My Latest Photography Pursuits

Prior to December 2008, all my photography depended on available light. While being a good challenge for a young photographer, I found it to be limiting and frustrating when I could not produce the ideas I had; my creativity was being stifled by the physics that define photography. As my family knows, "the box" and I do not get along...thus, controlling the light in my shots became my next major photog goal. With the help of the Strobist lighting series that I have been addicted to for the last few months, and the "starving student" lighting kit (available at MPEX) that my amazing wife and family (thanx Ma, Dad, bros) gave me, I plan to teach myself some lighting skillz.

Never let the idea of learning something new daunt you, being willing to learn is a key to opportunities you may never have otherwise had. And it really should not be boring, experiment (safely), tweak, practice, jump in with both feet and try something you don't even know how to do - when it does not come out exactly how you hoped, learn from it and read some more from experts (like David Hobby, Chase Jarvis, Drew Gardner...for photography) in the field and then try again. That is the approach I have taken toward learning to light and photography in general - it is working so far.

Some of the shots I have taken since getting my strobe on would never have happened if I did not stretch my knowledge and experiment a little - I realize I am not a top photog or anything, but I challenge myself to be more creative and better than I was last time I picked up the camera, and it is always rewarding (yes even when the only subject you can convince to sit still is a piece of fruit).