digital photography and me

My relationship with digital photography is one of much love and frustration. More love than frustration, of course. It's a relationship I work on everyday. I'm not always happy with it and I don't always know what I want. I struggle with finding the best options for editing; presets, actions and all. I love shooting digital because of the flexibility, and the power I get to make everything look how I see it. It's not film photography, which is an entirely different experience and art in itself. Digital photography, to me, is the combination of my camera and my computer. I work to build my skill in capturing and in adjusting the result. This is where the battle begins inside my head. This post holds two purposes. It's my way of trying to sort out my own feelings about digital photography, because honestly, I have no idea what they are, and i'm also curious as to how other people feel about the topic as well. So let's try that, shall we?

My "look". Describing the "look" I try to achieve while processing is a mess of "you know what I means". The majority of the time I try to make them as naked as possible. It's kind of like wearing makeup to look natural (Hi I'm a girl and I don't make any sense). I love using presets and film emulators, but it's not an every photo routine. I want them to look like how I felt when I captured them, whether that means using filters or just basic adjustments. I don't want someone to look at an album of my photos and think "I love the presets/filters she used" rather than "I love that shot". When I shoot, I see my subject in a different light than what is actually in front of me. Adjusting the final photo is just as much fun as capturing it in the moment. But finding that balance is what usually frustrates the hell out of me. So much so that at times I deny myself any recognition of talent.

Being involved in the blog world, I feel a constant pull to make my photography look a certain way. I feel that it's more silent than verbal, and that "perfect world" that sometimes encompasses bloggers lives' extends to their absolutely perfect and bright photography. Sometimes I have to pull myself away from it, sit down, and figure out what I really want. I feel a constant pressure to shoot truly "natural" photos, adjusting minimal exposure/white balance, the basic stuff. Like my after-processing routines are a mark of mediocre talent. I can't just credit it to the blog world- I've read very few posts that have actually criticized editing- I'm on so many social media websites with so many different opinions that sometimes it's very easy to lose your own opinion. So I find my own and I tell myself that I am just as good as any other. The more I practice, the more I believe myself. I believe myself and then some.

There is no right way. And if only one of you out there has felt the same way, I'm happy just to share that you are great! No matter how you shoot/edit. Somehow these blabbing posts always seem like a one sided argument followed by some "Do your thang" statement. I'll try to mix that up as the blabbing continues.

And now a list of a few bloggers who's photography inspires me on the daily

Katie's Pencil Box | Katie's photos have inspired me from the moment I followed her blog. The light in her photographs (every single one) is breathtaking and the colors so vivid. After reading this post, I began learning the back roads to editing. I learned how to bring out the best in my photos, and also why it's silly to spend time filtering every single photo I snap.

I Just Might Explode | While doing shoots, I look to Kara for inspiration. She uses beautiful filters in perfect situations, and does so seamlessly. Her photos make me dream. The colors and the calmness. They feel real and cozy and make me want to dive right in.

Bleubird | James' photos hold that crisp, bright feeling that I feel from Katie, but with a touch of that dreamy feeling I get from Kara. (name droppp) She's the balance between the two that I absolutely adore and always reference when I'm feeling especially uninspired.

Boys for Pele | I absolutely adore every photo this lady posts. She's photographs daily life and details beautifully. She inspires me creatively, behind the camera and beyond, just with her photographs. I adore that.

xo

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