Why I Love What I Do

Every now and then I become a total stereotypical girl and get all nostalgic about things. Well, now is one of those times and I want to share why it is that I love what I do.

First off, I really love all visual art. I’m drawn to scenery, paintings, and all types of imagery. Since becoming a photographer I see light in a very different way. I even notice it when watching films which can be both fascinating and distracting.

When I first decided to explore photography as a career choice, I took a few classes and learned how to develop film. Yes, that’s right actual film. It was great seeing my images appear like magic in a darkened room with a faint red light glowing and the overwhelming smell of chemicals. I enjoyed being in the darkroom. It was quiet and sort of meditative.

Fast forward to photography school where I spent an exhaustive, overwhelming and fantastic ten months studying every aspect of photography possible. There was literally no room for anything else in my life at the time. My favorite part was being in the Commercial Studio which is where we would practice photographing things, objects. For example, silverware, wine bottles, glassware, toys, and so much more. I loved being in the quiet space painstakingly setting up the lights and set. There was no one to talk to and objects don’t talk back. By the end of the ten months I was pretty sure that I would be a photographer of objects, not people. Then I had the opportunity to photograph a family with three young children as my first paying job after school.

It was challenging to photograph young children who moved around and didn’t do what they were told. And, this was long before I had children of my own so I was a little out of my element. The mother and I came up with a great spot for the photo session and I remember it was a beautiful late summer day. I worked pretty hard that day trying to remember all the “right” settings for my camera and thinking about the different poses to try. I sent the film to the lab and waited for about two weeks to get the proofs back. It was agony.

I stressed for two weeks driving my poor husband crazy thinking that somehow there wouldn’t be anything at all to show my new clients. However, I was happily surprised to find that indeed there were some good images within those proofs and one stood out especially. It was an image of two little girls looking at a bird house and their little brother trying to steal one of the flowers out of the basket one of his sisters was holding.

Now, I didn’t plan this image. I remember telling them all to look at the little bird who lived in the house, but we all know that two-year-olds do the exact opposite as to what they’re told, right? This image sealed it for me. I guess it was then that I realized that capturing life as it actually happens can be so much more interesting than the posed and planned.

The mother was so thrilled with the photos and I made my first sale. I was ecstatic and I wanted more. When I photograph children now, I continue to try to capture what happens naturally, although I may direct a little. But, honestly, just talking with kids and telling them silly stories, I am able to bring out their little personalities and it’s so rewarding when a parent is amazed that I was able to capture all the different sides of their child. I love seeing the joy and pride on the faces of parents when they look at the images I create and that is why I love what I do.