Photography

This is a chapter from my third book called Love letters

I am in the midst of a rainy morning today. The fan is blowing cool breeze and raindrops are singing on the roof. There are only seven more chapters to go. I started this book ten days ago and it has been a journey to remember. My best photo and memory is me peering through the window of a green band maxi and seeing the northern range and its magnificence. It was perfectly cloudy and the sunlight was just enough. The road was almost empty and then invited you to join the journey. The grassy field was comforting to the mind. This photo represents good framing, relaxed composition, enough lighting, balanced exposure, subtle details and steady hands.

My first camera that I bought was at the start of university. It was a simple rectangular film camera. My next camera was a disposable. Then things became digital for me and I owned a Sony camera that was a bit bulky. This was the camera I had with me in New York. I still have that camera in storage and it might still be working. When I came back to Trinidad I bought a Casio point and shoot, a Nikon P90 super zoom and a Nikon D5000 with kit lens, in that order. It might have been around Christmas time that I bought the D5000 because I remember the salesperson at PAL on Independence Square making a comment about Christmas and gift.

As a tech blogger I have attended several launches and events over the years and it is the D5000 that captured the moments. I do not attend events anymore and the D5000 is falling apart but still working. I wish I had a camera growing up so that I could relive some of those memories. I love photography because I get to capture moments in time. Moments that are unique and have special meaning to us. Moments that we can share with the people with love. Just like moments can live on through stories, moments can live on through photos.

I rarely make that journey along the southern main road anymore but I can through my photo. These days everyone takes photos with the ubiquity of the smartphone and social media. Burk Uzzle once said that, "Photography is a love affair with life." Burk had a deep passion for photography and believed that it is a powerful tool for understanding and documenting the world around us. I want to take more photos. I want my photos to bring joy to the viewer. I want my photos to connect with the mind and heart. I want my photos to tell a story. A story of love for the journey of life.

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