Easy English Today: Photography with Minh
Level: A2-B1 | Duration: 1-2 minutes
TRANSCRIPTION
Hello, welcome to Easy English Today with Minh! Today, I want to share my passion for photography.
My name is Minh, and I’m absolutely fascinated by photography. Every weekend, I go out and take photographs of nature, people, and interesting places. I mainly photograph landscapes, but I also love portrait photography.
Last Sunday, I went to a beautiful waterfall in the countryside. First, I arrived early in the morning to catch the golden light. Then, I looked for the best angle and set up my camera. After that, I adjusted the camera settings to get the right exposure. While I was shooting, I noticed some beautiful birds near the water, so I photographed them too. Finally, after two hours, I had captured over three hundred amazing images!
Photography is more than just a hobby for me—it’s my way of seeing the world. It teaches me to notice small details and appreciate beauty. I also enjoy sharing my photos on social media, and my followers really encourage me. The best part is when people tell me that my photographs inspire them to explore new places.
Do you take photographs? What do you like to photograph—nature, people, or something else? If you could take a photo of anything in the world, what would it be? I’d love to hear about it!
Thank you for listening. Keep creating, and see you next time!
TRANSCRIPTION WITH IPA
Easy English Today with Minh
Hello, welcome to Easy English Today with Minh!
/həˈləʊ | ˈwɛlkəm | tə | ˈiːzi | ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ | təˈdeɪ | wɪð | mɪn/
Today, I want to share my passion for photography.
/təˈdeɪ | aɪ | wɒnt | tə | ʃɛə | maɪ | ˈpæʃən | fə | fəˈtɒɡrəfi/
My name is Minh, and I’m absolutely fascinated by photography.
/maɪ | neɪm | ɪz | mɪn | ənd | aɪm | ˈæbsəluːtli | ˈfæsɪneɪtɪd | baɪ | fəˈtɒɡrəfi/
Every weekend, I go out and take photographs of nature, people, and interesting places.
/ˈɛvri | ˈwiːkɛnd | aɪ | ɡəʊ | aʊt | ənd | teɪk | ˈfoʊtəɡræfs | əv | ˈneɪtʃə | ˈpiːpl | ənd | ˈɪntərəstɪŋ | pleɪsɪz/
I mainly photograph landscapes, but I also love portrait photography.
/aɪ | ˈmeɪnli | ˈfoʊtəɡræf | ˈlændskeɪps | bət | aɪ | ˈɔːlsoʊ | lʌv | ˈpɔːtrət | fəˈtɒɡrəfi/
Last Sunday, I went to a beautiful waterfall in the countryside.
/lɑːst | ˈsʌndeɪ | aɪ | wɛnt | tə | ə | ˈbjuːtɪfəl | ˈwɔːtəfɔːl | ɪn | ðə | ˈkʌntrisaɪd/
First, I arrived early in the morning to catch the golden light.
/fɜːst | aɪ | əˈraɪvd | ˈɜːli | ɪn | ðə | ˈmɔːnɪŋ | tə | kætʃ | ðə | ˈɡəʊldən | laɪt/
Then, I looked for the best angle and set up my camera.
/ðɛn | aɪ | ˈlʊkt | fə | ðə | bɛst | ˈæŋɡəl | ənd | sɛt | ʌp | maɪ | ˈkæmərə/
After that, I adjusted the camera settings to get the right exposure.
/ˈɑːftə | ðæt | aɪ | əˈdʒʌstɪd | ðə | ˈkæmərə | ˈsɛtɪŋz | tə | ɡɛt | ðə | raɪt | ɪkˈspoʊʒə/
While I was shooting, I noticed some beautiful birds near the water, so I photographed them too.
/waɪl | aɪ | wəz | ˈʃuːtɪŋ | aɪ | ˈnoʊtɪst | səm | ˈbjuːtɪfəl | bɜːdz | nɪə | ðə | ˈwɔːtə | soʊ | aɪ | ˈfoʊtəɡræfd | ðɛm | tuː/
Finally, after two hours, I had captured over three hundred amazing images!
/ˈfaɪnəli | ˈɑːftə | tuː | ˈaʊərz | aɪ | həd | ˈkæptʃəd | ˈoʊvə | θriː | ˈhʌndrəd | əˈmeɪzɪŋ | ˈɪmɪdʒɪz/
Photography is more than just a hobby for me—it’s my way of seeing the world.
