Hopes and dreams of an amateur photographer – it is never too late
Hey there, my name is Juanita McKenzie. I am an amateur photographer based in the UK but originally from Cape Town, South Africa. I love photography, music, art (including street art) and exploring new places – I will frequently go off for a wander with camera in hand, searching for street art, exploring local landmarks or going a little further afield. I hope in the future to travel more and perhaps to start a travel blog or maybe even write a book. I forgot to mention that I am an aspiring writer, and perhaps one day this could be a reality. I am a little bit of a late starter perhaps as these creative aspirations stem back to my teenage years, but I do believe all things happen in the right time and when we are really ready. It is never too late to explore new directions!
Thank you to Lara for being an amazing source of encouragement and inspiration, and for inviting me to share something about my photography on this blog – I really appreciate your friendship and all that you do!
(Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that – at no additional cost to you – if you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a commission)
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Photography defines me – As real as it gets
Colourful Stairways – Stokes Croft
In preparing this piece I thought very deeply about what photography means to me and why it is such an important part of my life. It is this that I hope to share here.
Photography allows me to be who I really am…. not the version of myself that people want or expect me to be, the dulled down pale versions of me, the bits that fit the status quo, not the masks and the outer veneer. Photography is the real me, the whole of me, heart and soul. It is the raw and unpolished me, the spontaneous and uncensored me, the deeper aspects of myself finding expression at last.
It has always been there, this creative side that I protected so carefully from a world that can walk rough shod on fragile young dreams. I have kept it safe so long, I had almost forgotten it was there. Through many twists and turns along the journey of life, through the knocks and dents and scrapes, through the heartbreaks and disappointments, somewhere along the way, that part of my nature receded so far that it became almost a shadow, a ghost, a haunting.
Finally expressing my feelings – That inner spark
Looking Up – Shoreditch
But that spark, no matter how small, could not be entirely extinguished because it is so deeply a part of my essence, the very fabric of my being.
We all have that spark, somewhere within us, unique to each one of us – it is always there, asking to be expressed somehow, to give to the world that very thing that makes us unique. For me, this is photography. It is what I feel was always within me longing to be expressed, always causing a restlessness deep within my being, tugging on my heart every day in all that I saw and all that I felt. I am sure you too have experienced this before and have known there is some dream within you begging to be pursued. I have always had big emotions, at times they felt too big for me, but it was only when I picked up a camera just about two years ago, that those immense feelings had a way to fully be expressed and shared. I did not realise at the time how very important this would prove to be.
A camera in hand – And so I feel alive
Urban creativity – St. Paul
I just started taking photographs because I loved it, because it felt right and because it really was the only time I ever felt completely comfortable in my being, completely and fully alive.
With camera in hand, I did what I always did before – I walked, I explored, I observed, I felt, and I experienced the world around me. Only this time, I had a way to capture and share what I discovered, my perspective, the way I saw the world. In many ways it was a process of self-discovery or perhaps it was more a process of self-recovery. This part of myself so long forgotten and so well hidden needed to be expressed and shared no matter how vulnerable or exposed it made me feel. So, I made a very small but significant promise to myself, one commitment that I vowed I would keep…
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Finding Instagram – An unexpectedly incredible journey
Perspectives
I set up an Instagram account just over a year ago and promised to share just one photo a day. I did not think more about it, just kept up with the posts never really expecting anything from it. It was just about the act of sharing a single photo a day and keeping that promise I had made. I never anticipated that I would discover such an amazing supportive and positive community. I did not expect to make the beautiful and real friendships that I have done. I also did not realise that my photography would matter to anybody other than me or that the way I saw the world would inspire others. It has been an incredible journey, a beautiful and humbling experience, and I have learned that when I express myself fully through my heart, it is this that people feel and respond to, it is this that creates connections with others and it is this that creates something worthwhile in the world.
Hope dreams and… Magic – Sharing the gift
Shadow and Light
I do not want to capture perfect images; I want to capture moments that express feelings and tell stories. I want to capture the imperfections and flaws, those things that make us real and unique.
I want to capture the beauty that is always there, even where we least expect to find it. I want to bring back the magic in a world that sometimes forgets how to believe in something more. This is the gift that photography has brought into my world – and hopefully – a gift that I can share with others. If I can inspire just one person to follow their dreams, or tell just one story that matters, or help just one person to see the beauty within themselves or another, then I would know that my small life has made a big difference”
“Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever… It remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything.”
