Another busy, yet satisfying day!

Well, I went to try out my filter set today and to my surprise found that they are TOO SMALL for my lens!  This surprises me because I specifically looked up the filter size prior to ordering. So, I did some web research and found that I actually need a 62mm filter rather than a 58mm filter.  So why did it originally say 58 mm?  Hmmm...typo perhaps? 

But, I quickly moved on to doing something of value today.  The weather is much clearer today, but still cold and windy.  So, no opportunity to get out and take shots today.  However, I did have time to add my business to Facebook AND to work on my website!  There's not much there so far, but, hey, I'm just getting started!  I'm happy with the progress thus far! Be sure to take a look if you get an opportunity! http://www.vaneppsphotographymt.webs.com/

I spent some time today thinking of creative ways to really get off and running. I've decided to offer a couple of specials to get started, perhaps a weekly or monthly one.  I haven't made any definate decisions, yet, but have several ideas on paper.  Be sure to check back.  Once I make my final decisions, I'll post them both on the blog and on my Facebook page!

Today's picture is one I took in October at Glacier National Park.  For those of you who have never ventured to Montana, I must tell you that it is a very windy state.  Some days the winds gust up to 60 mph.  While some parts of the park get more wind than others, there are actually areas where the trees and bushes grow at an angle due to the amount of wind that is constantly blowing.  It's a very awesome sight.  I found that on several occasions I was drawn to this tree.  I'm not sure why, but to me it is very compelling. Regardless of the obstacles it encounters, the tree still grows.  And as it grows, it becomes more beautiful because of the obstacles it has defeated. 

Fun, Fun, Fun

Today was a super fun day!  First of all, my new goodies came in the mail.  I have been a little disappointed with some of my photos and did some research to find out what I could do to correct them.  Montana is VERY sunny.  Even on the coldest day, the sun is very bright.  I was finding that a lot of my pictures looked bleached out.  I could correct them to a point in Photoshop, but I'm a perfectionist and I go for those perfect-the-first-time photos.  I was also noticing that my pictures I took with my longer lenses (300-500mm) came out blurry, even with a tripod.  So, I bought a remote control and an ultraviolet, circular polarizer and fluorescent filter set.  Of course it's snowing and windy here today, so I didn't get a chance to try them out.  I also ordered a new tripod with a ball head for easier movement than my old one and two new cards.  I've found that I take a LOT of pictures on a couple different settings to ensure that I get a least ONE good one.  So my cards fill up fast.  Unfortunately, it's much to cold, snowy and windy out today to practice : (  But, the weather is going to perk up after the weekend and I intend to head out to play next week!

The second cool thing was that my photo paper also came in the mail! Here's the scoop with that...first, I did some research to find the best paper for the value.  And around Cut Bank, Montana, there aren't a lot of options as far as photo paper is concerned. I've never printed my own photos, I've always sent my work out. I was a little concerned with printing my own photos for a couple of reasons.  First, quality.  I wasn't real happy with the quality of my previous printer.  However, I recently purchased a Cannon Pixma and decided to give it a try.  Another reason was the cost of ink.  I was always under the impression that it was cheaper to pay someone else to print them than have to purchase the ink.  But, now that we're in Montana, I've found that it's cheaper to print them myself rather than pay for shipping and have to wait a week for the prints to come.  I think part of that, too, is because my camera is 12 megapixels versus the 6 megapixels of my old camera. I'll still outsource my large prints, but I'm very, VERY happy with the quality of my 4x6, 5x7 and 8x10 shots.  Now I need to buy some mats and frames : )

And the best thing that happened today is that one of my friends in Ohio asked me to photograph her wedding! I am so excited about this! Not just of adding weddings to my portfolio, but that I get to create HER wedding memories.  Hoping to get together with her and her fiance this June to do engagement photos : )

I really got a lot accomplished today.  I transferred all my photos from my laptop to my desktop so that I can "play" with them.  I worked on a Mother's Day project for my mother-in-law and have to say it came out great!  I'm also working on some DVD slideshows, another part of photography that I fully enjoy.  I've made several over the years and gave many as gifts.  For some reason you can get a totally different perspective of a group of photographs than when you are looking at them one at a time.  It creates a story that each viewer can incorporate into their own imagination.  I found that they are great for graduations (photos of the graduate from birth through high school), weddings (photos of the bride and groom from birth to wedding), rememberances (photos of a deceased family member), birthdays (photos of the birthday person from birth to current birthday), anniversaries (photos of the couple from birth to current anniversary), gifts for moms/grandmothers (kids/grandkids from birth to current) and holidays/special occasions (gathers all the photos in one fun collage).

