Interview with a Photographer: Point and Click Shooter-Sue of Photowannabe

OK, It’s lecture time again.

I get sort of sick of hearing about how everyone just has to have a big fancy camera.

Shut it.

You heard me right. Stop it right this second.

Now, don’t get me wrong, if I came home from work tomorrow and there was a big fancy camera sitting on my front door step I would flip out with happinessbut for now, I am going to say,

              just work with what you have.                      If you have a big fancy camera, you are blessed.  Be thankful.

And if you don’t have a big fancy camera, guess what? You can take beautiful pictures any way. You do not have to have a big fancy camera to be a great photographer.

You do not even have to have photoshop to be a great photographer. 

You DO have to have passion. Are you passionate about taking pictures?

This interview today with Sue of Photowannabe will show you that anyone with any camera can take pretty pictures. 

Sue didn’t start getting serious until later in life, and as you will see, she captures life beautifully {with a point+shoot}!I hope you enjoy this interview. I love Sue’s pictures and I love her outlook on life. She is a beautiful person. Be inspired.

What part of the country do you live in?

My husband, Dave and I moved to Rocklin, California 3 years ago.  This was after living in the same house for 41 years in the San Francisco Bay Area.  41 years is a long time to be in the same place and I think everything we owned grew roots.  Can you imagine what a job packing and actually moving was?

Rocklin is about an half an hour East of Sacramento and the Sierra Nevada Foothills.  Its a great place and we haven't regretted one minute of it. 

Why ?  To at least be near one of our sons' and finally No Stairs...outdoor living instead of fog...and to just enjoy retired life.

 Tell us about your family.

We have 2 married sons and 4 grandkids.  Younger son has a boy, 15 and a girl 7.  Older son has 2 girls, 16 and 10 1/2.

Do you see your family frequently?

Its unfortunate that we only see our younger son and family once or twice a year.  They live in Oregon and Mark is a RN with a crazy schedule.  We see our older son Steve and his family often since they only live 8 minutes away and we go to the same church.

I haven't posted pictures of the kids on FB or my blog for privacy reasons.  They don't want me to and I respect their concerns.  I do have some great ones though.  Wish you could see them.  I have cute grandkids if I do say so myself!

What do you shoot with?

Several years ago I bought a Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3.  It has plenty of bells and whistles for a point and shoot.  It seems my "senior moments" hinder my doing much with them.  Sometimes I wish I was doing more with the camera or trying something bigger and better, but you know, I'm doing ok and I'm happy with the pix most of the time. My poor son has tried to help me but I guess he can't teach this old dog new tricks. 

Do you use your camera at church?

I don't use my camera skills at church except for my own pleasure.  My son Steve is a co-lead for a team of 25 photographers that archive everything that happens at church, 24/7...365!! Since the church has 5 (soon to be 6) services each week and around 20,000 attending each week, there is plenty to take pictures of.                        

What made you decide to start shooting?

I have always liked photography and do now consider it an art form.  My Grandpa was a professional portrait photographer and my Dad had a tremendous passion for taking photos.  I'm afraid I wasn't very patient with him as a kid.  Dad was such a perfectionist that my natural smile often turned into a grimace before he was satisfied with all the stops etc.  If only he had had a digital camera. I think he would have had a ball and I would have been a lot happier.  All that to say that it was a process with me and the Digital camera freed me to just enjoy the world around me. I know I look at things differently since viewing life through the lens.

Do you ever leave home without your camera?

Sad to say that I do forget my camera and its always at a time when its a once in a lifetime moment.

Does your husband enjoy your hobby?

I am blessed to have a Hubby that fully supports my clicking and offers to take me out on shoots all the time.  He has a little Sony point and shoot which he brings along and we just have fun together.  Being retired does have its benefits.

Where is your next big trip going to be?

This year Dave and I hope to go to Mexico with 800 high school and college students over Easter vacation.  The adults act as counselors and work teams.  We'll probably be on kitchen and security duty.  Its a full time job to feed that many people everyday.

What do you love about going on these mission trips?  Well just about everything.  I love to travel, see new places and meet such interesting people. I have done short term trips to Haiti, Nicaragua twice, Uzbekistan and last year Kenya.  Kenya was so amazing and exotic.  It really got into my blood and I would give anything to be able to return.  Unless something fabulous happens to our wallets it probably won't happen in this lifetime.

Does your camera make you stand out during your trips?

Yes, taking pictures in foreign countries is a great icebreaker. Everyone loved seeing themselves immediately on the camera screen.  A lot of the little children in Kenya hadn't seen white people up close and were afraid.  They would sneak a finger and rub my arm to see what it was like.  Taking their picture and showing them even if we couldn't speak the language made them feel like I was a friend and not a danger.

What made you decide to start a blog?

My cousin is also a fantastic photographer and suggested I put my pictures up on a blog so he could see them and I could share them with others.  That was the hardest thing for me to do.  It felt like I was totally exposing myself to the world.  I got brave and did it and there was no turning back.  Its still scary to feel so vulnerable but the rewards out weigh the hesitations. People may not care for the picture I post but I put it up because I like it.  I guess art is in the eye of the beholder.

Do you have any advice for budding photographers?

The only advice I can offer a newbie to taking pictures is   JUST SHOOT...keep doing it.....and enjoy.  That delete button is a great device but try fiddling with some of your mistakes.  Who knows you may create a masterpiece.

I love the blogging community and the friends I have made around the world.  How else would i ever learn first hand about so many countries and people. 

Please go and visit Sue’s blog: Photowannabe

‘See everything;

overlook a great deal;

correct a little.’

  ~Pope John XXIII