And so it Begins....

Since I received my pretty new camera and lens 8 months ago, I have been simultaneously awed and dismayed with the results of photos. Awed because everything is so much crisper, cleaner and lovely then was ever possible with my old p&s. I have discovered I love composition, and for the most part, think I have a decent eye for what would make a good photo. But I have also been dismayed at how clumsy I am technically, how limited I am due to my lack of knowledge. Most of my good shots are still luck of the draw, relying heavily on the auto functions (portrait and macro modes mostly) and the stars being aligned.

Then I started hanging out on The Bump photo boards, and I was blown away by the quality of both long-time hobbyists and "experts" (our pseudonym for the pros among us since they can't admit there that they are in fact pros). All of sudden my lucky shots didn't seem so lucky anymore. I was a very very small fish in a very talented body of water

So for 2010 I am determined to break free of the auto dial and really truly learn what a great machine is at my fingertips. I love how the world looks when captured in a moment, and I want to begin to express that in everyday life. As a way to stay on track, I have taken on the challenge of completing Project 365 - taking a memorable photo (or photos) a day for 365 days. I hope to build my talent, sharpen my eye, enhance my love and perhaps learn a little something about how I view the world around me. Along the way I plan to complete a few online tutorials, pick up some lessons from my fabulous father, read "Understanding Exposure" from cover to cover several times, learn my editing program (currently GIMP, since it's free!) and participate in a variety of group photo challenges, pushing the limits of what I thought I could do.

Without further ado, let's get this show on the road...