My AHA Moment in Photography

"Do any of you have the first photo you clicked that made you fall in love with photography? Are you brave enough to share it?"

I was asked that on a photo group that I'm part of. I knew exactly what picture that was... but I can't find it. BUT, I have another picture of the same subject, in the same location, on the same day that the love of photography hit me so hard. This is my little sister, Charla. Other than "Wyoming", I can't tell you where it was taken. It was taken while I was visiting my dad in the summer of '86. That would have made me 16. The picture I wanted to post had Charla on a swing and in the background were little purple flowers. I was so happy with how that picture turned out - though now I'd look at it and say that the background was too dark. ;) It is easy to look at past work and critique it too harshly, isn't it?

That next school year, I remember finding out that my friend was in photography, and I took the picture for him to see; I wanted to take a photography class in high school, but I didn't have a cool camera and I thought photography was only for the rich kids. Years later, I learned that the friend who was in photography that year had earned the money to buy his camera by delivering newspapers - I wish that I wouldn't have let not having a cool camera or lack of money seem like such a limiting factor, but I'm so thankful that nearly 30 years after that incident I am finally "living the dream". :) I love photography and often tell people that it is my therapy; when I am photographing, I can't think of anything but that shot - all other stresses take a back burner to that minute. I love that feeling :)

♥