Photography 101
Class 0
>Genesis

How to become a photographer: start taking pictures.

Use whatever you have, an old smartphone, an ancient digital camera you found at a thrift shop. Doesn't matter, to get better, take a bunch of pictures, then take some more.

Whatever camera gear you use is going to have limitations, but those limitations will be your greatest ally once you learn the ins and outs of the camera.

Creativity and vision are what produce beautiful photos.

It is the struggle of the photographer trying to express that creativity and vision that sets apart a beginner from a pro.

Every pro started out as a beginner, but never gave up.

The 1000's of hours of pain and frustration of figuring out how to use the camera to express what they were aiming for, forged a photographer.

So just start. And struggle. Take garbage photo after garbage photo.

Celebrate the successes, which will be so few at first, and more often mistakes than truly intended.

But eventually, the successes will begin to outweigh the garbage.

The junk becomes the exception, triumph becomes the rule.

But only if you begin.

So get that camera, go on the hunt for beauty, indoors on a rainy day, outdoors when the sun is out.

The neverending quest for beauty is our birthright. Claim it, and never give up.

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Possible Actions:

>>Start taking pictures every single day. Can even start a "Photo of the Day" thing on your social media of choice. It will be good to be able to look back and see your progress.
>>Set a goal for how many pictures you want to take each day.


Class 1
>Boredom

Boredom is necessary for creativity.

In order to develop an artistic vision, you will need to reach some level of comfort with being bored.

Sitting in a field and listening to bird songs. Watching the clouds above slowly meander across the sky. Feeling the grass bent and broken beneath your feet.

Boredom is typically experienced when we are pulled into the present moment, when the things that we usually distract ourselves with fall silent.

To become an artist, we leave aside these distractions often. We dedicate large parts of our day to silent watching and listening.

Only then, will we see the thing that should be preserved in a photograph.

The first class, was to take a lot of pictures, so as to learn your camera, it's intricacies and foibles, and begin to understand the areas you need to work on.

This class is about how to start seeing what is worthy of being pictured.

Keep taking lots of pictures, but also work some silence and stillness into your days.

Being an artist is a spiritual craft, we are engaging in the work of glorifying God, and God should have some input into this work.

So practically, you can fulfill these two things at once: spend time in silent prayer.

Empty your mind, and pay attention to God's creation all around you.

You will see what is important.

And you may even hear, the voice of God.

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Possible Actions:

>>Set aside 10-20 minutes each day to pray silently. Ideally out in nature, but that's not necessary.