What’s Your Life Passion

I always hear people talk about their life passion and how they follow their life passion and they make money.   When I hear that I am jealous, how do they do that?  If I follow my life passion then I will become a starving artist.  In my 20′s, when I lived in San Francisco and attending Academy of Art college it was ok to be a starving artist, going to drawing class, computer labs, taking pictures and having a great time ‘finding myself’.  Well, I never finished my art degree because I became tired of being a starting artist and realized that the one thing I really wanted in my life was a family so I got married and had kids.  So here I am, happy with my family life but honestly, there is something missing. As long as I can remember I’ve always had a passion for photography, always had a camera and entered contests from a young age.

After I got married but before the girls were born I continued pursuing my passion for photography and traveled around with Lou and took many photographs.  I was published in People Magazine and won an award at the California State Fair and sold my Stock Photography.   Those things showed me that I was on the right path.   Then the girls came along and while I still took 100′s of pictures of the girls and photos at family gatherings with my point and shoot camera I put my big camera (Nikon D300) in the closet in it’s camera bag because it was just too hard to lug around with all the baby gear.

The past few months of my life (Fall 2011) have been a struggle for me and I’ve been questioning my path.  Maybe it is that I am getting older and feel like I haven’t gone down the correct path BUT I have the family I’ve always wanted so what is the problem.  I have a successful Virtual Assisting business and in fact I am on my way to becoming an Online Business Manager and the ability to grow my business even larger.  This of course helps to pay the bills but something is missing, even Lou has noticed that the past few weeks I’ve been a little ‘lost’.  Each day after I drop Lily off at school I’ve been thinking about what my problem is and all I want to do is grab my camera and go shooting or move to Florida and work for Disney or Nascar but then I bring myself back down to Earth, and go to my office and get to work for my clients.

However, I’ve decided that I need to do something to bring me out of this funk and get back onto my path. I’ve decided to get photography back into my life, maybe for just a few hours a week for now. Don’t get me wrong, I love my life but something is missing.  I will be taking some online classes through Better Photo just help get me back into the game.

My soul soars when I am behind the lens, my heart beats faster when I’ve got some Blue Angels in my lens and I hold my breath when I see the perfect landscape.  When I am driving the girls around town I am always looking around at the landscape around me and ‘framing’ shots in my mind, I used to think that everyone did this…haha nope just photographers do that.

By following my passion of photography it will help me get back onto my path.  Who knows really where the path will take me, guess that is the part of life that makes it all exciting.  Maybe it will take me to Florida, maybe I will be published again, or maybe it will just bring me more joy which is all I really want.

Snow In Rancho…kind of

So it was really cold in Rancho Cordova and in the wee hours of the morning it snowed.  There really wasn’t much snow, but it was still fun to see the snow stick to our roof and Lily’s toys in the backyard.

Nikon School of Photography

Louis is now using my D70 since I saved up to by the D300 (which shall keep me satisfied for many years to come). He is quickly finding out why I love photography so much. He now understands how much thought really goes into each shot. While he may have thought I was crazy over the years caring so much about my subjects or just having to take a moment to get that shot right he now understands my passion.

Louis and I went to the Nikon School of Photography seminar this weekend at the Doubletree Hotel in Sacramento. The class on Saturday was called Introduction to Digital SLR Photography and the class on Sunday was The Next Steps in Digital Photography.

Last year I attended the Saturday class but with Lily being only a little over a year old I couldn’t be gone for both days and had to wait until this year to take the Sunday class. Now that Louis is venturing into the world of photography we thought it would be a good idea for him to go to the Saturday class. He just LOVED it and it is all clicking (get it , clicking..camera click) into place for him now. He’s been reading my photography books (see my suggested reading list below) and he read through the D70 manual and SB800 manual in a weekend.

The teachers for the class were Nick Didlick and Bill Durrence, both just fantastic photographers (and teachers), I drool at their photography. I wish I had the skill set that they have, but I know that one day I will get close…I may be a grandmother by then but I will get there!

After the class on Sunday I told Louis that I had a great time and learned a lot and had a whole list of ‘to do’s ‘ I want to do with our computer, my camera and a few things we need to purchase. I also told him that I need to step my game up and do what I want to do with my photography. I need to practice, practice and practice. Only then will I have enough confidence to do the photography assignments that I am dreaming about.

I want to shoot Nascar!

I know what you are thinking, it is for dudes, it is dangerous and I can’t take Lily…but I don’t care, I want to do it. I’ve never in my life been so certain about wanting to do something before. I’ve sat around for years now not having that ‘drive or passion’ for what I was doing at the time. I’ve been in school to get that ‘token’ degree so that I could work in the corporate world and make money so that I could do photography – on the side… as a hobby. But now that ‘on the side crap’ is over! I am going to do photography because I LOVE IT!

