Photo Obsession

Hello, my name is Debi and I am addicted to photography. I admit it, I’m hooked, obsessed, totally over the top with this *hobby*.

I bought my first DSLR almost 2 years ago, a Nikon D3100. Now I’m up to four, yes, four cameras. Nikon D90, D5000 and D7000. Four cameras, 5 lenses, 3 editing software programs, one new MacBook Pro, a serious case on wheels to hold everything……and assorted accessories!  Woohoo….. My husband has decided he’d like to join me in my hobby (yay?) so I’m going to teach him what (little) I know. Wish us both luck!

I feel like I have learned a great deal in two years. I graduated to shooting in the RAW format a year ago, and have found it increases editing options. I do love editing, it brings out the frustrated artist in me, since I’ve always wanted to paint, but had no talent for it. Editing is the next best thing. Just changing the white balance or a using a preset can change the whole tone of an image, from boring to dramatic; from ho-hum lackluster color, to elegant tones of black and white.

I shot my first (and only) wedding last November, for my oldest niece.  It was a learning experience, for sure! The bride was thrilled with the photos, which made me feel better; but I realized just how little I knew about what I was trying to do. She was on a small budget, though, and I offered to do it as my gift to her. There were some sweet moments:

This was in a very small room, with lots of background clutter on the walls, so I cropped in very close to capture the sweetness of the father of the bride, giving her a good luck kiss before the ceremony.

The bride with step-mom before the ceremony……I was so happy with this shot in the mirror, which was necessary because the room was so small.

The bride, groom and family….

Thanksgiving and Christmas came along soon after, with many more photo opportunities. My family knows that I will shoot anything if they are standing still!

My daddy’s hands…..

My sister, being a good sport and modeling for me.

My nephew bent over a leather tooling project. My dad has been giving him a few pointers, hoping Caleb will take up the art and dad can pass on his leather working tools to him someday.

I love a good landscape also: I was happy to finally learn how to do long exposures for blurring water!

And macro lenses, oh my! What fun!!!

And, who can pass up Bokeh, with Holiday Barbie as the focal point? I love good Bokeh….it’s so much fun!

Capturing the magic of Christmas with my youngest grandson, who was old enough this year to almost understand what was going on around him! He was pretty overwhelmed by all the new toys around him. He’s not spoiled. Not at all!

My very first true panoramic photo, consisting of 5 shots, stitched together in Photoshop Elements 12 and edited in Lightroom 5. I was so excited about this and can’t wait to go back when the building is completed and get more photos from a different perspective, without the power poles!

 

 

***UPDATE***

Completed Midlothian Heritage High School, opened fall of 2014

 

A birds-eye view of downtown Midlothian, taken from 100 feet atop the new MFD ladder truck, in next photo.

 

 

New ladder truck for Midlothian fire department. It’s a beauty!

 

 

So, there’s about 6 months worth of progress. I’m loving learning everything about photography, lighting, editing, posing, just everything.

Photography has opened my eyes to a whole new world and I see things differently now. A weed is not always just a weed, it can be a work of art. You just need to visualize the beauty.