Artistic expression has always been a part of me in some way or form. Back in my teen years painting was my main medium of expression. I could pick up a paint brush anywhere, anytime and somehow create a piece of art that meant something more than just color thrown onto a canvas. It was art with feeling and emotion and even if it didn't look like much of anything to someone else it meant a lot to me and I was proud of it. From paints I moved onto pencil sketches which was another outlet of expression for me. I could pick up an interesting photograph or a picture from a magazine and would create pencil sketches so real that art shops would urge me to sell my work to them. I even dappled in poetry for a few years and thought about getting my work published. It was those younger years, a time when anything seemed possible, where the sky was the limit and 'no' was never an answer.
Over the years my passion for creativity still existed but my inspiration and motivation had fizzled away. I tried many a time to pick up a paintbrush and articulate color and form onto an empty canvas only to repaint it white hours later. It was frustration after frustration because the form of expression I was used to no longer existed for me and I felt like something was amiss in my life.
Thats when I started playing around with the camera. My little boys became my inspiration and I started seeing the world through their eyes. Getting down to their level helped me see things in a new light. But at that point it was just me playing with the camera and not really understanding the specifics and technicalities of lighting, exposure, composition etc. I took a class here and there but didn't really do much with it other than take pictures of my boys.
What pushed me to the next level with my new found artistic expression were the people who surrounded my life with love. If it wasn't for my dear friends and my husband I dont think I could have taken my love for photography to the next level. They threw me into the limelight and asked me to take pictures of special events for them. I did birthday parties and baby showers and other event photography pro bono. My husband bought me the best equipment and supported me through the learning phase. It wasn't until a couple of my closest friends asked me to do a few formal family shoots for them did I realize my confidence level slowly growing. I think for me the most challenging thing to get over was my lack of confidence in my work and ability. I always second guessed my pictures even though everyone always had the best things to say about them. Of course friends can be biased but I was getting positive feedback from people I didnt even know. So it was very encouraging and uplifting for me.
I have now started my own facebook page 'Khadija Pervez Photography" and even got gutsy enough to start my very first blog ever. This whole experience thus far is so new to me but Im thoroughly enjoying the ride and can't wait to see where it takes me. My sincerest thanks go to my dearest friends and family(and you know exactly who you are) who have always believed in me and encouraged me through this process. Im still in the beginning phase of this venture but I can proudly say I have found my new medium of artistic expression and hope to continue being inspired by my surroundings! Here's to a new year, new beginnings and a new form of expression for me.
Cheers
Khadija
No comments:
Post a Comment