I don’t remember what it was like not being interested in photography. I wanted to become a photographer ever since I got my first camera at a very early age. However, at the age of 17, an advisor at a job information center told me that you had to be extremely good for that job and I better do something else with my life. I believed him and started studying English and Spanish to become a translator. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed working as a translator but photography was always on my mind. Meanwhile, I changed from film to digital, from small to medium-sized camera and finally about two years ago I gave in to my inner voice and bought a DSLR.
When I started really getting into photography in the beginning of 2010, I knew nothing about photography, at least not about how to handle a DSLR! Photoshop was something that I had heard about every now and then but never tried. It was a hard journey sometimes, learning all there is to learn about photography, Photoshop, and lighting. However, there is still so much to learn because things change daily, new cameras are invented, and new techniques are discovered. Life is full of learning!
What really helped me understand photography was doing a 365 project, which I started two days after I bought my first Nikon DSLR. I learned so much as a result, mainly because I had to! Every day I would discover something new or see photos of other people on Flickr that made me wonder how on earth they had done that (e.g. levitation). About halfway through my 365 project, I decided to quit my regular job at a law firm because photography was what I had always wanted to do.
I never studied to become a photographer or took courses in photography. Instead I read books, magazines and online articles, watched tutorials and went out and discovered photography by experimenting and having fun. I am still my favorite model because I can try out new ideas and techniques, new poses and locations with myself before I use it for shootings with clients or models. Of course, it also helps to explain poses and expressions when you have done it yourself!
When I walk through my city or when I am on vacation, my eyes automatically scan the surroundings for locations, for people to take pictures of, and for ideas. It can be a shadow on the ground, a reflection in a building, or a leaf floating down. The world is my playground!
I am currently working as a freelance photographer in Munich, Germany and I enjoy that a lot! I love discovering the individual ideas and wishes of my clients, scouting locations for them and creating photos of them that they love. I have yet to find a project that has failed to inspire me! In the creative world of today, everything is possible and every idea can be brought to life!
Links:
Website: www.cap-photography.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CapPhotography
Twitter: www.twitter.com/Photo_CAP
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