You don't take a photograph...you make it...

Photography...it's something I love to do and I spend a lot of time behind a camera, looking for the right shot, capturing important moments for friends and family and then posting them to facebook or my photo website for people to view and download...

I seem to be spending more and more time on this "hobby" of mine and sometimes I wonder what it would be like to actually do this as a profession. I've searched for blogs about photographers and found a few. I've also searched for photographer websites and looked at their creative ideas and the outcome "in print." It's always interesting to see the artistry at work in these creative types.

Then today I went to the viewing of a movie at the museum. It was about women artists and their struggles to be taken seriously and to balance their home lives with their passion for their art. Each story was equally moving and the choices these woman had to make were sometimes heartwrenching. Some of their struggles have to do with society and the ways women are made to feel about making the "appropriate" choices for their family...ALWAYS... I found myself getting a bit emotional at some points and I wasn't sure why....at first.

When I was a little girl I proclaimed I wanted to be a concert pianist. I learned to play piano by ear and then later took lessons and did quite well. I could sit and play piano for hours so there was never a problem getting me to practice. At one point my piano teacher and her mother were both fighting over me and who would be the best to teach me! I was about 10 years old at the time and had no idea why there was such a fuss. I never took lessons from "the mother" but she would come and listen to me play at my teachers house fairly often.

My love of music extended to singing too...I got involved in choir in high school and whenever there was another musical group to try out for, I was there and involved. Music was probably the highlight of my high school years and those I have the fondest memories of when I really think about it. Later in college, the urge to sing was still there so I joined the university chamber choir and used it as an outlet. Then...life happened and I stopped singing. Don't get me wrong...I still thought I could be a singer or performer for a long time after that, but did I do anything to get me there? Besides singing at a few weddings and at the top of my lungs in my car I pretty much abandoned that dream.

So what does this have to do with photography? Well, after watching that movie today I am more determined than ever not to let another creative outlet fall by the wayside. I have loved taking photos for many years now but I always say to people..."I know enough to be dangerous" when it comes to photography. I've been the "unofficial" OFFICIAL photographer of an event that I've helped manage for the past 6 years and my photos are always used in all our promotional materials. I show up with my camera at anything and everything and end up taking hundreds of photos and then share them on my website. My theory is that if you take enough photos a few are bound to come out GOOD! It's my way of remaining amateurish to the people that are sending compliments my way. I don't pretend to know what I'm doing - I just know what I like to see in a photograph and also love to experiement too. Digital makes that easier -

This movie has given me the spark I've needed to get this dream underway in a more formal fashion. So...I'm going to call a friend who took a photography class last year and ask her for the info and get this dream started!

Oh yeah...and this is another item for the bucket list...after checking off "take photography class."

* Upgrade photo website to professional level

Still Trying to Get to That Bucket List...

It's funny...I thought I had it all together back last year and was on my way to really making 2009 a great and accomplished year...whatever that means anymore. For the new year I found these really cute books at Starbucks that had wonderful quotes in them and a place for you to make lists and plans. I bought one for each of my kids and my husband (and myself) and gave them out on New Years Day. Everyone loved the books but they are now all sitting in various locations in the house and collecting dust. To say I'm disappointed would be a true statement but how can I be in others when my own book is in the trunk of my car.

However...I did have a start at the list. Late last year I told my husband that one of the things I wanted to do - at some point - was take a hot air balloon ride. This was just said in passing - nothing major. And it was weird...I told him this one night and it was a few night later that he came home and threw a business card on the kitchen table for hot air balloon rides!!! Turns out, someone he works with helps out with hot air balloon rides. So a the very least, we had made contact and knew where to go for this when we had the time to plan it...

So our anniversary was Jan 4th and it fell on a Sunday this year. The day turned out foggy and dreary and although it was just nice to be at home and relaxing after the Christmas rush, etc., what I didn't know was that my sweet husband was upset because he had planned to surprise me with - you guessed it - a hot air balloon ride that morning... We tried to reschedule the next week but the weather would not cooperate. But the third time was the charm and we got to go on the coldest Saturday I could remember. We dressed in ski clothes - many layers and headed out earlier than I had been up in ages.

And despite the cold and the early hour...it was one fun and exhilirating experience! The calm and quiet hovering over familiar sections of Birmingham were breathtaking. I almost forgot that we were hovering way up in the air in a large basket!!! Once we landed and got back to the departure point - to pick up our car - we celebrated a successful flight with a bottle of champagne courtesy of our pilot. A perfect 23rd wedding anniversary - even if it was a few weeks late!

So...while the Bucket List is not "officially" a list...I want to say I've gotten off to a great start with one of the items...and it was one that I didn't think would be first to be crossed off either!

The other big item on the list is storm chasing.....but not from a hot air balloon.