Do what you love and you will be happy, isn’t that the saying? When ever you see some annoyingly happy person on Oprah talking about how they made their dreams come true they always end up saying “I am doing what I love for a living and that is why I am so happy and successful.” I want to be that person on Oprah’s couch jumping up and down like looney Tom Cruise. I want people at home eating their cheez-its sitting on the couch watching Oprah wishing to be me and listening to me saying ” I am doing what I love for a living and that is why I am so happy and successful.”

I am going for it!

Don’t get me wrong, Lily is a blessing (thanks to taking those extra Clomid pills) and I love her with all my heart. She is what I asked god to give me but I need to do more with my life. When I was shooting the Blue Angels at the air show, I was so pumped up. I can’t even describe how awesome it felt to be right there, under those jets, shooting those pictures. I felt a rush from my head to my toes and I’ve never felt that way about any job or fracken hobby before.

So, as one of my current clients says (yes I still have a boring job to pay the bills) – What are you waiting for?

Here are the books I’ve read and recommend in this awesome world of photography:

  1. Real World Digital Photography by Katrin Eismann, Sean Duggan, and Tim Grey
  2. The Digital Photography Book (vol 1 & 2) : How to make your photos look like the pros – by Scott Kelby
  3. Scott Kelyby’s 7-Point System for Adobe Photoshop – by Scott Kelby (duh)
  4. Photography by Barbara London (check this one out from the library..it is expensive but a beautiful book with a little bit of history and a lot of instruction, oh and really heavy.
  • If you are a history nerd like myself then check out these photography textbooks about the history of photography
  1. Decade by Decade – Twentieth Century American Photography
  2. Seizing The Light – A History of Photography by Robert Hirsch
  • The next books I am going to purchse are:
  1. The Moment It Clicks by Joe McNally
  2. Real World CaptureNX

Oh yeah, here is why I starting writing this blog tonight, I wanted to share this picture of Lily. This is a trick that I learned from Nick Didlick at the Nikon seminar. Make a photo black & white but keep an element in color. I’ve seen this type of photo countless times and I’ve never had brain capacity to remember to find out how to do this. Well, I’m not going to tell you here…figure it out on your own! Or go to the seminar next year =) But is was so easy so I am kicking myself for not doing it sooner.

Lily with her snow cone at Funderland.

I made my first sale on iStock!!!

I made my first sale on iStock ! I am so excited! Can you tell? The image of the Forest Hill Bridge was downloaded and I made….drum roll please…..75 cents. I am so excited that I made money from a picture that I took. I know that it is not the big leagues but really it feels good to do something that you love and make some money…..yes not even enough to go shopping at the dollar store but I will keep taking pictures and keep submitting my photos to them.

Blue Angels ROCK!

California Capital Air Show – March 15-16, 2008


We went to the California Capital Air Show and had a great time. Lily was such a trooper. She wore her orange ear plugs but still had Daddy cover her ears when the planes flew by. We went into the air show and we got to see a lot of planes and Lily played in the ‘kids zone’ which was just a bunch of bounce houses. We ate naughty food and watched most of the air show.

Everyday is racing day you know! FedEx had their #11 Denny Hamlin car at the Air Show. Louis and Lily got to go into the FedEx plane. I stayed and drooled over the car.

Lily with horses, Mickey and Gus from the Sacramento Sheriff Mounted Patrol. She thought they were cute.

Helicopter rescue demonstration.
But when it was almost time for the Blue Angels to perform we left becuase we knew that Lily could not handle the show noise. So we drove around into a neighborhood and found a quite little spot to watch the show…NOT.

We found the best spot, it is a street that is right next to the runway called N. Mather & Baroque. Lily was ok with the noise but only if Daddy was holding her.

All photos were shot with the Nikon D300, 18-200mm lens at 200mm. These photos are not cropped, we were that close!

Here is a link to my photo gallery on BetterPhoto – http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/free/gallery.asp?memberID=240561&rows=100&style=large

When I was taking these pictures I was so pumped up. The planes were flying so low and I was getting so many great shots. We didn’t have to deal with large crowds of people and getting home was a breeze.

This shot was taken right after #1-4 took off, then we were looking for # 5 & 6 and then woosh, here they come right at us. They took off at the end of the runway (see map) and just zoomed up. I just can’t even describe how awesome it felt to be right there with my camera.

There is one time where jet #5 comes right down the street and it is very loud. It was an amazing thing to see, we felt like we were on the runway. Just amazing.

This is when they were landing. They went right down the street we were on because the runway was at the end of the street. We got to see all six of them slow down for their landing, again they were so close it was unreal.

These are photos from Sunday. We went to the same spot with George & Claudia, Donovan, Julia, Nona, Papa, Grandma & Grandpa. We had a great time and the kids did really well.

I didn’t take as many photos on Sunday as I felt I got a lot (200) of the Blue Angels. I just looked for the ‘money shots’.

Lily wanted to take pictures just like Mama & Daddy, Papa gave her his ear muffs used for the range and she loved them.
Donovan looks so cool in this picture!

