For a girl with an Associate’s degree in Photography, I was hesitant to use my iphone as my primary photo instrument, but it has turned into an indispensable tool in my bag of tricks. The quality of the images is getting better and better and well, it’s just convenient. I’m not going to be blowing these photos up to 8×10 or larger, they are just for personal use, so I’m not too concerned at all about pixels. If I am concerned, then I pull out my SLR and go to town. My poor kids are so used to the camera, they don’t even look up anymore!

I take pictures for fun. I love landscapes and lines and shadows. I love using the filters in my Camera+ app because I can play with the intensity of them and honestly, they are fun. I’m not such a photo snob that I can’t see the power behind these tools. It gets people interested in taking pictures and seriously, almost every photo out there has had some sort of editing done to it. Some more than others obviously, but it is done and it’s not always a bad thing. That’s not to say I use filters all the time, you do have to have a sense of when they will help or hinder your image, but all in all, it’s up to you. They are your images and they should get you to feel something when you see them.

Are all my pictures good? Oh lord no! I have more bad than good images, but it’s those good ones that stand out. I take that back, I’ve had some amazing “terrible” shots that make me laugh or remember the moment, that it doesn’t matter that the lighting is off or the focus isn’t perfect. I just remember what was going on at the time it was shot.

My husband and I took our oldest daughter into D.C. today since there wasn’t school. We had a great time and many pictures were taken. We got a lot of second glances as she was dressed in her very regal princess gown and sneakers. Yes, I made her wear a long sleeve shirt and pants under it as it’s only 30 degrees out, so have no fear, I did not let her freeze. I just enjoyed the light that was there on the Mall coming through the trees onto the snow and ice and mud. The winter trees are amazing to me. The life of the bare limbs takes on a life of their own and go in so many different directions. I think my goal is to one day publish a book on trees and their beauty.

It seems I’m rambling, but what I want to get across is that photography should be fun and not mired in rules. The secret is to learn the rules, so you can break them correctly! The one rule I do follow is to NEVER CENTER your subject. Why? It just doesn’t lend ANYTHING to the image. It’s boring. Give the viewer something more and you will get more out of it as well.

And that ladies and gentlemen, is my daily post. Enjoy the pictures and happy clicking!