Fearlessly Rejecting Rejection

DA* 16-50 Giveaway Entry #17

By Heie in It's Good to Be Fearless on May 11, 2013

Being Fearless doesn't mean that you aren't afraid of anything. But rather how you manage to conquer fear, when it comes to you.

In almost a year in my photography. I usually shoot portraits, flowers, and still life. One day while walking through a park to shoot some flowers, I noticed a group of people that looked as if were fighting each other. Then I realized that the fighting wasn't real, that it was just a practice. Carrying my Pentax Kx with smc M 75-150mm F4, I mounted my camera on a tripod. Instead of taking a picture, I decided to take a video of the action instead. After reviewing the clip, I realized that I should get closer to get a better shot. At 150mm focal length on a crop sensor. Yes, I was way too far.

I told myself I should be closer. Now here comes the problem. I haven't shot a picture of a stranger before. And there I was, wanting to film what those guys are doing. What now? What keeps me from holding back from filming an opportunity?

Camera: Pentax Kx, Lens: smc M 75-150mm F4, Video Taken: November 2011
Uploaded: November 10, 2011, Software Used: Adobe Premiere Pro w/ Magic Bullet Effects

I am afraid. Afraid of rejection and afraid of being hit on the face. I packed my things and started walking toward where the guys are. I stopped somewhere near them where I won't get hit by them. I observed them for a few minutes and I finally asked them with a smile, about what they were doing. And I received a very courteous answer that they were doing a routine. They're stuntmen! They appear in films shown in Philippine cinemas. We had a good conversation, and then I asked them if I can take a video of them while they were practicing. I wasn't really expecting their reaction, which was they got very excited...

They started suggesting scenes that they would like to do. Then I became nervous. I know nothing about taking videos. What now? I mounted my camera on a tripod, set the dial to Movie mode and started recording. Using the smc M 75-150mm. I noticed that focus doesn't change, when I change the Focal length, "Magic." While taking the video, I also realized that video exposure changes at certain points. That's when I truly understood how camera metering works. The group did a couple of routines and I just kept on filming them. I showed them how the video looks, and they just laughed at themselves when they made a mistake.

That day changed me a lot. I learned how to approach people, and that everything starts with a good conversation. It's important for us to know our subject, and make the subject comfortable with our presence. I also learned that we just need to be ourselves, and to be sincere with our intention. I conquered the fear of being rejected by potential subjects. Therefore, that day made me more confident but sensitive with people and things around me.

The experience also introduced me into a more complex story telling, which is filming. With my Pentax Kx paired with my 100mm Macro WR F2.8, Rekinon XR f2, Pentax A 28mm F2.8 and the 18-55mm kit lens. I was already able to make 30+ videos, including weddings, music videos, company event coverage, promotional videos, etc. All of my videos were shoot without the aid of video lights. I always depend on the wide aperture of my lenses. Given a chance to own the DA* 16-50mm, it will benefit my establishing wide angle shots, where my kitlens always fails, especially when covering church wedding, and when I need to take wide angle video shot indoors.

- felmarpesado