Budding Photographer

If there’s one thing I can say as a good thing in the past 3 weeks, it is the fact that I have finished a Basic Photography Workshop conducted by Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation, Inc (FPPF). And as an icing on the cake, on our final day, my entry for the Open Space category was adjudged 7^th place! Not bad for someone like me who knew barely 10% of her DSLR camera.  J

my entry for the Open Space Category
which placed 7th during our Finals

But now, here’s the thing: winning the 7^th place has sort of affirmed that indeed, I knew how to take pictures and that I have a potential on this, thus, giving me that glimpse of an alternative career. Now, this isn’t bad is it? Then again, knowing that I can have this as an alternative career only fuelled my desire to get out of my current job FASTER.

Okay, I’ll admit this now: I’ve been at a point in my career when I believe that I have reached my saturation point. My present job is the longest I’ve held ever since I graduated from college. At first, I attributed this staying with maturity and “settling down” (career-wise). Oh yeah, the salary and benefits isn’t bad as well. But this year, as I have written in an earlier entry, I promised that 2011 is gonna be MY year; work will have to take a back seat. Hence, I was able to take up Basic Mandarin and now, Basic Photography. At some point, I was contemplating taking up Make-up Artistry. But something (gut feel) held me back from enrolling in a class, but that's for another discussion.

Now, photography is something that I know I want to pursue. Oh and yeah, being in the 7^th place is the big pat I needed; one which I prayed for if indeed this is a viable option for an alternative career. The feeling of wanting to be better; to learn more; to explore more areas of photography; even to the point that I am now willing to learn Photoshop and Lightroom 3! And when I say willing, I am willing to shell out big bucks for licensed programs. Not to mention that I need to save up also since Photography isn’t cheap as the lenses, flash(es), lights, other seminars I need to take, these will all cost me money. But the excitement of trying to see what or where I can be in this field is bringing me that sense of fulfilment I’ve never had for quite a while now.

Since finishing the workshop, I now have a different reason for wanting the work week to be done and over with; yeah because its gonna be weekend, and that means I am free to go and snap away to my heart’s content.  Getting into a photography workshop has also given me the ability to see the world differently. Most things I used to ignore before, I see now in a different perspective. Take for instance my office building which stands right beside the famed Manila Bay.  For 10 years, I’d look at the bay and say, “oh yeah, there’s the manila bay”. Or on occasions when I’d get to view the magnificent sunset, all I’d just say is “ ang ganda”. But now, even on rainy day, when the bay would exhibit a dark (sometimes black) color, I’m able to appreciate it.  A single boat or ship docked on the bay, makes me appreciate it nowadays. I am excited to see more of this world in a whole new different light.

Photography has also given me the courage to be alone and yet, not feel isolated. During my recent trip, when things were already tense among us, I’d get to escape the dramas of my friends by taking pics as we were walking along the streets of Hong Kong and Macau. After the trip and looking back at the 1,000+ shots I took, that’s when I realized that I survived the trip because of my camera. There were very few pictures where I was in it. Even on my friends’ cameras, they said they have very few pics of me, because I was almost always busy snapping away on my cam!

For now, photography serves as a personal outlet and at the same time, an opportunity to explore.