When a photographer looks through the lens of a camera and takes a photo, we get an opportunity to see what the photographer saw when the shutter button was pushed.

But the lens looks in both directions, if we look at enough of a photographers photos we start to get a picture of the photographer.

As a photographer takes photos they show us more of themselves

So as your looking through the Dreamstimes portfolios remember that photographers can't help but to reveal themselves through their photos anymore than an artist putting paint to canvas.

I really enjoy all of the modern gadgets we have at our disposal.

Digital cameras are just one of them.

It seems everyday I see something new that's faster, smaller better and more high tech.

Sometimes I don't know how we made it this far in life with out them.

But the other side of that is to go to the simple things in life.

To sit around a campfire with family and friends, singing songs, talking, joking and just appreciating the company is hard to beat.

Then throw in some of the home cooking over the fire and it's almost heaven.

O.K. take the digital camera so we can show how much fun it is.

In my quest to increase my acceptance ratio, sales and number of photos I have in Dreamstime I have screwed up a few good photos.

I always want that very pure white background with the perfect lighting. In doing so I thought I would learn to isolate them in photoshop.

I of course am still learning this process so there are times I had a pretty good photo and kind of screwed it up by trying to isolate it.

After a rejection I enlarged it up to 200 percent and sure enough some of the edges looked ragged and not smooth.

I need to learn when I should leave it alone and let it run on it's own merrit.

After all, in real life and in photo's it's shadows that give it a sense of depth and warmth.

And not every photo will have an object plucked ...

Sometimes ya need to just get out of the house and go for a ride.

And when the winter has been long and nasty one starts to get a little shack wacky and that makes it all the more important to get out.

It makes it all the more enjoyable to take your camera and a campanion along to enjoy the scenery.

This is also a great opportunity to capture some good photos along the way.

I like to take old roads that have little traffic and just drive very slow to see what's out there.

It is really neat to all of a sudden get to a place and see a photo in your head that drives you to try anf get it in the camera

Of course I have not always managed to get the same picture in the camera that I had in my head but the hunt ...

A very wise person once told me to celebrate all your victories no matter how small they are because it helps balance out all of the downers life hands out.

So I am celebrating my 100th accepted photo.

The neat thing about Dreamstime is that there seems to be a place for everyone in the community.

I realize that for many people 100 files is no big deal. They put them up at one time. For others like me it's a continued quest.

The main thing I am happy to be a part of it.

Many times I have jumped in the vehicle and drove around looking for a new photo opportunity. Just a little something different from setting up shots in the studio.

But then there is the planned trip.

Especially this time of year when in the U.S. you can drive from the north to the south and go from winter to summer in one day.

Add to that the beauty and wonder of new territory never explored by myself and it is truly magic.

New Orleans is a very strange but beautiful place. It has everything from the sorrow of the hurricane remnants to the never ending party on Bourbon street.

Everything that a magical place could have.