I've been taking photos off and on since I was a young child. I spent hours and hours in the darkroom my father built in a closet. He taught me to develop black and white film and make prints with the enlarger and a series of chemical baths. My first camera is still on a shelf in my office. My parents let me use their Nikon SLR camera when I was in high school and I spent a lot of time in the high school darkroom printing from black and white negatives.

Eventually I started taking color slides and getting them developed in a lab. Then I switched to color prints, but it wasn't nearly as much fun having someone else print my photos. I dreamed of cropping and editing my own color photos, but it has taken awhile for me to focus on photography again. Digital photography is amazing. It is also time-consuming, but I am so grateful for the capability that software editing provides.

This 365 project is a commitment to spend time every day on photography. I really enjoy macro photography. It helps you see things you wouldn't otherwise notice. I also love to capture people in candid shots, especially children. I want to play with many different type of photography and also learn to use my cameras better. I'm studying the manuals, practicing with manual modes, and slowly learning more ways to control my photographs. With digital, I should be free to experiment since I can always just delete the rejects.

I took a photography class several years ago and learned a lot. I would like to take another class, but first I will practice on my own and read some of the books I've collected. For Christmas, I got Lightroom and Photoshop--I have a lot to learn about both of those programs. It is a bit overwhelming, but I will just take a baby step every day and eventually I will become an expert.

This 365 project keeps me honest in this quest. It gives me the impetus to photograph something every day and to pick just one shot to post. I feel like I picked the wrong photo twice so far (in only a few weeks), but it is good to practice being selective. It also forces me to sort and edit my photos as I take them instead of putting it off.

I want to thank Patti for giving me the idea of creating something every day--she has committed to create a painting every day. And especially Katie for sharing her 365 Project. Thank you!