Through the Lens of Joy: Exploring the Benefits of Photography as a Hobby
I’ve often been asked this question whilst on conferences or weddings and I have the pleasure to talk to so many people from all different backgrounds of life. I often immediately think, ‘Well it got me here, talking to you’, but rarely say it out loud as some could take it as sarcasm! Actually it’s true. Without starting out as a hobbyist photographer, I wouldn’t be doing it today as a career.
When I tell my story, I always tell people I was that child in primary school that brought along one of those old-fashioned film cameras that were long and thing, something similar to a Minolta Pocket Autopak 270. I can’t remember the exact model. I used to snap away and get my parents to develop the films for me and wait in anticipation for that packet to drop through the post and try to figure out what the picture was meant to show. I remember taking it to the Coventry Motor Museum on a primary school trip and specifically taking Thrust II pictures.
I now teach basic and intermediate adult photography classes as well as after-school photography clubs in primary schools. I help both groups understand the settings on their cameras, how to take control of these strange settings for different situations, but also try to improve composition. Ultimately inspiring them to take photos, but also aspiring for better photos.
The beauty of photography as a hobby is it can go wherever you want it to go. In all senses. As a hobby, you can take a camera on your travels and capture all the beautiful places you go and people you spend your time with. It can come with you on nights out, to parties, weddings, and help you remember those magical moments you spend with family and friends. You don’t even need expensive equipment - most people have a good camera on their phones in their pocket! If nothing else, it can get you out the house, get work out of your head, and just go for a walk to find beauty in life. With mental health issues as rife as they are at present, what a simple adjustment to make.
But as I say, it can go wherever you want to take it. You can develop these skills as far as you want to. Online resources such as YouTube are amassed with educational videos to improve any aspect of your photography. Use free education to improve your hobby! Look back at pictures and try to work out ways to improve them. Changing point of view for an image is such as simple change but so effective. Change your hobby from being a point and click, automatic setting, photographer to developing your creative style and taking creative control. Post processing images can be a hobby unto itself and lots of fun. Again, online tutorials are aplenty with free educational and step-by-step guidance on how to achieve certain effects.
Photography can be an expensive hobby as you develop and the purchases can be endless. But you do not need to spend big to get equipment for the hobby. You need to know how to use it. As you get better and better you can then invest in different tools that allow you to try different techniques such as greater control of depth of field through prime lenses, or increased shutter time with filters.
Is photography a good hobby? Absolutely…yes. You get out of it whatever you want. Everyone can do it. Take you phone out and take snaps with friends. Buy a camera and take holiday pictures. Capture those family gatherings: christenings, weddings, birthday, etc. Get creative and change how you take pictures. Whatever you do with your camera, it helps switch off, makes you smile, reduces stress, improves mental health and physical health is you go out and enjoy our wonderful world. Do it.
