My Photography History
(Cover photo by Anna)
In several photography Facebook groups, it has become quite popular to post a comparison between a photo one has taken a few years back and a newer one to illustrate the development and learnings of the photographer.
So here you go, a few before and after photos of my photography development so far.
Landscape and Nature
These are some of the oldest digital photos I have that were taken by me:
![](/images/2018/02/schwarxwald-black-forest-vacation-in-germany.jpg)
2005, Canon Powershot A40
When I learned about the macro function, I started to almost only take photos like this one:
![](/images/2018/02/canon-powershot-a40-macro.jpg)
2005, Canon Powershot A40
Honestly though, nothing can beat the macro of specialized macro lens! This is how my macro shots looked a few years later:
![](/images/2018/02/sakura-uge-bispebjerg-kirkegaard-pink-makro.jpg)
2015, Canon Eos 40D + Canon 60mm f/2.8 Macro
Also my “single trees in front of a forest”-shots have changed a little - even though I must admit that the view from this top photo still is kinda epic. Wish I’d had a better camera back then!
![](/images/2018/02/last-sunrays-cephalonia-greece-mount-ainos.jpg)
2017, Canon Eos 6D + Canon 135mm f/2
Sunsets
When I found out about the magic of silhouettes in front of a sunset:
![](/images/2018/02/sunset-denmark-fisherboat-silhouette.jpg)
2005, Canon Powershot A40
![](/images/2018/02/sunset-silhouette-aabenraa-old-photo.jpg)
2008, Canon Powershot A40
Last summer, I made a short trip to Klitmøller on the Danish west coast. I was unsually lucky with the weather, and one evening we had the chance to have cocktails outside while overlooking this beauty of a sunset:
![](/images/2018/02/sunset-hanstholm-cocktail-outside.jpg)
![](/images/2018/02/hanstholm-harbour-sunset.jpg)
2017, Canon Eos 6D + Canon 135mm f/2
Animals
![](/images/2018/02/old-photo-canon-powershot-a40-cute-horse.jpg)
2006, Canon Powershot A40
A photo that I was very proud of for a long time as it felt so edgy and dynamic. Also, I obviously like horses.
![](/images/2018/02/horse-photography-gegenwind-copenhagen.jpg)
2015, Canon Eos 6D + Canon 50mm f/1.8
![](/images/2018/02/dog-photography-copenhagen-gegenwind.jpg)
2018, Canon Eos 6D + Canon 135mm f/2
(See more photos of Nanna here)
Sunrises
![](/images/2018/02/surise-horse-silhouettes.jpg)
2007, Canon Powershot A40
That was the first time ever I got up to drive to the beach and take pictures of a sunrise. This photo is the best and sharpest of all the photos of that morning. :D
For comparison, some of the recent sunrises we photographed look like this:
![](/images/2018/02/lauwersoog-sunrise-lake-reflection.jpg)
2016, Canon Eos 6D + Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8
(More photos of that holiday here)
![](/images/2018/02/cute-panda-cow.jpg)
2017, Canon Eos 6D + Canon 50mm f/1.8
(More photos of that cute panda-cow here)
Black and White
![](/images/2018/02/old-photo-canon-powershot-a40-black-and-whitexanten.jpg)
2007, Canon Powershot A40
From when I discovered that the camera had a mode that automatically converted photos to black and white.
By now, I take all our photos in RAW, so camera modes don’t really matter. I still like to take black and white photos, though. Like this one from the Sambuichi exhibition:
![](https://gegenwind.dk/images/2017/08/smartphone-photographer-copenhagen-cisternerne.jpg)
2017, Canon Eos 6D + Canon 50mm f/1.8
(More photos from the exhibition here)
Edgy
![](/images/2018/02/beginning-of-photography-developtment-1.jpg)
2008, Canon Powershot A40
I learned that I found smokers photogenic, even though I generally don’t approve of smoking. Quite a dilemma, I can tell you!
When I want to be edgy these days, I ask Jonathan to put some fingerpaint on his face and form some shapes with his e-cig vape:
![](/images/2018/02/dark-portrait-series-fingerpaint-vape.jpg)
2017, Canon Eos 6D + Canon 50mm f/1.8
(More photos of that series here)
Portraits
One of the aspects of photography that has improved pretty much rather recently is portrait photography. It kinda all started with a shoot of Costas, that I got rather pushed into. I was super nervous and would have prefered to bail, to be honest.
![](/images/2018/02/photoshoot-tivoli-copenhagen-consta-ntinos.jpg)
2015, Canon Eos 6D + Canon 50mm f/1.8
By now I feel a lot more confident before and during shoots, even though I still get excited and a little nervous. I’m really proud of of one of our recent projects, which gives me the motivation to push on my portrait photography game!
![](/images/2018/02/blade-runner-cosplay-photoshoot-mais-cosplay-laerke.jpg)
2017, Canon Eos 6D + Canon 135mm f/2
(More photos of the Blade Runner shoot here)
Summary
As you can see from the mentioned years, it was a very long process for me to get to where I am right now. Even though it might not have been very effective, photography has still been the constant, comforting hobby throughout my life. For most of the years, I didn’t have big ambitions to drastically push my photography skills, even though I always tried to improve it. It was less of a conscious seeking out of new challenges than more-or-less coincidental discoveries about the abilities, functions and perspective of my camera.
(There were also some years inbetween, where I wasn’t as interested in photography or had picked up videography instead.)
So if you like photography - keep doing it. Make it something that is valuable to you beyond likes and comments on Instagram.
Photography is a great motivator for getting out and moving.
Photography is a great motivator for interacting with people.
Photography is a great motivator for creating your own projects.
I have been so lucky to - on top of that - also know a lot of people that think likewise and whom I can share photography with.
PS - Summer Vacation 2018
While lookig through the archives, I also found these old photos from vacations in Ireland, and I’m greatly looking forward to comparing them to similar new photos of Scotland! I know they’re not the same, but both countries sport some pretty epic coastlines, so there will be some room for comparison.
![](/images/2018/02/ireland-coast-sun-dublin-travel.jpg)
2008, Canon Powershot A40
![](/images/2018/02/moody-irish-sea-mizen-headi.jpg)
2008, Canon Powershot A40
![](/images/2018/02/irish-sunset-skyporn.jpg)
2008, Canon Powershot A40