Photography Workshop While Sailing in Maine

For my STEP project, I traveled to Camden, Maine to participate in a photography workshop while living on a schooner, which is a large, traditional sailing vessel. While onboard, I learned how to adjust shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and other settings to best suit the environment in which I was shooting. During the day, we sailed along the coast of Maine, photographing the landscape around us and the happenings around the boat. We participated in large and small boat races, had a lobster boil, and played music. In the evenings, the instructors led critiques where we discussed photo composition and editing.

Since I was going into this workshop as a beginner, I already anticipated learning a lot more about photography. However, the amount of confidence and eye for photography that this workshop helped me develop surpassed my expectations. My excitement for photography increased every day, as did the qualities of my photos. I went from being self-conscious displaying my work to being excited to show people my pictures and hear their opinions.

 

Immersing myself in a new environment made me uncomfortable at first. I had not done much photography, had never been to Maine, and had never traveled on my own, yet here I was about to do all of that. When first onboard the ship, I had to remind myself to not be a “timid turtle” (a phrase I use in rock climbing) and approach the others onboard. Despite being mistaken for the crew by nearly every person in the workshop, I slowly began to get to know the others. 

This workshop meant more to me than just gaining photography skills. I had to open myself up to the advice of others and rely on them to help me improve. When we first began taking pictures, I purposefully avoided the subjects everyone else flocked to because I did not want to get singled out for my inexperience. But over time, I realized that going to others only made my experience better. George helped me adjust my camera settings to save my pictures in the optimal format. Neal pointed out things I had not noticed or new composition ideas for photos. Lou, Andrea, and Caryn gave me support and encouragement whenever I felt unsure. As the week progressed, the daily critiques and discussions with the instructors and fellow passengers gave me new ideas for how to identify, structure, and capture photos. While the critiques on my photos were valuable, seeing others photos and hearing their critiques gave me even more insight for how to approach my photography.

 

The people onboard not only inspired me with photography, but they also inspired me to look beyond the path to life that seems fastest or most efficient. Everyone onboard came from a wide variety of backgrounds, from a Brazilian banker to New York City cameraman. Seeing how they approached life made me rethink the way I approached mine. I have always been a driven, goal-oriented person, and being pre-med further motivated me to continue this approach to life. However, not everyone onboard has followed a similar journey. They were dog sled mushers, photographers, archeologists, parents, and grandparents, and they all emphasized the importance of savoring the time and freedom I have now. Their insight contrasted the single-minded focus I had previously maintained. Instead, they encouraged me not to rush life for some arbitrary notion of what is standard.

Through-hiking the Appalachian Trail has always been something I have toyed with in my mind but never actually thought I could fit into my life. This experience motivated me to reexamine what is important in my life, and how my career goals in life should not necessarily supersede every other dream I have. Being surrounded by so many smart, driven people at Ohio State pushes me to work with similar determination, but it can also sweep me too fast down the river of life. The conversations I had with the people onboard inspired me to take a gap year before medical school to continue my research and hike the Appalachian trail.