Where I Came From I grew up around photography; my Mom and Dad were avid photographers who often used me as their subject. Our house was often strewn with backdrops, props, and pictures developing. I thought it was fun to dress up and perform but I didn’t really take their interest seriously until much later.

Then What Happened? Later…or “much later” as I referenced, I began to take an active interest in photography myself when I began working in an Old Time Photography shop as my first job. This was when I began to get more experience with dealing with subjects behind the camera instead of being one. I worked there for about 7 seven years and in that time I dealt with all kinds of challenges on the other side of the camera. I have dealt with everything from photographing young kids to intoxicated people! It was really a great experience to build on because I really began as the subject and worked backwards. As I learned the most effective techniques for photographing people it left me wondering what it would be like to photograph more cooperative subjects like nature. I was unpleasantly surprised at how mediocre my first set of pictures came out, and that is what led me to start a greater investigation of the equipment I was using. I started with cameras that were film based and later was happy to see the digital camera age come into its own. I realized with a balance of understanding your subject and the expectations of the photographical equipment that you use, you can create some amazing pictures…often by accident but no less amazing!

I Sometimes Think I Have a Split Personality! I am enamored with the idea of working in executive management and occupying my own office, but my heart belongs to the arts. I have received enormous fulfillment from freelance writing and photography. Climbing to the top of the corporate ladder is interesting and it certainly lends to my overall experience, however there is nothing like the feeling that you have created a piece of art. When you capture a moment in time that someone can look at and tell you a whole story from, just by seeing a slice in time, it is immeasurable. When you have several photo albums filled with those kinds of images, it’s breathtaking.

Pictures I Enjoy Taking the Most Now that I am a parent I can understand why my parents enjoyed taking so many pictures of me. It is one level of experience to be able to photograph someone else’s kids but it is an entirely different altitude to photograph your own. Sometimes it is easier because you are the parent, and sometimes it is more difficult for the same reason. I have learned to make some adjustments over the past seven years to ensure more effective pictures of my child but it has helped me grow as a photographer. I think every phase of your life is spoken through your photographs and just like the camera you use, it changes to the next level based on where your familiarity is at that time.

Here are just a few of my favorite pictures…some for photographic reasons & some for sentimental: http://picasaweb.google.com/Lambolina/Favorites?authkey=XlQRBkdCEjE#