My STEP Signature Project was the Nevada, Arizona, Utah – January 2023 STEP Photography trip. We went to several National Parks, State Parks, and other sites in Nevada, Arizona, and Utah. At these sites we took pictures using the practices we were taught before and while on the trip.
One understanding of myself that changed while on the trip was my love for photography. Before this trip, the most experience I’ve had with photography was researching how to edit photos on my phone. My parents had a camera and I had used it a few times, but it had always been on auto-mode. This trip really allowed me to break outside of this bubble and experience landscape photography, which I would say is one of my favorite forms of the craft.
The trip also changed my view of the world in many ways. I have always wanted to travel, and before entering college I hadn’t been west of the Mississippi River. Since then, I have been to a few National Parks, but I would have to say that Zion and Grand Canyon National Park must be some of my favorites. My favorite thing about national parks is how beautiful and massive they are. It can change your prospective of the world, especially when you grow up in Ohio, and being able to capture that through my own lens is truly unique.
Some of the coolest events that took place while on the trip were experiencing the wide variety of scenery in northern Arizona/southern Utah. I was impressed that in the course of one day we went from the snowy forest near the Grand Canyon, to 1200-foot-tall plateaus in Utah, and then to endless desert. One of my favorite parts of the trip was Antelope Canyon. We went on a tour that took use through the canyon and the tour guide was able to tell us about the history, the geographical formations, and even where famous photos that were taken.
I made lots of new friends on trip but one of the best relationships I made was with Tony Small, the photography mentor. It was extremely helpful to hear his insight on how to take photos and what settings to use in real time. It’s one thing to take a class and go out somewhere and try to remember everything they said, but it’s a completely different experience to get feedback on the photos you are taking while you are taking them. I was able to use his feedback to change my viewpoint on things and I could see a noticeable improvement looking back on the photos I took.
As I mentioned before, I am very new to photography and this trip helped me to learn the various settings that can be adjusted to take good photos. Many of the nights of the trip we met for a few hours to discuss what each setting does, how it should be adjusted, and how to frame various photos. I learned some much from these classes and I was able to use what I learned the next day. In the second half of the trip, I also learned many post-processing techniques to make my pictures the best they could be.
All together I can say this trip was truly a once in a lifetime experience.
The transformation that took place while on the trip I think will help me in many ways in the future. One, I am very interested in pursuing photography as a side-project. The skills I obtained on this trip will help me start capturing my own experiences in a professional manner. I look to continue improving my skills, but I now have a good foundation to build upon for the future.
Secondly, one of my goals in life is to visit all the national parks in the continental United States. This trip helped me continue my journey and allowed me to really see how different the landscape of the U.S. ranges. It also continues to encourage me to pursue a career in sustainable energy or related fields as the places we visited are an example of what we are protecting as we aim to fight climate change.