Bitten by the bug....

Yesterday I handed over the CD of the photos-my first ever photography client now has her product. Never in my life have I felt such a combination of excitement and anxiety and passion, all at the same time. (Even when I was teaching, and I loved teaching.) This medium, digital photography, seems to be the marriage of everything I'm drawn to: people, imagery, composition, digital editing. The way I can create within this form of art feels like the perfect fit. I'm in love.

I was a bundle of nerves when I showed up at my friend's house. She had paid for professional photography before, but knew that I was interested in photography and so invited me over to take pictures. She knew I wasn't experienced, but gave me a shot. I warned her straight-away that I was green. (What if I failed miserably? What if she hated what I produced? What if I just plain embarrassed myself?)
Still trying to keep aperture and ISO settings straight in my head, glad I had kept my notes and cheat sheets handy in my nerdy notebook, I took some practice shots to make sure the exposure was good. Thankfully, we had really great light that day. Still, I was nervous. I felt like a poser, just pretending to be real photographer. (I still do!).

I was unprepared for how much time I would put into the post-editing process. Don't get me wrong, I loved every minute of it, but making sure each image is the best I can make it takes time. Lamenting focus I hadn't nailed, celebrating when I did, and creating improved compositions out of average shots, I wanted to be at the computer every minute. However, children still like to eat, and dogs need to be let out, and kids are expected to be picked up from school. So instead, I'd work an hour or two at a time, here and there, often having to tear myself away from the computer at night because my eyes were too tired to be of any use to me. Even then, I regretted having to walk away.

And all the while, I'm thinking to myself, I don't ever want to stop doing this. All I want to do is improve, and to be able to give people images that they will cherish always....and maybe some more equipment for myself. ;)
I've been asked by a young bride to be to try to take some good shots at their wedding this weekend. They are on a shoe-string budget and a professional photographer didn't make the cut. I'm wishing I had a decent external flash, but praying I can still get some good images for them. Just a few they could frame and cherish.

By professional standards, the image I'm sharing here isn't my best shot-the focus is softer than I'd like, the background may be a little too busy. What I do like is the lighting, the composition, the color...but mostly the expression on his face. Love it.