About Me

My personal interest in photography began in the spring of 2010. I had no formal knowledge in photography. Knowledge such as the technical and creative issues regarding photography. All I really knew is that you had to press a button on the camera to take a photograph. I really didn't pay attention to composition, unless I was told to position my family in the center frame whenever I took a family picture on a cell phone, or even lighting, unless relying on the flash counted. It was just point and snap, kinda like shoot first, ask questions later. If the picture was clear and at least satisfied other people, I'd be content with it. This was all before I took a serious appreciation in photography.

I think I can speak for a majority of those who are getting in touch with the creative side, is that it all starts from inspiration. Without inspiration, we'd be forced to do something we wouldn't want to do. Of course this is a double edge sword. For example, someone who is pressured and taught at a young age to play the piano, eventually excelling and becoming a child prodigy. But he/she won't necessarily enjoy playing the piano, they would probably do it just for the sake of others or as a way to appeal an audience. This can lead to a cessation of what they truly want to do in life. Thus it's important to be inspired. You can be inspired from others or even yourself. Trusting yourself was one important key in being inspired, as once you trust yourself, you are confident in making whatever decisions you want to do. We have the ability to make choices, yet the pressure of what others think negatively affects of decision making. Once I realized this, I decided it would be best for me to do something creative in my life. I accepted the fact that I would be making some mistakes down the road, some critiques here and there, but at least I knew it was because of something I loved doing. Photography was my medium in expressing my emotions.

Complete control is almost important as being inspired. The ability of being in control of work forces you take responsibility in your decisions to produce an outcome you are content with. With this in mind, I wanted complete control over whatever work I was going to produce in the future. So in pursing my interest in photography, I invested in a DSLR(Digital single reflex camera). A DSLR or even SLR(film cameras) gives users complete control over the outcome of a photograph. You are able to adjust things like focus, lighting, and shutter speed. You can do this with most point and shoot compact cameras, but the main appeal in DSLRs are it's image censor. The image censors produces the best quality of picture as possible as it can. Similar to preferring to paint on canvas rather than paper. It was a slow process getting used to a DSLR. It's not a 'point-n-shoot', and call it a day...though there is a camera mode that does everything for you automatically. I began reading books and looking up tutorials on the web in hopes of getting comfortable with my camera. I was very fortunate to have a lot of time in my hands, as the learning process is what makes everything fun.

I believe the more effort you put in the learning process or stage, the better the body of work you will produce. It is obvious that the more times your practice a certain skill, you will eventually be good at it. This is where the mental challenge comes into play. You have to be willing to challenge yourself, and break barriers in order to move further. Setting goals is one way to challenge yourself properly. These goals don't have to be huge, as long as you completed a set goal, you are advancing further. One goal I've set for myself when I first started, was to publicly show my first photographs. I knew that people were going to judge upfront or to themselves. I was scared of what others may think, but then I reassure myself to the fact that I'm just barely starting out, and it's normal to make mistakes. To get over this fear, all I did was just take picture after picture. Over time, picture after picture, I became attached to my camera. It was now my 'buddy'. I made it a personal duty to bring my camera everywhere I go. The occasion didn't matter. If I was with my friends, I'm bringing my camera. If I was at a family outing, I'm bringing my camera. If I was alone, I'm bringing my camera. The obsession grew on me. Every detail in a photograph I've taken was calling out to me. Details such as the shoes on a by-standard’s feet, the facial expressions of the people in the background, or the leaves on the ground. The fact that I was able to capture that one moment in time, a time that was once dynamic but now a single still frame, is amazing. I won't probably meet those people in the background of my photographs, but the thought of that they are living and breathing in their own world is astonishing. It's something along the lines of "the rest is history" sort of thing. You can say that taking pictures is documenting history. My obsession soon led to myself being comfortable in my own world. It was the same feeling of taking off the training wheels off a bike and riding without them. Once you are comfortable, it's just a matter of challenging yourself even further and learning more and more. The time I spent learning has given me the ability to be open minded and be appreciative in other people's craft. There are many people who have the same endeavors as you. All working towards a goal they want to achieve. It just takes one person to notice, and a whole different learning process is started.

In relation to processes, having an organized workflow can determine whether your work will be successful or a bust. Everyone has a different workflow when it comes to accomplishing a set objective. There may be similar steps or approaches in finishing a goal, but it really all depends on yourself. You must use the tools provided to you as an advantage. You must think outside the box as well. It helps not to stress yourself out, and to sometimes not take things too seriously. Experimenting and improvising goes a long way in creating fun out of work also. Don't be afraid to set yourself apart from others. It's all about creating you. During my learning process, my workflow has constantly changed many times. There are times when time is of the essence, and convenience is needed. But I found sometimes convenience will often lead to mediocre quality of work, as I am often rushed and careless. Then there is times when I plan on taking work very meticulously. Better quality of work may be achieve by working meticulously, but it is a hit or miss when it comes to deadlines. You may also start putting work off for other days, and this will snowball on and on till you become discouraged or lazy. It's best to find a balance between the two. A balance where it's efficient to produce a good quality of work in a set amount time on a comfortable pace.

To conclude this, I want to explain what photography means to me. Photography to me is the ability to express my emotions and individuality. Every person experiences similar emotions, but expresses it differently. It's common due to human nature, as you are born with the ability to produce emotions. With photography, a photograph can be interpreted in many ways, as with many other forms of art. It's up to the creator, in the heat of the moment or what he/she feels is the best way to represent it. It is also up to the audience to read past the superficiality, and that good to because they will in turn feel a different emotion apart from the intentional message. Photography is very flexible, there are no boundaries to express yourself but the ones you create. It is tailored to you and only you. It is embodied to yourself, as similar to the choices you make in life. You are free to be you. That's what photography means to me.

- Ron Derrek