Introduction to LIArtPhotography - Art Photography Capturing the Beauty of Now...

Thought for the day: The path to your dreams isn't always a straight one...

Welcome photography, portrait and art lovers both on Long Island and beyond!

LIArtPhotography is a blog about photography, my experience building a portrait photography business, and the pursuit of art.

About Me:

I've always loved photography. It was for me both a fun hobby and a challenge - the challenge of working to render images the way I saw them; the challenge of marrying technical skill with a creative eye in pursuit of that ever-elusive goal - art.

And for years, art - painting, singing, drawing and photography - occupied the back seat on my long and winding drive through corporate America, independent professional development business ownership, and motherhood. But like any back-seat driver, it kept nagging, reminding me of its presence, suggesting detours that would take me back in the direction of the things I truly loved, things I felt passionate about.

Still, I kept on my path. Until one Christmas. It occurred to my husband that I might want to upgrade from a point-and-shoot digital camera (albeit a nice one) to a more serious camera. To be honest, at first I was rather intimidated. I'd never had the courage to leave the "auto" setting in exploration of "aperture priority," "shutter priority," or, heaven-forbid, "manual" modes. Now, my new Nikon, with its interchangeable lenses, beckoned me to forge ahead. To experiment. To override the bland, common, boring results I was getting from "auto" mode, and to pursue my vision.

When something strikes me - whether it's a mossy area between old willow trees dappled with sunlight, or a sparkling glint in a child's eyes - I want to capture it exactly how I see it. "Auto" wasn't cutting it.

The discrepancy between what I saw in my mind's eye and what I was getting back in print form, was disheartening. This was true creative tension...

So, I enrolled in a photography program, determined to overcome my intimidation, fired up about learning everything I needed to know to get closer to achieving my vision. I read my camera's manual over and over. Studied my educational lessons intently. And even better, began testing what I was learning in daily shoots.

I shot everything - nature, children, people, landscapes, old buildings, shadows, shapes, lines, anything that struck me as interesting, things filled with possibilities....

It wasn't long before the images I saw in print began to catch up with the "art" my inner eye had first envisioned. The closer I got, the more excited I got. The more excited I got, the more my passion for photography was fueled.

But still, something was nagging at me. Did I really want to be taking pretty pictures of nature? Of interesting cracks in cement? Sure. But there was something else that called much stronger. As an artist, I'd always drawn portraits. I'd spend hours rendering faces, never satisfied until I got it just right. I have a wonderful memory for faces and I had a knack for capturing the essence of a person in my renderings. Why not focus on portrait photography then?

That back seat driver was right again. And the decision to heed its advice, has shaped my life tremendously. Every day I look forward to new sessions, to meeting new and interesting Long Islanders, to capturing the essence of a wide range of people from newborns and up. And it's rewarding. The emails I get when they first view their online portfolios, the happiness they convey, make me smile. THIS is what life is all about.

I look forward to my continuing journey, the ongoing pursuit of art, the challenge and rewards of using art photography to help others capture and preserve the many beautiful things in the here and now.

I thank you for visiting and hope you'll come along for the ride!

Warmly,
Susan
www.liartphotography.com

Remember the thought for the day: The path to your dreams isn't always a straight one...