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For too long, I felt like I was a photographer without a camera. I always had it in my head that a "good" camera was too expensive, and yes, while several hundred dollars was much more than I ever had when I was young, I had myself convinced that the price-tag of a DSLR was keeping me out of the real photography world.
Although I've had numerous point-and-shoot cameras and even an electric-viewfinder ultrazoom camera, my lack of knowledge about how to use them kept me feeling frustrated until I was finally able to purchase my first DSLR (Canon T6). Suddenly, the world of photography opened before me! Now, let's give credit where credit is due. I have drawn inspiration from photographers such as Peter McKinnon, Matti Haapoja, Chris Hau, Lizzie Peirce, and so many others sharing their stories on YouTube. The encouragement of these creatives was just the nudge I needed to take the next step in my creative journey. One of the messages these guys are constantly preaching is that you don't need to have the best equipment to be creative. You need to start creating.
Of course, they aren't the only positive voices I've been hearing. My family has been encouraging me for years! My dad has been making cameras and other equipment available to me since I was a teenager, so my journey actually started more than 20 years ago; I just didn't realize it. All of the photos I took, even the ones I lost when my hard drive crashed a few years back, all of the "movies" I made when I was growing up, all led me here.
Creativity is a journey - one that takes you to unexpected places - one step at a time.
- David Sheley
May 22, 2019