Sometimes we have to pay the price for living in a tropical paradise, such as the islands in the Caribbean, in my case the island of Curacao (Dutch Antilles). Why? Because living on a small island is simply not the same as living in a big city with its endless possibilities. The most I could take in Curacao was a basic photography class for two hours per week for the duration of eight weeks. 16 Hours in total during which one could only learn the basic principles and not much more.

I have to say, however, that in my case it was enough to open my eyes and get me started in training myself in all kinds of ways possible. I started to shoot hundreds of pictures a week, read all kinds of magazines and books related to photography, look hard at other people’s pictures, and talk to people about their experiences. In other words, absorb everything I could with regards to photography. I chose not to join a club, but to explore this new part of my life on my own, and individually. I want to practice photography when I have the time to do so and not be in any way restricted by some kind of time schedule. The same applies for the number of hours per day that I decide to spend searching for objects or to just sit and look at an object from different angles.

In a way I find it a pity that on a small island such as Curacao I don’t have the possibility to go back to school and study photography for a couple of years. But on the other hand, to be ‘autodidact’ also has its charms. All in all, I’m satisfied with the way it’s going.

This way I can practice some kind of art, in my case photography, without being bound or conditioned by all kinds of strict rules. I can practice art straight out of my heart and soul, based on my life experiences and seen through my eyes. Some kind of freedom at last!

In my opinion the basic difference between an amateur and professional photographer is the understanding and use of composition. Composition contains many aspects of how photographs appear. For example, the amateur photographer may take a quick snapshot without considering how the photograph will appear; the professional, however, thinks about subject placement, exposure, viewpoint and perspective. These are all parts of the composition.

In my way of enjoying the art of photography, the major rule is that there are no rules, only guidelines. In order to preserve freedom for my way of thinking there should be no hard-and-fast rules for a good composition and thus a good photograph. The rules I encounter during my self-study I consider as mere guidelines to help me compose better photographs. Different situations require different guidelines. I keep my personal life experiences as the main guidelines in the back of my head when I go out searching for photographs. Enjoyment of the art of seeing entails that I can search for hours with my eyes only, without any camera. If I encounter something special I will return the next day and take the photograph.

Always try to keep an open mind and enjoy freely, so that in searching or walking you do not overlook the many wonderful subjects that may stray from existing formulas. To compose great photographs, you must learn to recognize and respond to subjects in your own style. In short, you must learn to inject your personality into your photos, and do not let anybody condition your personal way of seeing things. In principle I believe that the maker, in this case I, has to be happy and content with the photograph. Secondly there is your –critical- audience. Don’t deny the criticism you receive from your viewers. They can’t break you, but they can help you get to the next level in the art of photography. Therefore I talk a lot with people about their personal opinion about my work. Again, I only keep their opinion as a mere guideline in the back of my head. I and only I control my camera. That’s the freedom I enjoy of being an amateur photographer instead of a professional who may be in many ways bound to hard-and-fast rules.

For me to be a true autodidact means I have to do a lot of reading about photography, keep myself well informed about newly available modern technologies, use these to create art out of a good composite photograph, work with digital negatives and show my photographs to a broad audience in order to receive their critical opinion, and last but certainly not least: practice, practice and practice more by shooting selectively. During my walkathons I try to apply as guidelines the art of seeing and the art of searching my way. My main objective is to continue to learn and to keep pushing myself to reach a next level in the art of photography. To be more selective in the subjects or objects I shoot and to create artworks out of the photographs I think are worthy for their composition. Remember that there are no rules to follow as an amateur and that ‘the sky is not the limit’. Be as creative as possible with the modern tools available and don’t be ashamed of what people may say or think. Use a good composite photograph to make a wicked piece of art. After all, you are the artist!

The way to get started is to stop talking and start doing. All your dreams can come true... if you have the courage to make time to pursue them!

My advice is to simply enjoy and avoid any obligation, stress and rule while practicing this type of art! Taking nature and still-life photographs for me is the best way to relax after a hard day’s work. What is yours?

Gerrit Scheper