I'm a dependentPhotographyA person who seeks pleasure. From elementary school to university graduation, I paused or gave up on many things, but never stopped taking photos, so I suddenly wanted to look back on those past few years.

The first shutter
When I was three, I once cried and fussed about getting the only Canon card camera at home from my parents, then threw it on the ground, causing the camera to go crooked.
The next time I picked up a camera was already in third grade, and my family bought an EOS 600D. I vaguely remember the first set of photos I took with it, which were toy cars taken in macro mode, but unfortunately, these photos were nowhere to be found. The earliest photo I can find with a 600D is this one from April 2013:

From elementary school to middle school, this camera was basically only taken out for "key occasions" like trips and sports events. But in limited photography opportunities, the 600D's scene auto mode has already revealed its drawbacks. So, before graduating elementary school, I was forced to self-learn to control exposure using AV and TV settings, and in middle school, I further understood the M mode.
Don't trust the camera's automatic modeThis became the childhood shadow left by the 600D.
I kept trying with the 600D and 18-55 kit. I tried to enhance the blur with the telephoto end; Try shooting drague at a lower shutter speed; Try color grading with Snapseed; Try filming sports days and class meetings. I got a taste of the benefits from this process, but the fun was limited to "achieving a certain effect," and at the time, I had no real opinion about judging the quality of photos.

In the third year of middle school, because my iPhone 5s was just too old, I switched to the Xperia XZs. This oneMobile phonesThe actual experience was even worse than the iPhone 5s, but the Motion Eye camera was very competitive at the time. Intuitive operation, reliable image stabilization, excellent dynamic range—I'm happy to take photos with it. Compared to seventh gradeThe greatly enhanced initiative in ninth grade also provided me with more material to use.

In the vague sense, I began trying to make the picture more balanced; However, this stride in progress was interrupted by boarding high school life. After struggling to adapt for a semester, the pandemic came again, and I could only look out the window anxiously.

Taking to the streets
After the pandemic eased, I took two days off every two weeks, and spent the rest of the time working at the tough school from six to eleven。 Being confined at school made me yearn for every vacation (or vacation), which increased my sensitivity to the outside world.
Every half month, I would take my phone (and occasionally a camera) for a walk around the streets, which became the starting point for my street sweeping. At that time, I was mainly focused on "things" rather than "people," and I had no concept of a "decisive moment" in my mind. My phone only has a 28mm lens, so I often look up to shoot buildings or the sky; Once you switch to a horizontal view, the image becomes rather ordinary.

This experience helped me get used to the feeling of "shooting on the go." The Xperia XZ1 I used back then even had a physical shutter button and a TF card slot, making it feel very much like a card camera. New phones on the market have already adopted telephoto lenses, and the outdated XZ1 struggles with telephoto photography. If I could take the photo below with a black card, would the result be different?

What keeps me using Xperia is not just because I don't have money on hand, but also another reason: it's not lackingAIAlgorithm. Computational photography in the Snapdragon 835 era was different from today's; many algorithms arbitrarily increased saturation, sharpened, and blindly brightened dark areas, but Xperia barely adjusted the brightness of various parts of the image, allowing for very natural light and shadow effects.

I've been using a MacBook since middle school, editing in macOS AlbumToolsIt's already quite comprehensive, and I've learned some late-game skills through it. In my first year of high school, I switched to the Retina MacBook Air screen. With this excellent screen, I could better control color and exposure. The addition of a telephoto lens and a tripod made me start exploring more possibilities, in conclusion:75-300 telephoto lenses are simply too long on residual frame cameras and are hard to use daily. I also brushed the Magic Lantern on the 600D. Although I don't know what to shoot with it, since I've heard the Magic Lantern can "squeeze dry" the camera, I'll try it out first.
This mindset of similar equipment enthusiasts and score-running enthusiasts once led me into a misconception.