— Aaron Siskind
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To see more of my work, please follow me on Instagram:
Juanita McKenzie Instagram account: juanita_mckenzie_
I agree that by photography you can get in touch with the emotional part of yourself and find things that get you inspired. By becoming proficient in taking photographs you can learn how to effectively communicate your feelings with other people. Have you thought of a time when you were inspired by a picture and what did it feel like?
Thank you Jon, that’s very true. When I think of a picture that has inspired me I would have to say Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’ This always made me feel a sense of wonder. It also inspired a love of bold colour.
You really have an amazing eye. I love the staircase. Honestly, I thought it was a painting when I scrolled down, but want a fun and beautiful image. And as you said at the beginning, it’s not too late. You can start anytime, and as your pictures show, you have real talent. Well done.
Thank you so much JB, I really appreciate the encouragement! That staircase is in a very neglected part of the city where it is run down and quite gloomy. It is an unexpected splash of colour that really brightens and uplifts this space for people. That’s what I love about it!
Your pictures are amazing. I really enjoyed everyone of them. It don’t believe it is ever to late to find your passion, I think you have found it. Being able to share it on Lara’s blog is just another way for people to see a small piece of what you can do. Really an amazing job. Best of luck ahead, not that I think you will need it.
Thank you Coralie for your lovely message! You are so right, it is never too late to find and follow your passion!
I so love this statement you made “I don’t want to capture perfect images” this is lovely because in truth it’s not about perfection! It’s about the good, the bad and the ugly. Baring it all through photography in expression of what emotions run through you at any given moment of capture. I believe that is the amazing thing.
I love your image of the stairway, it really stood out to me.
And I would just love to encourage you, to keep up the good work.
You are an inspiration to a lot more people than you know it.
Thanks for sharing this moments with Us.
Cheers..
Thank you! I totally agree it’s about the good, the bad and the ugly. I think it’s so important to keep things real because that is where we can all connect and relate to each other through honesty and the shared experiences of our emotions.
The world has plenty of surprises in-store for us. Like for example, because you love photography, and you love expressing your views via your photos, you first didn’t expect that there will be other people who will be interested or will appreciate your photos. But then, the world surprised you letting you know that others love your work too.
I like what you do, I may also try photo blogging somewhere down the road…
Gomer, thank you so much! I love the way you expressed the wonder of life and the surprises it brings! I hope you do give the photo-blogging a try and definitely let me know when you do!
Hello, Juanita and thank you for this lovely post. It was enjoyable to read.
We all have those dreams, don’t we? You’re right though. They do seem (for most) to get stuffed in a closet and forgotten till a later time or perhaps they never rise to the surface again. That is very sad.
I’m glad to see that you are resurrecting some of those for yourself and being a writer may not be far off as you think. Your post indicates to me that you already possess some nack for writing. Your use of words and how you put them together shows that you already have a gift for it and, yes, they do inspire.
But, this may be a little off track. Your post is about your photography and how it makes you come alive. Or, that’s what I thought it was about. I mean, that’s what it’s about for you but I think there is more for us. I think you’re trying to help us get to the place where we start to do the things that give US joy and that feeling of truly being alive, Opening the door to that closet and pulling out the things we have always dreamt of doing.
“if I can inspire just one person to follow their dreams” That is what it’s really all about, following our dreams and giving all the Glory to God for the gifts he has given each and every one of us.
Keep pursuing your dreams and expressing your gifts. They WERE given to you to shear with others.
Inspiring,
Wayne
Thank you so much for your beautiful message Wayne! You really connected to the message I was hoping to express and I definitely want to encourage everybody to really follow their dreams no matter how silly, illogical or impossible it may seem. Our passions and dreams are so important to who we are and bringing a sense of fulfilment to our lives. I really believe that when we do something from our hearts, we create something with love and joy and this is what we put out into the world. In a way, it really means that the world needs us to do those things we love and which inspire us.
Thanks for sharing this Juanita,
I’ve always known that photographers have an emotional attachment to their cameras like Superman’s sidekick Jimmy Olsen. I tried picking up the camera before and I too felt overwhelmed by it and it changed me to see the world from a different point of view. Photography connects a camera to one’s soul, wouldn’t you agree?
