Amateur photography presented by:
My Kind of Town!
This is the homepage of the amateur photographer Scott Simon
As you can probably gather, I live in Chicago.
I was born here and I have lived here my whole life.
Some people say that amateurs have no skill. That has never stopped me from enjoying this.
Witness the Magic!
I've been fascinated with cameras and the picture taking process since I was extremely young.
One of my first memories was watching a picture "come to life" in my grandfather's dark room. It was the epitome of magic!
On this page, I'd like to share some of my experiences and let my fellow amateur photographers know that there will always be struggles when it comes to getting the perfect shots.
Amateur-ish!
What are you waiting for? Pick up that camera!
- It is much harder than it seems to capture what you see - don't give up
- It is easy to lose interest and this is especially true if your first photo was taken via smart phone
- It's not your camera, it's how you use it
- It's very easy to get confused by which gear to buy
- You want to learn, but you don't know where to start
- As mentioned above - Don't Give Up!
Evolve!
Transform from amateur into photographer!
- Has a full understanding of how exposure works after finding some direction
- You go out for the simple purpose of taking photos - just because
- You often take a look at pictures you took in the past and wonder if you would shoot them differently now
- You start to carry your camera because you know there are opportunities just waiting to be captured
- You invest in the right gear and rely less on post-editing software
Experience!
If you made it this far, there's no turning back!
- You know your camera inside and out
- You know what metering is, white balance, f-stops, etc.
- You are actually builidng a portfolio of quality images (and enjoy showing them off)
- You realize the importance of the camera's flash and learn how to use it at the right times
- You start focusing on a certain theme
Eye of the Beholder!
If people start asking you to bring your camera to parties, then you made it!
- You challenge yourself into using advanced techniques (macro, micro, etc.)
- You've started to teach your friends all the stuff you've already mastered
- You start traveling to find more opportunities
- Your camera has become an extension of who you are
- You start to consider photography as a way to earn extra money