takes up a camera will have a different experience - no two photographs will ever be exactly the same - but some of the questions, problems and frustrations, as well as the numerous joys, will be the same, and sometimes through sharing these we can support and inspire each other to keep going with this very rewarding art form. I do have an ultimate aim as I embark on what will probably be a steep learning curve - I want to take good photographs, photographs that I am proud of for a specific reason. I constantly look for photo opportunities but so far haven't had the relevant know-how to translate those opportunities into a good photo. I would like to learn about the technical aspects of photography and know how to get the best out of my camera. I would like to experiment with different lenses and try out various techniques. I would like to learn from studying professional images to discover what makes a great photograph. I would like to take a photograph to tell a story, to capture a moment, and to share these moments with a wider community. On this new journey there will be lots of failures, hopefully some successes and a lot of learning. I have gone on a number of photography walks and ended up with boring pictures. The main mistake I have made is to shoot the most obvious subject. Recently in my local park I tried to take an 'expert' picture of ducks as they enjoyed their morning routine. I watched two ducks as first one, then the other, went head down into the water. I thought, why won't they both keep their heads up so I can take my 'perfect' photograph? Then they both decided to dive down and I snapped the image. It's a natural image, it's what ducks do, they hunt for food. This photograph tells their story. My technique needs some work, and hopefully it will develop as I go on, but storytelling with my camera will be my priority. Discovering our creativity You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have. Maya Angelou As a beginning photographer I have probably fallen down the same rabbit hole as many others and concentrated primarily on equipment, researching for hours to find the best camera for my budget, then mulling over which lens to buy next, and of course there are a lot of new techniques to master. However, the reality is that what draws me to photography is the potential to be creative so I need to find the time to think creatively, to act creatively in my photography practice, to look at things differently, ask myself, 'what type of photographs do I want to take?' and go for it. Creativity is about trusting ourselves, trying something different, experimenting, making mistakes, learning from them, trying again. While I don't aspire to becoming a photojournalist I do admire their work and often take inspiration from these master storytellers. They are experts at shooting the images that tell a great story. I will never create something entirely new but as a photographer I can, and should, create something that is new to me. In doing this, in being true to my own vision, it may even be possible to move others through my images. Conclusion Why is photography worth learning? Photography is challenging, creative, relaxing, gives us purpose, helps us express our view of the world. Learning photography is hard work, we don't know where it will lead, but it is a fascinating and worthwhile pursuit that amply rewards the effort it takes to learn. Don't wait until you've reached your goal to be proud of yourself. Be proud of every step you take toward reaching that goal. Unknown

As I scroll through photography blogs online I am assailed by vivid images of fabulous landscapes, beautiful portrait photographs taken in varying light conditions, sharp lines and curves, well composed pictures telling interesting stories. Compared to these my attempts at photography seem flat and lifeless. Even my best photos are a disappointment to me. For that reason this is not going to be another space to showcase professional photographs, although it might fall into the category of 'Photography Blog', nor is it even a blog for gifted amateur photographers. This blog is essentially a diary of a budding photographer with a passion for, and interest in, the subject, but limited know-how. It is in that sense a starter blog and I hope someone out there will share my journey as I come to grips with photography-related jargon, try to spend money as wisely as possible in a field where one can easily incur exorbitant costs, and most of all try to embrace the challenge of learning a new skill and enjoy the excitement of travelling along paths as yet unknown. Recently I have become focused on shooting 'scenes' with my smartphone camera, rather than simply taking the usual 'snaps', in order to get a feel for 'real' photography. I have tried to look with a photographer's eye. On one of my recent 'photography walks' I became aware of a bird high in a tree and watched as it went about its business. Even though it wasn't possible to capture the image in any great detail with my phone camera I did feel that I am becoming more observant of what is going on around me and I believe that this is a key skill in becoming a better photographer. It also teaches me patience. I didn't capture the image on that occasion but the time will come when I will be in the right place at the right time and with the right lens to capture an image worth capturing. In the meantime I will enjoy becoming more observant in everyday life, with or without a camera to capture the moment! Sharing a creative vision My belief about photography is that you can have one of two approaches - you can aim for technically perfect shots that abide by all the photography rules and stand up to criticism, or you can use your images to tell a story, create a pictorial narrative that the viewer can 'read', display your vision, your view of the world, with your images. If I ask myself what it is that draws me to a particular scene, a scene that makes me want to convert it into a photograph, and if I can answer that question to my satisfaction, then chances are that the image will speak to those who view it also. I have often gone out, camera in hand, and taken very few photographs. Nothing called me. I may have taken a few images to work on a specific technique but nothing around me spoke to me in a way that I wanted to capture and preserve. Whether my mode of photography is travel photography or street photography, whether I am shooting landscapes or images in nature, my aim in photography is to be true to myself, to take photographs that speak to me in some way, that have meaning. And if they speak to me, they may speak to others too. Do you agree that it is important to have your own vision when learning photography? Have your say in the comment box.

There is so much to discover when learning photography, so where do you begin? Do you start with camera lessons, by reading the camera manual or by getting out into the field and experimenting? Before getting out into the 'field' I watched some YouTube videos on getting to know the camera and enrolled on a beginner's camera course. Some commentators suggest using auto mode for a while, others suggest getting out of auto as quickly as possible. I read about aperture, shutter speed and ISO, and watched tutorials on each, but they made very little sense, so I began my 'hands on' learning by taking the camera out and snapping from different angles, and different distances, while still in auto mode. This was my first attempt at getting creative with my camera. I always liked the blurred background effect but didn't know how to achieve it. I now know that it's down to aperture so I'm out of auto and onto aperture priority. I took my camera out to my garden to experiment with A (Aperture Priority) and P (Programmed Auto). The Blue Challenge! On one of my go-to photography sites https://digital-photography-school.com/weekly-photography-challenge-out-of-blue I was presented with the blue challenge - to go out and shoot as many images as possible with blue subjects. I was definitely guilty of contempt prior to investigation on this one. I didn't see the point in only taking photographs of blue, but on a 30 minute walk around my own neighbourhood, snapping only blue, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the task, and how much I take for granted as I go about my 'busy' life! This task asked me to become observant, to seek out blue. So off I went with my camera and kit lens. Below are some of my first attempts. I will now have to shoot at blue hour! My attempts will show up in a further post. My next task is to capture only autumn colours. Again, this involves being selective and observant, looking for the colours that epitomise the season but that will also make for a worthwhile picture. Not as easy as it might seem! The photograph on the bottom right was captured with my phone camera. It offers lots of potential for improvement. I am already becoming my own best critic! These are some of the starting points I used to get used to my camera and to begin to build a portfolio of images as a starting point for my photography learning. If you would like to add anything to this post, please use the comment box.