How did I get myself into photography?
I have heard this question many times from my friends and acquaintances. Most of the times, I heard it from the people that know me the best. All the time I come up with reasons and circumstances, each time a different one. Why should I make them up? Maybe because I do not have the right answer even for myself. Every time when I phase this question I find new reasons for which I became who I am now.
The thing is that only 2 ½ years ago I did completely opposite things that did not have anything to do with art. Do not get me wrong, I photographed like all normal people: birthdays, pets, trips…but thoughts about getting myself into professional photography never crossed my mind.
Most likely, photography found me and tried to penetrate its way into my heart, even once giving me a 3.2 pixel Olympus which only had room for 6 photos. One time, it sent me into the night city and made me look up at a pole that had an ad for those interested in photography school, which, of course, I ignored…But somehow it stayed in my subconsciousness. Then there were text messages..or maybe even before the pole…Now, I do not recall the details. Then there were loads of books and even more websites…Photography school…My baffled view of an amateur, an amateur that happened to be alone in a big city... I had fallen asleep with books and woke up reading them…There were moments even at night that I dreamt of diaphragms and millimeters ( I have witnesses), there were people that felt all the burden of a human that wants to photograph everything the world has to offer, does not matter what, just to capture…For that I am very grateful to them!
There are many different aphorisms about the subject “what does photography mean for me”, and everyone tries in his/her own way to explain to the world around them “their way of photography”. What about me? Well, once I read in a magazine, I am not going to lie, words of one photographer:
“When I travel to a different country, I always take a photo album. Family photos, pet photos, nature photos…Often, language of the photos can easily compensate the unknown language. Those photos make me who I am, they are my identity. Through them people can see me, even without any words”.
I cited this from memory…So there…Photography is my language, my expression, a discovery of my inner world. And believe me, even if you put away your camera and say “I do not know anything, this is not for me”, just know that everyone starts with that and everyone has those unsure thoughts, but you have to believe in yourself, survive through the difficult period, push yourself and go forward….
