“Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst”
On January 30, 2000 our excitement was reigning high, it was difficult to keep our emotions in check. Super Bowl XXXIV had arrived and our beloved St. Louis Rams were playing. We are going to the game. To document the memorable day, I took along my first digital camera, a Canon G2. The St. Louis Rams won Super Bowl XXXIV by defeating the Tennessee Titans 23-16.
After the Super Bowl, it was great fun uploading images to the computer, editing, printing and sending them electronically to family and friends. This gave me much enjoyment. It was new and exciting. This encouraged me to take my photography skills a bit further and try to figure out how to use the dials and buttons on the camera. What did it all mean? I had no clue. It was all very confusing. I wanted to investigate.
Coincidentally, our family began diving in 2000. After our first dive trip to Cozumel, Mexico, I purchased a housing for my Canon G2. The switch had been flipped and I was excited to experience the world of underwater photography. The next 6 months were spent reading anything I could get my hands on, trying to learn all I could about photography. My head was going to explode. I was continually scouring the internet for information. Our next dive trip was in 6 months, I had to be ready.
My photography skills and learning stagnated over the next several years. Up to this point there was no connection, just basic ordinary underwater images. This Royal Gramma image was taken in 2007 and it changed everything. There was something different about this image. I liked it for starters, that was unusual. I am my own harshest critic. The composition looked good. It had vivid colors. The eye was sharp with highlights to boot. This image was an inspiration for me to dig deeper, learn more, experiment and to improve my skills. Not realizing it at the time, but eventually I would become a huge fan of "negative space".
Photography is a niche that allows me to express my creativity that fuels the artistic part of my soul. It is imperative that I continue to learn and experiment. My objective is to create unique, impactful, thought-provoking imagery.
Everyone has a creative niche...what's yours?
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Cozumel, Mexico | 2007 1/125, f6.3, ISO 100 Fairy Basslet | Royal Gramma | Gramma loreto