Kicking Off - Photo 1

Zero to Pro - Photo Blog 9

The Zero to Pro project officially kicked off at the end of August.  Earlier that month I thought I had better begin to do a little ground work.  I wanted to have a few photos ready to post when things got up and running so I started to look out for photo opportunities.

One such opportunity presented itself on August 1^st.  The Olympics were to kick-off at Scotland’s National Stadium and so I thought I would warm up by stepping out into the cold with my camera and heading to Hampden Park.

I’ve always carried a compact camera around with me everywhere I go - to family gatherings, to events, if I go out for a walk...just in case something that should be caught on camera catches my eye.  Until recently, there have been very few occasions where I have had the opportunity to go out with the sole (or soul) purpose of taking photographs purely for pleasure.

So, as I made my way towards this big sporting event with my big camera (I know most people call it a digital SLR) I felt a little unusual.  It was liberating to be able to go out into the world just to search for beautiful moments but a bit scary at the same time...what if none showed up?  I knew where I was going but I had no idea what I was looking for and this unsettled the part of me that likes to have a purposeful plan.
 

I decided that the best idea for me going forward would be to get a bit of background on any area/event I’m going to before I arrive so that I can have shots in mind that might be available for the taking.  However, these imagined images can’t be too fixed or fixated on as this may cause my eyes to be closed to other possibilities that I could not have anticipated and that may be far more interesting.

I figure, the other advantage to doing a bit of leg work and having some knowledge about an event/area in advance is that it may offer an alternative angle to that of other photographers in the same place.  For example, knowing who is likely to be at an event gives you an idea of who to look out for or picking up local knowledge of an area might allow you to put yourself in prime position to get the best shot. 

That shouldn’t be too difficult based on my first experience of being out with a digital SLR in sight.  I imagined that you might be met with hostility when taking photos of people who did not ask you to take photos of them.  In reality, people seemed to view me as a safe person in a crowd of strangers.  When I wasn’t in the process of taking photographs people would stop and talk to me or ask directions.  When I was in the process of taking photographs people were happy to get in my way, they wanted to be seen. 

I, however, wasn’t as comfortable with the view they were taking of me.  I felt like a fraud and feared that someone might want to chat about what I was doing when I clearly didn’t know.  I think the photo below is proof of that!

I know that there are many ways in which this photograph could be improved but as a first shot I was relatively happy with it.

It took me a while to get the image I was looking for.  At first I wasn’t confident enough to put the camera to my eye with the crowds streaming towards me.  I was at eye level with everyone which meant some people were way to close to the camera and aware of my presence.  So, I decided to climb up on a wall, where a hedge was handily providing a little cover, and take some photos from that position.  I lined up a shot showing the stadium and flags so that the setting was clear, I was then looking for a sense of occasion...someone who would walk into the frame and tell the story of the day.  

The moment I was waiting for arrived.  A little boy spotted me behind the camera and burst into a joyful state waving his flags as he danced towards me.  The girls that were taking care of him looked comfortable with me taking the shot so I released the shutter. I was only a couple of feet off the ground but I felt on top of the world when out of nowhere everything I was looking for appeared in front of me!  It felt like crossing the finish line first.  I was elated.

 

To me the photo presented the idea that the youth of the day had come away from the event inspired and perhaps ready to be at the forefront in the future with regards to sport.  The boy’s energy also appeared to be in contrast to those behind him, maybe representing the lethargy of the past in Glasgow where fitness is concerned.   

So, overall, I was happy with the composition and the finer details in the shot, like the Irn-Bru van in the background (although it's a bit rubbish that I allowed the bin and sign to creep into the right of the image).  I’m pretty sure everything else could have been a lot better.  The little boy is out of focus and the image is a bit dull.  I’d like to know how to do better next time so if you have any suggestions I’d be happy to hear them?!