"Why don't you join photography club then? You like taking photos right?" I remember my suitemate asking me after I complained to her about not knowing which club to join at the involvement fair. Even though I do enjoy taking photos, I only take photos with an iphone and occasionally with a digital camera set in auto-mode. Does that count as being a photographer? At the time, my answer was no. The club is for photographers. I am not a photographer, so I clearly don't belong in the club. What if they ask me all these technical questions about photography? I don't know anything. That would be a pretty embarrassing experience. Long story short, I ended up joining USC Photography Club anyway. I remember showing up to the first photowalk meeting with just an iphone and feeling so intimidated by everyone's giant DSLRs, tripods and lenses that are bigger than my arms (not even exaggerating here). Even though the Facebook event caption tells me that it is perfectly fine to show up without a camera, I still feel self-conscious. Just when I decided that this is probably a wrong decision because I am only an amateur iphone photographer, I remember people approaching me and asking me if I wanted to try out their camera and lenses. By the end of the photowalk, I officially joined the club and it was probably one of the best decisions I have made throughout college. After going on a few more meetings and outings and borrowing other people's camera, I finally bought my first ever DSLR and my first ever lens, the 50mm 1.8. It was a used Canon 70D but it feels brand new. I was so excited when my camera first arrived that I treated it like a newborn baby the first few weeks and I carried it with me everywhere...even to the dining hall on campus. Yep. And possibly a few other embarrassing places that I will not be mentioning here. Everywhere feels like such a "great photo opportunity" when you first started out-- am I right? I joined eboard the second semester of my sophomore year and from then on, every weekend is a new photo adventure that I constantly look forward to. From breathtaking rooftop views to old abandoned zoo, I was able to visit so many incredible places that I never thought would even be possible. I was able to capture special moments through my lens everywhere I go and improve my skills with the help from everyone around me. Looking back, three years in the club feels like such a short time. Over three years, I found such a loving and supportive group of people who all share the same love and passion for photography, creativity and inclusivity just like me. To anyone reading this who is hesitant to start a new hobby or take the first step out of your comfort zone-- don't be! Even that one person who you admire used to be a beginner too. We all start from somewhere so take that first step and you will not regret it :)
To all my lovely people from USC Photography Club: I would like to dedicate this post to you all. I cannot wait to see what you guys are up to this upcoming school year! https://www.uscphotoclub.com/
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About FahFoodie and lifestyle photographer based in Los Angeles, California. Archives
February 2018
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