09/24/2023
As a lifelong learner, the best, most fulfilling days are the ones when I learn something new. There’s nothing as thrilling as the feeling you get from making a discovery or having an “Aha!” moment.
I recently had the chance to be part of a magical learning experience as a participant in an Our State Magazine photography workshop in the Outer Banks, where I tried astrophotography for the first time. Astrophotography, which involves photographing the stars and other areas of the night sky, requires a lot of fumbling around in complete darkness with a tripod and your camera's settings.
Our group of 16 participants and two highly talented instructors Tommy White Photography and Mark VanDyke Photography made the midnight trek to Bodie Island Lighthouse, where we stood amidst mosquitoes to try the long-exposure techniques involved in astrophotography. Our guides had prepped us with the best settings to use, and we partnered up in the dark to see what we could capture.
One of my partners was Emma, a young woman in her early twenties who was new to photography. Even though Emma had minimal experience behind the camera, she had an enthusiasm and a willingness to jump in and experiment that helped me get over being intimidated. It was Emma who encouraged me to plant my tripod finally, take a couple of test shots, and who ended up helping me figure out what I was missing in those first few attempts.
The setting, the experience of the instructors, Emma’s eager approach, and my willingness to set aside my fears all combined to help me create one of the best images I’ll probably ever take in my career.
What have been some of your most magical learning experiences? Who and what conditions contributed to your learning breakthrough?