Cameras and "Cawfee Tawk" Tuesday- The First Lesson!

Hello and Happy Tuesday! If you are here with me, reading this first post of Cameras and Cawfee Tawk, then you either (A) own a camera and hope to get some tips on how to create better pictures with it, (B) don't care about taking better pictures with your camera, but felt like a cup of coffee (pronounced cawfee!!) with your old Lawng Island girlfriend, or (C) are my mother or mother-in-law and care nothing about photography but love me anyway! Hi Moms!

Now... if you fall into category A, then I sure hope you will find these weekly lessons useful, easy to apply, and best of all, FUN! After all, why bother if it's not going to be fun? And therein lies my first lesson.

Yes, my hope is that in time we will get to chit chat about shutter speeds, and depth of field (WHAT?) and how to best compose your shot, or how to get that awfully cheesy smile off your kids' faces, but before we get to all of that, I think we need to start with the most important lesson of all: if you love it, shoot it.

Now I've shot a lot of photos over these past few years and I can tell you that this might be the most important point to consider. If you truly want to love photography, then you have to think about what it is that you love, what it truly is that makes you who you are, and go out and capture that.

Maybe you love architecture or history. Go out and shoot- there are gorgeous chapels, homes, and buildings all around you. I for one, have not found a love for architectural photography, as seen from this very boring shot below. Nope, not lovin' it- despite how much I love this building. (Scott and I were married in it!)

Or maybe you have a love of creation, of nature, and of all things outdoors. Maybe you step foot outside regardless of the season and see God's beauty all around you. Go out and shoot! There is so much beauty out there. Shoot one flower...

... or shoot them all! Again, though I love nature and am in awe over God's beautiful handiwork, I find no love for nature photography. My images always seem to be lacking something.

Or maybe it's home or memories, or special mementos that you treasure, and this is what you want to shoot. Head outside your front door, walk a few steps forward, and turn around. Look at your home, where you make your memories. Find ways to capture those memories.

It might take you a while to find out what you love. But take your time. There's no rush. There's no end. That's the great thing about photography- it's just a journey, like life. I can tell you this though. If you go out and shoot, without knowing what you it is you're passionate about, what it is you truly love, then you'll find your images falling short, and you'll find your interest in photography fading fast. For me, it didn't take long to realize that while my nature and architectural images did not do it for me, any time I got a pair of eyes in front of my camera, I came to life. The minute I start shooting people, I am happier, more alive, doing what I am meant to do, and that is why those images are the best images I've got.

So go out there. Take some time. Find out what (or who!) you love, and shoot that. And shoot it more and more. You'll find there's nothing better than shooting what you love. And hey, do me a favor- send me a comment and let me know what you discover!

And as for me, these eyes and these faces do it for me every time!

See you next week, when we'll talk about finding the light- where should you put that window?