My New Venture

I've been a professional photographer for over fifteen years now. I started my career shooting film cameras and eventually moved to digital about ten years ago. During this time, I've amassed a great amount of knowledge about the world of photography. Over the past couple years, I started thinking seriously about how much fun it would be to teach other people who have a passion for photography as well. My focus is not on other professionals. No, my focus is on the "non-professional" market because I see a great need for educating them on the fundamentals of photography. My goal is "to get them off Auto". By that, I mean the trap that millions of photo enthusiasts fall into when they get their cameras. Most of us, including me, get a new toy and want to start using it right away. We can't be bothered with the owner's manual. Therefore, the easiest way to start using a new digital camera is to put it on "auto" and go. And that's usually where the camera stays. Sound familiar?

Last year, I had the opportunity to partner with a New York-based school called the Digital Photo Academy (www.digitalphotoacademy.com). They conduct photography classes throughout the country, teaching students both in the field and in the classroom, how to be a better photographer. F-stops, rule of thirds, depth of field, leading lines, fast lenses, macro, etc. Several different topics are discussed to help change one from being a simple "point and shooter" to a "photographer" who understands photography concepts and how to employ them under different conditions. I have the privilege of being one of the instructors who teach in Seattle and it has been fun and rewarding to meet so many people who share a common interest.

If you want to become a better photographer, I invite you to visit the Digital Photo Academy website (www.digitalphotoacademy.com) to see what upcoming classes are available in your area.