Friday, January 30, 2009

My life with a camera...

My name is Allison Lynam Curti. I am a 34 years old mother, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, niece, friend and hopefully one day a photographer. I have always loved taking pictures. I actually think it may be just in my bones but the first real memory I have taking pictures was in 9th grade(I think). My BFF, Jill, and I used to dress up and take pictures of each other. We did this a lot. Although these pictures are really embarrassing now, we did a pretty decent job! I actually think we sent a few to Joey McIntyre, yes from NKYOTB. If only I had a way to post a few. (I will spare you Jill)
Then I took photography I and II in high school. I LOVED it so much Santa brought me a camera like the one we used in class. It was Minolta Maxxum and was a lemon. It was rebuilt 2-3 times. I think I either have a terrible memory or I cheated my way through the technical side of those photography classes because I can not grasp taking pictures out of the automatic setting. In college I still had that lurking desire to take pictures and tried to get in a few photography classes but they would all fill with art majors and I was not able to get in. Santa brought me my first Canon Rebel. I was thrilled! (Yes Santa still came to me in college!) I took so many pictures with that camera. From Zeke and Brett's engagement pictures, a good friends newborn's pictures and picture of my beautiful step daughter. I had a ball. But I never stepped out of the "green box". (The green box is the automatic setting.) Then Canon had to go and come out with the Digital Rebel - the very first Digital Single Lense Reflex (SLR) camera under $1000. I just HAD to have it! So, the first Christmas I was married, right before we moved to Siciy, Mom and Dad got it for me! Gosh I am spoiled! The next Christmas I got a new zoom lense and a flash. Still I never could grasp using the camera for it's potential. I tried to take picture in Sicily and that "green box" was just so comfortable. The pictures were not up to potential though. In June of 2006 I gave birth to my beautiful baby boy, Sullivan. And at that moment when most mom's want to take all the pictures they can, I lost interest. Why? I don't know. I tried hard to get it back. That spark, interest something. NOTHING. I was so disappointed. We moved to Virginia Beach in January of 2008 and sometime in this last year I started feeling it again. That desire to pick it up again. I started to miss the feeling I get when I have a great picture. So, I ordered a book I was recommended to read and started reading and playing. I still had that block against the technical side of taking a picture. This fall, I began to feel eager to learn and started going back to the old forums I used to visit, looking at camera's and playing around. This Christmas my parents blessed me with a new Canon 40D. It is a more professional camera than the rebel I had, which was way outdated due to 3-4 new much better rebels coming out since I got it. I LOVE my new camera and let me tell you, I've got it again. I am so eager to learn. I met a girl in my mom's group who has asked me to be her assistant. I am so excited about that. I also joined a meet up group on meetup.com called Picture This Photography meet up of Hampton Roads. We had our first meet up last night and I left there so so excited! I thought Mike would never shut me up! I have a lot to learn but I feel like the Lord has blessed me with opportunity to do something I love and I have got to jump on the wagon and not let this amazing opportunity be wasted! So...as my journey of photography begins, or restarts I should say, I am going to share it with you. I can not wait to look back in a year and see where I started and where I have come. I hope one day to be a photographer, a good one. As a career? I do not know, but soon I will know. Either way, I am ready to learn to take amazing pictures!

5 comments:

  1. Hi Allison
    I'm glad something sparked your interest again. Photography has become a big part of many peoples' lives today because it has become easier. Now, with your starting a new family it will give you a way to preserve memories and be creative at the same time. You seem to have the basics and the eye. Sometimes there is one missing piece, either something you don't understand (been there)or something that you never learned that can keep you from getting that perfect photo (been there too). Once you address those issues and things come together, it all starts to make sense. I think the Picture This Meetup Group can help you in many ways and make this a fun adventure. It can't be that hard if I can do it. Ps. Luv your pics!

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  2. Congratulations on your new camera! I hope that you will rediscover your passion for photography, I will enjoy watching you grow in your journey! You are off to a wonderful start just by coming off auto, yay!!

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  3. Can't wait to see more Allison! You are such a go getter I'm sure it will be no time before you have your camera down pat!! Have fun exploring it's many possibilities!

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  4. WOW thanks yall! I just saw these posts. I need to change my settings so blogspot sends me an e-mail when I get a comment. Thank you all. I am having so much fun! Although have many frustrated days. Looking forward to tha Picture This meet up tonight. I think it is really going to help me. We will see...

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