I was at the Colorado Photography Festival recently, and one of the presenters, Mark Muench, described his photographic journey and how he became addicted to landscape photography through his adventures as a child. (The influence of his father and grandfather probably helped too.) Well, this discussion made me realize that I've been on my own photographic journey these past two years, but didn't really know it.

When I bought my DSLR camera two years ago, I could hardly imagine the path that I'm on today. Owning the camera led me to take more pictures and start to experiment with settings other than "auto." Experimenting made me want a better understanding of my camera and how to take great photos, which led me to take some photography classes. The photography classes gave me a foundation and forced me to practice and apply what I'd learned. (Like most dedicated enthusiasts, I also spent money to "get the right equipment.") Taking better photos made me want to share them with friends and family, which led me to create a website. Getting feedback from friends, family, and others makes me want to hone my skills and take even better photos and share those! There's definitely a momentum building.

Photography has so many great things to offer me. My left brain loves the technical detail--exposure, aperture, ISO, depth of field. My right brain loves the creativity--composition, color, texture, line. It's a perfect combination. Those who know me can tell you that I rarely do anything with less than 100% dedication, especially if it's something that I'm passionate about. Well, I'm fully committed. All in. The whole enchilada. I can't wait to see where the camera lens will take me next!