Why photography? What made me choose to get into it?

I've always had an artistic side to me and have enjoyed taking pictures for years but as with most people I used to limit myself to taking plain snapshots. That all changed 5 yrs ago. There were two reasons that made me more serious about pursuing photography. The first was stress. Running a business can be challenging and after 10 yrs of pouring my heart and soul into it, I thought it was time to delve into something that was a complete departure from my daily routine and responsibilities. Secondly, digital photography has made it easier for the average person to experiment with this unique art form. No longer is it necessary to mess with film, chemicals and a dark room to take and process your pictures. With digital, you can take many pictures, easily discard the ones you don't want and process and print the ones you do with your digital darkroom at home.

What I truly enjoy most is that it allows me to take in and view my surroundings differently. I enjoy the challenges of trying to create unique and interesting images and I think possibilities are limitless. They say you should stop and smell the roses from time to time and this is a fun way to accomplish that.

How did I get started?

I actually started my journey into art with a drawing class. I've always loved to draw but had never taken a formal class. This turned out to be a good starting point because it taught me about the common elements that are needed in most expressive forms of art. I learned about the concepts of using light and shadows, perspective, lines and many others. I was all set to take more drawing classes but decided to take a beginning photography class since I had just purchased a fancier point and shoot camera for an upcoming New York trip. As with most people, I was quite intimidated by the all the knobs, settings and buttons so what better way to learn, right? Well, things just took off from there and after several equipment upgrades and additions, I'm still here pushing my creative envelope. I've been flattered and pleased with the feedback I've gotten.

Could you recommend some books on the subject?

After taking the class, I began buying more books about photography. I read books on the mechanics of photography, composition, use of exposure and light. I bought books that taught me how to process with photoshop and to use it to manipulate pictures into all sorts of creations. I also learned about printing and displaying my images. After all of this there is one thing I know for certain, there is so much more to learn. What books would I recommend? There are many but here's a short list:

Digital Photography Vol 1 by Scott Kelby
Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson
Adobe Photoshop for Digital Photographers by Scott Kelby
Layers by Matt Kloskowski
301 Inkjet Tips and Techniques by Andrew Darlow
How to Cheat in Photoshop by Steve Caplin

Other reading material?

There are numerous magazines out there.  My favorites are Outdoor Photographer and Shutterbug magazine.  Popular Photography isn't bad but I found it to be repetitive after awhile.  For info on Photoshop, I like Photoshop User.  You'll come across some specialty magazines like Advance Photoshop or Photoshop Creative which are British publications so they can be a little expensive but they have some really interesting tutorials.  Many of these are now available for your computer or the iPad at Zinio.com.  

What kind of camera should I buy? Nikon or Canon?

Prior to getting into the hobby I asked this same question to sales clerks, patients and friends. I got the same answer, "It's a personal choice. It all depends on what you want."

Remember the fancy point and shoot camera I told you about? Well it was Canon S3 IS and I chose that model because of the solid ratings it received online and in various reviews. After a while, I simply got used to the Canon interface and when it came to finally upgrading to a DSLR, I chose to stay with it.

In my opinion you really can't go wrong either way. There will be purists on both sides that will tell you they strongly prefer one or the other but I would check out how each one works. See what it's like to navigate through the various menus and settings. Observe where all the buttons are. Obviously there are other brands out there but I don't know much about them.  Sony, Pansonic and quite a few others make excellent equipment as well.  Oh and lastly......don't forget to check your pocket book.

What kind of pictures do you enjoy taking?

Landscapes are a favorite. I must say that I've gained a new appreciation for true masters of photography like Ansel Adams who not only successfully applied many of the artistic elements but did so with none of today's technological advances.

Floral photography is fun too. Think of the countless images of flowers that have been taken. It's a challenge to try and create something that is unique and different.

I enjoy night time photography and macro as well. I am just starting to explore the possibilities with creating surreal images and look forward to learning more. I hope to also expand into digital art and painting. You can see some of my efforts in the illustrations gallery.

What's been the hardest thing about photography?

Printing, hands down. I came to find that I wasn't alone.  What is so hard?  Matching your print to what you see on screen.  I currently use an iMac and I eventually found out that this all in one computer wasn't the best for printing pictures.  Why?  Because you can't calibrate it very well.  Successful printing requires a screen that you can accurately calibrate and proper use of printing profiles.  You need to be able to adjust the brightness and colors accordingly and iMacs are limited in what you can do with regard to this.  My prints would consistently come out too dark and sometimes were simply off color.  I've finally come close to matching but eventually I will need a separate monitor for this purpose.  As for printing profiles, you have to make sure you have profiles that match the paper your using.  More advice on this?  Check out the 301 Inkjet Tips listed above.  Here's a great article seen in shutterbug magazine: http://www.shutterbug.com/content/are-your-prints-too-dark-cause-and-cure

I currently use an Epson R1900 printer which is a great machine.  It can output prints as large as 13X19 or you can even use photopaper in rolls which allows you to print large panoramic shots.  I've found the best results so far using Epson brand paper but have had some success with Ilford too.  Paper, BTW, is yet another subject that can be very involved.