Artfully Ann's Adventures

Photography - June 9th, 2013

When I was a small child my first recollection of taking pictures was using my grandmother’s box camera in her back yard. I was so excited to see the pictures I had taken and quickly opened the box to see the pictures inside. That was a learning experience! I learned a lot about film, light and the process of photography just by opening that box. Needless to say I was disappointed; but I was also hooked and have been ever since. That progressed to learning how to develop my own pictures in my basement. Frustration set in as I didn't have an enlarger, but again more of the process was learned regarding light and dark, black and white.

Pictures developed in my basement

My sister and our trailer

 

I lived in the Rockies and as an older child I fell in love with camping and taking pictures of old gold mines. Oh the mysteries those held for me. We traveled all over Colorado taking pictures of gold mines. Of course I only had a black and white camera and Polaroid at that. Those pictures faded out quickly, but the memories still linger.

In high school I was an exchange student to the Fareo Islands in Denmark. What an opportunity for learning and for taking pictures of beautiful places. When I returned home I gave slide shows showing my pictures to many groups at school and social functions telling them about my wonderful experience. My photography experience as a world traveler was priceless.

Carol Ann and the Poulsen Family,
 (American Field Service exchange family)

Since then I've traveled and lived around the world. I’ve taken photography in College and learned all the parts of a 35 mm camera, the tricks with slow shutters, aperture settings and all. This is a dying art with the digital age in full swing. So is black and white photography. What a shame.  However, through working with my son I've evolved into the digital age.  I so much enjoy using digital cameras and working with the tools available on the computer.  I had one of the first digital zoom cameras made by Sony back in the early 1990’s and have not looked back since.

                        

Ansel Adams once said something like it takes a thousand pictures to find a good one. Well I've taken a lot. I hope you find one of my pictures catches your eye and that you enjoy the view for a long time to come.  Hope you can come take a look at more of my pictures at the Redmond Art Festival on July 12, 13 and 14 at the Redmond Town Center, Redmond, Washington. 

Bye for now!!