Q & A: Segment 1

1. Do you prefer using a camera's abilities for different functions or do you like to edit them mostly digitally? 

Honestly, It depends on what I'm shooting. When I have extra time to play around, I definitely love full manual mode, where I'm able to make any changes I want. In college, I learned black & white film photography first, and everything we shot was manual & processed by hand in the darkroom. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and probably when I really got hooked on photography. But when I'm shooting my nephews who never want to sit still, or snapping something quick, I take full advantage of digital editing & processing. For something different, I sometimes enjoy playing around w/ photoshop actions as well. I don't use them much, but it's fun to experiment.

2. What is your favorite food? 

Oh, goodness! This simple question is so hard! It's sort of a joke in my family that I have so many favorite foods. I find comfort in the familiar, and I don't like experimenting. If it's Friday night, my favorite food is my Dad's homemade Pizza...thick crust, savory sweet sauce, hmm. If it's Sunday, Dad's Spaghetti Sauce, which is Grandma's recipe handed down. If it's a cold winter night, my Mom's Chicken & Dumpling Soup (minus the dumplings, extra on the carrots). If it's my birthday, vanilla cake w/ vanilla frosting. If the family is having a party, my Aunt's Taco dip, and if we're going out, chicken fingers w/ketchup. I'm really quite easy to please! haha!

3. What are your other hobbies besides photography? 

I've kept a journal for as long as I can remember. Writing is very therapeutic for me & I really can't process anything without writing it out first. I write about my struggles, faith, questions, joys, fears, I lay it all out on the page, and something about that is comforting to me. 

I don't have a lot of time for it now, but I used to love to draw & paint. In high school, I was really into pastels, and in college I did a lot of oil painting. I love painting flowers & landscapes, mostly, there's something about the textures and colors that I really love. 

I really love to sing. Actually, my first major in college was voice performance. I took lessons, tried to learn Italian, echoed: "How Are You TodAAAAAaaaaaay?!" vocal exercises through the practice rooms & eventually decided I didn't like standing in front of crowds in order to sing. That's when I went to art, where I could safely hide behind some easel or camera lens. :)

Thanks for posting these questions, Rena! I hope you enjoyed getting to know me a bit more & for everyone else, don't hesitate to join the conversation!