Pop your cherry

When I first bought a DSLR, my attitude was that I could make anything look good if I framed and focused it right - and out of hundreds of photos I would get a few good ones. After a few years and many a photograph taken, I slowly came to realise that not everything looks good through the lens.


I rarely tolerate imperfection nowaday (incorrect point of focus, over exposure, noise, chopped off heads, four subjects, no subject of interest etc) - because of this, unless a great photo is staring me in the face I'm unlikely to get my camera out.


Its rare that I take photographs without premeditation. Usually if I'm in the middle of some other activity, or even just chilling with friends, I find it distracting and disruptive to take my camera out, set it up with the appropriate ISO, shutter speed and aperture, let alone the multiple shot attempts to get the lighting and composition perfect. It really requires focus.


If I was to simply point and click, the images might be good memories, but I will do nothing with them until I'm 70 and want to reminisce, even then I'd be more likely to look at the excellent photos than trawl through all the average ones.


It sounds negative, but it is reality. I am still a very active photographer, but it's something I battle with constantly.


Here are some thoughts about how one can overcome this:

1. Dedicate time
Often you will find an interesting location/subject to photograph (e.g. burned down house or children playing basketball in the street), but you are not quite sure how to make it look great. Often it just takes time to wander around and try different angles until you find something that looks good - sometimes this can take 50 snaps to get the right shot - but once you do you will never regret it.


2. Pick the right time
Although the middle of the day seems like the most beautiful time to do photography, it can be the most difficult. Between 11am and 2pm is brightest and you fight with under exposed shadows and over exposed surfaces. Go on your photo jam in the morning or afternoon. Also - cloudy days offer fantastic lighting, because shadows are less prominent.


3. Be inspired
This is a tough one but here are some suggestions:

• Pop your cherry (just start taking photos and see what happens)
• Go to new locations
• Practice taking technically good photographs of boring things (fiddle with composure lighting, you might just get inspired)
• Read photography magazines and look online - find inspiration/ideas in others work
• Do a photography course, often the course will set homework which forces you to go out and have mini photo shoots
• Choose a theme (e.g. transport, culture, laughter, love etc) and take photos to express this theme
• Get a muse / mentor / partner in crime - having another person involve naturally motivates
• Take drugs… Ok I am not really endorsing or suggesting this… but you can't argue that many artists (musicians, artists, writers) have historically leaned on mind altering substances to foster creativity

I find when I go out specifically to take photographs, the first snap always takes the longest to find. But once you pop your cherry for the day, the rest flow easily.

The following are a series of "cherry poppers" I've taken since being in the Philippines:

Kids about to jump on a Jeepney just outside of Subic

Kids hanging out in a shop drinking beer in Cebu. Dudes are dudes all over the world.

A friendly cop stopped me on a routine check, and let me go with no hassles after carefully scanning my international drivers license - just outside Angeles City

At a war memorial in Tarlac, where approximately 75,000 Filipino and American troops ended their "Death March" led by the Japanese army in 1942. The march was later accounted as a Japanese war crime. For more information click this link: Bataan Death March

Beach dogs watching a beautiful sunset on Panglao Island

Men re-enacting Passion of Christ on Good Friday in Cebu

Dude riding the raddest bike I've ever seen - Makati, Manila

Flowers on Mactan Island, Cebu




Get out there and POP YOUR CHERRY!!!