about photography and art

When I began this journey into digital photography, like many others I am sure, 

I came to the internet for information. 

I don't know how I made my decision from the myriad blogs, courses and sites 

for my initiation into this world  

but I am so glad that I chose the supportive and creative community at 52 Photos Project.  

From Bella's cozy welcome and ongoing support, to her resource sharing 

not to mention the wonderful people I 'met' there... 

It is there that I discovered Kim Klassen's Cafe and Vivienne McMaster's awesome e-courses 

and other groups and bloggers. 

I didn't have a blog at the time and was really just learning how to use my camera...

I now know enough about Photoshop to realize that I will never know everything about it and to be able to maneuver through more than I can use right now!

I am happily fumbling my way through creating and using a blog and flickr groups

I have met some incredibly talented and supportive people . . .

I would like to say thanks to two of those people now . . .here...

Angie 

and 

Nancy 

Both visited my first AND second attempts at blogging. 

Not just once but regularly. 

Nancy gave me great feedback on my first attempts at textures. 

Angie was my first (and only!) follower. Can't tell you how exciting THAT was!

Their encouragement and comments fed my soul at a time when I wondered 

why I was even doing this...

there are SO MANY incredibly talented people out there!! 

Incredibly talented ARTISTS!

and yet, here were two people whose work I admired tremendously 

actually looking at and commenting on my little blog

...and saying good things about my photos!! 

Truly they kept me going and, as I continue, I carry their generosity of spirit with me... 

When I visited their sites I was blown away by the talent of these two women 

...and the time commitment that they put into their craft, their blogs and encouraging others!!

ANGIE

On one occasion that I visited Angie's blog, Seeing Through The Lens.

I fell in love with these amazing photos with black backgrounds that she was taking with her scanner!! Incredibly beautiful art! 

I don't have a scanner but I was learning all about backgrounds! 

I decided to try to create a similar effect in Photoshop.

It doesn't hold a candle to Angie's work but I was pretty happy with it!!

NANCY

I also happened upon a fabulous shot and texture on Nancy's blog, A Rural Journal

and Nancy was offering the fabulous texture for free! 

I applied it to one of my similar shots to emulate her artistic photo 

(which was easy because she gave a step by step explanation!)

Spring Fever Texture by Nancy Claeys at A Rural Journal

Again...I need to learn much more to create something as beautiful as Nancy had but I was thrilled!!

I can't even begin to thank either of them, or the countless others who have welcomed and helped me through my initial trepidatious steps into the world of digital photography..

As I stretch my boundaries to include a little more regularity of contributions 'out there' I am exploring and adding new groups to follow and participate in.

One site that I have recently joined, Pixel Dust Photo Art, hosts a Photo Art Friday 

I am linking to it for the first time today to show off my new found Photo Art skills 

and to give credit where credit is due...to my inspirational friends and instructors! 

Thank you Angie, Bella, Kim, Nancy and Vivienne 

for teaching, inspiring, motivating and supporting me!!