Congratulations on your work, you are extremely creative and I think you will go far!
I love that you said ‘Photography connects a camera to one’s soul” – that is exactly how I would describe it, absolutely true! I think it is a wonderful tool that creates a real window to the Soul. I think this must be the case for anything that somebody does which is their passion. So for a painter, this would be the brush, or for the street artist it would be the spray can, or for the mechanic it would be the spanner, for example. I believe that anything we do with passion, is a way to express one’s soul.
Wow! You have an amazing eye for photography. I like the angles you use to catch these pictures, they definitely bring the picture to life.
My daughter also has a passion for photography, but she just has not let yourself get into it as she is so busy with her other life.
I’m going to show her your pictures and encourage her to get back into it because I think she would make an amazing photographer as well.
You are definitely capturing moments because the story these pictures are telling is pretty amazing. As you know they say a picture can speak a 1000 words. Yours are coming across nice and loud.
You are one gifted photographer. Thank you for letting me see these amazing pictures.
Hi Jag, thank you very much for your kind words! It is true that life can keep us very busy and we are not always able to give as much time to things as we would like to. It is wonderful that you are encouraging your daughter to explore photography and I definitely hope she will continue to follow her passion. I found Instagram to be a wonderful place to share photography as it is a warm and supportive community so perhaps this is something your daughter will also discover.
You are truly an inspiration to me,like you I love photos and people.you know you did a really great job on this,and anyone that reads and sees this will truly be inspired. I’m finding out I as well like to write,who knew once I start it’s really hard to stop.great job pics and the writing,may you have all you need to succeed. Laney C.
Hi Laney, thank you so much and I am so pleased I could be a source of inspiration! I know what you mean about when you write, I think when you do something you love, you can be so absorbed into it that you lose the sense of time and it is very difficult to stop the creative flow once it has started. It’s so great that you have discovered writing and I wish you all the best in exploring and developing this! Do you blog or are you considering a blog? Let me know if you do!
People want quality and good photography will radiate quality as well as the passion, energy and determination that goes into producing excellent photographs.
This becomes all the more easy when you love what you do because its then that these character traits just flow. I can see from your photos you love what you do and I’m sure as a result you are building a lot of ongoing trust in the people who are following you on Instagram.
Keep up the good work
Chris
Thank you so much Chris for your very insightful and wise words! I think it is so important to build that trust and connection with people, as well as creating great photographs that have meaning for others. Thank you for the encouragement!
There is only room for beautiful posts on Lara’s website and this one is no exception. Juanita, it truly feels like you are writing from your heart and your heart is on the page in every word. I live photography I think l it’s a true art a way of capturing moments seconds, emotions that other wise would be lost and forgotten in time. . Don’t ever stop doing what you are doing and keep follow your dreams.
Barbara, thank you so much for your beautiful words, you have really made my day! You are so right about photography and the ability to capture the moments that would otherwise be lost in time. In a way we are capturing and telling the visual stories of our times, isn’t that amazing!
Communicating feelings and emotions beyond anything you can ever say with words is what photography does. I like the pictures. All of them especially based on the fact that I am an art enthusiast and everything that has to do with it gets me excited. As you rightly stated, its never too late. Thanks for sharing this beauties
Thank you so much for your appreciation of my work, it means a lot to me! I love your description of what photography does, this is exactly why I am so passionate about this medium. What I also find fascinating is how we can all look at the same thing and photograph something different because of the way it allows us to express ourselves.
Some really interesting photo’s here and definitely something different from the normal. Photography is a wonderful way to capture one’s emotions, especially if you are the person who battles to let them out vocally.
I agree with you that photography doesn’t always have to be perfect or pretty. Photos can be raw real-life moments that often mean more than a pretty sunset or sunrise. In this way, the viewer gets to see more into the photographer’s soul.
Michel, thank you for your lovely comment, you have described so perfectly why the raw and real photography can be so powerful! I think it is something that connects people and emphasises the things that make us so beautifully human, with all our flaws. These are the shared human experiences and I believe it is so important that we can discover that in a world that is so often isolated and divided.
Hi Juanita.
Thank you for sharing this inspiring post to all amateur photographers. By reading your post I feel inspired because I am also an amateur photographer. Really, your work, your message have encouraged me very much. Your pictures are really good. I will always bear in mind your instructions that it is not too late.
