By Lilly Yablon | Photographer
Around the new year, people look for hobbies. Photography is a great one to pick up because it gives you the chance to meet new people and expand your creativity.
I got into photography at the end of my junior year of high school by taking yearbook and broadcast journalism. I started to enjoy it at the beginning of my senior year, which is when I attended all the sporting events at Lutheran South Academy in Houston to photograph players and take live-action shots. I always looked forward to those activities each week.
When people began to compliment my photos, it encouraged me to keep pursuing photography. Consistent positive feedback also led me to create an Instagram photography account — @lillyywithacamera — to post my work.
I wanted to take photos in college too, so I had a meeting with Baylor’s former director of student media in the fall of 2021. He encouraged me to apply for a photographer position at The Lariat. Through this job, I have had the opportunity to take photos at sporting events and of campus life generally. I have even been recognized by students who ask me to take photos of them during intramural football games, which is fun and personally rewarding.
Photography has been the highlight of my college experience. I have met so many new people just by taking photos, which continues to inspire me to do better. There are different ways to shoot photography, whether for sports, nature, portraits or something else. Each is unique, and I get to be as creative as I want. My favorite type is sports photography, especially action shots of players or crowd shots.
In December, I even got to travel to New York City to take photos of the Baylor versus Duke basketball game at Madison Square Garden. Through photography, I had a huge opportunity to do what I love and to visit NYC for the first time.
If you are a beginner at photography, there are multiple different kinds of cameras you can use, such as digital cameras, disposable cameras, polaroids and smartphones. Depending on what I photograph, I might use a Sony, Canon or Nikon digital camera with a 70-200mm lens.
Experiencing a hobby like photography allows you to be creative. Taking photos in new and exciting ways is what I look forward to each week, whether for sports or for an article for The Lariat. Soon, I hope to be published in professional media sources nationwide, and you could too. Your first step is to put aside your hesitation, pick up a camera and get shooting.
