7 Things that I learned from doing Street Photography

Let me say this again, these are the seven thing I learned in doing street photography, and not tips in doing street photography.

1. Being more Thankful

We encounter a vast array of people, those with the dilemma of figuring out how to pay for the next meal and those who can afford to leave more than half of what they ate in a plate. We meet people that holds the door for us when our hands are too full to do them, we learn to be thankful for others who are there to point us to the right direction whenever we are lost in a new place, we learn to be thankful when a stranger engages in a friendly conversation and make the day a bit brighter.

2. Being more Connected

These days, people are most likely glued to the screens of  their smartphones, tablets, and laptop computers rather than being truly connected. It's seldom you see a group of people talking to each other and basically interacting at a primal level. Some people often mistake being connected to the internet and "in touch" with their friends as being truly connected, rather it's that being too connected that we become blind of what is already in front of us. The simplest conversation between strangers may often, if not always, be fruitful in cultivating a relationship.

3. Being more Humble

As photographers, we encounter different people, different places with different cultures from walks of life. We learn that there are many other people who don't enjoy the luxury of having a camera and taking a snapshot of life. We share the moment and become story tellers of their lives and their happiness, joys, sorrows and struggles, that someway somehow they are heard and accepted.

4. Being more Careful

Being careful doesn't necessarily connect with theft, but also from the choice of subject matter. Not all places we go to are safe,  and photographer-friendly, it is our responsibility to keep ourselves safe and away from harm. It is also our responsibility to capture and choose the subject matter that does not degrade humanity. 

5. Being more Prepared

Weather is unpredictable, and so are some people. In an environment with a lot of uncontrollable variables and elements you need to be prepared for the unknown and uncertain. Weather is easy, you already know what you need when it comes to rain, dust, and all other elements; People are different, we just need to be more cautious, vigilant and aware of our surroundings. 

6. Being more contented

We learn to accept to do with what we have, what we can, and with what we don't have. We tell a story with what we have, with the lens and the body, or simply with the system that we have, it is not about having the best gear, it is about being at the moment and capturing it. Life deals us with the cards that we need to play. 

7. Being Happier

This is the aftereffect of being thankful and being contented. In a perfect world, we all can be happy, but this is not a perfect world, we have to learn to accept that not all things are in our control.

We always meet people in all walks of life, there are times that you feel you have the world's burden on your shoulder, but failing to realize that there are others who are doing much worst.

Keeping the Passion Burning

"What is passion?" you ask, the dictionary defines it as "an intense desire or enthusiasm for something." A passion for cooking, a passion for traveling, a passion for being in love...A Passion for Photography.

Being in love and keeping the fire of love burning, is just like photography and keeping the passion for the craft burning. On very rare occasions we have this transcendent moments when we finally understand why we are doing, what we are doing despite the existence of many reasons that may keep us from loving and continue making great images.

"What got you into photography in the first place?", "Why did you choose photography as a hobby?",  Why spend your time, effort, dedication, commitment, and yes.. a lot of your moolah on this? The answer would ultimately boil down to because we simply love photography, the simplest feeling of gratitude and content of capturing and being in those rare moments, breath-taking landscapes, marvelous cityscapes, wonderful portraits, captivating fashion, and special "once in a lifetime" occasions. 

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So how do we keep the passion burning?... In my opinion, well it's just like in any relationship, we have to never stop learning, understanding each other's limitations, (by each other I mean you and the camera), capitalizing on its strengths, trying different techniques. The key ingredients here are acceptance and understanding. If you are easily discouraged by what photography challenges you then, photography may not be for you. I would rather encourage you to try another medium than convince you to stay on photography and later have poorly composed photographs. You really have to love what you are doing to get great photographs. Being a photographer is also being a story teller. We tell our stories through the images we take and the moments we capture.

The challenge is to capture a photograph that would capture the heart of each moment and eventually captivate the eyes and heart of the people looking at your photos.

Knowing that other people appreciates your passion keeps me pushing myself forward. Seeing them relive the moments of an event or even the simplest of Sundays melts your heart and hearing the stories behind each image.

7 things that photography teaches us about relationships

Relationships come with no user's manual nor a how-to guide, it is as unique as the irides of our eyes. Each relationship comes with its own experience and lessons for us to realize and learn from. Photography has its lessons to teach us as well about relationships. Before anything else, I would like to make it clear that I am no expert when it comes to the matters of the heart, but I would like to share some insights on some lessons learned. 

Photography, no matter what genre you pursue, whether in wedding, fashion, commercial, landscape, portraits, macro, wildlife, or street, teaches us a thing or two about being in a relationship.

Patience. It teaches us to be patient and uncomplaining, just like landscape photography, we need to be calm and even-tempered. Setting up and getting the money shot takes tons of patience just as relationships do. 

Responsibility. Photography inculcates to us a sense of responsibility in the way we decide and make our choices. In our choices of subjects and locations to shoot. We need to be responsible for our actions, and being careful of the places that restricts flash photography, use of tripod and other related restrictions. Shooting the appropriate subject that doesn't degrade nor discriminate other people but rather, taking a shot that tells a moving story of the subject.

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Coexistence. The camera allows us to embody our vision and foresight. It is a tool to express our imagination, no matter what system or what brand of camera we are using, relationships should not be defined by our differences, but rather, it should complement each others attributes and characteristics. The next time you date someone who owns a camera with a different brand as yours, think again, he or she may be the one you have been waiting for.

Acceptance. We all have our unique way of seeing through a view finder or a lens for that matter, it is how we interpret and use our creativity that makes each and every moment, a moment worth telling. What you see may be different from what your partner sees. You may be looking at the same view, but what is important is we share the same inspiration from that same view.

Understanding. Oftentimes more than ever, you need to take a step back to get a bigger and better picture of what really is happening in front of you. In doing this you get to understand the totality of the situation, thus you can react and prepare accordingly.

Simplicity and Contentment. We all have our wish list of camera gears and accessories, but to others, it's a choice between putting food on the table and investing on new lenses or body. We have to be contented with what gears we have, and enhance our skills with it. We make sure that we make the most out of it. Merely buying the most expensive gears doesn't make one a PRO, it's the skills, knowledge, and wisdom accumulated over the years of experience that makes one a PRO. (special thanks to mentors)

Audacity. Everyday we take risks, risk that may or may not have positive results. As story tellers we try push the envelope of our craft, in doing so, we take risks. Taking risks in relationships is as important as risks in photography, nobody makes a masterpiece by playing it safe. Failure is very much a part of every success.

These are just some of the things that photography taught me from my experience. What has photography taught you?