Introducing Studio Notes

I'm starting this website to share my experiences with photography, thoughts on gear, and related creative topics that I find interesting. Studio Notes will be part blog, part portfolio site, and will probably turn into something else of its own making as time goes on.

My Experience in Photography

I've spent most of my adult life, with some long breaks doing other things, interested and practicing photography as a hobby, and taking it more seriously for the last 10 years. I've had the occasional paid job in the creative industries when I was living in a larger city with a market for that type of work but it's mostly been just been personal work being created.

During my time in this hobby I've found the simpler the better is what I enjoy. An SLR with an optical viewfinder and a manual lens is my preferred tool. But film is expensive, so a mirrorless camera with a manual lens is the next best thing.

My experience is going out after work and shooting street and urban photography to relax. This is the reason for trying to find the simplest camera I can find and why I enjoy shooting film. You take a picture, wind the camera, and move on to the next shot. Although with my digital cameras, the way I set them up, I can say I’ve been able to replicate a similar setup.

I think the relaxation/stress relief, whatever you want to call it, is why a lot of people pick up the hobby of photography. Having to pick out a subject or compose a frame a great way to break focus with whatever else you have been dealing with that day. In the summer evenings I would find an interesting part of the city and just walk around with the camera. Some of the photos from these sessions came out great, some are just throwaways, but I always went back home feeling better.

I usually prefer the look of film in black and white, although digital has gotten so close in recent times that I can’t justify the cost & time unless it's a very important piece of work. There are now a few digital cameras that produce black and white images I love the look of. I wouldn’t have said that in 2012 when I got back into photography after a break of a few years.

What do I plan to do with this site?

The main blog topics will be based around my experiences in photography, sharing any practical lessons from any photo shoots & projects I do, and some reviews of camera equipment that interests me. I'll also branch out into other creative topics that take my interest from time to time.

If the site gains traction I plan to feature other photographers on here, and perhaps other mediums yet to be determined. That could be interviews, publications, or behind the scenes stuff.

So if you’re interested in any of these subjects feel free to check out the blog as it fills up with more content. I’m going to aim for one post a week on here and more smaller posts on a social media platform. Have a great day out there!