OK. I am a freshman in college at Midwestern State University and an amateur photographer. I am 18 years old, and have never taken a photo class or course. I pick up most of what I know about photography through magazines and The Corner.

Home is a rural little Texas town just 30 miles south of the Red River called Iowa Park. Most people never even heard of it. Iowa Park is where I do most of my photography. Its flat landscape and prairie lands make it an excellent location for photographing what I love most—Texas storms!

I am a full time student and I have a job at a local camera store where I am a sales clerk.

The ability to share my work around the world and gain insights and other photographic knowledge from other members. It’s just a great community!

You (Members of the Corner) are what made me the photographer that I am today. Without this place I would be lost and unimaginative. I credit you guys for helping me develop into the photographer I have become.

Experimentation, like I said no classes, just The Corner. I have, however, been accepted into the North American Nature Photography Association as a NHSSP.

Photography has always been a passion for me ever since I got my first film camera whenever I was 10 years old. It was an old 35mm with a quad lens set up. It would take four frames with one release of the shutter. That camera got me really interested into sports and action photography. I still have the camera to this day.

Currently I have a Nikon D50 DSLR as my main camera body. I have a Sigma 300 f/4 APO 1:3 Macro (My favorite lens), a Sigma 14mm f/3.5 ZEN, a Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 APO HSM (My spots lens), a Tokina AT-X 287 Pro, and Two Nikkor AF 50mm f/1.8. I also have an SB600 flash with a Better Beamer flash extender and a Cokin filter system. My next purchase will probably be a Nikon D200/300. I haven’t decided just yet.

Iowa Park is a very generous place. I have three special locations where I go to take most of my photographs. First there is a small lake (Gordon Lake) about four blocks from my house. The lake is a bird sanctuary and I see lots of different waterfowl there. The lake is also an excellent place for sunrise/sunset shots. In the summer I often visit this lake three times a day.

Gordon Lake Sunrise

Snowy Egret with Catch

Secondly, there is a road that cuts back into the country where a farmer has kindly allowed me on his property. This is a great spot for seeing migrating birds. There is also an abundance of jack rabbit, coyote, and birds of prey there. The land is also as flat as it can get, making it an ideal place for storm photography!

Silhouette

And lastly, there is a newly discovered photo “hotspot”; it’s another lake that is about a mile away from my house. I recently learned about this lake and thought that I’d go check it out. This lake (Middle Lake/Lake Iowa Park) is mainly used for boating and swimming. It is a great place to once again, find migrating waterfowl and other shore birds. The lake is full at this point and the water is so still that I can get a perfect reflection of a sunset, or a blue sky... and of course storm clouds!

Wyman Meinzer is a huge influence on my photography. He captures the Texas landscape and wildlife as I do. His ideas and use of perspective is something that I admire. Other Corner members inspire me. They can spark new ideas and make me want to try new things.

Whoa! Only 24 exposures! Tough question. I’d probably photograph my friends and family, mainly because I don’t photograph them enough, and they are all that’s really important to me.

About two years ago I was up in New York in the Adirondack Mountains photographing waterfalls. I spotted a waterfall with a rainbow on another face of a cliff. I leaned over a 200ft drop to a raging river while my Aunt Becky held on to my belt loop and made sure I didn’t fall. I almost slipped and didn’t get a picture of the waterfall. I’ll never do that again... probably.

Yes I have won nine rewards and publications.(In chronological order)

1. 2nd place in the 14th annual MSU High school Art Competition.
2. 1st place in the First annual Region 9 4H photo contest.
3. 1st place in the 2006 Texas Oklahoma Fair, Youth division.
4. 2nd place is the 2006 Texas Oklahoma Fair, Best in Show
5. NANPA NHSSP
6. 2nd place in the 15th annual MSU High School Art Competition.
7. 1st place in the Second annual Region 9 4H photo contest.
8. 3rd place in the 7th annual River Bend Nature Center photo contest, Youth division.
9. Published in 2007 Summer Student edition Nature’s Best Photography Magazine.

Actually no, but I am working with a local antique store (who also deals with fine art) to sell some of my photographs there.

Join this community! These guys are the greatest. They’ll help you grow and learn, and before you know it, you’re going to California at a NANPA summit meeting and working with professional photographers, or your getting a scholarship to help pay for your college tuition because the Art department reviewed your portfolio and wants to recruit you. I’m so lucky to have found such a wonderful community of fellow artists that share the same passion as I do, and without them I would be nothing. I owe it all to you.