/fəˈtɒɡrəfi | ɪz | mɔː | ðən | dʒʌst | ə | ˈhɒbi | fə | miː | ɪts | maɪ | weɪ | əv | ˈsiːɪŋ | ðə | wɜːld/
It teaches me to notice small details and appreciate beauty.
/ɪt | ˈtiːtʃɪz | mi | tə | ˈnoʊtɪs | smɔːl | ˈdiːteɪlz | ənd | əˈpriːʃieɪt | ˈbjuːti/
I also enjoy sharing my photos on social media, and my followers really encourage me.
/aɪ | ˈɔːlsoʊ | ɪnˈdʒɔɪ | ˈʃɛərɪŋ | maɪ | ˈfoʊtoʊz | ɒn | ˈsoʊʃəl | ˈmiːdiə | ənd | maɪ | ˈfɒloʊəz | ˈrɪəli | ɪnˈkʌrɪdʒ | mi/
The best part is when people tell me that my photographs inspire them to explore new places.
/ðə | bɛst | pɑːrt | ɪz | wɛn | ˈpiːpl | tɛl | mi | ðæt | maɪ | ˈfoʊtəɡræfs | ɪnˈspaɪə | ðɛm | tə | ɪkˈsplɔːr | njuː | pleɪsɪz/
Do you take photographs? What do you like to photograph—nature, people, or something else?
/duː | juː | teɪk | ˈfoʊtəɡræfs | wɒt | duː | juː | laɪk | tə | ˈfoʊtəɡræf | ˈneɪtʃə | ˈpiːpl | ɔː | ˈsʌmθɪŋ | ɛls/
If you could take a photo of anything in the world, what would it be?
/ɪf | juː | kəd | teɪk | ə | ˈfoʊtoʊ | əv | ˈɛnɪθɪŋ | ɪn | ðə | wɜːld | wɒt | wəd | ɪt | bi/
I’d love to hear about it! /aɪd | lʌv | tə | hɪə | əˈbaʊt | ɪt/
Thank you for listening. Keep creating, and see you next time!
/θæŋk | juː | fə | ˈlɪsənɪŋ | kiːp | kriːˈeɪtɪŋ | ənd | siː | juː | nɛkst | taɪm/
VOCABULARY
| Word | Pronunciation | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| photography | /fəˈtɒɡrəfi/ | The art of taking and producing photographs | Photography is my favourite hobby. |
| fascinated | /ˈfæsɪneɪtɪd/ | Extremely interested in something | I’m fascinated by old buildings. |
| landscape | /ˈlændskeɪp/ | A view of countryside, mountains, etc. | The landscape was beautiful. |
| portrait | /ˈpɔːtrət/ | A photograph of a person | She took a lovely portrait of her daughter. |
| angle | /ˈæŋɡəl/ | The position from which something is viewed | He found the perfect angle for the photo. |
| exposure | /ɪkˈspoʊʒə/ | The amount of light allowed in a photograph | The exposure was too bright. |
| capture | /ˈkæptʃə/ | To take a photograph or record an image | I captured the sunset beautifully. |
| golden light | /ˈɡəʊldən laɪt/ | Warm, beautiful light at sunrise or sunset | The golden light made the scene magical. |
| passion | /ˈpæʃən/ | A strong, intense feeling about something | His passion for art is inspiring. |
| detail | /ˈdiːteɪl/ | A small or particular part of something | Notice the details in the background. |
| appreciate | /əˈpriːʃieɪt/ | To recognise and enjoy the good qualities | I appreciate good photography. |
| inspire | /ɪnˈspaɪə/ | To motivate or encourage someone | Her photos inspire people. |
| explore | /ɪkˈsploʊr/ | To travel around an area to discover it | I love to explore new places. |
| social media | /ˈsoʊʃəl ˈmiːdiə/ | Websites where people share content online | I share my photos on social media. |
| follower | /ˈfɒloʊə/ | A person who follows someone online | My followers give me feedback. |
GRAMMAR POINTS
1. Present Simple (Habitual Actions)
Form: Subject + Base Verb Usage: Regular or repeated actions
Examples from podcast:
- “I go out and take photographs every weekend.”
- “I mainly photograph landscapes.”
- “I enjoy sharing my photos on social media.”
2. Present Perfect Continuous (Ongoing Activity)
Form: Subject + have/has + been + -ing verb Usage: Actions that started in the past and continue to the present
Example:
- “I’m absolutely fascinated by photography.” (I have been fascinated and still am)
3. Past Simple (Completed Actions)
Form: Subject + Past Verb Usage: Actions that happened at a specific time in the past
Examples:
- “Last Sunday, I went to a beautiful waterfall.”
