Can I Really Be a Photographer?

4 September 2013

It is a question I often asked myself throughout the years and often times I would say no.  I didn't own a big fancy camera with an adjustable lens and a special carrying case and all the other equipment I thought was a requirement to have in order to be a ‘photographer’.  But I love to take pictures, especially of landscapes and historic buildings.  So while I was abroad this year I just took the pictures I wanted, both memory making pictures as well as artistic type photos.

In the Archaeology Museum of Sevilla

And boy, were there a lot of funny pictures.  These kinds of pictures bring me back in time to when the events initially occurred and it allows me to relive those happy and exciting times.  In the past few months that I have been home I have found that I miss being surrounded by the history and the ease of living in a walkable city.  Yet in only a few short weeks I will be returning to Europe and living out another year abroad and away from home.

BY THE WAY I OFFICIALLY HAVE MY VISA IN HAND!

But back to the topic of the blog post, photography.  It wasn’t until I returned back to the States and started to dive into my pictures that I realized I had a few gems in the bunch.  While in my hunt through the mires of the Internet searching for ways to stay afloat financially I came across a website that would take my photographs and sell them as prints.  The site is called Fine Art America and it can take your digital photos and print them in a variety of ways including on canvas.

Palm trees in Sevilla

Here is the start of my profile and portfolio with more work being added as I go.  Part of the process for me is fine tuning the photos I have before posting them to be—hopefully—purchased.  On the recommendation from Kellie I downloaded a free photo altering program called GIMP.  I don’t do that much to the photos besides cleaning up the crop, sharpening the picture, changing to black/white schemes, etc.

I would like to think that so far everything is running smoothly.  Though, I am still searching for that elusive first purchase.  Granted I haven’t put as much effort into marketing as I should, but that is something to continue to build and work on as I go.

Currently I am working on a few photos from my recent trip to L.A. with my sister for her belated birthday/missed graduation gift.  That is in addition to the photos I have from London and Spain that I am also working on as well. 

Big Ben

As I get this photography business under my belt perhaps one day I will buy one of those ‘real’ cameras for photography.  Until then I am pretty happy with my Panasonic Lumix. 

Also, the scarf progresses, if not at an incredibly slow pace.  More updates to come in the following weeks.  Until next time!

Brittani