What’s it like to…

be a PHOTOGRAPHER?

So I don’t know exactly but I learned a lot about what its like a few weeks ago.

And I thought it would be fun to share about this experience on the blog. [Read: I have about 10 other posts half-way written that require to much thinking to finish. So let’s chat and look at pretty pictures today. :)]

When I was in high-school I took a class on photography. But my friends, this was old-school photography. Remember that stuff called film? Where you had to open the camera, insert film and send off wishes and prayers for pictures that looked decent.

Well, while looking at picture in black and white of a puppy I had taken, my photography teacher said something I never forgot. “Nicki, you’ve got a eye for this.”

Teachers, your words stick… forever.

But after that class ended, I started pursuing other things. Because photography was complicated… it wasn’t just about pointing and shooting. [who knew?]

And hello, I have Instagram.

Deep inside me though, there was still a huge interest in photography and one night, I shared this interest with my husband. We talked about buying a DSLR camera but that was it… just talk.

Until, he surprised me with one for our anniversary. [He’s a keeper.]

And mercy, did I start taking some pictures.

My poor girls… every time they turned around there was a camera in their face.

I seriously got on their nerves. And my pictures weren’t that great. I needed to learn.

And so, this past year I began to invest a great deal into learning DSLR photography.

My friend Lindsay, hooked me up with all kinds of online tutorials and has answered my gazillion questions about editing, lenses, exposure, lighting, and… eye make-up [obviously she’s my go-to person for everything.]

My friend Brian [who is THE most amazing wedding photographer] came to my house and taught a DSLR photography class that was incredible.

And I took a private lesson with another amazing photographer in Charlotte, Lindsay Hart.

So, I was thrilled to put all these newly learned skills to work when I had an opportunity to take 32 head-shots at the She Speaks Conference back in July.

But, while I was excited… I was also terrified.

Could 32 people [in one weekend] really trust me with their faces?

I learned a lot about what its like to be a photographer through this experience.

Sometimes people trust you, sometimes people do not.
Sometimes people love the camera, most of time they do not.
Sometimes people will love your work, sometimes they hate it.
Sometimes you have the equipment and skill to get the picture people want, sometimes you don’t.

There’s a balance to becoming a photographer [or insert other passion] and I think it comes from staying in a posture of learning.

Am I ready to build a website, invest into some serious equipment and turn this hobby pro? I don’t know.

I’ve got a lot of passions. My husband calls me a speariteographer [speaker,writer,photographer.]

I know that to many passions with no focus will never equal excellence. But I think right now, I’m just enjoying this journey.

So being a photographer is about hard work, lot’s of learning, lot’s of editing, but most importantly… lot’s of new friends.

Here’s a few of my new friends from the She Speaks conference!

What about you? Have you ever had any interest in photography?