It wasn't until later when I was asked to update our website with new footage from a wedding when I noticed the beauty and the symmetry of the photos. From that point in time, whenever I was asked to add new content, I always upload everything but I take time to study the pictures.
A little later, I decided I wanted to take pictures instead of just admiring them.
The Beginning
My Dad bought himself a Nikon D90 DSLR in Manila and this was the time I decided to learn about photography with his camera.
One of our bosses decided to come home to the Philippines to attend to family matters. I took this as an opportunity to buy my first DSLR. My first mistake was I didn't ask anyone with experience in photography on what to buy. I just looked at BHPhotoVideo.com (because that's where the company buys equipment) and tried to find something that I could afford. I went with the Canon System because the company uses Canon.
At the time, all I could care about was getting my hands on a DSLR. I didn't know or care about what features would matter to me. I decided to get the Canon EOS T1i (a.k.a 500D). I got it for around $800. It was a kit package that came with two lenses, the Canon EF-S 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 Kit lens and the Canon EF-S 55-250 f/3.5-5.6 Telephoto.
It was going to take a little time before I could get my hands on my first camera. This was because the boss was coming home two weeks after the purchase.
In the meantime, I would shoot Jaski's cars using my Dad's camera on mostly Auto Mode.
I decided to read about exposure, composition, and post processing. I've had some photoshop experience in the past. However, it was limited to slicing PSDs into CSS and changing hues and adjusting saturation, very basic stuff. I got my hands on a few photography videos like Brian Peterson's The Perfect Picture and a bunch of Magic Lantern DVDs.
The Basics
I have always been a fast learner. Here are some of the things I already knew about just watching those instructional videos, using my dad's D90.
Exposure - the result you get from combining the right aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.
Depth-of-Field - the distance between the nearest and farthest objects in a scene that appear acceptably sharp in an image.
The relationship between Aperture (F-stop), Shutter Speed, and ISO (Film Speed)
- I learned that the wider your aperture is, meaning small f-stop number, the brighter the exposure, and the shallower your depth-of-field. Notice those pictures where a photographer takes a portrait and the eyes are sharp, but the rest of the face is blurred, that's the effect of a very small f-stop value.
- I also learned that the slower your shutter speed, the brighter your exposure, but blurring may occur depending on the amount of movement in the frame.
- I also learned the higher the ISO, the brighter the image is, but the noisier it becomes. Try taking a picture with a compact camera in very low light conditions without a flash. Those dots that you see, that's noise.
Two weeks later, my camera arrived. The first few days, I always ended up Photoshopping most of the shots I took because I couldn't get the exposure right. As time went by, I learned the capabilities of my camera, as well as its limitations. In retrospect, I should have waited until I could afford a 550D, but what is done is done. My 500D has served me well.
The Inspiration
I was invited by Dan Brian (dbgg1979) to join the iSTORYA.NET Photography Club (IPC). This is where I met other photographers who would inspire me.
Dan Brian would inspire me to never give up on the passion and to this day, still is my inspiration to become a better photographer. He was also the one who told me not to be afraid to bump up the ISO. He is the one who exposed me to the business side of photography.
Karlo Matuginas (kemsphotography) inspired me through his shots of weddings and models. I learned how to post process because of him.
Dexter Bongo (Recon25) inspired me through this travel photography. His shots of landscapes and places are iconic and well known to Filipino photographers. He also has a personal studio where he shoots for fun and a few clients. He gave me the idea to set up a studio of my own.
Rod Evan Incorporado (vanix09) also inspired me to take better portraits. Since this guy is fairly young and good looking, he has a virtually unlimited pool of models at his disposal. His post processing has also improved with time and I always strive to do the same.
I shoot with IPC a lot. I became one of its most active members. From cosplay to fashion to landscapes, I did it all. I also learned a lot of post processing techniques from the members, and I also came up with my own workflow through dozens of YouTube videos.
Photography became my outlet of stress and my reason to become a better person and photographer. If I was not working on a client website, or shooting cars, I was out there somewhere shooting with IPC. I also cover birthday parties of my family and other events, for free of course.
During my free time when there is no event to shoot, I usually read about new techniques and watch a lot of Photography Videos. I learned off camera flash shooting from One Light by Zack Arias. I learned my landscape composition from Raymond Cruz and my editing from Edwin Martinez and Chasing Light by Jay Jallorina.
The Defining Moment
Then that day came, the day that would mark my beginning as a Wedding and Events Photographer. Dan Brian called me to shoot with him at a low budget wedding. When he asked me, I immediately said yes. I did not ask how much we would be paid or other details. I just wanted to shoot.
I assumed that Brian covered a lot of weddings already, since I knew that in the past, he was the second photographer for Lito Inso (CrashBurn, www.litoinso.com), who is the inspiration for our colors and composition in PointandShoot.Asia.
My first wedding was not the disaster that I have played inside my head. I was nervous and afraid. I became the silent type. Brian would run the show, and I would be the one to take care of the sidelines. He was very composed, and very confident. We would finish the gig, get paid, and go home. Later on, I found out that this was the first wedding he ever covered on his own. And with that confidence, all I could say is wow!
From that first wedding experience, I learned a couple of things. First was to get the exposure right the first time. If you don't, you will end up editing a thousand under or over exposed photos and trust me, it will take a long, long time. Next was if you cannot get the exposure right, use the P mode on the camera. Between me and Brian, P stands for Panic.
He always tells me, "Just make sure you capture the moments, and get the exposure right. You will have a lot of time to get creative with Photoshop after the wedding."
Later on, I would shoot events on my own. I would shoot birthdays, corporate parties, reunions. Events are not that hard to shoot. Whatever happens, I capture. I don't have to talk until towards the end of the party where I ask everyone to gather for a group picture. Thats about it. It is like shooting just the reception of the wedding, fairly easy job.
A few weddings and events later, I decide that I have maxed out my 500D's potential. After a lot of research online and offline, I decide to get my second body. I wanted a 5D Mark-II. But I did not have the cash for it so I settled for a Canon EOS 60D. It served me well to this day, and I use it side by side with my 500D.
Currently, I still work for PointandShoot.Asia as a second photographer for weddings, and a main photographer for events. I also work for CebuWedding.net (run by Brian's wife, Tisha) as an assistant coordinator (with Brian, too). And I continue to develop websites for DLV Studios, but not as much as I used to. I still maintain existing clients' websites.
The Lessons
To summarize, here are the lessons I have learned with my experience and wish to impart on existing and aspiring photographers out there:
1. Owning a camera does not necessarily mean you're a photographer. The pictures that you produce define you.
2. Contrary to popular belief, you don't need expensive equipment to produce professional images. To this day, the best shot I ever took was with my 500D. This does not mean my 60D is crap. It only means I have already mastered my 500D and I still have a long way to go with my second body.
3. Always be humble. No matter how good you become, there will always be someone out there better than you.
4. Always be there to lend a hand. Teach the newbie no matter how annoying they may seem. Remember that started as one and you were once annoying, too with your hunger to know more.
5. Always be hungry. No matter how good you think you already are, there will always be room for improvement.
Ed Note: iSTORYA.NET Photography Club (IPC) is an officially registered and active club of ISTORYA.NET. If you are interested to join, please PM dbgg1979 or the author of this article.
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teeemoy
Tim Albano
IT Consultant/Writer/Web Developer/Photographer
teeemoy.com
"Think like a man of action. Act like a man of thought."
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