Photographer....

It seems like so many people are attempting to break into the professional photographer world since digital photography hit the scene so hard. Currently I personally know at least 2-3 professional photographers and at least one working to this status.

As I prepared to go take photos of my friends family this past weekend as they were having a big get together as the family from Texas all came into town this week. I pondered what my goals are with photography. Happily I have decided that being an amateur photographer is more than enough for me.  This doesn't mean I don't want to learn how to do more with better results, I do. I just don't want to be responsible for taking photos of people's special events.

For those who are hard working and always want to do a great job in all they do, this can be extremely stressful. In years past, a friend of mine showed me her wedding photos and I must say they were the saddest photos I have ever seen. It seems the photographer broke her ankle yet decided to shoot the wedding shortly after anyway. The fact she was on some serious pain medication was not lost on the wedding photos. In my opinion, not one of the "professional" photos was usable. It is such a sad sad story that I would hate to be in direct responsibility for.

Of course, this would all be different if this were my calling as a person. It is simply a hobby which I am having some fun with. There is some freedom to play with the camera and people when you aren't being paid to do so. I am enjoying this aspect. With that said, I think I need a different lens which will accommodate my limited skills and has a broader range without having to change lenses. I am considering a 18-200mm or 18-270mm lens which should meet that criteria.

Then I will need to open my two books on Digital photography and get to know how to use my camera. I am also considering a light meter of some sort since I have no idea how to resolve my light issues. At this point, even if I had one, I wouldn't know what to do with the information the meter tells me so I am considering this purchase for later.

How sad are my skills?

The good news is I got some really nice photos of my friends family on Saturday. Some I am really proud of. At this point, it seems luck happens. It would be nice if it were skill, but I am very aware it is not. At least it is not skill yet.

In the near future, I hope to do some additional boudoir photos. I did one set for someone and really enjoyed the experience. The beauty of a person has a chance to shine since it was all about their beauty.