Nikon School of Photography

Louis is now using my D70 since I saved up to by the D300 (which shall keep me satisfied for many years to come). He is quickly finding out why I love photography so much. He now understands how much thought really goes into each shot. While he may have thought I was crazy over the years caring so much about my subjects or just having to take a moment to get that shot right he now understands my passion.

Louis and I went to the Nikon School of Photography seminar this weekend at the Doubletree Hotel in Sacramento. The class on Saturday was called Introduction to Digital SLR Photography and the class on Sunday was The Next Steps in Digital Photography.

Last year I attended the Saturday class but with Lily being only a little over a year old I couldn't be gone for both days and had to wait until this year to take the Sunday class. Now that Louis is venturing into the world of photography we thought it would be a good idea for him to go to the Saturday class. He just LOVED it and it is all clicking (get it , clicking..camera click) into place for him now. He's been reading my photography books (see my suggested reading list below) and he read through the D70 manual and SB800 manual in a weekend.

The teachers for the class were Nick Didlick and Bill Durrence, both just fantastic photographers (and teachers), I drool at their photography. I wish I had the skill set that they have, but I know that one day I will get close...I may be a grandmother by then but I will get there!

After the class on Sunday I told Louis that I had a great time and learned a lot and had a whole list of 'to do's ' I want to do with our computer, my camera and a few things we need to purchase. I also told him that I need to step my game up and do what I want to do with my photography. I need to practice, practice and practice. Only then will I have enough confidence to do the photography assignments that I am dreaming about.

I want to shoot Nascar!

I know what you are thinking, it is for dudes, it is dangerous and I can't take Lily...but I don't care, I want to do it. I've never in my life been so certain about wanting to do something before. I've sat around for years now not having that 'drive or passion' for what I was doing at the time. I've been in school to get that 'token' degree so that I could work in the corporate world and make money so that I could do photography - on the side... as a hobby. But now that 'on the side crap' is over! I am going to do photography because I LOVE IT!

Do what you love and you will be happy, isn't that the saying? When ever you see some annoyingly happy person on Oprah talking about how they made their dreams come true they always end up saying "I am doing what I love for a living and that is why I am so happy and successful." I want to be that person on Oprah's couch jumping up and down like looney Tom Cruise. I want people at home eating their cheez-its sitting on the couch watching Oprah wishing to be me and listening to me saying " I am doing what I love for a living and that is why I am so happy and successful."

I am going for it!

Don't get me wrong, Lily is a blessing (thanks to taking those extra Clomid pills) and I love her with all my heart. She is what I asked god to give me but I need to do more with my life. When I was shooting the Blue Angels at the air show, I was so pumped up. I can't even describe how awesome it felt to be right there, under those jets, shooting those pictures. I felt a rush from my head to my toes and I've never felt that way about any job or fracken hobby before.

So, as one of my current clients says (yes I still have a boring job to pay the bills) - What are you waiting for?

Here are the books I've read and recommend in this awesome world of photography:

1. Real World Digital Photography by Katrin Eismann, Sean Duggan, and Tim Grey


2. The Digital Photography Book (vol 1 & 2) : How to make your photos look like the pros - by Scott Kelby


3. Scott Kelyby's 7-Point System for Adobe Photoshop - by Scott Kelby (duh)


4. Photography by Barbara London (check this one out from the library..it is expensive but a beautiful book with a little bit of history and a lot of instruction, oh and really heavy.

• If you are a history nerd like myself then check out these photography textbooks about the history of photography

1. Decade by Decade - Twentieth Century American Photography


2. Seizing The Light - A History of Photography by Robert Hirsch

• The next books I am going to purchse are:

1. The Moment It Clicks by Joe McNally


2. Real World CaptureNX

Oh yeah, here is why I starting writing this blog tonight, I wanted to share this picture of Lily. This is a trick that I learned from Nick Didlick at the Nikon seminar. Make a photo black & white but keep an element in color. I've seen this type of photo countless times and I've never had brain capacity to remember to find out how to do this. Well, I'm not going to tell you here...figure it out on your own! Or go to the seminar next year =) But is was so easy so I am kicking myself for not doing it sooner.

Lily with her snow cone at Funderland.