My 2nd Year Anniversary as a (DSLR) Photographer

My first DSLR two years ago.

Last October 29 was the 2nd year anniversary of my first DSLR, a Canon EOS Rebel XS. I have since sold it to a friend and upgraded to a 7D And this point in my photographic life sparked some introspection.

Have I evolved as a photographer in the two years that have passed? Have I already developed the so-called photographer's eye?

I don't want to answer those questions. I would like the pictures that I post on this blog be the testament to what I have accomplished be it good or bad.

But what can I definitively say that I have accomplished in these two years?

From two years ago... I didn't know about
the golden hour back then.

When I attended the Canon Expo last September the lesson that stuck in my mind was this: Let everything you do be something that will lead you closer to your goal - if something will lead you far from your goal, don't do it. I also learned to know that value of things first before you acquire them - how much would you use a fisheye lens; less than 10% of the time? Don't buy it. If you absolutely need it then just rent it for that one time. I carry these two ideas now wherever I go and whatever I do. Much as I love (almost) everything that's announced on an Apple Event, if they will not contribute to my goal, then I do not even consider them. The iPad? Well, I am actually eyeing one since, with that, it would be a lot easier to show my portfolio to a potential client (not to mention much lighter) than using my aging Macbook Pro. A new iMac/Macbook Pro? It'll be a much sweeter experience since the new Macs now have faster processors and bigger harddisk drives, but a computer will only be useful if I have good photos to store in it and having a really good lens is a weightier investment at this point in time. My Macbook Pro will do for now.

What else has happened in these two years?

When I got my first DSLR, I had it with me all the time. I brought it with me everywhere I go even when the wife and I were just going to do our groceries. It was a good thing because, back then, I was still learning about composition, aperture, shutter speed, etc, that having the camera with me all the time hastened my learning.

But now, even if I still have my camera with me most of the time I am noticing that I don't take as much pictures as I did before. I have become more selective of what I wanted to photograph - seeing a red leaf on pavement, most of the time, is no longer enough for me whip out my camera.

Have I lost my desire for photography? Have I reached a photography-wall?

I hardly think so. As a matter of fact, I enrolled in a photography class and I am continuously looking for books to read about photography. Learning photography, for me, is a never-ending endeavor.

Now I make sure I wake up early enough.

With my winnings.

So what changed? I think the thing that changed is the way I view photography. I no longer "point-and-shoot" - I look at a scene and I look at it hard. I compose the picture in my mind then I execute. Before I whisk out my tripod I first go around my subject, whether it's a person, building, flowers, etc so I can see what is the best way to make a photo of said subject. My development as a photographer has caused me to be more selective of what picture I want to make. (I also would like to say that I no longer post several tens of hundreds of pictures of one trip. I see this happening a lot in social networking sites.)

I believe that I have already progressed as a photographer.

I love photography.