Understand the camera
I became this from the first year of middle schoolDigitalEnthusiast, eighth gradeDownloadBilibili, and started watching digital creators' review videos. Their evaluation was refreshing, especially the metrics and methods they used in the imaging evaluation, such as "zooming in to read text" and "pressing the light sign." I once thought this was scientific methodology, but it took me a long time to discover the problem within.
Another thing happened during high school: my 600D wouldn't turn on. This became an opportunity for me to start researching both used and new cameras available on the market. From then on, I learned the difference between DSLRs and mirrorless cameras. 2020 was no longer the era of DSLRs; Sony's third-generation phones were shining brightly; It was the first time I learned about the difference between sensor sizes; on digital interchangeable lens cameras, APS-C is no longer the main focus; It was the first time I realized that modern mirrorless cameras can cover over 90% of the focus area and shoot continuously at over 10fps, and even the usable sensitivity of residual frame cameras exceeds 3200 or even 6400......
First, I mastered the M gear, then I learned the basics of the camera. For those who only started learning photography after growing up, this trajectory is extremely absurd. These two reversed issues share a common premise: the 600D's weakness. Even children who are too weak to understand cameras will be dissatisfied with it. When the child grows up to have the development of mobile internet, this dissatisfaction will escalate into a rational understanding.
So, after graduating from senior year, I chose the Xperia 5II, which excelled in photography, and later switched to the Xperia 1II, which had their camerasConfigurationAlmost identical, except the latter's higher peripheral specs enhance the shooting experience.
Xperia is about to become my main phone and camera, once again profoundly impacting my photography.

Flowers bloom in the world
On December 8, 2022, the pandemic lockdown was downgraded. In February 2023, I traveled alone to Chongqing with my Xperia, then returned to Beijing to start my second semester of freshman year.
Unlike going out for fresh air in high school, university students have more free time, and the opportunities to record on their phones have greatly increased. Beijing's vast and diverse landscape dazzled the eyes of Yan'an Xiaodeng, and every weekend I had to pick a place to exploreI tirelessly walked through District 6, taking my Xperia to photograph every corner.
My shutter speed started to skyrocket, but my photography skills remained stagnant. After all, at the time, I was overjoyed and only thought about "taking a photo"—a photo you could see might take twenty or thirty pieces of trash to cover up. However, more shutter speeds are always better. The Xperia 1II's main camera is 24mm, telephoto is 70mm, and the image quality is very poor. To ensure basic clarity, I had to shoot at 24-35.
Just like when I taught myself a manual to adapt to the 600D's poor auto mode, now to adapt to the lack of a native focal length on the Xperia, I focus on wide-angle viewpoints.
Beijing is never short of people. From then on, I began trying to observe strangers on the street through my lens. The people of Beijing are diverse—busy, lonely, wealthy, and relaxed—with so many faces I haven't seen in Yan'an.

In a free environment, I made new friends and joined one or two brief but happy small groups. The 600D kit that felt heavy in elementary school became lightweight as an adult. I could pack it into my shoulder bag and take it out like a mirrorless camera. I met more people, though still few on one hand, but temporary friendships were better than none at all.
Traveling with others undoubtedly increased my chances of shootingI wouldn't go alone to the Modeco Lantern Festival, Beijing Wildlife Park, or go boating at Zizhuyuan. These activities are more fun when you go with others.

Photographing my friends is also something I do often, even though they often complain that my photos are too ugly—I admit they are really ugly, and now my photos aren't that ugly. Classmates no longer need to muster the courage to take graduation photos with me...... right?

The fate of a photographer

"People are the sum of social relationships." As I stepped out again, I observed people in society while also establishing and breaking my own social connections. Through photography, I met my meal buddy, my relative's student exchange in Beijing, and the first girl to give me a Christmas gift (unfortunately, the ending was, "We're just friends, you crossed the line").
I am grateful for these encounters and experiences.

Composition, white balance, and decisive moments
Following my instincts quickly lost its appeal. I explored every place on the subway that day, and the breakup of small groups and my lazy social personality left me playing with my left and right hand for a while. In this way, taking photos is no longer just a means of recording when going out, but a purpose for going out.
To take better photos, you have to learn. Videos and photos online remain my main sources of learning.
I started paying attention to the "focus" of a photo and the relationship between the front, middle, and back shots. This is closely related to the use of wide-angle lenses, because focal lengths of 50mm and below require balancing various elements in the image.
The more confident you are in balancing the image, the wider the focal length you can use; Three years ago, I would subconsciously shoot with full-frame 50-70mm, but now 24-50mm dominates. Of course, this is related to the equipmentUpdateIt's also related—full-frame cameras have a shorter focal length than APS-C.

