Something new!

I have never quite grasped the concept of blogging. In the beginning when you are starting out, and have no followers, your blog is essentially just a running journal that you keep for your own entertainment/education/insight/etc.

As you populate your corner of the internet with tidbits about your life and love and art, you open a part of yourself to complete strangers. It is exciting to think that you could make new connections in your life with people from all over the world. Hopefully, if you find this blog, you find something that you like.

I started this blog a little over a year ago. Since that time I have taken thousands of personal photographs, mostly of my nieces and nephews (all 12 of them!) but also a few sessions with friends. I take photographs when i feel inspired. I want my images to take on a certain "feel", for lack of a better term, and I am only able to capture that elusive moment once in a while.

I want people to say "WOW!" when they see my photographs. I want them to find a little bit of that special something that I see when I look at the people I photograph. I think that is my own personal goal with photography; can I make others comfortable enough in front of my lens to elicit that brief glimpse into their true personality? Can I capture the essence of who they are in that fraction of a second? :) Not always, maybe. But it certainly makes it fun to try!

It is tough to evaluate the progress of your own work. I have shot so many photos and I am definitely more selective in what I think looks good. But does that mean I am developing a critical eye for really eye-catching, heart-warming, breath-stopping shots? :) I would like to think I am on my way, but the true test is how others see and interpret your work.

My wife is so supportive of my photographic endeavors and even indulges me when I use her as my test subject again and again when trying out new techniques. Thanks, sweetie! In addition, my extended family has been asking for business cards to share with other people and I have been getting more requests to actually be hired and make money at what i love to do! I do not quite know how it started, but I like to think it is an opportunity to explore and enjoy for however long it may last!

I hope this blog will document a small piece of my journey through my experiences. It is scary and exciting at the same time to think that I could have a whole new career open to me if I take the time to embrace it.

Here are a few images that I took today from my nephew's Christening.

Into the fire...

Hello everyone,

My name is Frank and I am an amateur photographer. I pursue photography with a passion and motivation that I show few of my other hobbies. I always enjoyed taking pictures with my portable 35mm film camera in high school, but didn't become fully engrossed in my hobbie until December 2005 when my girlfriend (since then my fiance and now my beautiful wife!) bought me a Nikon D50 digital SLR camera.

My joy at discovering what a "professional" camera could do was pure magic! I never could capture images like I saw in magazines or on the internet. I always thought I did not have the skill to accomplish such feats. In this case, to my delight, was due to my equipment. :)

Three and a half years later, I have taken pictures at nearly every family gathering, every holiday, half a dozen friends' weddings and undertook my first professional job this past weekend. I am editing the photos but will post my favorites when I finish the processing.

I already have seen interest in other people hiring me to capture a landscape or another children's party. Through no real attempt of my own, my reputation and photography is proceeding me and opening new opportunities to expand my craft.

I am so eager to see what tomorrow brings... :)