I have learned many things from your post.Thank you so much for sharing your views with us.
Thank you so much, I am so glad that you feel encouraged after reading this post! Definitely keep doing your photography and follow your inspiration! As I mentioned in the blog, I made one small commitment to myself and that was to post on Instagram once a day which meant I was sharing my photography. That really helped focus me and keep me going. Perhaps you can think of something meaningful to you that will keep you going too!
What a lovely article!
I have read it several times, such an inspiration for anyone who is creative and wishes to share their love of photography and art. Your enthusiasm for your subject really shines through, it shows in your beautiful photos.
It is important to share our love of what ever inspires us so that others can see things through another persons eyes, interpretation of images and words is entirely a personal thing but an artist can help direct a person to see things differently.
Louise, thank you so much, I really appreciate your kind words! I love what you wrote about how as artists we have the ability to direct a person to see things differently! This is so true and it is such a wonderful way to share our unique perspectives and artistic vision. I also think because the arts are so subjective and open to interpretation, that people will take meaning from art in the way they connect to it at that time. I find it very interesting to see the different viewpoints people have and also how these viewpoints can change over time.
Hi Juanita
It is never too late to realize a dream, especially one that can change your life. I always wanted to travel, to discover new places and culture. Today, it is my reality and my life has changed.
The best part is that, I can travel and make money to help me travel more, lol. So, go for your dream of photography and you will be amazed.
Thanks for sharing !
Thank you so much for your encouragement and for the inspiration! It is amazing to hear from people who have had the courage to follow their dreams and have been successful! You are right, it is never too late and it could be the decision that is the life changer!
This is quite amazing and innovative. Picture is a unique way of expressing our feelings and views about things. Photography is one of your hobbies and you want to explore through it. I must commend you for that. I also love photography. I can travel several miles just to get nice and creative pictures. During my college days, I can’t count how many time I went on excursion, sometimes with my friend or my sister’s just to take pictures of many interesting places. The only thing I wanna make as an hobby now is drawing and am working towards it. Photography is interesting if you can go deeper in it.
Thank you Stella, it is amazing how much time we will give to something when we love what we do! I can completely relate to what you shared about planning excursions and travelling far to do your photography. I do tend to fill up most of my free time with photography and it is amazing how far I can walk sometimes without realising it because of being so completely absorbed by the photography. It’s wonderful that you feel passionate about drawing and I wish you every success with this!
Hi Juanita,
I found your article fascinating!
The pictures in the article really speak. There is a lot of expressions. I love the shoes hanging on the cable outside of the building. I know nothing about photography, and I always thought that I need to start early to become a professional. Great to know that we can begin at any age:) My sister is doing a photography course on food only for the moment. She wants to specialize in the branch. She is even considering leaving her current job and start a photography career.
Now back to me. I do have a question. As I am thinking to learn photography, what would be the best equipment for beginners? Not too expensive:)
Thank you for this excellent post!
Hi Daniella, thank you so much for your lovely comment. It’s wonderful that you sister is considering making photography a full time career and I wish her all the best in this endeavour! I also think it is fantastic that you would like to learn photography yourself, it is never too late to learn. In answer to your question, I actually started out just using my mobile phone initially but later moving to a Canon 750d which is a good starter camera. I am very happy with the quality of this camera and it is reliable, consistent and sturdy. I started out with the standard kit lens, the 18-55mm and later purchased a 50mm, the ‘niftyfity’ which I really love using. I would suggest trying out different cameras as it is a personal choice which brand to go with and it also depends on your budget. A good quality beginner or intermediate level camera with a kit lens is a good place to start and then you could purchase other lenses later, depending on the type of photography you want to do. I would also recommend getting a tripod. I use Manfrotti. I hope that this is helpful and that you will enjoy learning photography!
Hello, your photography is beautiful. Congrats on finding an outlet for it. I like what you said about it never being too late to let your inner self out. I think I am also doing that with my niche website. I really like your street art pictures. Best wishes to you and enjoy your the new aspect of your hobby! Rhonda
Hi Rhonda, thank you so much! I am glad you like the street art pictures, I am a very big fan of street art and spend a lot of time exploring local cities in search of new art. I love the social commentary it provides and how it interacts with the urban environment. That is amazing that you have found your own creative expression which has led to your website; it must feel wonderful to have created this space for your passion to be expressed!