But, it is time for me to turn off the photography side of the brain for the day and enjoy some time with my family!  I hope you enjoy today's photo! This is a herd of antelope (pronghorn) that we saw on a trip to Great Falls.  My husband pulled off the freeway and I hopped out to get a couple of shots.  They were definately watching me and as I crept closer they ran.  But, I still had enough time to get off a few good shots.

The Journey Begins

If someone had told me a year ago I would be a stay-at-home mom living in Montana, I probably would have looked into commiting them to an insane asylum.  But, as luck would have it, in June of last year, my husband was offered a great job opportunity in Montana and we left our hometown of 32 years to venture west to begin a new chapter in our lives.

My husband and I have been together since our junior year in high school, 17 years. During that time my goal was to be a successful business woman rising to the top of a major corporation. However, when my children were born, I chose to slow down my career in an effort to spend more time with them.  But, I feel my choice to raise my children was a good one.  I've enjoyed every moment and feel like they are smart, well rounded individuals and I am proud of who they are becoming.

However, I still have a desire that burns of becoming a successful business person.  I loved working and was good at my job.  Although I was exhausted at the end of the day, I always felt a sense of satisfaction that was more than an empty clothes hamper or dish-less sink.  The problem, however, is that I have so many ideas swimming through my brain, I don't know where to start.  I've tried wedding planning, making and selling crafts, being a Mary Kay beauty consultant and in home day care, none of which lasted more than a year.

One thing I remember from my childhood was that my mother always took pictures. It started with a Polaroid camera.  Then she moved to 110 film.  Sometime after I graduted from high school she got one of those Advantage cameras that took three photo sizes.  I remember she used to love using the longest setting as she could get lots of people in one picture.  However, they stopped making the film for her camera and she was forced into the digital age shortly before she died last year.  I was lucky enough to inheirit all her photos and have already spent countless hours pouring over the memories shot in those photographs.  Some things I remembered, some I didn't.  Some of the photos were my grandmother's of when she was younger. It was my mother who got me hooked on taking pictures when I was in about the 6th grade.  I got my own 110 camera and loved taking pictures of friends, outings and activities.  This love of pictures has stayed with me all these years.

My husband bought me my first point and shoot digital camera for Christmas the year our daughter was born. Since then, there's been no turning back!  I took over 6000 pictures with that camera.  I finally upgraded to a DSLR this past year when my love of pictures grew into a love of photography.  Since moving to Montana, I've found that I've been taking even more pictures than I did when we lived in Ohio. From lost teeth and baseball games to Glacier National Park and Mt. Rushmore, I've felt compelled to share with our family and friends (all of whom are 2000 miles away) every aspect of our lives during our travels here in this beautiful state. 

Sometimes I think people think I'm crazy for taking so many pictures.  But, then, I stop and think about how many people out there never thought of the importance of taking pictures and the loss to their generations of children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews.  I know my children, grandchildren, etc, will have a plethera of memories and I know that it is all worthwhile.

I've decided I want to share with others my new passion.  I have decided that I want to become a photographer, not just a picture taker.  I want to create photos that envoke feelings from the person who looks at them and am dedicating myself to learning everything I can about photography in order to do that.

So, I have created this blog, an area where we can take a journey together.  I want to share with you my journey through pictures and will post one new picture each day.  I welcome your criticism, both positive and negative, for that is the only way that I can grow.  I hope that you enjoy this journey as much as I will.

Today's picture is of my daughter, Hayley.  Hayley LOVES to pick flowers and on our outing to the Black Eagle Falls in Great Falls, Montana last Saturday, she was ecstatic to find dandilions abound.  She gathered a bouquet and was enjoying her bounty in this photograph. Ahhhh...the life of a child...when the simple pleasure of picking flowers made everything else in the world disappear...