NZPhotographer Issue 17, March 2019

Landscapes change, seasons pass, people grow
older, ecosystems evolve and so on. You can
participate in projects helping people or organisations
with your passion and when something happens as a
result of that it will be one of the best and memorable
moments of your life.
Say you volunteer for a local foster care and take
photos of the gorgeous inhabitants, it will very likely be
your photograph that soon-to-be adoptive parents
see first, that spark in the eye of that one little girl
grabbing at their heartstrings because you managed
to capture her looking just so in that split second of
time. This isn’t to say that you must give everything up
and start volunteering, but if you ever doubt whether
your photography is of any value, remember that you
can go out and create the value.
So, we’ve covered the social and fulfilment sides of
being a photographer but another major advantage
of loving your camera and developing some
photography skills is that you have an opportunity
to express and understand yourself in a way that
non-creatives don’t. No matter what niche of
photography you are into, nor how often you go out
with your camera, photography allows you to show
your inner world to others and is a great therapy to
relieve stress and anxiety.
I’m pretty sure you all experience the same feeling
that I do when I pick up my camera; the world just
disappears – whatever was happening a few minutes
ago doesn’t matter anymore.
It’s important to try and stay in this creative zone after
you’ve clicked the shutter and are at home viewing
your images on the big screen. Take time to analyse
the shot, think back to why you captured the scene
from that exact angle, was there a specific reason?
What would you like to do differently next time?
Thinking these thoughts helped me to understand myself
better. You see, I always wondered why I love macro.
I have tried other genres and while I really enjoy taking
landscape shots and also portraits, I tend to gravitate
towards capturing the mini-world. The reason was quite
obvious when I stopped to think about it – I’ve always
been short-sighted, I can see things up close very well
with or without glasses, but can’t see well enough in the
long distance. The fact that even as a child I could see
some extremely small things and small print that adults
couldn’t was fascinating! I could see what other people
could not. Now, with my camera, I can show people
that there is a completely different universe existing right
nearby that most don’t see.
Being a photographer may not be an easy choice
and shouldn’t always be a job, but if you have a
love for photography be sure to carry it with you
throughout life as it will not only bring joy to you but
people around the world.
MIND GAME: Being A Happy Photographer
When you talk to people and say that you are
a lawyer, doctor, an accountant or anyone
else with a stable and predictable income
stream you can feel people’s respect.
When the next minute you mention “Oh and I’m also a
photographer!” that respect often diminishes. Believe
me, as an accountant with more than 10 years 9–5
office experience I know what it feels like.
It’s great when you have support from your family and
friends regarding your photography, but more often
than not people cannot understand what on earth
you are talking about or worse, will try to turn your
passion (whether it’s a hobby or part-time career) into
something else. Have you heard phrases like “Why do
you need that new lens for $1000?!” or “Who is going
to care about your photos?” If this sounds familiar,
welcome to the club!
The above doesn’t just relate to photography, but for other
hobbies too – I, for example, wouldn’t have a clue about
the equipment a fisher might spend his or her money on
nor how much time they spend out on the water.
24 NZPhotographer
by Ana Lyubich
This is why it’s so important to find your tribe, so
that you can always talk to someone who not only
understands your passion for photography but who
can also give you good advice, someone who you
can share your thoughts with and lean on when
support is needed whether emotionally or technically!
When it comes to photography, it is more common to
see “lone wolves” on the street or in the field than herds
of photographers wandering around, so this hobby can
be as lonely but also as fulfilling as you want it to be.
Communities and meetup groups are a good place
to start when seeking to find your tribe – Every time you
go on a photo walk you will meet like-minded people,
discover something new, see who else is in the same
boat as you and learn what they are doing.
The second thing to fully realise is that you can make
a difference in someone’s life or even in the world if
you are a photographer. Wherever you are with your
camera you have that unique opportunity to capture
something happening in that exact moment that no
one else had, has or will ever have.
March 2019
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