Photography has become a very popular hobby, and that is evidenced by the amount of students at Chamblee High School who are photographers themselves. From nature photography to sports photography to car photography, Chamblee is home to many student photographers with different focuses.

There are not only many different types of photography, from film to digital photography, but also many different types of photography equipment. Film photography is shot on a roll of film that then has to be developed to get the picture results. Digital photography has a much quicker process with the ability to see photos as soon as they’re taken and to store them on memory cards.

“I prefer digital. It’s just a whole lot easier. Film is obviously cooler, but I’m just not at that level with film yet, “ said Sydney Grove (‘24).

Many photographers shoot using multiple forms of media but have a preference toward one or the other.

“I much prefer using film cameras. I like the physicality of the work,” said Jonah Jacobs (‘25).

However, photography doesn’t rely solely on good cameras.

“If you want to get into photography, you don’t even have to have a nice camera because it’s all about what you want to take pictures of,” said Brooke Robinson (‘24). “Just go take pictures of things. Even if it’s with your phone, start somewhere and then save up if you want a camera.”

Cameras can range in price from around 50 to thousands of dollars depending on the quality of the equipment and accessories. Some of the main brands of cameras that can be found are Sony, Canon, and Nikon. The quality of cameras can range from professional cameras to at-home cameras.

Many resources that were not available in the past, such as editing platforms and online tutorials, are now available to photographers. Some of the most popular editing platforms used by photographers are Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, and Adobe Camera Raw.

“If you want to get into photography, I would just recommend learning everything you can and talking to other photographers that have done it before because that’s how you can really learn the most,” said Henry Lehmann (‘25).

And just like with any other hobby or activity, practice makes perfect.

“Just start shooting, just start taking pictures of everything. Just really get out of your comfort zone. But really the number one piece of advice I could give is just to take as many pictures as you can,” said Grove.

Photography is offered as a class here at Chamblee and can be taken by anyone who has taken the prerequisite course Introduction to Art. The class is taught by Mattie Bell and is highly recommended by students who currently take it.

“I love it. [Bell] is the most amazing teacher ever, and it’s my favorite class,” said Olivia Bell (‘24).

Students at Chamblee not only enjoy photography as a hobby but also spread awareness about their photography on social media. Here are some Instagram accounts where you can find Chamblee students’ work:

• Brooke Robinson (‘24): brookerob_pics (car photography)
• Henry Lehmann (‘25): hentookit (sports photography and freelance photography work)
• Olivia Bell (‘24): obellphoto (various photography interests)