My Creative Process

What gets me excited about taking photos?

I started my photography hobby way back in the 80’s. Yep, I’m that old. My first camera was a Minolta XR I think. I had no idea about the craft or exposure, shutter speed, iso or anything. I just liked take pictures.

Living in Saudi Arabia, we had a lot of vacations where we explored different countries each year on our way back to the United States to see family. So I remember taking my camera on a lot of those trips. I just enjoyed looking through the viewfinder, framing a shot and clicking and hearing the shutter release. On a trip to New Zealand and Bora Bora, I was asked to take photos for my class project. Interesting. Even more interesting was I had to produce a slideshow. I do remember taking some pretty good shots. I think back now though and I had no idea what I was doing. I think I just took photos to remember the scene. No artistic thought in my head.

My great uncle, also a photographer, spent so much time taking photos. I didn’t know then but he truly saw photography different than I did. He must have been making adjustments to the settings, getting close, moving away, changing lenses. All something I of course do now, but had no idea what he was doing back then. I remember laughing when he would spend so much time shooting flowers.

Spoiler Alert : I love taking photos of flowers.

When he passed away, at the reception, one of my cousins brought out a slideshow projector and we watched reels and reels of he photographs. I had at this time taking some photography classes in college and began to understand the craft. I watched flower after flower and saw how much talent he really had.

My wife and I bought DSLR cameras over ten years ago and that is what brought me back. I’ve slowly worked on my craft and think I take some pretty good photos. I have since bought quite a few mirrorless and DSLR cameras. I have a ton of lenses. I read a lot of books, articles. What I know now is light years ahead of when I was young.

But to get better you need to take more and more photos.

Am I a great photographer? Nope, but I truly have the passion and love the craft. I’m more of a creative photographer focusing on macro, miniature, street and nature photography. I’m not as interested in people photography. I love Macro/Miniature as it brings out the creative energy I so desire. For miniatures I have tons of props that give me inspiration into what the build in a scenario. Do they come out great. Most of the time no, but I love doing it and every once in awhile I nail it.

A hobby should be something you enjoy doing. No matter what. I had a bit of a lull where I just had no desire to take photos. I had lost my creative mojo, but like always it comes back. I’ve set up my site to help drive and inspire me daily.

So sit back, browse a little around the museum of Trifatlete and enjoy your stay.