My Photography Journey---

You guys have all been such a blessing! Thank you for all of your kind words about my photos. Here is the deal...Destiny, this is to answer your question. I am just getting into photography. It started this past winter. I did a post awhile back about how I've always wanted to do it, and I don't want to grow old always wishing that I would have. So that began my voracious quest to become a more knowledgeable photographer. I have been searching websites, listening to pod casts, reading books...anything that I can do to educate myself more on the art of photography...I am on it. I have been incredibly overwhelmed, incredibly insecure, and at times incredibly discouraged about this new found hobby of mine. But alas, I actually took some time to take some photos like I see them in my head, and you guys give me an amazing boost of confidence and support. So to each of you that left me a comment, I say "thank you so very much". You have no idea how much it has meant to me.

How did this all begin? I spent the winter/spring researching, researching and doing more research about what kind of camera I should begin with. I couldn't get my mind around spending a huge chunk of change on something I didn't even know if I would be any good at. One day as I was visiting with my dear friend Steffany...she told me they had some old DSLRs from their business and she could send me one to use. I thought I was going to cry. God knew my heart's desire to learn this and He was using Stef to bless me. Stef sent me the camera and lens and there I was. I had no clue how to use the thing. I started snapping shots and realizing how very much I did enjoy this creative outlet. Stef, thank you from the bottom of my heart for blessing me!

With that camera I taught myself how to shoot in complete manual mode, which I didn't think I would ever understand. I knew that I wanted to continue down the road of photography, so I started researching cameras. I had a very wise photographer recommend one to me. He has been published in Newsweek, Time, etc. and has been doing this for over 30 years. He has owned every brand of camera on the market. He hands down recommended I go with the Olympus e-510 DSLR. I didn't know what to think, because every time I went into a camera store the gentlemen helping me would praise the Canon or the Nikon that they were fond of. So I would go home and research some more. I didn't want to buy the inferior camera to start out my investment. I kept coming back to the fact that this man has owned every camera out there. One morning he sent me a private message telling me that he may have something I was interested in and would I please give him a phone call. In extreme nervousness, I called him. (He is the head a well-known home school curriculum so I was intimidated) He wanted to let me know that if I was interested in purchasing the e-510 he had two lens that he would like to give me. Oh MY! I was humbled! So I continued praying and researching. My birthday came around and I received money...with that I was able to purchase the body of an e-510. It was a huge investment, that is why it took me months and months to get to the place of being able to do it. I am one who can drop money at the thrift store or on clearance, but buying something expensive...well, it just always makes me sick. I couldn't believe how the Lord provided these lens for me. I was incredibly grateful and blessed! For editing software...I am primarily using Picasa (it is free to download and very user-friendly). My friend gave me the Creative Memories software as a baby gift for Hudson, and it is really cool. I don't fully understand it yet, but with time I hope to. There are some great editing features with that, ones that Picasa simply can't perform. She does wonderfully beautiful things with it...check her out. I have heard that the best Photoshop program to start with is Lightroom...maybe someday I will get to that point. (I hope that answer your question, Lindsay.)

This is the first time in my life that I am desperate to learn something. Each day I am reading new things. I am challenged and growing. This is the beginning of a new found love. I have a lot...I mean, a whole lot to learn...but I am striving towards it. I am so happy that I am making myself learn this even though I get discouraged. I am loving learning...and there is something profound about being in that place. I thank God for giving me this desire and for providing what I need. He is so Majestic! His beauty surrounds me with each breath that I take, and I want to revel in it.

(These were taken yesterday as we were driving home. Once again the lighting was right and I spotted a field off of an off ramp. I pulled off and told the kids to get out. I took about 5 minutes to snap these shots, then we had to be done. The mosquitoes were swarming us...it was bad, really bad. But a fun memory!)