Wow excellent post! The header photograph really grabs my attention at the get-go. You’ve created a personal element in the opening paragraph that is very much appreciated. Photographs are truly as real as it gets, well-said. I’m glad that you found photography as a way to express your dreams through your craft. With a camera in your hand anything is possible! Instagram is such a great outlet to share your talents. I will be following you on Instagram going forward as I look forward to checking out more of your photos!
Thank you so much for your amazing feedback and comments! I love what you wrote about anything being possible with a camera in my hands – I will remember that and always remind myself of the potential that can be realised through photography. I love Instagram and the wonderful sense of community I have discovered there! It’s a great platform and I look forward to seeing you there!
Hello Juanita. It’s so nice to read that your inner spark came to light and wans’t extinguished by people around you. The article is very inspiring and resonates with me quite closely (and i guess most of the previous commenters).
What i learned is that whatever you want to do, there is 100% certainty that people(many or few) will try to put obstacles and dumb you down. It’s like gravity.
Well my native language isn’t English so i can’t write that well but i’m happy to come across your article which can flow so well and express all these emotions with so much colour.
I think that your passion for photography combined with the desire and skill to express things so vividly can work for you to make good content(not that i’m an expert or something).
Wish you all the best.
Hi George, thank you so much for your insightful and positive comments. It is true that there will always be people who don’t support or encourage others to follow their dreams and passions. There may also be some who are very negative, critical or obstructive. This is one of the reasons why I enjoy the community on Instagram so much – I have found people to be supportive, inspiring, and very encouraging. This has made a tremendous difference to me and has encouraged me to put my photography out there into the world. I hope to always give the same positivity and encouragement to others as I know how important it can be! I think we should always try to be the light that could ignite the creative spark in others too – can you imagine how that could change the world!
Hi Juanita!
I am glad to meet a fellow South African with a creative mind!
I really like how you express yourself in your aspirations but more in your images. Everyone sees the world in a different way and capturing it and showing your perspective and changing minds is powerful motivator.
I’ve always wanted to do photography myself, saying that I’ll one day save up for a decent camera. I will not give up on this dream and with some ideas in mind, I’d like to make the world more aware of nature and sustainability.
I just wish I had more opportunities to do this.
Hello Ian, how lovely to hear from a fellow South African! Thank you so much for your kind words and appreciation. I really hope that you will pursue photography and the amazing dreams and ideas that you have. I think that nature and sustainability are such an important issue and how better to share that message than through the visual narrative that photography can create. I can see from what you wrote that this is a subject you are very passionate about and I would encourage you to follow this dream. Have you thought about mobile phone photography as a starting point while you save up for a camera? That is where I began and there is a big community of mobile phone photographers on Instagram – they are sharing some amazing photos!
I love your photography. I feel that some of your photos have an untold story behind them. It’s incredible that you have found your passion and more people should do the same. That’s a great way of expressing your emotions. I am definitely going to follow you on Instagram and am looking forward to your next post.
Hi Alex, thank you for your awesome feedback! You are quite right, there are many untold stories and there are certain pictures that have a lot more to them! I have wondered for some time if I should be starting a blog as that might be a good place to share more about individual images and the story behind them. Your feedback certainly has me thinking about this again so thank you for the inspiration. I look forward to seeing you on Instagram!
Lovely photos and congratulations on your self discovery thru photography. I have followed your Instagram and you are really talented. No wonder your followers love your photos.
I agree with you about perfection because nothing is perfect. If you see it in different perspectives, then imperfection is an art.
It looks professional and you are telling interesting stories with your photos. Wish you all the best both as a writer and a photographer.
Thank you so much for your beautiful message and for following on Instagram! I really appreciate your support and encouragement! You are right about imperfection being an art and I often think of how in nature it is exactly those ‘imperfections’ that create something truly beautiful! Once again, thank you for your lovely words of support!
You know I never really thought about using photography to express myself or show who I am. But I can see this, as photography is a form of art and art is a way of expression. I love your pictures… you say you are an ametuer but your photography is great and they do express or evoke a feeling for sure. Great photos that does seem to share the artist’s hopes and dreams.
Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement, I really appreciate it! I love that you have been able to get a different insight into photography as an art form and way of self-expression. I think it is actually a very accessible form of art because we can all create beautiful images without the need for expensive equipment – with a keen eye, a mobile phone and practice, it can be done!
Hello Juanita,
this was an amazing article that allowed me to view photography through the lens of a passionate photographer, thank you for allowing me to have an enjoyable reading experience. I believe that everyone has a photographer inside themselves and the way you have expressed your self about your hopes and dreams as an amateur photographer. There’s passion in what you write!
Everything, including a single photograph, has energy and can be felt. So whereas a photographer is in their own right, an artist. a preserver of the very essence in which the lens captures life; similar as to how a writer can paint a picture and bring it to life with his words…
Truly there is no limit in what we can achieve when we realize that we can allow our work speak for ourselves, by continuing to work on our business thus further improving our ability to open up more opportunities to do more not just for ourselves, but for the people we swear to want to make a difference, the real reason why we even do what we do in the first place!
Great Job Juanita, Wishing you much success in your business!
Hello Jose, thank you very much for your wonderful message of encouragement. I am so glad you enjoyed reading this post and that you were able to see the passion I feel for my photography. That is a tremendous compliment to me if this shines through my work. I love how you describe that every photo will have its own energy which can be felt, and you are right that this is true of all art forms. I believe that it is very important for us all to realise that this energy is what we share with others when we share our work. As you say there are no limits to what we can achieve when we allow our work to speak for us. Thank you for sharing your wonderful insights and for the good wishes, very much appreciated!
It is nice to meet you through this post, Juanita, and I have to say that you sound like a perfectly wonderful person that has the right disposition to be capturing memories of moments through photography. Your passion and lust for life shine through your images.
These are made more powerful for me knowing a little bit more who is behind these images. You really are a natural at this and I do hope that you can bless us with your creations for many years to come. We will all be better for this. I feel somehow a bit better at this very moment knowing that you are out there helping us see what otherwise might be missed.
Thank you for sharing and I wish you all the best. Keep living and showing the real you, it is so much more fun and impactful for all of us when we do that. I know you have inspired me to keep on…If you can change one life even, you have made a difference. I am sure you are going to change many lives, and make a huge difference.
Hi Dave, it’s wonderful to meet you here too! Thank you so much for your beautiful message, it means a lot to me! I will most definitely keep being the real me and capturing those details and moments in life that I hope will continue to inspire and delight others. I love the way you described it as ‘capturing memories of moments’ and I realise that actually this is such a privilege and honour to be able to do! Thank you Dave!
Very moving, Juanita.
It’s refreshing to see people embrace that right brain, the creative brain, and understand its importance concerning self-expression and individuality; a sense of purpose. I can relate. Throughout my life I’ve always used art as an escape from my “regular” life.
I started out as a child obsessed with drawing dinosaurs and dragons. OBSESSED. That evolved into more realistic things like animals, landscapes and architecture, and realistic interpretations of fictional characters. Over time, I lost my passion for drawing and that turned into writing and portrait photography!
I feel that same need for artistic expression, just within a slightly different medium. I’m glad you’ve found yours and have the passion to share!
Andre, thank you for your kind words and encouragement. I can see that you completely understand and embrace the artistic and creative flow in your own life. I think it is amazing how you have allowed it to grow and expand into new things; that is definitely the way of the creative process! I will take inspiration from your artistic process and will most definitely keep sharing my photography.
Hi Juanita,
You are such an artist. I must say your writing style and your photography is really a reflection of you. Even though, I have not met you in person just reading your post and looking at your photography made me feel your inner passion. I must say you have a penchant for geometrical shapes in your photography which made me think at first if those are photography or paintings. They are unique and well captured.
My son is a photographer too. He is taking another major in college but his passion is photography just like you, that’s why I understand how you feel when you say “it is so deeply part of my essence, the very fabric of my being”, as my son has always expressed his passion with photography.
I wish you all the best with your endeavors. Keep pursuing your dreams as I see a very bright future ahead of you. Thank you for sharing your art and for a wonderful post.
Nida
Hi Nida, thank you so much for your wonderful message and encouragement! I am so pleased that my photos were able to create that response and give a sense of my love of photography. How wonderful that your son is able to explore his passion through photography and I am sure you are a tremendous source of encouragement and inspiration for him. Your message here has certainly made me feel very positive and that my photography is valued. Thank you Nida!
