After another April snowstorm I was getting a bad case of cabin fever. After sitting around for awhile contemplating the situation.I decided to do something that I haven't done since I was a child.RUN AWAY! Unlike that long ago adventure, this time my bag was filled with my favorite CD's,snacks,water,and of course my camera. With a full tank of gas I hit the road.

Rolling down the back roads at a snail's pace,I was amazed at the number of photo opportunities that presented themselves. I don't know how many u-turns i took when I saw something that caught my attention. From old farmsteads and abandoned machinery to quaint little towns along the Mississippi river there was something to explore around every bend in the road.

After many hours on the road and a batch of photos to go through,...

Today I had my first sale on DT. Sometimes we get discouraged waiting for that big moment but when it comes. we get a renewed attitude and it's like starting fresh again. Thanks to whoever purchased my image. To everyone that has not had a sale yet, keep uploading and it will happen eventually!!

Technology is wonderful until it doesn't work! My computer has crashed twice in the last three years. When I started down the road to becoming more knowledgeable about today's technology, I forgot to take into consideration the many ways that technology can also bite you in the butt! I had many photos stored on my hard drive that are now gone forever. Some of them cannot be replaced and I learned to back up my files on a frequent schedule. There are a number of ways to do this but I have found that the easiest way for me is to burn them on to a cd even before editing them.That way I will always have the originals to work with.

I'm sure that I am not the only one that this has happened to. I just wanted to remind everyone BACK UP those files!!! Have a great 2008!

Have you ever seen THAT guy or girl with the blue tooth phone around their ear and wondered how important they must be to have to be connected to the device at all times? My next project is to try to capture that feeling in a photo. Maybe some of you would like to join me in this endeavor. Take a little time today and see if you can get the perfect shot that represents how dependent we are on our cell phones.

Please let me take this opportunity to wish everyone a safe and prosperous 2008. May all your uploads be accepted and may all your images be best sellers.

Isn,t it amazing how we look at something every day and don;t really SEE it. We walk by the the same things time after time and suddenly an idea for a photo pops into our head. Some of the best shots are often the simplest things. Part of being a good photographer is seeing things in a new light. At other times you see the potential but can't quite compose the shot the way you would like. Thankfully we now have digital cameras and the cost of our experimenting is dramatically reduced. Take some time today to look at things in a new way and it might lead to one of your best shots.

In today's hectic world, it is easy to get lost in all the little things that don't really matter in the long run. Be it another driver cutting us off or some clerk at the local store that doesn't really know what service means. We need to step back and reassess what is really important to us.

Family and friends should always be number one and we need to capture those moments when loved ones are with us. Grab your camera and record their smiles before they are gone. They will live on for all time in your images and your hearts.