Everyone is a photographer, yes, that means you.

Scenario: You’re in a restaurant, your eyes fall out of your head as your food arrives more magnificent than you had anticipated and all you can think about is your hand innately reaching toward your back pocket for your phone. You take a picture of the dish and all eyes direct toward you as the blinding flash goes off all while your face gets red in embarrassment.

The infamous açai bowl…

 

I have been in this situation multiple times, MULTIPLE times, yet I always ask myself the same question: Why am I so embarrassed to take a picture of my food? All I am doing in finding a way in which I can remember my food.

 

Though it’s a smaller form, taking pictures of your food is a form of expression. Taking a picture of something, though you may not notice, reveals the things that you truly love and appreciate in life. At any waking moment, I will capture a photograph of a food dish or nature because they are two things I love.

However, for certain people, like myself, photography is more than just an expression of things you appreciate in life. This is because I actually take more professional photographs. Photography is another way in which I can release stress while doing something I love.

Every time I look at the image to the left, I am reminded of the best breakfast I have ever had. Every time I look at the image I feel a release of happy emotions that I once felt while, well, eating an omelette… If it weren’t for me taking a picture, I most likely would have forgotten all about it, disregarding my already poor memory.

 

Expression in photography is also in how you interpret an image. Take this image above for example: What is the first thing you think of when you look at the image?

The first thing I see is love, clearly seen in the holding of hands between a couple. However, others can interpret to be serenity due to the muted colors and fuzzy lights as opposed to something more sharp and intense. This idea redirects back to the core concept of expression in photography, you capture images of things you appreciate, and in my case, it was love.

Whether you recognize it or not, your photographs and even your Instagram is a reflection of your interests and a collection of things that attracts your senses of sight and smell (food!!). Though people may have similar tastes in things, everyone’s images filter through individual personality.

Now for my QOTB: Do you agree that photography is an expression which reflects the personal style or is it simply a way to capture a moment in time for memories to reflect upon?

Ending with a flower picture because, why not!!