Friends and Photographers

Dear Friends and Photographers,

I am person who loves photography.

My job is photography. Am I really a photographer? I don't think I really am. Someday! But not now. I would need a certain level of notoriety to feel comfortable calling myself that. I don't even like that my website says "Megan Tsang Photography" or even "Megan Tsang Photographer"; I just kind of had to so people would know what I was all about. I feel pretty pompous to put that on my website at this point in my development as picture-taker.

The funny thing.. when I was just doing it for fun, and not for a means of survival, I was sooooooo cocky.  I'm embarrassed how prideful I was (or even that sometimes my pride still manifests itself).  I think, "Ick!  I used to be proud of those pictures?  Ick!"  I'm glad that over time I've met amazing photographers who have really humbled me and encouraged my own growth as a photographer-to-be. :)

With that said, here's what my post is really about...

My guide to being a considerate aspiring photographer (emphasis on aspiring).

- Unless you're a good friend, I try not give unsolicited advice. Sometimes I do, so sorry if I'm annoying you. :) - I find it very important that even if other people aren't asking for advice or critiques, to give my own positive critiques. To tell them how much I love how they captured a certain moment. To tell them their picture was really well composed. To them that the lighting was amazing!  I'd like to encourage people with photography just as my colleagues, friends and family have. So for me, that means to highlight all the skills they already have.  If I like your picture, I want to let you know!   - Questions, even seemingly dumb ones, should never be in short supply!  I may be making some money doing photography, but I still envy the skills of many people who just do it for fun.  An example being Jasmin or Dan Mats or Matt Chan.  I'm never embarrassed to ask them dumb questions about their pictures or camera or whatever.   - I think it's great when a bunch of people are taking pictures.  It's even better when they show each other their pictures of the same thing.  You get to learn about how they took that picture, and you get to see the world from another point of view.  So share pictures!!  (I'm bad at this because I forget to send pictures. Yikes!  Sorry everyone!)  I love to look at everyone else's pictures! - DSLR camera snobs are not nice  and have no grounds to bad mouth camera phones or point-and-shoots.  (Although Olympus and Kodak digital cameras are horrible.) It's the person who takes the picture that makes the picture great. I think if you talk to any professional photographer, they'll tell you that equipment doesn't matter without a good eye. So unless you're a professional, DSLRs are not necessarily > point/shoot. - I don't pretend to know what I'm doing. Truthfully, half the time I don't know how to make my picture the way I want it. That's why I take workshops! If I flood you with information after I've come back from a workshop,  like The Raddest Photo Trip Ever, sorry!  It's just because I'm so excited about all the wonderful things I learned!

So, dear friends! Happy picture taking!