Where did your passion for photography start?
From my previous post "Who are you?", I discovered a majority of my blog's audience are other photographers. So to further our conversation about who you are, I'd love to know:
Where did your passion for photography start?
Leave me a comment and tell me your story at the bottom of this post.
Here's my story:
I was just looking at Robin's blog about her awesome scrapbooking hobby, and I thought to myself, "That's where my passion for photography started, when I used to scrapbook in high school." Because most people first knew of me as a videographer in the wedding industry, a lot of people don't know that my passion for photography actually goes back a lot a deeper and earlier than before I ever picked up a video camera. Sure, I have also the home footage I recorded of my family growing up, but what I have more of are albums and albums and albums full of photos I documented of our lives. I remember when I was 10, for fun, I volunteered to take my mom's big pile of pictures over the years and organized them into albums for her. And anytime my parents and I went on vacation, between my mom and I, we would take hundreds of pictures of our journeys. Or ask any of my friends from high school, I was always the one taking pictures of EVERYTHING we did. I was the queen of disposable cameras and my friends used to joke I should invest in them for as much money I would spend on buying them and developing them.
A sampling of some of my photo albums and scrapbooks.
Then my senior year of high school, I became obsessed with scrapbooking all the pictures I had taken over the years. Suddenly, pictures changed from simple snapshots I took to now books that told stories when arranged on a page with text and captions and other graphics. You could say this is what led to my decision to major in magazine journalism in college, because I saw magazines as an advanced form of scrapbooking.
I didn't just create scrapbooks for myself, I loved creating them for other people as well. When I went away to college, I created a surprise scrapbook for my mom of all our old memories and pictures together growing up. While my friends would be out partying on the weekends, I would be the dork spending hours in the scrapbook store creating the page layouts. I knew it would be hard for her to go through the empty nest syndrome, so I wanted to give her a gift that she would hold in hands to always remember me by.
Then, for my grandparents 50th wedding anniversary, I created a digital scrapbook I designed on the computer scanning in all the family pictures starting with an old black and white picture of their first date, to their family portrait Christmas card in Japan, to then a picture of everyone in the family tree of what their 50 years of love birthed. I also got everyone in the family to write stories and share memories and send well wishes to my grandparents.
After that, life kind of got in the way and I laid down my passion for scrapbooking, and but still continued documenting life through photography that I would just stash away in albums.
So why did I pursue video professionally first and not photography? I think because at the time, all my girlfriends had photographers for their weddings and not videographers, so I was filling in a void and followed that path instead. But I soon became frustrated because so many times I wanted to freeze frame the special moments. Don't get me wrong, motion picture is such an amazing art form in itself, but I began to feel that I was on the wrong path and that I needed to tap in my first true love... photography.
And from the time I opened the box of my Canon 30D, it was indeed, love at first sight. And I knew, this is what all my experience up to this point is what God had been preparing me for, such a time as this. Now I'm able to draw from my seasons in scrapbooking, journalism, graphic design and video to now flourish in what has fueled my heart all along.
After all, wedding albums are one big scrapbook. It's awesome to look back and see how sometimes God brings us back to the very thing we started out in.
Where did your passion for photography start?
Leave me a comment and tell me your story at the bottom of this post.
Here's my story:
I was just looking at Robin's blog about her awesome scrapbooking hobby, and I thought to myself, "That's where my passion for photography started, when I used to scrapbook in high school." Because most people first knew of me as a videographer in the wedding industry, a lot of people don't know that my passion for photography actually goes back a lot a deeper and earlier than before I ever picked up a video camera. Sure, I have also the home footage I recorded of my family growing up, but what I have more of are albums and albums and albums full of photos I documented of our lives. I remember when I was 10, for fun, I volunteered to take my mom's big pile of pictures over the years and organized them into albums for her. And anytime my parents and I went on vacation, between my mom and I, we would take hundreds of pictures of our journeys. Or ask any of my friends from high school, I was always the one taking pictures of EVERYTHING we did. I was the queen of disposable cameras and my friends used to joke I should invest in them for as much money I would spend on buying them and developing them.
A sampling of some of my photo albums and scrapbooks.
Then my senior year of high school, I became obsessed with scrapbooking all the pictures I had taken over the years. Suddenly, pictures changed from simple snapshots I took to now books that told stories when arranged on a page with text and captions and other graphics. You could say this is what led to my decision to major in magazine journalism in college, because I saw magazines as an advanced form of scrapbooking.
I didn't just create scrapbooks for myself, I loved creating them for other people as well. When I went away to college, I created a surprise scrapbook for my mom of all our old memories and pictures together growing up. While my friends would be out partying on the weekends, I would be the dork spending hours in the scrapbook store creating the page layouts. I knew it would be hard for her to go through the empty nest syndrome, so I wanted to give her a gift that she would hold in hands to always remember me by.
Then, for my grandparents 50th wedding anniversary, I created a digital scrapbook I designed on the computer scanning in all the family pictures starting with an old black and white picture of their first date, to their family portrait Christmas card in Japan, to then a picture of everyone in the family tree of what their 50 years of love birthed. I also got everyone in the family to write stories and share memories and send well wishes to my grandparents.
After that, life kind of got in the way and I laid down my passion for scrapbooking, and but still continued documenting life through photography that I would just stash away in albums.
