Photoshoots

I have been getting a lot of question lately about the story and origin of my photography. Some of my friends even made wild assumption that I’ve been doing this for more than five years. Thanks for the compliment though

This blog post is just to share the story of how I started. And maybe give you an idea how to start as well.

Pre-Manual

As a teenager, before I went to university, I always liked to take travel photos. It helps that my mom and dad loves to travel. We have visited many countries in Europe and South East Asia. Every-time we are travelling, I am always the one who hold the cameras and snap the photos. We were still using some old compact camera. I’m not sure if we still have it or not.

On our last trip (I believe to China) my parents purchased the Canon Powershot S3 IS, which I will be using for much of the time before DSLR.

My parent’s love of travel just instilled on me. After I come to Australia to continue my higher education, I joined the Monash Photography Club. There I learned much from fellow members and the workshops that the club offer.

I still remember the first trip that I went to with MPC. It was a trip to the Yarra Valley Winery trip. Everybody was carrying some huge Nikon or Canon DSLR. I kinda feel envious, but heck, I dont know how they really work and if they make a difference to the picture that I take.

That was 2007.

I continued to use the compact for the remaining of the year. It has served me well. But I have no idea how to operate the camera on manual control until later in the mid 2008.

At December 2007-second year of university, I bought my first DSLR sponsored by my parents. Thanks again Mom and Dad. Its really great to have parents who support your hobby.

I researched long and hard before deciding which camera to buy. Ended up with the awesome D80. How I research will be on another post.

When I bought the camera, I really have no idea how to use manual controls. I just put the camera to auto and started shooting like how most of us started.

Then at January 2008, one event changed my perspective.

The Evolution

One day when I was visiting my hometown in Indonesia, one of my old friend called me to ask if she can use my car to drive to the beach. Of course I asked her why she wanted to go to the beach for.

People who doesn’t grow up near the beach will have a hard time understanding this, but we Indonesian live on the equator. We have massive natural beaches. We have played at the beach since we were babies. The beach is HOT. The sun ray can burn your skin in matter of minutes. Besides, the ladies in Asia loves their skin to be fair, not tan. So usually they go the the beach wearing some protective clothing. Totally different with the western way of beach loving.

We usually go there only during sunset when the sun is not too strong as to avoid burned skin.

Anyway, back to the story. She told me she was having a photoshoot with her cousin. I was surprised. I didn’t know you can have photoshoot at the beach. At that time, my mind was still imagining photoshoot as the glamour and high-class process that can only be conducted in the studio by professional people. Shows you how amateur I was

I agreed to her request, but in return, I got to go to the shoot with her. It was a mind opening experience.

The photographer at that time (Eric) was also visiting our hometown for the holiday. He was good. He bring a friend to hold a mirror – which acts as the reflector.

I didn’t know what to do, so I just put the camera on auto and started shooting her. Eric then asked me, “What settings are you using?”. I was dumbfounded. I said I have no idea what he is talking about. He asked me, “Are you using auto to shoot this?”. I said yes.

Then he give me a 20 second crash course on how to set the camera to manual and give me his approximate setting, and continued shooting.

My result wasn’t that good. It is not the main point though. I was having fun on my first photoshoot of my life.

From there, my love for modelling and portraiture grows.

Thanks Eric and Febiola.

The Love Drama

Couple of days after the photoshoot, my friend invited me to visit the local school. She was giving a dance class for an upcoming end-of-year school performance. I was getting quite bored at my hometown having nothing to do, so I agreed.

There was some fifteen female students dancing with her. All of them was of teenager, probably fifteen to sixteen years old.

Only one struck my attention. It was the one who becomes my next girlfriend for the next couple of months. The story is for another time

Fortunately, she loves to pose for the camera. We went to numerous places together for photoshoots. I was practicing, and she was having fun.

I learned a lot of posing and camera setting in that month, more than anything I’ve ever learned.

People said its easy to get from zero to eighty percent, but it takes decades to bring eighty to a hundred. I was having my zero to eighty moment.

Too bad at March 2008 I needed to get back to Australia to study, and she has to stay back there in Indonesia.

Farewell, Linda.

Enter MPC

I mentioned that I joined MPC since 2007 before. It was not until I march 2008 that I started seriously learning photography.

We had some really good workshops going on. My personal favourite was the studio workshop, of course.

It was a tutorial room. We had to move all the chairs and desks to the side. It was my first time working with lightstands, 300w lights, octoboxes, umbrellas, etc.

You can imagine how excited I was.

Again, my photos turned out not that great. But it was still salvageable. Its the experience that matters.

We learned and learned together, we bonded in photography. I made some really great friends in MPC.

Future Photoshoots

Outside MPC, I also organised my own photoshoot with friends. You don’t need to spend money to practice your portraiture.

Had lots of experience with a lot of very nice models. Thanks to you guys I was able to get to where I am now.

Oops, Its already more than thousand words, and I was aiming for mere five-hundreds words only.

Until next time.