How I became a photographer...
Because when I'm on the other side of the camera, I look like this.
Actually, the short answer is that I kinda fell into the whole photography thing. And the long and gory (for those who want to know) details follow.
At ISU I stated out majoring in architecture, and spent my freshman year going through the pre-professional coursework to actually get into the program. They only take 60 students each year in the professional program and I was one of them. The first semester of my sophomore year went fine. However the second semester went not so well. The most memorable part of the whole thing happened during a review, when the "Queen of the Bitches" asked me if I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about my project. I said no, and she proceeded to tell me that I shouldn't be in architecture because I slept through the night. Apparently, since I had a life outside of architecture (including sleep) she felt I was unfit to be an architecture student.
So that took me to my junior year. Since I had one good semester and one bad, this one was the tie breaker...and it sucked. I had a good prof, so that wasn't the problem, it just didn't work. I was much too logical for the kind of design they wanted. I've always liked photography and the only class that I really enjoyed was my architectual photography class and I wasn't about to suffer through five more studios to only use one class out of my degree. I dropped my six credit studio and switched my major to journalism.
The so-called visual communications program at Iowa State is more advertising related than anything else. They had one photojournalism class so after I took that and a few other basics, I did a national student exchange to Ball State in Municie, IN and took a semester of photoj classes. After that, I took an internship for the Kenosha News in WI, graduated and took a job in Sheldon, IA for a newspaper which I quit (HOORAY, but that's another story) to get married and move to North Carolina with Brent.
And so, here I am, in North Carolina for about 2 year before we move again. The newspapers in the area don't have enough to keep me busy with freelance work, so I'm starting to put together marketing packages to find work as a portrait photographer or a wedding photographer or a pet photographer or an event photographer or...well, let's just say I'm flexible. Maybe in five years I'll volunteer to shoot our class reunion. In the meantime if any of you have a wedding coming up... I'll even give you a big discount!
Actually, the short answer is that I kinda fell into the whole photography thing. And the long and gory (for those who want to know) details follow.
At ISU I stated out majoring in architecture, and spent my freshman year going through the pre-professional coursework to actually get into the program. They only take 60 students each year in the professional program and I was one of them. The first semester of my sophomore year went fine. However the second semester went not so well. The most memorable part of the whole thing happened during a review, when the "Queen of the Bitches" asked me if I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about my project. I said no, and she proceeded to tell me that I shouldn't be in architecture because I slept through the night. Apparently, since I had a life outside of architecture (including sleep) she felt I was unfit to be an architecture student.
So that took me to my junior year. Since I had one good semester and one bad, this one was the tie breaker...and it sucked. I had a good prof, so that wasn't the problem, it just didn't work. I was much too logical for the kind of design they wanted. I've always liked photography and the only class that I really enjoyed was my architectual photography class and I wasn't about to suffer through five more studios to only use one class out of my degree. I dropped my six credit studio and switched my major to journalism.
The so-called visual communications program at Iowa State is more advertising related than anything else. They had one photojournalism class so after I took that and a few other basics, I did a national student exchange to Ball State in Municie, IN and took a semester of photoj classes. After that, I took an internship for the Kenosha News in WI, graduated and took a job in Sheldon, IA for a newspaper which I quit (HOORAY, but that's another story) to get married and move to North Carolina with Brent.
And so, here I am, in North Carolina for about 2 year before we move again. The newspapers in the area don't have enough to keep me busy with freelance work, so I'm starting to put together marketing packages to find work as a portrait photographer or a wedding photographer or a pet photographer or an event photographer or...well, let's just say I'm flexible. Maybe in five years I'll volunteer to shoot our class reunion. In the meantime if any of you have a wedding coming up... I'll even give you a big discount!
posted by Dana at 10:55 AM
4 Comments:
...and now I bet Jay is sorry he asked. Please pardon the rant!
I have to say, I'm very happy for you and also very jealous. I love taking pictures. I'm sure whatever you do you'll be very happy.
In the meantime, I'd like to know a little about your husband. I'm assuming you met at ISU. But I could be wrong (it happens a lot!). Details, please :)
. . . and I thought one picture of Dana would be scary enough, but a full FOUR frames?!!! Now my eyes really hurt!!!
just kidding.
B&W, nice touch. . . What f-stop were you at there, well I guess someone else was actually taking the picture. Unless some magical abilities have arisen in you. . . Or you could just have a timer?? what ever, it doesn't matter. I appologize.
Robert- f/9 @ 1/320 with ISO 200 since I had plenty of light (two strobes with umbrellas)...and the only reason I know all that is I shoot digital and it records all the shooting data for me. Oh, and Brent was manning the camera, taking revenge for having to be my model earlier.
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