Read This First – About this Blog

Here it is – my first blog post. If you’re reading it, thank you! Some housekeeping matters first: you’re probably wondering who I am and why on earth you should be on this site over the thousands of others that are out there. I will try to answer each of those questions as best I can.

My name is Mandi D, and I am an aspiring photographer. I consider myself an amateur, as I have no desire to ever ‘go pro’ – this is not, nor ever will be my career; it’s just something I love doing and hope to someday excel at. I am also a law student, a business owner, a wife, and a mother to two amazing English Bulldogs who fortunately don’t mind having their pictures taken. In my spare time I volunteer for a dog rescue and for a few law-related groups, but what I really like to do is take pictures.Image

I started this blog not because I think I am an amazing photographer that you could probably learn from. I started this blog partially to track my own progress, but also because since I’ve started talking to other amateur photographers, I’ve found that a lot of the best free information available is geared more toward professional photographers wanting to hone their craft. Short of actually taking classes, there isn’t a lot of places where aspiring photographers can go to learn the basics and have their questions answered in a simple, straightforward manner. Almost all photography websites or tutorials require some basic knowledge of terminology and concepts that are lost on a lot of beginners.

That’s where I come in. While I admit that I am not the best photographer out there, I am a really good student. And the one skill a good student has (especially a law student) is the ability to absorb large amounts of complex information in a short period of time and pull out the important parts. What I plan to offer on this website is exactly that – I’ve read the books, and deciphered the technical stuff – and as I learn to apply it myself, I will attempt to explain it to you in the clearest way possible. I hope that over time, as people come to read this site, it will become more interactive. I encourage you to ask questions and make requests: tell me what you want to know, what you’re confused about, and what you want to learn. I hope we can learn together.