Who? What? Why?

Introductions - 

My name is Tiffany, and I am a wannabe.  I've always wanted to be an actress, a ballerina, an artist, a musician, and a photographer.  So what did I grow up to be?  A teacher, of course!  A music teacher to be more specific, so I guess the musician thing actually did work out, albeit not the way I had envisioned.

It's actually not as far off the mark as it may sound.  A teacher is a person who loves learning so much, they spend their days creating ways for other people to learn.  They also spend their entire lives continuing to learn.  All of these other dreams have now become hobbies and this blog is focusing on one of these - photography.

You might notice that being a writer was never one of my goals.  I am more a straight-to-the-point type.  Besides, I want this blog to be more about pictures than about what I have to say.  There are important things to talk about, of course, but I'll try to keep it short and sweet.

On with the show!!!!

Why photography?

Honestly, I'm not completely certain except that it is a quest for beauty and substance.  I also love to record the important moments of my life in photos.  They are wonderful for recalling those special moments and bring the emotions right to the surface.  I guess my desire to take better photos is partly because life has so much to offer and I don't want to forget one moment!

All of my life my mother collected postcards - an obsession that has since become my own.  She always used to say, "they are inexpensive souvenirs and the best pictures you are going to get."  But I would look at those postcards and think "why can't I take pictures like that?"  That was back in the days of film photography where every shot that you took cost a lot.  They had to be developed and you weren't sure if they had turned out until after you came home from your vacation.  I probably have 50 pictures of the Grand Canyon, taken at age 14 with a $20 point and shoot.  None of them even come close to comparing to the postcards I brought home.  Of course, those don't compare with the real thing either, but that's a whole different can of worms.  :)

Digital photography opened up a whole new world to me.  The instant feedback available has totally changed the things I do to take pictures.  We all do it - take the picture then look at the screen to see what we captured.  Isn't it wonderful!?!  If the picture didn't turn out as you wished, you can retake it! 

My Goal

If you are willing to follow along, I'm going to spend my summer discovering how to used my camera to better effect.  I want to figure out what all those little buttons and things are for and how to get those gorgeous photos that I can spend hours looking at.  I'm going to search for information and advice, but mostly I'm going to practice.  Being a music teacher, I know the value of practice, practice, practice..... so that's what I'm going to post here.  The good, the bad, the in-between.  Hopefully, if all goes well, by the end of the summer there will be much more good than bad!

*disclaimer - this blog is for my own benefit.  If you enjoy reading and following along on my journey, I'd love having you!  BUT don't expect me to take requests.  I will be doing what I love and enjoying every moment of it.