Many people ask me how I got into photography. Well, here goes:

I’ve always been a photographer.  I’ve taken pictures for over 40 years, for as long as I can remember, definitely since grade school. I have old fading photos of friends sporting their orange and white safety patrol belts, hanging upside down and doing handstands on the playground and just hanging out being kids. I was fortunate to be raised in a neighborhood reminiscent of the “Wonder Years” back in the good ole days of the late 60s and the 70s. I know I’m now telling my age! To you “youngsters,” I must sound like I’m ancient, but you know what “they” say, “50 is the new 30…?”  😉

Many friends say that if it weren’t for me, they would have very few photos of their families. I always have a camera with me, so they expect me to be there to take photos of whatever we’re doing. I have countless albums of cruises, trips, just cats, tons of flowers, sunsets, family and friend get-togethers, and thousands of loose photos stored in boxes.

I remember the first camera I used had the cube flash. 4 flashes, and you had to change the cube. Then came flash stick. I think you got about 10 flashes with that one — amazing!! Then came the camera (film) w/ a BUILT IN FLASH!! Woo Hoo! I’ve gone through several point-and-shoot digital cameras (both film and digital), the handy dandy Polaroid and countless disposable cameras! And, how can I forget the iPhone! I can’t imagine the money I’ve spent on film and prints over the years. Thank goodness for the invention of the digital camera!

In the 90s, my uncle gave me my first SLR, a Canon EOS 10s. I was thrilled! However, I never had the sense back then to take the thing off auto. Cringe! What a waste!! My uncle is an awesome landscape/ wildlife photographer and I had admired his work since I was a tike. He did try to explain Aperture, ISO and shutter speed to me, but for some reason it seemed too much like algebra to me (NOT my best subject in High School). He is a doctor, so I knew he was probably a lot smarter than I was!

Last year, I finally got my first DSLR, a Canon T3i. I decided it was finally time to take my camera of auto and actually learn how to use it! With the help of several mentors and hours and hours of studying, I now shoot in manual, RAW, and have decent editing software. I recently updated to a full-frame camera, a Canon 6D, and LOVE it!

Now I have thousands of photos stored on my computer and back-up hard-drives! More on all of those photos in my next blog…….