So why did I pursue video professionally first and not photography? I think because at the time, all my girlfriends had photographers for their weddings and not videographers, so I was filling in a void and followed that path instead. But I soon became frustrated because so many times I wanted to freeze frame the special moments. Don't get me wrong, motion picture is such an amazing art form in itself, but I began to feel that I was on the wrong path and that I needed to tap in my first true love... photography.
And from the time I opened the box of my Canon 30D, it was indeed, love at first sight. And I knew, this is what all my experience up to this point is what God had been preparing me for, such a time as this. Now I'm able to draw from my seasons in scrapbooking, journalism, graphic design and video to now flourish in what has fueled my heart all along.
After all, wedding albums are one big scrapbook. It's awesome to look back and see how sometimes God brings us back to the very thing we started out in.
posted by Scarlett Lillian // Jacksonville Senior Photographer at 11:53 PM
12 Comments:
Hey Scarlett, my story is too long to list so I will keep it short. My passion started when I was about 8 years old. I picked up a camera and I was hooked. I was just so fascinated that you could record an image with this little square thing in a micro-second. It still fascinates me to this day.
Since I have been seriously doing photography now for a little over a year, I still have to give you a big shout of thanks for telling me about OSP. I have learned so much about the industry in such a short time. You are so giving and kind hearted. I feel very fortunate to know you. Keep up the good work!!!
Mine started because I wanted to take pictures of the stars. So for my 16th birthday, I talked my parents into a real SLR! Well, the telescope to go with it never got completed, I became absorbed in rock concert photography in the early '70s, and black and white darkroom work. One day I will scan in some of those jewels! After getting married, my photography took a big turn and moved into snapshot mode for many years. When you have kids, that what you do. Just snap away. I always wanted to build a really nice darkroom and get back into it. After 30 years of photograpy and a whole bunch of snapshots, I didnt need to...it was the age of digital and the digital darkroom!! Two years ago I bought my first ever digital camera, a used 3 megpix Canon D30 SLR. Having weathered the shortcomings of this pioneer of digital cameras, and 33 years toting an SLR everywhere I went and a box full of classic film cameras, my wife Catherine and I are now ready to face the world as "In The Moment" photograpy by Mike and Catherine!
Had we not happened upon OSP, we would never have had the courage to start a photography business nor would we have ever had the chance to meet such blessed, giving people as yourself!
Its amazing how God's grace leads us to a path that we can never imagine possible. Thanks for sharing your story with us. :)
Thank you, Scarlett, for sharing the story of how you became who you are today as a photographer. It is wonderful to have that element at any occassion..that is, the one who is able to capture the moments that we all want to remember from our special days...Wedding Days being one of the most special! I am a bit partial, as I've been a "client" over the years, benefiting from your videography and from your digital scrap booking. Your first video of me was from 1994!
I always liked to "take pictures". I was always the friend with the camera. Then, when I has children, I couldn't take enough pictures of them! I wanted beautiful images of my children like I had seen professionals do. So, I thought if I bought a "nice camera" I would be able to take those beautiful images. It was the start of a journey that has brought me where I am today!
I would always carry my small point and shoot everywhere, but I never considered actually becoming a photographer. When I got married I realized how important photography was to me and that I wanted to give couple's the same feeling my photographer gave me and my hubby.
Since then everything has been going great for me.
I've always loved the art of photography, but what really started it for me was my own wedding! Shortly thereafter I bought my first digital SLR and since then, I have been non stop wanting to learn, grow, and seek inspiration!
Thanks for sharing your own story, you are amazing!
jen
Awesome! It's great to read everyone's stories! Thanks for sharing!! I pray God blesses each of your journeys.
How strange. I just got a call today from a woman who is the aunt of one of my photo clients. She's an avid scrapbooker and she talked on and on about how it changed her life. You guys are obsessed! (OK, I'm a scrapbooker of sorts too, only mine are made up of mostly written essays, poems and some photos. No fancy borders or doo-dads on mine.)
Anyway, to answer the question, my passion for photography began in college as a way for me to "deal" with my brother's death. I went inside my dark head to bring out the silent emotions that haunted me, taking pictures that were dark and thought-provoking for viewers. Seeing that my pictures could help people understand the dark places of my mind caused me to see the power of it. That's how it all began for me.
Oh Scar.. I'm very glad that you went to the Photography path--or else I would have never had great engagement pictures..and not to mention.. wedding pictures!!
Love ya!
Hey Scarlett, I've been "stalking" your blog for awhile now... first off your work is amazing!
My story is kinda long... I got my first camera when I was 8. I was able to capture all the "happy moments" I could and it was great!
I grew up getting new camera when I needed to and scrapbooking came along. I love to scrapbook, and it was a outlet for me to be creative, but, it wasn't enough.
Then my kids came along... I was fine with my Kodak Advantex camera till I played around with my bestfriends film Rebel. It was all over. Right around that time the dRebel came out and I HAD to have it! I Prayed so much about it. It was sad, really. But, finally I talked DH into it and we ordered my camera. I just shot non stop. And I realized while looking at all my images that I was catching something different then snapshots. I was capturing WHO my kids and friends kids are. Not just what they look like. Now I strive to capture who people are and the spirit of their family.
Sharon
http://web.mac.com/jsossaman/iWeb/Picture%20This..../Welcome.html
Thanks Sharon for finally saying hello! I'm glad you have enjoyed my words I share here on the blog. Thanks for sharing your story too!
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