MMS 173 Blog 1

"Sometimes it feels like everyone else knows what they’re doing, and I’m just faking it.

— Eleanor Shellstrop, The Good Place

When I first entered this class, I honestly felt intimidated. Seeing my classmates’ prior works posted on the self-introduction forum made me think, “These are great photos. How can I keep up with these experienced photographers?” I felt lost at sea. But I also had to post something in the forum. So, I browsed through my phone gallery, trying to find a good photo to share. It took me a few minutes to find a half-decent shot, but even then, it didn’t come close to the quality of my classmates’ photos.

At the time I took the photo, I remember feeling that the sky had a Gotham vibe. It was a cloudy evening at BGC, and when I looked out my window, the scene had this mysterious, almost cinematic feel; like something straight out of Batman. I half-expected to see the Bat Signal appear somewhere in the sky. So, I grabbed my iPhone and snapped a photo of the moment.

When someone responded to my forum post saying they also got the Gotham vibe from my photo, I was surprised. It made me think that maybe the photo wasn’t as bad as I initially thought. After all, I was able to convey the same feeling I had when I took it.

Then came Unit I, where we learned about design elements, principles, and composition. This was followed by a few Zoom classes with photo critique exercises. Those sessions made me realize that photos shouldn’t be understood or critiqued only at surface level. There’s more to an image than whether it simply looks good or not.

Now, looking back at the photo I posted, I can see that, yes, it’s far from the level of my more experienced classmates’ work. But at the very least, it has some good merits.

I framed the shot in a way that placed what appears to be a transmission pole along the rule of thirds grid. There are also diagonal lines that lead the viewer’s eye toward the pole, something I wouldn’t have explicitly noticed before. Back then, I just thought, “Yeah, this kinda looks good. Let me post it.” But now, I understand why it might look good, and why it might not. So maybe I have what it takes to be a good photographer. I just need to be more aware and practice.

For the second assignment, we were tasked with giving a general critique of how the class takes photos. It was both an inspiring and eye-opening experience. While browsing through my classmates’ online portfolios, I still came across a few experienced photographers; some had even shot portraits of celebrities. But this time, instead of feeling disheartened, I was inspired.

Bringing what I learned from Unit I, I tried to analyze their photos, how they composed their shots and how I could apply some of their techniques to my own practice. It was also a revelation to see that the majority of the class were amateur photographers like me. Most were also using their phone cameras. Critiquing their photos made me realize how I could improve my own. It reminded me of why I enrolled at UP Open University in the first place, which is to learn. I may lack experience for now, but that’s exactly why I’m here; to grow and get better.

I entered the class with only one piece of gear, my iPhone 14 Pro which I’ve had for two years. iPhones have a reputation for taking good photos, well, they should, considering they cost a fortune. But at the end of the day, they are still mobile phone cameras, equipped with smaller lenses and sensors. The exposure settings are mostly automatic, and the phone’s embedded AI automatically enhance the photos to make them look their best, compensating for the hardware limitations. Even when shooting in RAW format, the software still applies subtle tweaks.

Another limitation I noticed is that iPhones don’t allow full manual control over exposure. While there are advanced options to adjust exposure or third-party apps that simulate manual mode, they can only do so much. This made me finally decide to invest in a DSLR camera.

Unit II taught me the importance of understanding the exposure triangle. Manually adjusting the three exposure settings, aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, makes us more flexible photographers. It allows us to adapt to different lighting conditions, control depth of field, and better express the story we want to tell. It gives us the power to fully control the light we capture to produce the best possible image.

After comparing my iPhone shots to the ones taken by my classmates and now, my own DSLR, I realized that no matter how expensive an iPhone is, DSLRs and mirrorless cameras still capture significantly better images.

I chose the Canon EOS 1500D, a 24.1-megapixel DSLR camera, paired with an EF-S 18-55mm IS II kit lens. It’s not the latest model and is considered a beginner’s camera, but it’s enough for me to learn the fundamentals and practice my skills.

Coming from mobile photography, the transition definitely comes with a learning curve especially in manually adjusting the exposure. After unboxing my DSLR, I immediately took a few photos of my cat, experimenting with the exposure triangle. It was challenging.

Some shots came out underexposed. At first glance, one photo might have looked great, but upon closer check, I noticed that the depth of field was too shallow, leaving some of my cat’s face out of focus. Maybe I chose the wrong aperture. Had I not taken this class, I would have thought my photos were already good. However, I’ve now learned to be more critical and better critique my own work.

Right now, I’m still trying to fully grasp how to balance the three exposure settings. It’s quite tricky, I must say, but I believe I’ll get the hang of it with practice. Sometimes, I don’t even understand exactly what I’m doing; I just keep scrolling the exposure wheel on my camera, randomly tweaking it until I feel like I’ve hit the correct combination. Faking it until I make it.

At this point in the course, there’s still so much to learn. But instead of feeling lost at sea, I now feel more inspired and challenged to grow. Comparing myself to my classmates, I realize that despite our different levels of experience in photography, we are all here to learn and improve. I just need to keep floating, keep swimming, and eventually, I’ll catch the current that takes me to my destination.

Rhon Joshua Calupitan | 2022-30993

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