Jenty on how she became a photographer.

My journey into the world of serious photography started quite recently.  It actually started as a challenge.
While I was on maternity leave in June 2007, a group of women on a South African mom’s internet forum set up a challenge to take a photo-a-day for a whole year, and to post those photos on a blog.  I enjoyed taking photos of my kids with my point and shoot camera, and wasn’t terribly good at it, and on top of that I knew very little about blogging; but I decided to give it a bash anyway.  I ended up being the only one of the original 15 that actually finished the challenge.  And that, as they say in the classics, was that!

I’ve been taking photos almost every day since then.  At the beginning of 2008, I realised that I could get quite good at this, and I was determined to learn more and grow this new found skill. In May 2008, my husband bought me my first DSLR, and I joined a local camera club to hone my skills.  The critique from the camera club has improved the quality of my photos tremendously, even though I find the criticism sould destroying at times.   And finally, this month, I started charging people for photoshoots.  I’m still in the process of building my portfolio and I don’t have a studio yet, but I’ve decided to specialise in on-location portraits.

This journey has taught me to see the world in a different way.  My camera is always close by (with most of my lenses), and it’s always got full batteries, just in case a photo opportunity arises.  I was talked about at work for quite a few months because I was always wielding my camera on the balcony looking for a beautiful sunset over Sandton, or racing up to the top of the car park for the same reason.  I’ve been known to balance the camera on top of the steering wheel to get a shot, because the traffic was too heavy to stop, or I was in an unsafe place.  The best thing someone bought me was a tripod (which is also permanently in my car), so at least I didn’t have to find a ledge to lean the camera on to get a steady shot.

Apart from my mainstream career, this “hobby” allows me to grow as a person.  As a mother, it’s very easy to get wrapped up in your children’s development.  And as a working mother it’s sometimes even harder to find the time to spend on your own interests.  Photography has been almost easy to get into as a mother, because it really started as a way to record the development of my kids, yet it has grown into so much more.  It’s been a way to find myself again… I’m not just a mother or a career woman anymore… I’m a photographer too.

Post done by Jeanette Verster.  Visit her site here.

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4 Responses to “Jenty on how she became a photographer.”

1. Glugster says:

   February 2, 2009 at 12:21 pm

   Wow! A photo a day for a whole year?

   I must compliment you on the photos you take. It’s more than just pictures. You can see the art and the thought going into every one.

   Reply
2. navasha says:

   February 2, 2009 at 12:28 pm

   I think you did a great job you pictures just keep getting better and your topics are always interesting!

   Reply
3. Shawn says:

   February 2, 2009 at 7:54 pm

   Nice one Jenty. Nice to see someone take an interest in something, turn it into a hobby and eventually make money on it

   Reply
4. It’s official… I’m a nerd : Jeanette Verster Photography says:

   February 3, 2009 at 8:57 pm

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