Nine Little Words

Excited. Scared. Anxious. Intrigued. Happy. Inspired. Frustrated. Determined. Consumed. This has been me ever since I decided to dive headfirst into photography. For those who know me well, this isn't exactly a shock. Always the one with a camera, this has been a lifelong hobby. Until recently, all I'd ever used were point and shoots. I received my first DSLR, a Nikon D5000, this past Christmas (thanks Mom & Dad!) and haven't been able to put it down since. I was head-over-heels IN LOVE the first time I held it. It sent shockwaves through me, radiating a single thought over and over: This would be the best job in the world. I'll admit, it's a little outta left field; I have no formal training in photography, spent five years of my life getting my degree in education, and another three (and counting!) happily working with my dad at his practice. And then there is the teensy tiny detail that I am just beginning to learn everything my camera can do.

This would be the best job in the world. My mind stretched the words around, turning them inside and out, and upside down, throwing them up against my heart's wall, only to have them fall, gracefully, into place where this phrase would rest, gently, over everything I did. I realized these nine simple words had already evolved into a goal I couldn't ignore. So here goes nothing! I'm in the middle of my first photography class, have gobs to learn, and endless hours of work ahead of me. I thought it would be fun to document my journey. I never thought I'd ever have my own blog, but am doing this in hopes of remembering this is all worth it during the tough moments, and to see how far I've come when (not if!) my name is followed by the word photographer. I'm inviting y'all along for the ride, in hopes my story will prompt you to chase whatever passion is about to bubble over in your world. Bring it on 2010, I have big plans for you! Comments welcome!

"Do what experts since the dawn of recorded history have told you you must do: pay the price of becoming the person you want to become. It's not nearly as difficult as living unsuccessfully."