For any photographer, I think it is very difficult to say what was his "first fine art photo", or his first photo as a Photographer. But, doing this exercise of choosing a photo as the first one, I can say with some conviction: the photo below, of the sailboat in placid waters, was my first authorial photo. I did it on April 6th, 2013. I have some photos before this one that are quite good, but this one was taken during my first job as photographer. It wasn't a paid job - it was a partnership, but it was the first job.
Between a change of look and another (it was photos for a semi-jewelry store of a friend of mine), I saw this beautiful scene and visualized the photo. I got closer and made the photo. I even sold some prints of it. Of the 14 prints available, there are still 9 for sale (in Apr, 2020).
I did this exercise of looking for my first art photo to make a post in my new instagram account (you still don't know? follow here @eduardobeltrame.art). I ended up choosing another 9 photos that, I think, say a lot about who I am as a photographer, and as a person too.
Looking at these photos today, to make this post, I see some traits that are still active in my photography, which doesn't surprise me, as I think they are traits of my personality, and these two things are closely linked.
I am a curious person, who likes to explore, whether it's my own room, your backyard, or a distant country. I like to experiment, to try new things just to see what happens. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but my greatest satisfaction is not only in the result, but in the process. I am a pyromaniac, I admit it. Fire fascinates me. I am always paying attention to things that happen around me and my eyes are attracted by lines, repetitions and symmetries.
I like to look at the hole scene, the landscape from the top of the mountain, to see everything, do everything, but sometimes my attention gets caught up in some small detail. There I can spend a long time trying out the possibilities that small object or place can provide me. I remember I spent a long time in a dark room with a little ball that had colored flashing lights, playing at drawing in the air, testing long exposures. This amused me a lot... and still amuses.