It's Been Awhile, but can we keep it fun?

I haven't written in awhile mostly because my part time job just went back to full time (very long story), but also because I was so engrossed in learning about photography, and so frustrated with not getting right. Not creating the photo that I wanted, not being able to copy the "look" others were creating. Either I was out of focus, or not in focus at all, too much ISO, Aperture, Shutter Speed and not enough stillness. I was looking for the perfect shot, the perfect picture and I was missing the beauty in the stillness. Two things happened. I met a semi-professional photography on one of my walks and he gave me some new insight. He said that he tells everyone to have fun. Don't worry about composition, layout, ISO, etc. He said if you see something that draws your attention, just take a picture. In time, you will get better, you read a little here, a little there, and as you try new things in small doses, you will begin to perfect you craft.

He walked on, and I heard the Fall peepers. Do you know what those are? Little bitty frogs that make peeping noise throughout the marsh. You can never see them, so you have to be very still and just listen. And then it happened. The woods came alive for me. I saw a blue heron hiding in the march, another stretch his wings. I looked down in a patch of orange flowers to see what I thought was dragonfly...do you know those little guys are impossible to shoot when they are moving! In any event, it wasn't a dragonfly, it was a hummingbird.

I came home so renewed, ready to download my photos, and it clicked. My reading, my photoshop practice seemed to come together. My eye was keener, my expertise a little smoother. I had learned, I was applying it, and I was having fun.

To some those photos may not be the best. But they are to me. A lesson I learned. Find your own style, take your time, ask questions, but realize that the learning may be important, but the stillness helps focus on why you love what you are doing.

Some of my resent photos. Look closely for the hummingbird. Doesn't the tree look like it has its own floral bouquet of autumn? How have you been? Thanks for keeping me on your list. I promise to get better.

What are you struggling with in your Photography? What would you like to learn? Please share it here and let's see what we can learn together.