Armaan Reza's photostream

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"Anything that excites me, for any reason, I will photograph: not searching for unusual subject matter, but making the common place unusual, nor indulging in extraordinary technique to attract attention."

Edward Weston
(1886-1958)

A Story of an Amateur Photographer

My photography journey had started during my college life. I used to get fascinated when I saw people with big lenses and cameras. I had started my career life in a bit early stage. So, I never got a chance to enroll myself in a photography course. What I have learned so far about photography is reading and practicing. I had long desired for a good SLR since I have started my college life. One of my uncles had a Canon Program AE-1 camera which he bought from Singapore. When he used to take family photographs, I used to observe him very carefully. The way he was holding the camera, the way he was looking through the view finder, every single movement amazed me. It was a dream to own a professional camera but I could never speak out my wish to my Ma or Baba. I could never thought of giving hard time to my parents by asking for something that they could not afford. Their hearts would fill with sorrow when they were not able to fulfill their only son's dream. It’s not easy to keep up the fight when nothing turns. But, I kept my dream alive.

I remember, in every family wedding occasion, I used to follow the wedding photographers. You may laugh but it's true. Some of them looked at me like I was the one who should run. They looked at me with a strange flash of suspicion and defiance. I remember, I used to ask them about camera's aperture, shutter speed and many relevant questions but at one stage, they used to get tired of my questions. I am much obliged to one Senior Wedding Photographer who spent some of his precious time to show me some technical aspects of the camera. He let me hold his camera in my hand and watch through the view finder. I felt so lucky that day.

And then one day...

I got a call from one of my uncle's (who owned Canon AE-1) friend. He came on vacation from New York and guess what! He has asked me to collect the Cannon Camera which my uncle has sent me over from New York. I knew, my uncle did settle in America but never thought of getting this surprise from him. Some how, he has realized my passion of photography. I filled with immense happiness I could ever have. I thanked him hundred times. It was such a precious gift in my life.

My photography journey has only just begun

Since I have started my career life, my half of the earnings I have spent on film and printing. I used to click days and nights, I photographed almost all children in my family and their Mom used to praise my skill all the times. I got inspired and took more photographs. I never took money for printing and gave away most of the pictures for free. I felt so good by giving away those prints.

Photography is both an Art and Science. Photography allows us to express our feeling and emotions. We need to master the scientific part of the medium. Unlike a painter, who is in direct contact with his subject and his canvas, a photographer is separated from his subject by the camera and from his "canvas" by computers and printers today and by darkroom equipment previously.

There are great measure of changes has occurred in photography these days. Although, the credit goes to the photographer not the equipment he used, but in this 21st century, you need good equipments to achieve better results and it certainly ease your life as well.

Don't sweat if you can't afford a good camera. Even a point-and-shoot camera does the job if you have a good vision of seeing things differently. Go slow. Stop. Wait. Look all around you. Wait some more. Things happen in a magical moment. Light changes dramatically. Look at the background that your subject is on. 'Click' as much as you can. Now, in digital world, you don't need to bother about films and printing. Your photographs can be seen and sent anywhere in the world over the internet. It's just a click away.