Hello EVERYONE! (sorry this is son long!!)

You don't know me, but I have been getting to know you guys and your photos for a while now. For a while I "lurked" about as a guest, and then I finally joined a couple of weeks ago, and now I have worked up the nerve to let you guys know I exist. To even things up a bit, I'll tel you a little about myself.

My name is Crystal, and I live in Arkansas. Nothing special there! I am married and have two dogs. I have always loved taking pictures, but got seriously involved in photography about a year ago. I got a 35mm Canon SLR and fell in love with it!!! My hubby and I worked up the courage to purchase a Canon Rebel XT in April. It's the best we could find ( in my opinion) for what we could afford. I was asked to photograph a wedding in June, and this is where things got really interesting for me. You see, the wedding went GREAT, and I now have two more weddings booked for the fall and more on the horizon. Photography went from being a fun hobby for me to something that I want to do for a living! I LOVE it!! There is something about being behind a lens that gives me chills. Really!!

Here's the kicker........I was accepted into the Occupational Therapy program (which I worked terribly hard to get into) at my college in April. I started the graduate program in May, and I have decided to withdraw and pursue photography full time! Actually, today was my last day! My husband may have a wonderful job opportunity in New York, and if we move out there I am going to apply to a photography school out there. This is a scary yet exciting time for the both of us and we pray and work together to see where God is going to take us. People around here think I've lost my mind; however, I feel like I have finally found my passion! (other than God, of course)

I have joined this forum because I am amazed at your talents! I think it is such a blessing to beginners like me to have access to the critiques, ideas, and support of seasoned pro photographers like all of you! I am nervous to share my work on here, so it may take me a while. The closest I can get to it is my profile pic. It's my "claim to fame" I guess you might say. I entered a state-wide amateur contest last month and this photo got into the top 20 out of over 3000 photos. It was neat to see my photo on television I must say!!

I'm going to end this long introduction now. I look forward to getting to know you all better! God bless!

~Crystal

Crystal!

Welcome to the forum and to the adventure that is having photography as your career!

I think you'll find you've come to the right place. Ask any questions you want, I promise you all of us have been at the place you are now, some of us still are in that spot!

Post some images! Your avatar is great! Can't wait to see some more!

Welcome again!

Hi Crystal,
Welcome to the most addictive forum on the net.
Your going to love the people and the enviroment!
Everyone is very positive and suportive here.
Dont be afriad to post your images here.
I post mine. .. And trust me that took alot of guts,
it kinda made me feel a turd in the punch bowl at first.
Then I saw the awesome positive feedback and wow.

I'll stop rambling.. Just dont be afraid!

Glad to have you here!

L.

Hello! I have seen you lurking! There is a reason! You have the same name of someone else I know and I wonder if it's her but it's not! WAY FAR from AR!
Welcome! Hope to see you around!
~Alisha

Welcome. I love reading stories of how people got to where they are (bad English, I know, but I don't care right now) ;-P

I guess you already know how addicting it is, here. I think you're safe from being "claimed" as you joined a while ago.

Crystal,

Great story. Life's too short to not follow your passion and dreams. Congratulations on your choice to pursue photography. Share your work when you have time.

Welcome

Alan

Your story is inspiring Crystal. Welcome and enjoy!

Welcome Crystal! I'm looking forward to seeing you around and reading your posts. For the most part, I too lurk in this forum - I'm learning so much from these guys!

Well hey girl!

Another girl from the south!!!! Whooohoo! Well...Crystal...I"m Katherine. And I'm just south of you. I'm in Sportsman's Paradise. Lake Charles, LA to be exact. Close to the Gulf of Mexico. I'm really not originally from here. But I married a coon ass and now I'm stuck here for the time being.

Girl...this is the best place on the net to hang out. We truly help each other out with photography related stuff...to just even needing prayer partners for whatever reason....and sometimes this can even turn into a dating service for the single people. (ya'll know who I'm talking about...)

But I'm glad you joined. Whatever anyone says about me...I'm STILL the innocent one and I've washed my hands of it!

KK from Louisiana

Welcome Crystal....you've got the right atitude. Go where God leads and you CANNOT go wrong!

Floyd

WElcome Crystal! Way to make that leap of faith It'll be fun!

Welcome to the forum, where are you in Arkansas? I'm in Fayetteville. Good to see another Arkansan on the forum. You'll love it here, wonderful, encouraging and inspiring people.

That's AWESOME that you are taking that step in your life with both feet forward. Too cool. I know a lot of people wouldn't have the nerve to do that, but I think it's soooo great to see you go for it. You're going to LOVE it.

Nice Austin Powers reference, by the way, Crystal.

Thank you everyone for the nice, warm welcome!! You guys are GREAT!


fpalitang: Glad you caught that reference! I love Austin Powers!!

Choli: I'm in Conway, AR. I love to visit the Fayetteville area though. It's soo beautiful up there!!

katherine: You are so funny! I was with my community group from church last night and some fo the men were talking about Louisiana and making references to "coon ass." It was the first time I'd ever heard that term (?) before!! Hahaha! And then you bring it up on here. That's hilarious! And I love that quote!! I heard it on Oprah the other day, and I tried to make it my quote on here but it wouldn't work for some reason.

Everyone have a great day!!! God bless!

I'm late jumping in here but hi anyway! Great to have you You're story about how you got started with photography sounds eerily familiar...

Oh, I was in LR a few weeks ago to shoot a wedding. I think I have one in Conway this fall, we'll have to meet up. Maybe you can come shoot with me, if you're not booked by then.

Give me a call next time you're in Fayetteville and we'll get together and talk shop.

( I hope I did the quote thing right!)

I would love to meet up sometime! I'm a newbie at all of this, so shooting a wedding along side you would be GREAT for me!! I only know of one date for sure that I have a wedding...Nov. 19th. My aunt is flying me to Vegas to photograph my cousin's wedding, but they don't have the date set yet. It's going to be this fall sometime though. Anyway, it would be great!!!

photoreu: Does my story remind you of yours?? What is your story?

Yeah pretty much I picked up a canon SLR about 5 years ago and loved shooting... it was a great hobby. Even enrolled in some darkroom classes, went to photography clubs, etc. A friend that I worked with saw pictures I had taken and asked me if I'd be willing to photograph their wedding. I agreed, and things took off from there. At the time I was going to school for Mechanical Engineering, and working full time, which was really wearing on me. Realizing that I could make a living doing something I loved was a great realization. I invested in some gear (20D, lenses, etc), and haven't stopped shooting since! I work with 2 photographers in my area consistently and I'm starting to book out more on my own too (did 4 potrait sessions this weekend). I'm still working my day job but it is my goal to quit by the end of the year! I can't wait!

Wow! That's great, Reuben. How did you get hooked up with the photographers you shoot with? I'm meeting with a local photographer in a little over a week, and I am so nervous! I told her I mainly just wanted to ask her questions about different things, but I plan on taking a portfolio to show her with the hopes that she'll want me to assist her when she needs it. She's a fairly new photographer, so it wasn't too hard for me to call her up. But the well-established ones in town intimidate me! I'm scared to even set foot inside their studios!!

Nah don't be scared. What's the worst they could do... say no? Be rude? If they're like that then you dont want to work for them anyway.

The two guys I work for I met in different ways. One I saw his work and loved it... this guy has an eye! He's very creative and I could tell there was something different about his work, so I e-mailed him this big long e-mail, explained that I had my first wedding coming up and was considering this as a career, wanted to learn, and also was willing to do anything he needed (haul bags, hold lights, even shoot, etc). I offered to do this for free in exchange for the great experience it would be. I didnt hear back from him so I e-mailed him again a few weeks later. He called me up a few minutes later and we met up that night. I was shooting with him that weekend! After a few he started paying me, and I have learned so much this way!

The second guy I work with on a much more consistent basis (doing a bridal show with him this weekend). He had just told his wife he was going to start looking for someone to work for him as a 2nd shooter and we met at a guild meeting that night. I basically overheard him telling some people that he was looking for someone, so I introduced myself and things took off! I may end up working with him full time... or working with him part time as well as working for myself part time as well. Still trying to work out all the details but I'm totally excited about how everything is working out! God was totally in this and He's really leading the way.. I'm just kinda blindly following and we'll see where it takes us!

Thanks for sharing!! That's awesome! God is so good!

Your story is so encouraging to me! I too feel like I am blindly following right now, and it is crazy but rewarding at the same time. I am already learning lessons about God's faithfulness! It's great! I am also blessed to have a husband who is totally supporting me in this decision. He encouraged me to quit school. He's a CPA, and he spent all day Saturday making spreadsheets for me and figuring up prices and doing all sorts of other numbers things that I would have so much trouble doing on my own.

I'm going to present the idea of a fundraiser to a cheer/dance/gymnastics gym in town. (Where I am a former employee) My husband also made me a nice looking flyer to take to them when I present the idea. I won't end up making a WHOLE lot out of this deal, (if they even go for it), but it would at least get my name and my work out there, which is what I really want.

Has anyone else ever done anything like this? Got any advice?

Crystal, welcome to the blog! Sounds like you are at an incredibly exciting time in your life!!! I hope that it works out for you all to go to New York!!! Keep us posted!

As far as being in contact with your local photographers.... Do you know if there is some kind of local photo guild where they get together monthly? There is here, and that's been a good way for us to network with other photographers!

Well, you're welcome to tag along with me anytime you want. If you're bored this Saturday I have a pretty big wedding and my assistant is out of the country. It's in Fayetteville though....

Whoah! I actually would LOVE to! I need the experience. However, I have to help my family move my little sister into her dorm up here. She starts college next week!! So CRAZY! She doesn't seem old enough......

But let me know any time you need some extra help. Like I said, the experience would be worth the trip to me!

WOW! I love this place! Welcome Crystal! I'm amped you're going full force into photography and we're right alongside ya!

Crystal,

I'll go over my schedule and see what weddings I have in Arkansas this fall. I'm all over the place this fall though....LA,Dallas, Mexico, NY, Panama.

I'd love to have you tag along anytime.

Choli

That would be great! And this weekend may be a possibility afterall. I need to run it over with my hubby, but my family won't be coming into town until late Sat. night. If you're still interested, let me know! What time is the wedding?

I PMed you my info........