Photography for me began in high school taking black and white photos and developing them in the darkroom. Although at the time I would be no means say I was passionate about it, things changed for me while in the military. I was stationed outside of Seattle, Washington and on a daily basis I saw Mount Rainier out in the distance, soaring above the cloud line. I had to see it in person and get some photographs so I grabbed my, usually unreliable 35mm camera, loaded it with film and snapped away. I brought the rolls to a local photo store and waited a few days until development was done. And when I looked at the images… the world of photography had me hooked and reeled me in for good!
I was so amazed by the clarity and contrast of the snow capped mountain with the brilliant blue hues of the sky. From that day forward I went on to take countless photos of National Parks throughout the United States over the course of a few years. Then came the digital age, so I retired my 35mm camera and dove into digital photography, earning a minor as part of my college degree. What I learned from education, along with trial and error, have molded me into a pretty good photographer. There is a ginormous list of really good photographer’s that take amazing images I can’t begin to list them. I will always just be an amateur to them, but I’ve learned a great deal in and outside of the classroom including:
- Lens functionality with aperture and shutter speed settings
- Good subject matter and use of backgrounds
- Proper use of lighting
- Depth of Field
- Aspect Ratio
- Color Balance
- Focal Length
But really, there is no need to get technical here. In photography, I fill the frame with subject matter I enjoy and snap away. I’ve learned that if the composition is good it doesn’t have to be the most pristine image ever, it takes practice to perfect anything and good, clear, quality images will come only by getting out there and trying. And what I really enjoy about photography is that it’s the best way to capture memories so I always have a way to look back at where I’ve been. Here are a few of the places I’ve traveled to and images captured.
