Over the last few years I’ve become keen on photography, especially when I’m on a trip away somewhere.
I love nothing more than wandering the streets with the camera in my hand, capturing the details that I wouldn’t otherwise notice. I love coming home and downloading the photographs to my computer, trawling through them carefully to see what’s there.
Usually there are a lot of dodgy pictures: mistimed shots with passersby caught mid-stride, or badly exposed shots, oddly composed photos or those that just plain didn’t work out as I hoped.
Then there are the surprises. The photographs I had forgotten about, or that looked unimpressive on the camera’s small screen. Up close on the computer they come alive.
Sometimes with a few adjustments in Photoshop, even an average image can turn into something eye-catching.
Having a DSLR makes a huge difference to the quality of the photos I’m able to take. Scrolling through my laptop, I came across the pictures that I took on a trip to Warsaw about eight years ago, on my old point and shoot camera.
They aren’t the best quality and I knew nothing about composition. I just knew that there was something in front of me that I wanted to capture, so I took a picture.
And these slightly fuzzy images still manage to transport me back to that trip to Poland.
I remember how excited I was to wake up on my birthday and discover the snow falling outside. I remember the excitement of staying on the 30-somethingth floor of the Intercontinental Hotel, with its epic views across the Warsaw skyline. I remember walking through the streets and falling in love with everything, my first proper city break exploring a new destination. I remember how cold it was, and how warm it was descending into the tunnels underneath the main square around the extravagant Palace of Science and Culture.
I look back at the photographs and I know how much better they could have been. I think of all the things I saw on that trip that I didn’t photograph because I was too busy enjoying the moment.
It doesn’t always have to be about getting the perfect shot. Sometimes the memories are enough.