How I found photography — and a hobby at 40
When people talk about finding a hobby, it’s usually something they actively search for. In my case, it was the other way around — photography found me.
It all started at work. As part of my role at Hua Hin Today, we had a decent ‘big camera’ sitting in the office. None of us really knew how to use it. We’d bring it along to press conferences or events, set it to automatic, and hope for the best. Sometimes the photos were usable, but often they weren’t quite right — not sharp enough, not properly exposed, or just not suitable for print or web use.
Eventually, we gave up and went back to using our iPhones. And while you can get great shots with a phone, it wasn’t a long-term solution for a news publication.
How it started with a camera at work
What bothered me wasn’t just the subpar images — it was the fact we had this perfectly good DSLR camera gathering dust on a shelf. It felt wasteful. Like being given a car but never learning to drive it.
That quiet frustration eventually nudged me into action. One evening, I signed up for a basic photography course on Domestika, a website offering online classes for creatives. It was nothing too advanced — just a straightforward introduction to how cameras work and how to move off automatic mode.
That small shift made a huge difference.
The course taught me how to use Aperture Priority mode. Suddenly, settings like f/5.6 for portraits or f/8 for landscapes made sense. It was just enough to get started, but that was all I needed. The course took place in July and early August 2024, and by the end of it, I was hooked.
I wasn’t looking for a hobby. But photography quickly became one — the first real one I’d had since playing football as a kid. Sure, I like running and going to the gym, but those are more about staying healthy than having fun.
By definition, a hobby is “an activity done regularly in one’s leisure time for pleasure.” That sums up photography perfectly for me. It gives me something to focus on outside of work. Something to learn, experiment with, and enjoy.
What photography has brought into my life
At 40, I found this new interest — and with it came all the unexpected benefits. Taking photos gives me the chance to switch off from everything else. It helps me slow down and pay attention to what’s around me. More than anything, it’s helped me see — really see — things I never noticed before. Shadows on a wall, the light hitting a building just right, or small, quiet moments in everyday life. Photography has changed the way I look at the world.
And above all, it’s fun.
Do you have a hobby? I’m not preaching — I hate it when people do that. But if you don’t, maybe try and find one. It doesn’t have to be photography. Just something that’s unrelated to your job, your responsibilities, or your phone. Something that gives you the space to switch off and be in the moment.
I never head out expecting to take the perfect photo. It’s not about capturing the most ‘Insta-worthy’ image. It’s about trying something new, improving little by little, and enjoying the process. And when you think about it, that’s really what a hobby should be.
In no particular order, below are a few of the first photos I took during those early weeks. These were just photos of events or places I had visited in those early weeks: a light festival, the beach at sunrise and the view from a restaurant on the 17th floor of the Hilton Hotel.
If you’d like to follow along with my journey, feel free to sign up to my email newsletter, follow Jonathan Fairfield Photos on Facebook, or take a look at the prints I now have available in the store.
