Photography as a Teacher for Life

I started taking photography seriously in 2016. My good friend is an extremely talented photographer, then and even more so now. He motivated and guided me when I was initially getting started. I put hundreds of hours into watching instructional videos, reading, and acquiring any and all knowledge about photography I could get my hands on. Since then, photography has become one of the most important aspect of my life. I have discovered an outlet to express my view of the world and show my appreciation for nature. Often in isolated places, I have been awarded an enormous amount of time to reflect on myself and the world around me.

Photography has compounded my love and admiration for the wild. When I started, I would take my camera on hikes or out exploring new places. I have witnessed firsthand the impact a photograph can have and I am constantly working to inspire appreciation for the outdoors. This planet is our only home. I want to use my photos to inspire others to take care of it.

Patience

I have often waited hours and even days for the conditions to be just right in a certain location to obtain the shot I had envisioned. What you don’t see when looking at a picture are the countless hours of work that went into capturing that moment. It could be as simple as seeing a bird fly by and waiting for it to fly by again. I don’t know when it will happen again, but I know it will happen. I have realized that when I force my photos much like forcing something in life, it is not to the standard that I have set for myself. Forced photos do not inspire me. I want to capture the moment as it occurs, whenever that may be. If that means waiting hours or days to realize that vision, I will.

Be in the moment

There are hundreds of pictures that I haven’t taken simply because I wanted to be in the moment. Without the camera in front of my eye I can truly connect with the scene. When you remove the camera, you become a participant in a moment you would otherwise simply be an observer. Shooting the Northern Lights, for example: My friends and I stand out in the cold for hours at a time and often only take a few pictures. Connecting with the moment is often far more important than capturing it. We withstand the cold, staring up at the sky, and discuss whatever comes into our heads, life, photography, how much we want hot chocolate ;)

Failure and Disappointment

I can’t tell you how many times I have envisioned a picture I want to take and due to one condition or another it has failed. In Alaska especially, the weather can be sporadic and unrelenting. I have gone to locations with clear skies above and left in a blizzard. Failure is a part of photography as much it is a part of life. Imagine climbing thousands of feet up the side of the mountain for a view of the magnificent lake below and the surrounding peaks. Then imagine just as you get to the top, exhausted and eager, a heavy fog rolls in and destroys visibility, with it your spirits. I have been in this exact situation many times. At this point I remind myself that the experience is the true reward. Though I don’t take photos in that situation, I am still thankful for the people I share those experiences with.

Self Doubt

When you care about something so much it becomes a foundational pillar in your life, you allow the risk of doubting your ability to succeed in that endeavor. With the rise of social media, we are bombarded with hundreds of thousands of images from all over the world. We see these perfect, beautiful pictures and it can be easy to compare our own work to them. I have fallen into this trap before. The way out is to determine what makes you happy. If you are happy and feel fulfilled from your endeavors, there is no need to envy the work of others. Don’t get me wrong, referencing other people’s work for inspiration and learning is necessary, but don’t allow your self worth to be determined by your view of others.

Adapt and Grow

Force yourself into situations in which you are completely terrified. Comfort leads to complacency, and complacency leads to failure. I remember a time when I was completely comfortable with taking pictures of the landscapes I was in. At that moment I knew I needed to branch out. I contacted a local wedding photographer and got a job shooting with him. This was my first wedding and I was terrified. Shooting landscapes you have no client to please, no deadline, no nagging sense of urgency. I shot the wedding and it turned out amazing. I now know my value as a wedding photographer and can take that initial knowledge and experience into the future. I have committed myself to doing at least one thing a day that scares me. In this way, I force myself into new situations and grow as a person.

Share your knowledge

I still very much consider myself a new photographer. In two years I have experienced many things but it would be foolish to consider that I know everything. That being said, I have a lot of people contact me seeking guidance in photography.

You do not have to know everything to teach someone

If you have one piece of knowledge that someone else doesn’t have, you have the incredible opportunity to impart that knowledge on them. You may see the information you have as being of little importance or value, but that information may be exactly what they need to progress and improve. Never discount the value of knowledge.

Find Your People

This is, in my opinion, the single most important thing you can do in life.

Through photography I have met some of the most important and genuine people in my life. We all share a respect and appreciation for nature and the outdoors that I have never experienced before. Before photography I would have considered myself an extremely introverted person. Through pushing my limits and forcing myself into new situations, I have grown tremendously as a person. Photography has allowed me to express myself in ways I never did before. Find people who will motivate and push you past your limits. Push them back. At the end of the day, the only thing we truly have is a human connection. Now more than ever it’s important to reach out and connect with people. If reaching out scares you, that’s okay. Use that fear to push you forward and improve. You will fail sometimes the fact that you continually try means you are making progress.

This post got a little deep but it’s something I’m extremely passionate about :)

Thank you so much for reading my thoughts. I really hope you found value in my writing and can use something you’ve read in your life. If you did enjoy this, please consider upvoting, commenting, and following. I would love to hear your feedback!

-Chase