For my step signature project, I attended the 2022 summer photography experience in Oregon and Washington. Throughout the trip, I was able to experience the wonders of both Oregon and Washington, documenting my trip up and down the coast. Through the support of Tony Small and Pat Whittington, I was not only able to learn more about my camera, but also about editing software such as photoshop and lightroom.
During this trip, I learned a lot about myself as a photographer. Every individual on this trip had a different passion for the moments they wanted to capture. While some people enjoyed taking photos of people and the different landscapes, I found myself mesmerized by the wildlife located in these different areas of the pacific northwest. Whether it was taking photos of seals at Cape Mears Lighthouse, or photos of reptiles at Smith Rock, I always found myself trying to capture still images of these creatures. By the end of the trip, we all had to submit our top three photos. Unsurprisingly, two of the three photos I submitted included different species I had captured photos of during the trip. Thus, this trip truly helped me recognize my passion for animals and their diverse lifestyles. In the future, I could see myself not only continuing to photograph wildlife, but I could also see myself attempting to work the logistics of wildlife services.
One of the most impactful events that occurred during the trip happened at the Portland Japanese Garden. While I was shooting a smaller stream in the garden, Tony Small approached me about the value of bracketing when taking photos. This new knowledge I learned helped me exponentially throughout the rest of the trip. As I was now able to take one shot at three different exposures, which could later be edited to make a much more saturated photo. This moment also led to another important interaction that occurred during this trip.
After Tony had taught me how to edit with bracketing in lightroom, I had three different people approach me about how I managed to make the photo appear more vibrant. After learning this knowledge, I taught different people on the trip how to not only use bracketing on their cameras but also how to edit with the function. This small interaction allowed me to become much closer with these three different individuals on the trip, and we ended up rooming together throughout the trip. These friendships allowed me to not only learn more about photography from them but also to teach them the knowledge that I had learned either during the trip or before college.
Additionally, another event that occurred during the trip that strongly impacted me occurred at Cape Mears Lighthouse. When our group decided to venture out to the lighthouse everyone decided to stick as a group. Although I wanted to spend time with my newly formed friends, I figured it would be best to explore on my own. Being alone could allow me to capture wildlife that would normally flee if a group approached. Thus, I decided to go far down the beach near the lighthouse and observe the wildlife around me. This method allowed me to capture my favorite shot of the trip, which featured a mother seal teaching her pup how to safely get in and out of the ocean. Thus, this experience taught me the value of both patience and silence when shooting wildlife photography.
These different changes and transformations are quite significant in my life, as I’ve always wanted to learn how to capture more meaningful shots when I’m doing photography. Additionally, I never truly knew what I was passionate about taking photos of until this trip. Through the sharing of knowledge between Tony, and my friends I made throughout the trip, I was able to capture better shots than I would have been able to towards the beginning of the excursion. Therefore, this trip taught me the value of not only gathering knowledge from others, but also learning how to apply it to your own passions.