Ever wonder, hey Julie how did you get into photography? Maybe you have or maybe you have not. If we go way back, my little sister was allowed to handle my parent's camera first. Being much older I did not think it fair. For a while it was her thing. Dad let her use his camera often. I wanted to but no one ever offered to let me use it. The camera until then was something breakable and only for adults. I finally got my start as a wedding photographer at about age ten. You see by this time I was taller than my mother and could shoot above the heads of the other wedding guests! Yes, I finally got a chance! Unlike my mom I did not cut the heads off of the people I photographed, so she had me take more photos at other weddings we attended. Now these were not great or fantastic shots. They were taken with a simple point and shoot camera with a flash bulb. Then one Christmas my sister and I each got Kodak point and shoot cameras. I was thrilled. I mostly photographed our dogs, family and friends. In high school one year I joined the photography club along with my cousin and a couple of friends. The guy who ran the club worked for the local newspaper. Unfortunately even though we had access to a dark room the club was completely broke. All we did was chat and try to come up with ideas of things to do. I learned a little bit about photography but not enough to really say so. I didn't rejoin the following year since we didn't take or display or process any photos. I would have had more photographic experiences if I had joined the Yearbook club. I loved art as a child and my first art teacher was very encouraging. Then he disappeared one year and I struggled after that. It seems as if my painting and drawing skills are stuck in fourth grade.. I was always trying to draw horses, dogs and forest scenes. I can remember classmates making fun of my drawings in junior high. I gave up on my dreams of being an artist. I still drew and colored from time to time but it was more therapeutic and not really anything to share. I would like to think I do better painting by capturing light with a little magic box. In college I was determined to become a Veterinarian. Suddenly the science that had been so easy in high school was difficult and riddled with math. Turns out my advisor didn't think I would make through freshmen year and was shocked to see me actually graduate. I am not sure if her comment was meant to be praise or a slap in the face! My GPA was not high enough to be able to pursue a career in Veterinary Science.. Strangely I was mandated to take at least one course in art. My professor was wonderful and encouraging and I actually received an A for a grade. It was just a very general course in art. I did consider adding a photography course but my academic load was already a bit much to bare and I still had to have enough time to work too. Not to mention I don't think my little point and click would have worked out well for class. So photography got put on hold again. Looking back now it should have been my major or minor mixed with a business degree. My cousin had majored in photography in a local college. She was pretty smart. Check out My Story Photo by Sonia Hernandez if you get a chance, she is pretty amazing! I was a mess after college for many reasons. I tried and failed at a few jobs and eventually went back to retail, and substitute teaching. I saved up money for a decent camera and went to Ritz Camera one day. There they let me handle a few cameras and gave me some advice. I chose the Canon EOS Rebel 2000 as it was on sale and the manual focusing felt more natural to me than the Nikon. I've been with Canon ever since (my husband is a Pentax fan.) Now I had a way to create the photos especially of those things I could never draw or paint. Maybe I could learn to take photos as beautiful as the ones in Grandma's collection of National Geographic Magazines. Okay, well I am still not up to that caliber. I bought books and subscribed to Outdoor Photographer Magazine. I headed out into the woods and chased down waterfalls. I picked up tips from other photographers and even entered a few Photo Contests. I actually won one once . After that honorable mention I worked my way up to second place and then First in color one year at the show put on by the Rome Photo Shoppe. The winning photo is the one I use as my logo! Photography has turned from a hobby to an obsession. I am constantly trying to do better. It offers a different way to see the world or a way to get closer, more intimate with things most people either don't notice or take for granted like a simple leaf in a stream. It is beautiful, you could inspire a poem or a story with a photo. (I was told that when I was little if I came across a book without pictures I would throw it across the room.) I love wildlife photography for it's intimacy and challenge. Those few precious seconds shooting a bird in flight or deer fleeing across the field, or that buffalo you encountered on the trail that made you pray to be ignore and not charged. Photography is an adventure and or a way to document adventure whether it is a hike in the woods, capturing the love in a new marriage or the essence of someone. Photography can speak volumes without a word, perhaps that is why I love it!
Oh and in case you are interested I have joined up with Fine Art America to sell my photography. I have prints, canvas, metal prints, framed prints, notebooks, stickers, beach towels, face masks, tote bags, phone cases, mugs, shower curtains and even Yoga mats available. Just click on Prints and Gifts above and it will take you to Julie Metott.pixels.com which is where my free account up to twenty five photos is located. So if you need a gift for a little something for yourself please keep me in mind! At this point I intend all income from sales to be saved in order to help in the cost of a home so every purchase is more than greatly appreciated. I am going to give this a trial period before upgrading the site to allow posting more photos and personalization. If you see a photo on social media that you are interested in and it is not on my sale page, please contact me and I would be more than willing to add it for you. Thanks, and I hope you have a great day! |
Julie MetottNature Photographer, wife, mother, lover of outdoor adventure! Archives
November 2022
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