So this week marks my one year photography anniversary! I thought I’d celebrate with a walk through my photo memory lane and a giveaway of sorts. This week last year I was FREAKING out about my first paid shoots (I charged a whopping 40 bucks) with some of my friends in Orange County. I was so nervous but was pretty happy with these:
It is all I can do to keep myself from messing with these in photoshop. I actually still kinda like the pictures, I just can’t believe how flat my b/w conversions are!
shortly after I bought my first “backdrop” – a piece of black microfiber from joannes (which I still use!). I remember really digging the intense color. I was feeling pretty cool. ha!
hallelujah! aparently I figured out how to use curves, or maybe gradient. plus the unsharp mask. I still love these pictures of my little guy, more for his cuteness than the composition. This also marks the first of many photo shoots at a dumpster. Notice that I am still completely oblivious to ISO.
here I am getting down with some vintage locations. I LOVED this door shot on the right and wanted to use it for my business card. Again this is a shot that I still like a lot, I could have done a LOT to improve it though!
Early Spring marked my inroduction to weddings. I thought these shots of my first two brides were perfection!
Spring was also my first shoot in Seattle.
And summer! I was so looking forward to shooting without having to worry about the snow!
AND NOW. I have been taking pictures for a year. I have learned a LOT and have loved every minute of it! I still feel like I learn something with every shoot I do. I hope it never stops!
One thing that was hard was figuring it all out on my own. I never took a class, and most of my friends who were into photography were starting out too! We tried to help each other as best we could, but a lot of times it was like the blind leading the blind. There are very few truly pro photogs out there who are willing to help out those of us getting started, which was discouraging at times. However, there are a few out there who ARE willing to answer questions and point you in the right direction. You know who you are, THANK YOU for your willingness to give of yourselves and your talent! I personally have always believed that someone else taking a great picture doesn’t make your own pictures any less good, it just means you aren’t the only good photographer in the world! And besides, there’s plenty of business to go around.
Which is why I am offering this.
An anniversary gift to YOU! For ONE WEEK, leave a comment on this post and ask ANYTHING. I get a lot of e-mails with questions about equipment, lighting, photoshop, locations, marketing, etc. etc. So I thought I would make an open invitation to do so here. I don’t proclaim to be a photo smartie by ANY MEANS, but I am happy to share what I DO know and the way I get the job done. Ask it all and I will answer MOST anything (for example, I generally don’t give out very specific locations, mostly cuz I usually kinda stumble apon these things randomly and forget how to get back there. However I will point you in the right direction- i.e. 25th street in Ogden, or Wheeler Farms in SLC.). All answers will be posted next week!
I always love to hear from my readers. Weather we have met or not, it’s always nice to know whose looking. So don’t be shy, leave a comment and ask away!
