Blogging...

There's a lot to think about. A lot to say. Do I make this a blog outlining my progression into photography, leading into the current transition into full time photographer? Do I chronicle my most recent accomplishments or share progress updates? I think it'd be most interesting to have a scattering of it all. The problem comes with trying to detail too much of it at once, with jumping back and forth between back story and recent efforts.

Some authors (novels, short stories, blogs, etc.) are quite accomplished at this. More often then not it just pisses me off. I'm all for a good aside, but some times, damn, just get to the point. I don't know about you but I'm only willing to get jerked around by authors so much, then I just tune out.

I live in an area where 20-somethings drive Porsches, high end Mercedes, Land Rovers, Escalades on 24-inch rims. It's a bit ostentatious. I drive a Ford. It serves me very well. Over the past few years I've put what money I've earned into photography gear and trips. Like my old Nikon N60, my equipment isn't the latest, most expensive gear out there. But it serves me well. I get the shot.

In a world where I see scrawny, tanned 19 year old's who've never done a hard day's work in their life carrying around a $5,000 camera that does everything for them courtesy of daddy, I rely on learned knowledge of what I'm doing. Proficiency in the skills I've used from fully manual 35mm SLR cameras applied to the digital age. And sure, sometimes a bit of luck.

But it's my background and experience that truly gives me an edge. I've got quite varied and eclectic past experiences. As a freestyle skier, surfer, kayaker, rock climber, and just general thrill junkie I've got a good handle on the world of action sports. I played Division 1 college football, some baseball and lacrosse growing up too. I've laid it on the lines with the best. They've beat me and at times I've beat them; the fact that it's weighted more so toward them is because, well, their the best.

Being the best is about perseverance. You have to have talent and ability. But not all of the most talented always suceed. Some of the more talented athletes I've ever met burned out of the sport, decided competition wasn't for them, or found their passions outside of the sports world and left to purse them. Talking about sports, you have to be able to pick yourself up when you fall down, bounce back from injury, all while actually finding a way to survive in the real world. Outside of sports the world is fairly similar...though mostly without the injuries.

This brings me to sports photography. It's one thing to take pictures of something cool you see. It's quite another to understand the sport or mentatilty associated with the sports from experience.

My internet has cut out twice now while writing this. Quite annoying.

I hold my degree in Landscape Architecture. I've worked for years at top-notch architecture, landscape architecture, planning, and civil engineering offices. Conceptual design through permitting, construction documents, and on-site construction administration. How many architectural photographer's start out designing and building the things they're taking pictures of?

Practical experience. It's key.