So, I decided to start a blog to share my love of photography.  I hope it will become a place to provide photos and reviews from the shows I've shot, as well as to tell stories about the places I've been and people I've met.  As I come across links you may find interesting or helpful, I'll add them.  Feel free to comment, ask questions or share links to your own work.  I welcome your input.

I guess I should start by telling you a little about myself and how I got started.  Ever since I was little, I've been fascinated with photography, but it was an old relic of a 35 mm that had belonged to my grandfather that really sparked my interest.  That camera was completely manual, so I had to learn about things like apertures and shutter speeds.  I took that camera everywhere.  Can't say I was very good, but I did learn something.  Unfortunately, my allowance only went so far, and I chose to spend it on concert tickets rather than film.  

Even before I could drive, I was at concerts every chance I got.  And I even took pictures at a few - when I was able to smuggle my camera in.  But it didn't have a zoom, and the widest aperture wasn't enough for low-light situations, so the pictures weren't worth a hoot.  Funny, but I never really thought about combining my love of music and photography in any serious way back then, and eventually my career and new friends pulled me away from music for awhile.

When I went back to school, I realized how much I had missed going to concerts, and decided that I wasn't going to miss out any more - even if it meant going alone.  It actually served me very well, because it brought me out of my shell of shyness, and I met a lot of cool people along the way.  My fiancé's interest in photography brought my own back, and he ended up giving me a small digital camera.  And wonder of all wonders, bands were allowing these technological marvels into their shows!  

I would have been happy just to get some keepsakes, but I got lucky and got some good shots.  Actually, I seemed to have a knack for capturing a great pose.  Problem was, my equipment was not the best, and I really didn't know how to use it.  It took an interesting set of circumstances to get me to to learn how to use that camera to its fullest, and to start getting serious about shooting concerts.

In April of '07, I booked a cabin on the second Motley Cruise, and I decided to try to see the bands involved as many times as I could before we set sail- and get the best pictures I could.  I wanted to have a nice set of photos for the musicians to sign.  And I admit it -  I kinda hoped that I'd be recognized for having been at all those shows.  I only had a few chances that spring and early summer, but by Aug., I had figured out how to make the most of my little point-and-shoot.  In Oct., I had my first opportunity to use my dSLR (Canon Rebel) and a "real" lens (70-200 f2.8) - at the Pensacola Fair.  I surprised myself at how well I did - not the best stuff, but what I had learned with the P&S had really paid off.  There were a several more opportunities and I did the best could each time.

So, by the time of the cruise, I had some pictures printed to have signed, and I had the best ones loaded on my iPod Touch - just in case anyone was interested.  I have to admit that my shyness almost got the better of me - I was scared to show anyone my work.  What if everyone thought it sucked?  Well, on the second day of the cruise, I got a chance and grabbed it.  I was on deck, talking to a couple of the girls who were volunteering on the cruise, when Dana Strum of Slaughter and the Vince Neil Band came by.  He knew Cris and Cyn, so he stopped to say "hi."  Then he turned to me and I asked if he remembered me - that I had been his constant photographer in the months before the cruise (Dana had become one of my favorite subjects).  He said of course he remembered me, gave me a hug and asked if I had gotten any good shots.  I said I had, and he said he'd like to see them sometime.  I said, "Do you have a minute now?"   He said he did, so I opened my iPod - shaking so bad, I could barely hit the right buttons - and brought up my Pensacola pics.  

Needless to say, if he had only looked at a few and said they were nice, I would have been happy.  But instead, he looked thru the whole set, commenting on many of them.  He got to one of him and told me it was one of the best he'd seen of him doing that thing he does.  That was the highest compliment anyone could give me!  He wanted me to send him a copy of that photo and gave me his contact info.   He also used words like "gifted" and "great eye" but by this point, I was too overwhelmed to take anything in.  This was a dream come true!  I really don't remember much of what happened the rest of the day.

That encounter led to a photo pass for Slaughter's next show in Vegas.  From that point on, I decided that I would be serious about my photography - I didn't want to be just a fan with a camera.  I used all the opportunities I was given to improve my skills.  I read what I could, practiced when I could, and it has all paid off.  Here I am writing a blog, updating my website and setting off on a journey to become a freelance music photographer!

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