I write this for the second time! I had it all ready over a week ago, and then poof! Internet Explorer wasn't responding and needed to close. Ever have that happen? It seems to happen to me more often than I'd like it to, and I am forever guilty of not saving my work every five to ten minutes! 

As a Photographer, and I say that sometimes feeling slightly embarrassed, I find myself constantly learning and evolving. I am always watching photographic trends and trying my best to not emulate them. Yes I have a Pinterest account - No I don't spend much time wading through the millions of pinned photographs. I don't want to become someone else. I want to shoot the way I love to shoot. I want each client to surprise me. I want the finished product to be natural and beautiful, not "just like that shot on Pinterest".

As for feeling embarrassed about calling myself a Photographer? Well that's a whole other can of worms, so to speak. It seems that the loosely used term "Photographer" has lost it's sense of professionalism over the years of digital takeover. A camera used to need it's operator to know how to work it, how to find the light, dial in the F-stop, shutter speed, and film ISO. You had to know about depth of field, composition and how to get a good shot without previewing it on your 3" LCD screen.

Today photography has become a huge part of our lives. Facebook Instagram, Snapchat, etc have made sharing our photos an everyday thing. We all thrive on seeing photos or ourselves posted to the world wide web.We can edit on our iPhones and Androids. We can buy a semi-pro camera and dial in the presets to get a fairly decent shot. We can use one of the hundreds of easy editing downloads to make that selfie look amazing. Lately I have noticed one or two new photographers crop up each week with a new Facebook page - inviting everyone to "Please Like My Page".  My question, I suppose is - What makes a Professional Photographer? Is it the fancy camera and the ability to watermark your images? Or is it years of practice, experience and the ability to get it right every time?

 I prefer to "Keep it Real" all the time. My own style, my own finishes and my own ways of interacting with my clients. I shoot the silliness and the seriousness of my subjects. I edit them realistically. Eyes should never glow. Skin should never look radioactive. That is unless the client is from another planet! I save the ultra creative edits for commercial or fashion shoots. I love to shoot playful families that are comfortable knowing that I am working away in the background, capturing their moments.

Here are a few recent shots of some great people. Thanks for helping me "Keep it Real!"

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Cheers!

~s~