Becoming a Photographer

Being a photographer is never be my child’s imagination. Even after passing bachelor from state university in Bandung, Jawa Barat, the word, “Photography” was just unimportant word than I always speak about singing, fishing or chess fighting as a hobby. The only thing I did with a photo is, when I captured myself with cell phone. This photos were just a breaking the blasé among other activities. Photo was just a medium of telling something, and it was just from me and for me only.

But, at the mid of 2006, when I was joining Bangka Belitung University as a new employer, I never imagine that three years after that, I would enter the world “capturing with light”, and then getting crazy about photography.

The story began when my supervisor asked me to set up new order of camera. Actually, I didn’t buy the camera but our institution bought it, I just wrote the type and specification of the camera, and then submitted it to supervisor. Not long after, I got my first camera, Nikon D60 kit with 18-55mm f 3,5-6,5 mm. 

My supervisor proposed this camera to fulfill the need in design and news gathering. Both of design and journalistic were my job description. So, the working process on the daily time could be more optimal and efficient after equipped with d60.

Before that new DSLR, I precede my work with Kodak easyshare, a pocket digital camera that had helped me doing my task for years past. And, I didn’t know how, the desire and Inquisitive about photo growth bigger by time. I can say that using easyshare had trigger my passion a head.

I just use D60 at office only, but as time passed, I sometime bring it home. I just want to know more about the manual using, or just taking celebration or ceremonial like 1 Muharram or family portrait in my home.

The main drive of my involved about real photograph was, when I got invitation from workmate, told me to join mass hunting at Parai Beach Resort in Sungailiat hold by unknown local organization. That time, my mate gave phone number, just phone number for contact person of the event. Then, I phone that person, recently the person’s name was Rudi JRH. Rudi told me to meet him at terminal (bus station) in Sungailiat tomorrow.

I remembered that time, as a historical meeting. It was the first moment for all persons who joined the hunt. That moment was actually prime time among us to know and to share each other about photos within same spirit and passion. I met person, some of them are Haryadi, Yudi Novinadi, Dika Abay, BSH Singgih, Rudi JRH, Riang (Rest In Peace) as first talent and so on.

Later, we coincident to give a name for the community as Fotografer Bangka Islands (FBI). Afterward, months passed, FBI become familiar and more photographers come and joined this organization. And I become more enthusiastic in photography. Some mass hunting were organized by FBI, like mass hunting for Cual at Bangka Botanical Garden. Cual is a batik name with traditional motif of Bangka. 

This hunt is actually as a medium for all photographer to meet and to enjoy. People came from different age, jobs, or tribe to take as pictures as a hobby or a work…(aksansanjaya). (continued in part 2)