Steep Learning Curve

Photography has long been a love of mine for many years. Inspired, actually, by my late Uncle Jim. I'll never forget a certain visit back home in Chicago during my college years when my Uncle Jim and I were talking about our mutual passion. This was when I was first introduced to the "rule of thirds," and what a difference it makes when you focus on something in the foreground, when taking photos of landscape. It was in that initial conversation that I discovered how such simple concepts create a much more interesting photograph.

This will age me, folks, but that was back in the day when people used FILM...ever heard of it? Since Taylor University didn't have a photography major or minor at the time, I decided to minor in art, just so I could have an emphasis in photography. If you can believe it, a course in Photoshop wasn't even a requirement. As you would imagine, the art of photography has evolved quite a bit since then.

I'm still working on finding my own unique style, but what I do know is that I am drawn to photos that tell a story. I desire to capture "real" people - people who look natural, not stuffy. A photographer walks a fine line between giving their subjects direction, and posing them just perfectly. I don't want perfect...I think perfect looks unnatural.

Slowly, but surely I'm getting experience, and with each experience I learn something new. More than anything, I'm learning that there's a steep learning curve to this art. The drive to continue learning and experimenting energizes me. I think it's so important to have a hobby...something that inspires you and brings you joy. To me, that's photography - hands down. I love being behind the lens.

Dave and I give each other a hard time about our own individual passions. For him, it's football (NE football to be exact...go figure!), and the "art" of recruiting. He's an analyst...what do you expect?! He loves numbers and statistics, and how they all work together to create the perfect team. Numbers and statistics give me headaches. I suppose that's the difference between right brain and left brain. Dave is most certainly on the left side of things, whereas I'm absolutely on the right side...the right side is better. Just kidding ;-) It's crazy to me how much he loves analyzing numbers, and likewise, he would go batty spending the time I do editing photos!

I had the privilege of photographing a wonderful family last week...it was so much fun! I loved every second of it, and I felt so energized and alive throughout the process. That came out really cheesy, but I'm okay with that, because...it's true :)

Here are a few of my most favorites: