Click. Here’s an attempt to try to explain what photography means to me. Click. Here’s a short story of how this artistic expression entered my world. Click. Here’s photography.
I believe I showed interest in any artistic expression at a very early age. Truth is, I’ve never stood out at any and, actually, I only know a bit about many of them, but I like the arts. I love painting and visiting museums, I like Monet and I enjoy looking at his pictures. I’m passionate about music and my mood changes depending on the song I’m listening to. It can take me to an euphorical moment (spiritual orgasm, according to Santana) or sadness, it all depends on the moment, the melody and the lyrics. But yeah, music is very important to me. I really like going to the movies and though I don’t go that often anymore, it’s nice to sit down and enjoy watching a two hour long film. I adore poetry, sculpture, architecture, writing, any artistic expresion that stimulates my senses.
I admire photography. I remember that, when I moved to California to study a semester at Santa Clara University, I defined this artistic mean as ‘magic’. I had just started attending my classes and our professor, Renee Billingslea, asked us to write a short essay about what photography meant to us. I was unable to find an adjective that described photography. It’s pure magic. That’s what I wrote.
Truth is, it wasn’t easy to enrol in this class. When my classmate and I arrived in Santa Clara, they let us know we had not been enrolled in any of the classes we had applied for. So we would have to choose those classes that had not been filled up yet. I had just bought a Canon EOS 300 and I was not willing to give up my dream of taking a photography class because the class was filled. So, I spoke to the lady in charge of the International Relations and she contacted the professor. She forwarded me an email and was asked to visit her at her office the following day. We chatted for a while and I nearly begged her to let me take the class, I really wanted to learn some about photography. I was accepted and ever since that day, the view I had about photography changed completely.
I’ve always been attracted to photography. My dad was (is) an amateur photragrapher and whenever I had the chance, I’d take his camera and shoot some pictures, all of them were out of focus… I received my first camera during my First Communion. It was a gift by my grandparents. Other cameras arrived after that one, more modern and less heavy, until I bought that Canon EOS 300.
I was the only exchange student at my photography class. There were about twenty classmates, among them, my neighbor Mike. We only took about four theoretical classes and then, it was all about taking and taking pictures, to develop them afterwards. I had the joy of meeting some very talented photographers in my class. James was one of them. He was a genius, his photographs were amazing. James was original, different, artistic. I was also fascinated by Jenn’s work. I remember that photograph she took of a calm sea and her eyes on top, we some tears showing. It was dedicated to her mom, who had passed away some years back.
It was such an enriching experience to attend this class. I remember the first photograph I developed, a little squirrel that was resting on a tree’s branch. The dark room, an exciting where you could let your imagination run free… the oral presentations, a cozy place where I could admire other people’s works and learn from their photographs. But once I returned home, I forgot about photography.
Charlie suggested that I went to Irun’s Photographic Association (IPA) but, for some reason, I thought I didn’t belong there. Time went by, I completed my university degree, started working as an intern for DV and I met the president of IPA. He would come to our office every now and then to bring some photography related material. One day, due to my natural curiosity, I asked him what IPA was about. He suggested that I visited their meeting studio on a Monday and that’s what I did. I felt such relief when I saw some familair faces, but especially I felt relieved when I saw women there. For some reason, I thought there would only be men. I was wrong.
I started going to IPA every Monday to learn, but foremost to meet people that shared my interests. IPA has become some sort of fortification for me, a place where I forget about everything and enjoy chatting with people that share my interests and hobbies.
IPA has given me the opportunity to meet great photographers, true masters of this artistic expression. Bur, foremost, IPA has given me the chances of making friends, some new some renewed. I go to IPA every Monday to spend some time with them, to laugh with them and to enjoy a pleasant conversation with them. I’m thankful for that. You put a smile on my face every Monday and every day I run into you in the streets and meet with you to have a drink and chat some. Thank you. Click
The Countdown Begins
