Sampling

I am trying something new and using some old knowledge to do it.  I have been a fan of photography for a long time.  A closet fan.  I never got around to taking very many pictures.  A few here and there, but for the most part, I am sure no one ever thought of me and a camera in the same breath of thought.  I had so many other things I enjoyed doing, adding photography too it seemed like I was trying to do too much.  Recently I decided I didn't care.  I wanted to learn photography.   It didn't matter that I was taking on one more hobby.  I wanted to learn how to make beautiful pictures, to capture those images I see everyday that stop be and make me look closer.  Because I have always seen those thing, always, for as long as I can remember.  But, I've never been able to capture them properly.  This was always frustrating to me, so I just assumed photography wasn't for me.  I couldn't translate the beautiful image I saw into one other people could see.  

I realized after my family photo session that the problem, the real problem was my camera.  I needed the camera, the big camera, the heavy camera, the one that scared me.  THAT camera would allow me to capture my vision, assuming I could learn how to use it.  

After a lot of research and a lot of help for other photographer friends, I found my camera.  We are getting along much better today than the first few days of our meeting.  I was so overwhelmed I wanted to say forget it, I'll shoot on Auto.  But I kept at it, and am still keeping at it.  Seriously you can't learn to shoot great pictures in a few days.  It's getting easier but I have so much still to learn and practice. I can't wait for spring and all the beautiful flowers to bloom so I can get out there and explore and take tons of pictures.  

These pictures where taken with my old point and shoot while the kids and I were out on walks in the beautiful December weather of Arizona.  I really have a thing for Macro Photography.  I just love getting right up close and in your face.  

 These pictures were taken with my new camera.

I don't have very many nice images with my good camera yet.  I have been focusing on learning the settings instead of creating an interesting composition.

I still have so much to learn.  I want to try my hand at portrait photography.  I may convince some of my friends to let me shoot a family session for them once I get a little more comfortable with my camera.