I got my start in photography when I was looking for a hobby to balance the effects of a stressful job. Snapping random images was fun enough for a while until I started to develop a preference for landscapes, cityscapes, and aviation – what a combination, huh? Instagram has been a great source to meet and learn from other photographers. I am constantly learning and that helps to keep things fresh.
I found my photography groove after a couple years of shooting well-documented locations. The biggest breakthrough came when I stopped mimicking what others were doing. I would scout new locations and challenge myself to find a fresh perspective. I enjoy shooting with friends but find I’m most creative when alone.
People often ask what’s in my camera bag. The answer is, it depends. I repack my bag for most shoots. I’m a Nikon user and have lenses with a focal range of 24 mm to 200 mm. I frequently rent lenses to experiment. It’s a lot of fun to change things up. Recently I rented a fisheye and a super-telephoto to capture technical shots.
The advice I’d give to those starting out is to shoot often, every day if possible. Start in automatic mode and teach yourself manual settings. Find a mentor. Someone who, at least, doesn’t mind you asking lots of questions. You might consider mimicking other people’s work until you feel you’ve learned some technical skills. Then, as you are becoming proficient, push yourself to try new things. New locations. New techniques and perspectives.
Thank you, David! Make sure to follow us on Instagram for his takeover. Click HERE to follow along! And give him a follow on his pages:
Instagram: @i_am_lacombe
Twitter: DavidLaCombeNYC