I stood in the darkness as I attempted to remain hidden, my eyes darting from left to right as I searched for a target. I waited patiently, wanting to make sure that I neither missed or wasted a shot, my feet tired from having stood in the same corner, my vantage point, for what felt like hours. And then I saw her. My target.
I held my breath as she walked into the frame, my finger already on the trigger. It was time for the shot. Click. My shutter had let out a quick mechanical sound. The sound of relief. It was over. I had just taken my photo of the day, concluding a long, frustrating yet enjoyable afternoon.
Photography is a hobby that I enjoy greatly. Despite this, I can admit that spending a day out photographing things that one finds interesting can be difficult and takes a lot of effort. This is why I believe one can learn about perseverance through this hobby.
Taking a photo goes beyond just using a camera. It is a continuous effort in an attempt to capture something potentially special. It could mean waiting and waiting in the same corner just for that moment where everything just comes together before pressing that shutter button, which Henri Cartier-Bresson, an influential photographer of the 20th century and a pioneer in street photography, coined this as “The Decisive Moment”. The Expert Photography website further explained as “the moment when all the elements in a photograph come together perfectly to create a meaningful image”.
Beyond that, taking the right photo could also mean walking in wet shoes after getting soaked in the rain after finding an interesting photo, continuous learning, and standing or walking for long hours while chasing after sunlight. Maybe it even means facing one’s own anxiety in order to photograph someone one deems interesting, facing discomfort and shyness head on. In short, to take a photo that one can be happy with, one truly has to work hard through the difficulties that come with it. “Nothing worth having comes easy”, said former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, a quote that can be applied to many things in life and photography and taking that photo is certainly no exception.
Another thing that adds to a lesson in perseverance is criticism, which can put a halt to pursuing a hobby and even potentially break one’s spirit. However, learning to listen to constructive criticism and learning from it, it can be among the most important lessons that one may come across.
Although I am only a hobbyist and by no means a professional, there have been times where I had to have other people look at my photos to either to learn from another photographer or for something work-related. Some of the best lessons I’ve ever had were not through dozens of video tutorials, articles or strictly practicing, but through listening to an unbiased and honest opinion, which can involve opinions that can be difficult to listen to. Learning to persevere through this is important to learn, and the same can be said for anyone who wants to try a new hobby and get better at it.
There are a number of ways to learn about perseverance and to me, photography is one of them. It taught me about patience and navigating through uncomfortable or difficult scenarios, as well as taking in helpful criticism rather than running away from it. Taking a photo can have its difficulties, but then again, nothing worth having comes easy, and taking a photo that one can be happy with is certainly worth having.
A woman walks in front of Maxim’s Cake Shop near Flora Garden last week.
– Photo: Rui Pastorin
