As some may know, I discovered a few years ago that I was very passionate about photography and this hasn't changed. Every opportunity that I get to experience the world of a photographer I think it helps me a lot to really see my potential and also see how a photographer's life is. However, there are some different types that I have noticed over the years; one that photographs for pleasure and one that does it for a living.
At the beginning of this year I got the opportunity to be the photographer of the Summer Camp at school and I was really excited because all I had to do is take pictures and that's it. But, it obviously ended up being more than that. More than just taking pictures, I had to take it more seriously and look at it as a very serious and real job. At the beginning of the camp because I was in my day-to-day environment which is school, it felt relaxed and I was a little bit carried away by that, which didn't do me any good. |
In fact, I had real bosses and even though I least expected it I was yelled at a couple of times because of deadlines. The first time this happened it was an eye-opening for me because I had to be on top of things and everything had to be done as quickly as possible.
The second part of my job was to edit and upload pictures to the school website and this took a load of time. Because of this, I had to work fast, efficiently, and sometimes at home, which wasn't the ideal circumstance for me since we are in vacations. But, that was my job and I knew it had to be done.
The second part of my job was to edit and upload pictures to the school website and this took a load of time. Because of this, I had to work fast, efficiently, and sometimes at home, which wasn't the ideal circumstance for me since we are in vacations. But, that was my job and I knew it had to be done.
Going back to the different types of photographers, I realized that I enjoy taking pictures more for pleasure than in a real job. I take my camera everywhere I go or take photos with my phone all the time because I really enjoy it. I realized that these are the best pictures I take. On the other hand, taking pictures for a job where I'm getting paid is a totally different story because you have to photograph what you are asked for; in this case, kids having fun, learning, mixed gender groups, engagement with the teachers, etc. |
Reflecting on what I've been doing this past month in the Summer Camp I realized that I had experienced the same feelings during my personal project. This consisted on creating a travel guide with original pictures, which meant I had to take them myself. I was excited at the beginning of the project because it meant that I would visit new places in Lima and take photos of the things I like. However, it didn't end up being as fun as I thought because I felt obligated to take photos of these places and I had terrible deadlines. In other words, not at all pleasurable as I had wanted it to be. |
During the Summer Camp I did feel some pressure because I was all on my own and I had to have really great pictures that captured the essence of the Summer Camp and how much fun it really is. Despite all of that, it was definitely one of those great opportunities that even though I am afraid of taking at the beginning end up being a great learning experience for me. Everything that I did this month benefited me and my learning in many ways. I learned how to use Lightroom for the first time for something this important; it was incredible to see the improvement with so much practice to manage to edit photos quicker and a lot better. Not only that, but I have been practicing my English skills by speaking to the kids as well so it was definitely a worth it experience and I got to make some money during the summer and doing what I like.
Another real-world experience that I can add to my list! :)
Another real-world experience that I can add to my list! :)