"Soft Start to a New Day"

I thought I would start this blog with this image because it is the first image that I ever got excited about. I had been taking photographs for several years before I captured this picture. Yes, I had photos that I like before this one, but this image was the first one where I felt like everything I had learned, up to this point, came together. 

I took my time, used manual mode to adjust the aperture, ISO and shutter speeds plus my other settings. I searched the beach for an appropriate composition. Once the sun rose, I saw the pattern in the sand and knew that was my shot!
​
I had learned about leading lines and patterns in composition, but this was my first intentional use of those in one of my photographs. For me, this image had what I was looking for. The lines in the sand offered a foreground interest as well as a draw for the eye into the picture, and it leads you to the sunrise, in the background. Besides the pattern in the sand, I was blessed with a beautiful sky. I got excited, took my images and rushed home to see what I had captured.

It's always a surprise to see the image on the computer. The little LCD screen on the back of the camera, in my opinion, never does the image any justice--it's just too small to see. I was thrilled! I couldn't believe it. It was as if everything I had learned finally made sense to me. From that day forward, I have seen my photography in a whole new way.

I've slowed down. I've made a conscious effort to use the composition techniques that I am constantly studying, and I've started to delve deeper into light and color theories. 

I had a new confidence in my work and for the first time, I entered a photo into a competition. I competed against other photographers from around the world and landed in the top 5! I was ecstatic!

So, that's a little bit about why this image is so special to me.

---

Want to Learn More Photography?
Click Here