A beautiful piece. Thank you for being vulnerable with us and sharing all this. <3
I’m really happy you have found your thing. Or at least so it seems. Many people juggle through various stuff and never find it. Their muse, their calling. I’m glad you have. Truly happy for you. 🙂
Other than that, it really is incredible where small challenges like that (posting a photo a day) can lead us. Just keep going.
And in that when a rainy day will come (“Prepare for a rainy day because it will come.” – Tai Lopez) I hope you’ll dance through it gracefully. To your success! 🙂
P.S. And I hope you can make a career out of this someday and change that label of being amateur. 🙂
Cheers, and have a Great One!
Matiss
Matiss, thank you for appreciating this vulnerability and the way it expresses through my photography. I will always remember what you have said about dancing gracefully through the rainy days and will embrace such times with a lighter heart and a lighter step because of it! Thank you so much for the good wishes!
Hey, Juanita!
Thank you for sharing all this, I know first hand how challenging it may be. As well as how much anxiety it can create. You are Wonderful.
And I just wanted to say, I really like your philosophy and approach to all this, as well as your humility. Capturing imperfections I believe is what it truly is about. The uniqueness and everything. It’s worth much more than the perfect stories.
My hope for you is that you will inspire. That you will make a difference. But most importantly that you will feel that you have made a difference.
Have a Wonderful Day, Juanita!
Rasa
Hello Rasa! I just wanted to thank you for your very moving message, you really uplifted me with your lovely wishes, your understanding and appreciation! You are wonderful too!
I’ve actually got into photography, at an amateur level over the last few years – when we released our first album we had no money left for artwork or videos etc…so I had to improvise with my partner’s camera (yeah, I’m a musician).
I will say that I’m not the best, but out of every ten pictures I attempt, at least one of them turns out to be striking. The one we eventually picked for the first album was from on top of Caerphilly mountain in Wales!
I feel that everyone has it in them, as long as they keep snapping, and ignoring the poorer results they get. Do you agree?
Hi Chris, I absolutely do agree that everybody has it in them to be able to do photography, in the beginning sometimes it is just a case of practice and a bit of luck! I think it is a wonderful medium to work with because you can make of it what you would like to. Music is much more difficult in my opinion!! I love how when you had few resources you stepped up and met that challenge. It’s amazing how creative we can all really be! That album cover must be quite stunning!
Hey Juanita 🙂
Some very good pictures you shared with us, I love them all. There are many emotions hidden in your pictures, than the eye can tell. I also read your article, and believe me, I loved it!. I appreciate your choice, because you presented us with unusual photographies that beautifully define your creativity. I’m gonna share your piece with my friends. Thank you!
I am glad that you enjoyed this selection of photographs and appreciated their deeper aspects. I loved your comments and positive feedback. Thank you so much for your support and for sharing this with your friends, I really appreciate it!
You take incredible photos and I think it’s cool that photography made/makes you feel fully alive. It shows how passionate you are, and it also shows in the pics you take. The Shadow and Light pic is my fave out of these. I bet there’ll be a few people that will read this who will be inspired to chase their own dreams, whether it’s in photography or not.
Hi Nate, thank you so much! That is one of my favourite pictures too for a number of reasons, one of them being that beautiful blue colour which is as it appeared, no filters. It was the blue light that drew me to climb a staircase into this forgotten space where I found this scene of perfect serenity. Thanks again for your kind words and I certainly do hope this will inspire others to follow their dreams!
Hello Juanita, you have some real talent and a beautiful way of sharing your thoughts and feelings.
Like you, I find street art (urban art) worth contemplating. When I find myself walking by an abandoned building or site that has been graffiti over, I feel compelled to stop and study it and wonder about it’s author. These are artists doing art for the love of it – that’s it. Often, they’re alone – without anyone to offer them the any feedback.
But this solitude allows them to be wholly authentic – expressing what is truly dwelling inside their heart. I love to study history in this way. We have our books in the many schools and libraries around the world that relate history. But, there’s something special about seeing someones actual work on a wall somewhere – it is their truth and they have signed off on it.
