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Cam Stables
@cam_snaps
Landscape photographer based in New Zealand
Visual art and storytelling have been a huge part of my life from a very young age. Ever since I remember, I have been fascinated by filmmaking and visual imagery, and it’s ability to inspire people’s imaginations around the world. As I have gotten older, I have begun to question more and more what our purpose in life is. I have found myself with a desire to fill each passing moment with something of value and purpose, however big or small. Whether that be something as simple as spending time with someone I love, or as huge as travelling thousands of kilometres across the globe to explore a new culture, I believe it is our responsibility to utilise our time on this earth, doing something we enjoy.
"With my love of visual art, combined with my ever-growing urge to explore new places, it seems only natural that travel and photography continues to grow as a prominent part of my life."
As I travel more, I have found myself wanting to develop my skills more as a photographer further, so I can capture the beautiful things I see. I am constantly finding myself looking back on places I have been, wishing I had been more competent in handling my camera, or that my equipment was more aligned with the images I desired to create.
"The more I create, the more I want to learn - I have spent an increasing amount of time trying to resource information on how better to improve my craft."
Nevertheless, as much knowledge I may obtain, one of my biggest challenges that no kind of technical knowhow can help me with, is that I am impatient. There have often been times that I didn’t spend as long as I could capturing a certain shot, because I am too eager to move on and discover or photograph something new. Once I get to edit the shot, more often than not I find myself wishing I had spent just a little longer, perfecting the shot. Another challenge I have faced is capturing light.
"I have spent countless hours trying to learn as much as I can about how best to utilize light in my photographs, and how my camera can best achieve the desired image I am searching for."
Internet resources such as Youtube and Photography magazines have been a valuable resource, but I truly think I will learn the skills I need the most by speaking to, or meeting with, seasoned photographers and learning first-hand how to operate my camera to its maximum potential. Something that I hope to do more of in the future as I continue to develop my work.
Applying my skills whilst travelling has also been something I want to develop. Trying to decide how much I can minimize my equipment in order to travel light, whilst still having the ability to capture my adventures as best as I can, has been a huge challenge. In fact, on my first backpacking trip overseas I wanted to travel super light, and simply took an Iphone. I managed to take the best images I could, but definitely stretched the phones potential to the max, and quickly found myself wishing I had my DSLR. Nevertheless, despite being limited in what I could achieve with my phone, I learnt a valuable lesson about how the technological capabilities or your equipment doesn’t necessarily guarantee the best shot.
"Some of my favourite overseas photographs that I have taken, have been with a simple Iphone camera (although the restriction in resolution is a shame)."
"As I have grown as a traveller, I have developed a desire to push myself outside of my comfort zone and explore rarer and less-travelled locations."
The world holds countless secrets and gems, and being able to find and photograph them is definitely a goal of mine. I constantly strive to develop my skills as a photographer as much as possible, in the hope that when an opportunity arises to photograph something special, I can do it to the best of my ability. In my opinion, travelling to other countries and experiencing other cultures is so much more educational than many people may think. The things I have learnt from meeting people who live radically different lifestyles has definitely shaped my growth as a young adult. Some of the things I take for granted having grown up in a western country are quickly put into perspective by witnessing the way people live in different parts of the world.
"Although it is seeing humans, living contently in the simplest of lifestyles, that has taught me the most."
"I found Morocco to be one of the most challenging places I have visited as it constantly tested me and pushed me well beyond my comfort zone."
In return, this trip delivered me some of my most memorable travel experiences to date. It was here that I fully learnt that often the negative experiences you have whilst travelling, and the ones that make you feel most uncomfortable at the time, almost always become the ones that stick with you for the rest of your life. For example, upon venturing into the Sahara Desert on camel-back, excited for what we had been told was a “must-do” in Morocco, we ended up finding out that it was not quite going to be the experience we had initially expected.
"Upon arrival, we were greeted by a blistering sandstorm and could barely see the person in front of us for the duration of the trek."
Then, one of the camels decided to take a bite out of one of our fellow travellers and threw him off his ride, after ironically being told by one of the guides 5 minutes earlier; “Don’t worry, they don’t eat people”. Upon arrival at our campsite, I managed to find a giant scorpion sitting under my bed, and spent the rest of the evening having visions of waking up with it sitting on my face. Though as we were greeted the next morning at dawn, by the rolling red dunes of the Sahara and the remaining stars in the sky still holding on to the horizon, my negative thoughts rapidly disappeared.
"I couldn’t wait to tell my friends and family at home about all the crazy things that had happened to us the day before. After all, the negative experiences that happen to you whilst travelling, always make the best stories."
"Egypt on the other hand, is easily one of the most photogenic countries I have ever visited."
Everywhere you turn, there is something so unique and visually stimulating, it’s hard not to leave the country with thousands of incredible photographs. Either it’s the majestic ancient structures like the Pyramids of Giza and the great Abu Simbel, or the bustling streets filled with countless examples of Arabian architecture, packed inside the ever growing markets and overpopulated cityscapes, there is something about Egypt that has stuck with me. Maybe it has to do with how prominently its ancient history still remains, or maybe swimming in the Nile too much has done something with me. My only regret is not having had better camera equipment to capture my experiences as well as I could.
"But I guess I’ll just have to go back again in the future - I’d take any excuse!"
The more I discover, the more I desire further adventure. For every country that I explore, there are another 10 with an even deeper and richer culture, just waiting to be seen. My favourite quote I have ever heard is: “The good old days are happening now”. A reminder that life is constantly passing us by, and soon we are going to be looking back on our younger days with either happiness or regret – so fill your time with something meaningful!
"The ability to photograph a brief moment of life, and capture it forever, inspires me to constantly strive to create even greater ones - both moments of life and photographs."
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