
My love for photography comes from my artistic side, which I inherited from my Mother. When we were growing up she had a camera (I don’t know the brand name) that took beautiful black and white photos. I still remember her struggling to get the perfect combination of light, focal points, and composition. Those photos are part of my memory of my family, my city, and my house when I was a child, and I will always treasure them.
Then, my best friend at Law School had the soul and the skill of a photographer, and he took amazing photos. One day he came to my house and offered to take a photo of me, each of my brothers and sister, and my parents. He framed them and gave them to my Mother as a present. Until the day I left my house to get married, those photos were hanging in the stairs going up to our rooms. I still have them!
My first “serious” camera was a Sony, which was with me for a long time. Then, I upgraded to a Kodak Advantix C-400 (which I still have) that allowed me to take panoramic (I had a lot of fun with it). Then, I bought my first digital camera, a Sony Cyber-shot 5.0 mega pixels, with a memory stick. What an amazing discovery! Together with the camera, I had the first software that allowed me to enter into a digital dark room to play with my photos. At that time, I was convinced I was doing a decent job as a photographer, but, as I see the photos today I realize how much I had to learn, starting with having the proper equipment, understanding how the equipment works as it relates to the basic principles of art (light, composition, focus), and then releasing my creativity (and not the other way around). I have since learned that taking a photo of a beautiful tree is not as simple as standing in front of it and taking the photo. I have learned, like my Mother before me, that light is the magic ingredient of any photo, and composition is what makes us go back again to the photo, over and over. And I have learned the importance of finalizing the photo as close as possible to the way it was originally taken, with limited (but effective) digital dark room manipulation.
In 2008 I purchased a Canon Rebel XT, and started my collection of lenses and filters. My self-education as a photographer, commenced with studying basic material about the art and science of photography. I have not met anyone that could approach a photo without having a good fundamental knowledge of what would happen when we “click” the camera.
Then, in 2010, I felt confident enough to invest in a Canon 7D, and install Photoshop in my computer. Then, I upgraded to a Canon EOS 5 Mark III, and later a Canon EOS 5 Mark IV. I also use a FujiFilm XT-10 (Mirrorless), and now I also have Lightroom. I am constantly refreshing my knowledge of the Camera and the art of Photography, through books, magazines, and online classes.
I am a photographer. I like very much what I can accomplish with the tools and knowledge I have acquired as of today. I know that with every photo I take, I learn something new, I feel more confident about what I am doing. I am open to the advise of other photographers that have done this for a long time, and I always pay close attention to the photos that say something to my spirit, no mater where I find them.
I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I do.