Thank you for your wonderful post
Jose
Hi Jose, thank you so much for your lovely message! I love your understanding and appreciation of street art, you show a real love for it and see the deeper value to this very important art form. I completely agree with you that this is history being written on the walls; these are the stories that are being written about our times and the communities where the art is found. Another fascinating aspect for me is that it is so dynamic and constantly changing with the walls becoming a living canvas for artistic expression. If you regularly visit known street art areas, you can see they change within days or weeks with new art constantly appearing as layers over the older work. It is so interesting and I think one of the most important things that people sometimes overlook, is that street art is about equality, it is accessible for everyone to participate in, both as artists or as the audience. I love that it is so immediate, raw and real.
I like your article because I can feel that you love photography so much and that’s very inspiring. It’s so good to realize when somebody loves what he/she does. I agree that this magic can happen to anyone if we are active and positive. Has Instagram really helped you go ahead with achieving your dream? Wishing you success with expressing your real self and do what you love!
Hello Agnus, thank you so much for your kind words! To answer your question about Instagram, it really has been such an important part of my journey. I would never have guessed it would be so instrumental because social media can have such a terrible reputation. I had never used Instagram previously but had read that if you are doing anything with visual content it was the place to post it. I signed up for the account as a way to honour the commitment I had made to myself to pursue my love of photography. I promised to share one photo a day – this meant that not only would I need to be taking the photos, but I also needed to share them publicly. The support and encouragement I received as time passed was amazing and I felt more confident about sharing my work. I have met some wonderful people through Instagram, some of whom I have even met now in person and formed real friendships with. I found that Instagram brought a sense of community and a shared love of art. There have been certain people like Lara, who probably doesn’t even realise it, that have been a big source of inspiration for me and their comments were such a tremendous encouragement. So my experience of Instagram has been extremely positive.
Hi Juanita!
I really like your niche topic. Photography to capture moments and not being too perfect…
Instagram is something I am just getting used to and will post pictures up once I get a good camera.
I like to take photos of scenery – lakes, ducks and also trees and country houses. Small animals like cats included. But you showed that street art can be interesting and thought-provoking either. Now checking your IG and let met tell you that you put a lot into your page. Passion, feelings perseverance… You said it best, photography defines you! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Stella, thank you so much for your lovely comments and for visiting my Instagram page! I would love to encourage you to join Instagram and start sharing your photos – I started out posting photos taken with my mobile phone and only moved to my DSLR camera around August of last year. So hopefully, that gives you some encouragement! My message for you is to definitely seize the moment, start where you are right now and go for it, do what you love to do!
Hello Juan :),
i felt the pssion you have for photography as i read through this post. The fact you stayed true to your word of posting one picture a day is amazing and i love your views behind the camera as you have a knack for beautiful pictures.
keep up the good work while i head over to your instagram to check out more of your work. Kudos
Hey there, thank you so much! I really appreciate that you understood the significance of that promise I made to myself – I think we are all guilty of prioritising everything and everyone else except our own endeavours. I have always been somebody who keeps my promises to everybody but repeatedly failed to keep them for myself. So this is why it was a very significant moment for me and I made a small promise knowing this was something I would be able to honour. So that promise is about the photography, but actually it’s also about the commitment to honour my own direction. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy my Instagram page.
Love your picture of the sunflower. My son just got engaged this week to his amazing girlfriend. Her favorite flower is the sunflower.
It is amazing the detail you have in the picture. How long have you been taking pictures of flowers? You honestly don’t look like an amateur photographer. Your photos are better than the normal amateur.
Keep putting your photos up for us to view.
Hello Brian! Firstly congratulations to your son and his girlfriend on their engagement! That is such exciting news and I am sure you are a very proud father right now! That is stunning that she loves sunflowers so much. Where I grew up in South Africa in my childhood years, sunflowers grew everywhere in the fields and on the farms in the area. I even remember planting some of my own and caring for them, it was such a rewarding experience. I always associate these flowers with happiness and they almost seem to smile upon us. This is actually why I photographed the sunflowers from the angle you see in this image – as a child they seemed so tall and seemed to smile down at me and this is what I was trying to evoke here. I photograph just about everything I see that captures my attention, so it might be flowers or it could even be a rusty padlock, so to answer your question I have been taking photographs for about two years using my mobile phone but really got into stride around a year ago when I got my first DSLR camera. The sunflower photo is one of the early photos on the camera.