We all have to start somewhere. I bought my first DSLR in 2007 and at that stage I really didn’t know all that much about how to use it. I remember being so excited—it had taken months to save up for it and the results were obviously so much better than the point-and-shoots that came before it.

But I didn’t just want to own a good camera. I also wanted to know how to use it to it’s full potential and I wanted to make beautiful images. The first step was learning how to get it right technically. So I read the manual. I’ll admit, it’s not the most exciting reading but it’s a good place to start. I’ve come a long way since then. It’s a lot more fun to experiment.

You don’t realise how much there is to photography until you start peeling back the layers and then you discover that there are many more layers.  I’ve read books, watched tutorials and listened and observed and I’m still being inspired all the time. The best way to learn is to just keep picking up your camera, challenging yourself and pushing the bar. The truth is, I’ve discovered that photography isn’t just a science—it is that, and life and art all rolled into one.

It’s all about you as a person, how you see the world and learning to capture what is ultimately most important—a connection, a moment, and how it makes you feel.

“Great photography is about depth of feeling, not depth of field.” – Peter Adams