Telephoto lenses basically have no "balance" concerns; since there are few subjects entering the frame and no distortion, the image itself is already balanced. Therefore, I began trying to "arrange" something when shooting with telephoto lenses, such as making the steel beams on this bridge the axis of symmetry of the distant bridge, separating two people from opposite directions—one old and one young, one man and one woman, dressed in shades of darkness and lightness.

Another point I regret discovering is white balance. I had long known what white balance was, but it was only in the videos of the Malaysian Catbook that I first realized how important correct white balance really is. So, I started adjusting the white balance before adjusting the curve in post-production, or manually setting the white balance before shooting.

The camera's automatic white balance

Later adjustments

I still can't get the white balance right, especially during travel shoots. Since I don't have a "modern" camera, handling dozens or even hundreds of photos is quite troublesome. At times like these, I wish I had a camera like the A7M5 with intelligent white balance.
The last important concept is the "decisive moment." Just like the belief that "all things are not Lord" to the believers in MeccaEveryone who walks out with a camera recites this maxim from Bresson. But I knew it was already very late, and after hearing it, my socially anxious nature wouldn't allow me to shoot with extreme "aggression."
Thus, the "decisive moment" gradually became "distorted" to merely waiting, observing, and scrutinizing. I would take my camera around one place, and if I had a DSLR, I would use focal lengths above 50mm to "hunt"; If it's a compact camera, fold the screen down and shoot from a low angle. Silhouettes, silhouettes, walking and stationary people, people in just the right positions and distances, the "complementary colors" formed by the umbrella and ground reflections......

The opposite of "moment" is something static. But even static things contain moments; the angle discovered by chance, the light of a single moment, or the weather of a day are all difficult to replicate.
The same place and angle can look completely different under different weather, so I don't really agree with the saying "you take a photo, I take a photo, and you're totally confused when you arrive at the scene"—that's just the wrong timing.

Breaking through equipment limitations
Composition, white balance, and decisive moments—when I realized these three were important, the 600D immediately became inadequate. Its viewfinder is too small, the white balance is too floaty, and the focus is too slow. Previously, the Black Card 2 largely solved the problem of not having a street camera, but the ceiling of the card camera was there—I needed a better camera. So I switched to the Canon 5D3, adding the EF 28-105 f3.5-4.5, the best-selling film champion, and the Tamron 70-300 A17, an entry-level macro telephoto from twenty years ago, combined with the previous 17-40, forming a three-lens combination.
The 5D3 is a huge breakthrough for me! When using the 600D, being able to focus at night was something you couldn't even imagine. And now, I can finally shoot sports competitions.

The photo above is a "Eureka moment" from my photography experience. ISO 12800, accurate autofocus at night, a fantasy on the 600D—a dream I'd wanted for over a decade finally came true. That day, my social media post was like, "I switched to the 5D3 just for this photo."

Shooting sports with the 5D3 isn't easy either. It's heavy, and handheld shooting is tiring; Low-cost lenses still don't have fast autofocus, and the 5D3, as a graphics camera, only achieves 6fps continuous shooting. There is a significant performance gap between the center focus area and the edges, which limits composition. Without AI recognition features, it's easy to be interfered with by the net. But for me, it's more than enough!
I can fine-tune the focus with 61 points, you no longer need to focus on one of the nine focus points—the 600D's viewfinder is very small, making manual focus hard to see clearly.

I can quickly aim at the bees with a macro telephoto lens and then shoot with a silent shutter. This image definitely won't be in focus when switching to the 600D.

A good camera won't directly improve shooting quality, but it can free you from a lousy camera. The wider full-frame field of view and the emotional value of 17-40mm made me turn my attention again to 35mm and wider angles. The viewfinder area is also crucial. On the 600D, I often instinctively stretch the focal length because I can't see the subject clearly, but the 5D3's wide viewfinder solves this problem.
Characters and scenery can be presented in a wide-angle perspective—this simple and easy truth took me several years to grasp. In 2012, professional cameras didn't have flip screens; shooting wide-angle shots with the 5D3 required "jumping up and down," even climbing over rocks. Hopefully, switching to a mirrorless camera in the future will help break through this limitation.

