Photography as a Hobby: Learning to See Life Differently

This week, as part of my Hobby Series — where we’ve explored cooking, writing, and grandmothering, — I wanted to share something a little different about a hobby that has become my latest obsession. Though I’ve always loved taking pictures, until recently, I didn’t think I had what it took to truly embrace photography as a hobby.

Like many of us fledging photo buffs, I believed photography required the right camera, the right settings, and a level of expertise that felt . . . just out of reach. And it was a bit intimidating to know (or at least think) that ‘real’ photographers usually owned more than one lens.

Meanwhile, I was over here wiping fingerprints off my phone screen and hoping for the best.

So for a long time, I kept photography at a comfortable distance. I would take pictures here and there, vacations, holidays, the occasional “everyone stand still and smile” moment, but I never quite felt confident that I was doing it well. And if I’m being honest, I think a part of me assumed that if I couldn’t do it well, it wasn’t really worth pursuing. Sound familiar?

When “Good Enough” Started to Feel… Not Enough

Somewhere along the way, something shifted, not dramatically, but quietly.

I started noticing how often I reached for my phone. Not just for big moments, but for small ones:

a soft morning light coming through the kitchen window,
a cup of tea that looked especially inviting,
a moment of laughter I didn’t want to forget.

And yet, when I looked back at the photos, they didn’t always reflect what I felt in those moments. They were fine . . . but still not quite right.

I knew I didn’t want to go down the road of professional equipment again (been there, done that), so instead, I decided to find someone who could teach me how to use what I already had — my phone. More than anything, I wanted to capture memory-worthy photos of my children and grandchildren.

That’s when I found Nick Kelsh . . . online of course. Not only did he teach me practical phone photography tips I had never considered, but more importantly, he reminded me of something simple and powerful: Photography isn’t about the equipment, it’s about how you see. A light immediately went off for me when he said that, and from that point on, everything started to change.

Over time, Nick has become not only an invaluable teacher, but a wonderful friend. We’ve had countless conversations about our children and grandchildren, and he’s shared insights gained from decades of photographing families, landscapes, and meaningful moments.

What I appreciated most is that he understood exactly what I was looking for. I didn’t want to become a professional. I simply wanted to preserve the memories of my family, the kind that might otherwise be forgotten.

And in many ways, that brought me back to my own childhood. My mother took countless photos of me growing up, and trust me, she had no idea what professional photography was all about, she simply had a little girl she adored and did her best to take pictures of her with a camera passed down from my grandfather.

Because of Mom, I now have those photos, and the memories that come with them, to share with my children and grandchildren. Below is one of my favorites. I call it Tap Dancing in the Snow, and it pretty much sums up my childhood, a little wild, a little joyful, and completely spontaneous. 🙂

These are the kind of fun, family photographs I want to capture of the little ones in my life.

Could I really do it with my phone? Well, if Mom could do it with grandpa’s antiquated camera . . . well, you know the rest.

And here’s the part that surprised me most: Nick also showed me that phone photography can be just as meaningful and dynamic as photos taken with expensive Nikon or Canon cameras, those with f-stops and all the other complicated settings. Nope, not at this stage of my life!).

And the results? Honestly, they’ve been pretty amazing.

Photography as a Hobby (Without the Overwhelm)

When I finally allowed myself to think of photography as a hobby, not something I had to master, but something I could enjoy, everything changed. I stopped worrying about getting it perfect. I stopped assuming there was some invisible standard I had to meet before I could call myself “someone who takes photos.” And I started paying attention. That’s it.

No fancy gear.
No complicated settings.
Just attention.

It turns out, photography has far less to do with equipment than we’ve all been led to believe. And far more to do with noticing:
• light,
• composition,
• timing,
and the quiet details that tell a story.

Three Small Shifts That Made a Big Difference

I won’t turn this into a full lesson (that’s coming later with highlights from my collaboration with Nick), but I will share a few simple things that changed everything for me.

First, light matters more than anything. Not brighter light. Better light. Standing near a window instead of under overhead lighting can instantly transform a photo. It’s one of those things that feels almost too simple . . . until you try it and realize it works every time.

Second, what you leave out is just as important as what you include. Before taking a photo, I’ve learned to pause and ask, “What doesn’t belong here?” A cluttered background can quietly steal attention from what actually matters.

And third, moments are better than poses. This one took me a while to accept. Especially with children and grandchildren, the best photos rarely happen when you ask them to stand still and smile. They happen when you let them be themselves and simply observe.

Which, as it turns out, is also a pretty good life philosophy.

More Than a Hobby

What was most enlightening to me about photography wasn’t that my pictures improved (although they did). It was that I began to experience everyday life a little differently. I slowed down — not in a dramatic, “I’ve become a completely new person” kind of way, but just enough to notice things I might have missed before.

The way light moves through a room at different times of day.
The details of something I was working on.
The expressions that come and go in a matter of seconds.

Photography, for me, has become less about capturing life and more about participating in it more fully. And that’s what makes it such a meaningful hobby.

A Small Hint of What’s Coming

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been putting together something with Nick’s guidance, which I sure wish I had years ago. It’s a simple, practical guide to taking better photos with the phone you already have. It’s a simple, practical guide . . . and I have to say, it’s been a bit of a game changer for me.

Nothing overwhelming. Just the foundational things that actually make a difference. I’ll be sharing that in next week’s blog, along with a few examples and ideas to help you put it into practice.

In the Meantime . . .

If you’ve ever considered photography as a hobby, even in the smallest way, I encourage you to start where you are. Use what you have. Pay attention to what you love. And don’t worry about getting it perfect.

Because the truth is, the moments worth capturing are rarely perfect, but they’re always real.

And please be sure to check out the other blogs in our Hobby Series:

Until next time, keep . . .