Internal Reason #2: CHILDREN

     Child photography has captured me ever since I met Tina Ryan, proprietress of Life is a Highway Photography.  Her use of color, texture, and landscaping to capture children's playfulness and beauty really inspired me to pick up a camera and capture more of my own child's growth and development (since Tina probably doesn't want to move in with me, I can't cook).

        Since capturing this moment, one of my first "shoots" with the DSLR, I have been hooked on trying to find ways to document the uber-romantic nature of children.

In my other life, the one that pays the bills, I am a board certified behavior analyst, and I supervise home programming for children and teens with autism.  I am often toting my camera along w/ me, either to take pics of their materials for creating choice books, or because it's too hot to leave the camera in the car.  One mother asked if I would photograph her child, as her family abroad had never seen pics of him.  She is unable to get him into a photo studio like picture people, and all her spare change goes to his education.  I can't share those pics as I don't have permission from her, but despite bad lighting and bad staging, I was able to capture some shots that completely reflected his spirit.  That day sealed the deal: I have to learn as much as I can about child photography, because I want to photograph children with special needs.  It feeds both my internal and external motivations and marries my three loves - children with special needs, making people happy, artistic expression/photography.