- “I arrived early in the morning.”
- “I adjusted the camera settings.”
4. Sequencing Words (First, Then, After That, Finally)
Usage: To show the order of events
Example:
- “First, I arrived early. Then, I looked for the best angle. After that, I adjusted the settings. Finally, I captured amazing images.”
5. Past Continuous (Actions in Progress)
Form: Subject + was/were + -ing verb Usage: An action that was happening when another action occurred
Example:
- “While I was shooting, I noticed some beautiful birds.”
6. Present Perfect (Experience)
Form: Subject + have/has + Past Participle Usage: To talk about experiences or achievements
Example:
- “I’ve been interested in photography for many years.”
7. Conditional Sentences (Type 2)
Form: If + Past Simple, + would + Base Verb Usage: Imaginary or hypothetical situations
Example:
- “If you could take a photo of anything, what would it be?”
KEY EXPRESSIONS
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| “I’m fascinated by…” | I’m extremely interested in… | I’m fascinated by nature photography. |
| “I mainly…” | I usually/mostly… | I mainly photograph landscapes. |
| “to catch the light” | To capture good lighting conditions | I arrived early to catch the golden light. |
| “set up my camera” | To prepare and arrange the camera | I set up my camera on a tripod. |
| “to adjust settings” | To change camera configurations | I adjusted the settings for better exposure. |
| “I noticed…” | I saw/became aware of… | I noticed some beautiful birds. |
| “more than just…” | Much more important than… | Photography is more than just a hobby. |
| “to appreciate beauty” | To recognise and enjoy beautiful things | I appreciate the beauty in nature. |
| “inspire someone” | To motivate or encourage | My photos inspire people to travel. |
| “I’d love to hear…” | I want to know/would enjoy hearing | I’d love to hear about your hobby. |
LEARNING TIPS
✓ Pronunciation Focus: Pay special attention to:
- “photography” /fəˈtɒɡrəfi/ (British) vs /fəˈtɑːɡrəfi/ (American)
- “exposure” /ɪkˈspoʊʒə/
- “capture” /ˈkæptʃə/
✓ Sequencing is Key: The structure “First → Then → After that → Finally” is essential for A2-B1 learners and appears frequently in spoken English.
✓ Notice the Mix of Tenses:
- Present Simple for habitual actions
- Past Simple for the story of one day
- Present Perfect when discussing experience
✓ Collocations to Learn:
- catch the light / catch the moment
- set up / adjust settings
- share photos / take photographs
- appreciate beauty / notice details
✓ British vs American English:
- This lesson uses British pronunciation and spelling
- Notice: “colour” → “exposure” (same in both)
SAMPLE RESPONSE ACTIVITY
Try answering these questions:
Easy Level:
- What is Sarah’s hobby?
- Where did Sarah go last Sunday?
- How many photos did she take?
Medium Level: 4. What are the two types of photography Sarah enjoys? 5. Why is photography important to Sarah? (Give 2-3 reasons) 6. What does she like about sharing her photos?
Advanced Level: 7. Use sequencing words: Describe a hobby activity step-by-step using “First, Then, After that, Finally…” 8. Imagine you are a photographer. Describe what you would photograph and why. 9. Compare Sarah’s hobby with yours. What’s similar? What’s different?
SUGGESTED DIALOGUE PRACTICE
Friend A: “Do you have any hobbies?” Friend B: “Yes, I’m fascinated by [hobby]. Every weekend, I…”
Friend A: “That sounds interesting! Can you describe a typical day?” Friend B: “Sure! First, I… Then, I… After that, I… Finally, I…”
Friend A: “How does it make you feel?” Friend B: “It helps me… I also appreciate…”
EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
Activity 1: Create Your Hobby Speech Record yourself talking about your hobby using the same structure as Sarah’s speech. Include:
- Introduction of your hobby
- What you do and when
- A specific story/example (using past simple + sequencing)
- Why you enjoy it
- A question for listeners
Activity 2: Photo Description Describe a photograph using these prompts:
- “In this photo, I can see…”
- “The photographer captured…”
- “The lighting is…”
- “It inspires me to…”
Activity 3: Role Play Work with a partner:
- Student A: Interview Student B about their hobby
- Use: “What?”, “When?”, “Why?”, “How often?”
- Student B: Answer using present simple, past simple, and sequencing words
© Easy English Today | Level A2-B1 | Duration: 1-2 minutes