27mm

29mm

33mm

The 5D3 greatly expanded my possibilities. I might have already used up the 600D, while the 5D3 is far from it. If one day I can figure out its limits, I probably won't have to think about making a living in law but will just become an artist.

Hobbies beyond photography
Photography is not an isolated hobby. I was lucky to catch the internet era and have a middle-class familyPlus, I'm a person with a rich heart myself, so I can develop some 'poor games' hobbies.
Table tennis, badminton, cycling, and football are all my sports hobbies. Although it's not a special skill, I really like it. I accepted the commission to shoot football and badminton matches because I knew them well, which was like giving the 5D3 a "pre-shoot" plugin.
I didn't take any good photos during the ride; the only successful shot was at Beitian Park for a sunset. There were almost no buses here. I rode my bike carrying a 600D (I hadn't switched to a 5D3 yet) and went, crawled into a patch of grass to feed mosquitoes for half an hour, fussed with a non-focusing camera, and only managed to pick one when I got back. This camera was still rarely visited last year, but this year it suddenly went viral on Xiaohongshu. The frustrating thing is, Xiaohongshu inexplicably banned my account, and my posts disappeared too. Otherwise, I could have been a "pioneer of Northern Paradise."

The Fangshan Line crosses the Yongding River

The reason I thought of filming the Fangshan Line is because I'm a traffic enthusiast. Of course, I pay more attention to public transportation and the people and scenery along its routes. Traffic enthusiasts born in Beijing may be the luckiest in the country. From history, form to vehicle range, Beijing ranks second nationwide, and no other city dares to claim first—remember, the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway from elementary school textbooks is still alive today; it is part of Beijing's suburban railway S2 line, which is a major concern for railwaysOperation is the best protection.
In the photography world, Wang Wei used his camera to run around and shout, greatly advancing railway cultural heritage preservation in Beijing. His photo album "Chasing the Train" includes basic knowledge of photographing trains and is brilliantly written. I never dared to dream of anything special to shoot; just capturing two generations walking hand in hand into the transfer passage sealed for 40 years was already a joy.

202412.15 First day of opening of Beijing Subway Line 3

Rock also played a positive role. If I hadn't listened to rock, I might have done even worse. At different times, different music preferences affect the rhythm, theme, and style of the shoot; Even album covers can be referenced. Atmosphere and rhythm are key to creating romance for yourself while shooting alone.

The mountain is still there, the water is still there, oh dear

Let the wind take you where it will go

Last night's dream, last night's dream is right before my eyes

Will I know nothing when I go there?

Inspired by the cover of Spitz's 'Indigo Horizon.'

Photographed for my heart and memories
I photograph everyone who becomes my friend, capturing things along the way for memories.
I photograph their happy moments—like those cuddling moments with their partner—but after they break up, those memories are kept by me alone.
When I was in love with himMy photos are more lively and warm—at that time, I happened to be listening to Camel's Breathless, which included the line: "Holding the insight, turning the sky f."rom night to day”；

After the relationship ends, the photos become calmer and more observant—even more advanced than the pattern I was used to before. This is normal emotional fluctuations, and it's gratifying that I can now reflect these fluctuations through the lens.

On graduation day, I photographed someone who had once traveled with me inviting me to walk through the next hurdle in life:

On the way with classmates on a whim, I went to Panjiayuan to see the bead bracelets, and I took a beautiful photo of the sunset:

On a sun-drenched afternoon after playing football, I took a photo of the old stands on the playground where I grew up:

On the road trip, I snapped a photo of a cat acting spoiled:

In 2023, there was a starry sky photography romance series called "You Who Lost Sleep After School." The male lead's photography mentor was a senior who graduated from the astronomy department. Her advice was: "Press the shutter when your heart is in the air." That sentence made me feel like I was on fire. Isn't going out with a camera just to find a moment of excitement?
I hope I can keep pressing the shutter until my heart stops moving.