Street Smart Photos: 2 years as a photographer.

An artist has his brush and a photographer has his camera.

2 years ago I bought my first camera. It was a Panasonic g6 that I intended to use for video before anything else. Learning to shoot stills with the camera was an entirely secondary concern and I only started because I didn't want to waste the capabilities of the camera. It turned out that I shot far more photos than videos and eventually began to spend a large portion of my free time pursuing photography. It has become one of the most enjoyable and rewarding hobbies I have ever had. After the break will be a number of photos I have taken over the last two years that I feel reflect how my style has changed and developed over time during my 2 years as a photographer.

A portrait of me shot by my girlfriend.

When I first got started in photography I did not have any idea what to photograph. I shot everything from birds at the pond to trinkets around the house. I was working out what I wanted to shoot. The first time I really began to be attracted to a particular subject was when I started acting in a show at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, Texas. On days with dramatic clouds the roller coasters cut strong and interesting figures into the sky. So I began to photograph them.

A long way down

Back into the light!

Stairway to heaven?

After I had gotten several shots I liked from shooting roller coaters I began to go on photo walks through Dallas and Fort Worth. I began to try my hand at other subjects. Architecture became a good way to try out the 9mm fisheye bodycap I had purchased, and asking people for portraits let me get used to using my 50mm f1.4. It was around this time that I really developed a preference for my manual lens. The feeling of focusing and watching the image come into focus in the viewfinder were both exhilarating. My autofocus lens became used less and less.

Open spaces and wet places

Boxing in the clouds

Bubblegum

Cowboy gangsters are real....sadly horrifyingly real.

Pleasant smoke break

As I got used to shooting on the streets I began to dabble in different areas, long exposures, flash lit portraits, light painting, and more.

As if porcelain dolls weren't creepy enough already

Difficult shot to pull off. Combination of long exposure light trails and flash lit portrait.

One of my favorites. This was lit with a single 60 inch umbrella and street lamps.

This was from my first paid portrait session. Dad flew the umbrella overhead on a stand.

A shot I liked from the first session I did

Asleep on watch duty

My very first fireworks

Guarding the gates of hell. Flash lit still life

Which way is up?

Camera selfie. This photo was taken with the camera that appears in the photo.

Upstairs or down?

Protecting light.

As I practiced more and more I found myself becoming more attracted to photographing people. I found their interactions and quirks intriguing. And I felt like moments were being ignored and lost all the time because they weren't being captured. So I decided it was time for me to start capturing them.

Alone in the woods

Do you have a size 9?

Faceless.

A bit soft but I love this image.

Breather

Break time

A quick trim before the bus arrives.

Slow drag

"I didn't bring my shirt on purpose"

Like owner like dog

Can I help you?

Square dancing

Lady in pink

Golden light.

Bad guy (I'm not).

Clever shirt of his says bad guy in large characters and I'm not in very small ones.

Seriously?

Guard dog

Feeling alone

My girlfriend's father.

One thing that really stood out to me when photographing people were the variety of expressions they could produce. Their situations and environments working together to create beautiful imagery. However as I photographed people more and more I began to miss my flash. So I began to mix the pursuit of documentary street photography with flash.

Ghosts and Cheshire cats in downtown wonderland.

in and out of shadows.

in the spotlight

safe place

what's that light?

Great ball of fire

living dolls

sanitary concerns

waiting in red lipstick

A hero discovering his powers?

Cool Grandpa

Goodmorning

Stepping out

Self portrait

Long figure

Through the tunnel

Burning for the dead

Shadow on the wall

Smartphones and cigarettes

Power Tie

Street photography with flash has begun to consume my entire style. It is the first thing I jump to do and the last I leave. It has become a niche that I feel comfortable in and I feel produces interesting and wonderful photos. I love doing it despite the naysayers and those that are afraid of doing it themselves. Right now I am continuing on my photographic journey. My style will probably continue to evolve and change over the years. I am looking forward to it. Change and growth is how we live as people. It marks us and shows what we have the potential to be and what we really become. Photography may not be my only passion, but it is one that will be with me for many years to come.

More Photos just for fun.