This is Louis and the Blue Angels. He was shooting pictures too. He had a blast!


Here is Julia & Grandpa. As I took this picture she said ” ok, 1,2,3 lets all go in the car”

The kids were great. We opened up the back of the odyssey and they all hung out there most of the time. Julia, Lily & Donovan all used the camera.

Here the kids hanging out in the car, they were so cute. They were running from side to side of the car looking through the windows at the planes.

Lily is taking a picture with her camera through the back window of the odyssey. All day long she talked about taking pictures of the planes.

We can’t wait until next year!

Stock Photography

In an effort to combine my love of photography and my need for money I am trying to enter the world of Stock Photography. My best friend Kathy told me of some great sites to try and get my photos on.
http://www.dreamstime.com/
http://www.bigstockphoto.com/
http://www.fotolia.com/
http://submit.shutterstock.com/ I submited a few photos on Dreamstime and BigStock and some were approved. To see my photo check out this link to Dreamstime and BigStock I plan on trying to get more photos approved this weekend ! To check out Kathy’s photography on iStock go here: http://www.istockphoto.com/user_view.php?id=201619

Stock Photography

In an effort to combine my love of photography and my need for money I am trying to enter the world of Stock Photography. My best friend Kathy told me of some great sites to try and get my photos on.

http://www.dreamstime.com/
http://www.bigstockphoto.com/
http://www.fotolia.com/
http://submit.shutterstock.com/

I submited a few photos on Dreamstime and BigStock and some were approved. To see my photo check out this link to Dreamstime and BigStock

I plan on trying to get more photos approved this weekend !

To check out Kathy’s photography on iStock go here:
http://www.istockphoto.com/user_view.php?id=201619

California State Fair – Fine Arts Awards

On Thursday, August 11th Louis and I attended the awards ceremony for the California State Fair. We were also able to view the Fine Arts show a day before the fair opened and I was able to see my photograph displayed. It was cool to see it there among all those other winning artists.

I was awarded an Award of Merit for my photograph of the Iron Fence outside of the Crocker Art Gallery. The Rosette that I received was a lot bigger than I thought it would be !! There are many different types of art mediums in the show from sculpture to drawing to photography. It is a pretty cool art show, there is even a sculpture of a dinosaur.

There were about 12 Black and White photographs in the show. My photograph is displayed next to the guy who got a Juror’s award and his photograph is amazing. I am very honored to have been chosen to be in the show, this is a good sign for me that I am moving my photography career in the right direction.

If you plan on attending the fair this year be sure to stop by the Expo Buildings (not the ones where they sell all the crap) and visit building #7 which is the California Fine Arts Exposition. Also, be sure to pick up a Fine Arts program on your way into the building.

This is what I wrote about my photograph, it is displayed next to it.

Artist Statement
Dawn Cullo
Iron Fence
Division: 420
Class: 01
I noticed this fence while walking in downtown Sacramento on a cloudy day and was overcome with trepidation when I looked at the building it surrounded. It reminded me of a haunted house. For me this perspective enhanced the foreboding characteristics of the fence and the enclosed structure. The feelings I had when I finally ventured inside were a sheer contrast to what I felt outside. The interior of the building was stunningly beautiful and filled with amazing artwork. I had entered the Crocker Art Museum.

Indoor Exhibits & Attractions

California Fine Art
California artists, 18 years of age and older, compete for cash awards and special recognition in the Golden State’s oldest and most prestigious fine arts competition. Competition Divisions range from traditional media and forms – painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, and photography – to new art forms such as film, light, and sound. Special Theme Divisions for 2005 include: Western & Equine Art, The Art of Culture, At the Water’s Edge – Plein Air, Vino! (The Art of Wine), and the Art of Tea.

Award of Merit

Hi Everyone,
The results from the State Fair Fine Art Competition have been announced. I received an “Award of Merit” for my photograph. I will get $40.00 bucks and a State Fair ribbon. I am just happy to have been picked to be part of the competition and the ribbon is pretty cool too.Louis and I have been invited to attend a reception on August 11th at the State Fair to accept

the ribbon and view the exhibit before the Fair opens. I am pretty jazzed that we don’t have to pay the State Fair admission price just to see my photograph displayed.

=)
Dawn

Big Fun !

Do you plan on attending the California State Fair this year? It is taking place August 12th – September 5th. If so, be sure to check out the California Fine Art Competition in the Expo Center.

I entered the picture below and it was chosen as one of the final 183 artworks from almost 1000 entries to be a part of the competition. I should find out how my picture placed in the competition by July 13th. Keep your fingers crossed for ‘Best In Show’. My picture will be hung along side an artist bio. Winning something doesn’t really matter to me I am just so excited to have been accepted into the show.

The picture was taken of the fence outside the Crocker Galleria in Sacramento. I played with the contrast levels in Photoshop and created the photograph.


Iron Fence
16 x 20
By: Dawn Cullo

Award Information
Up to 190 entries are accepted into the Fine Art show
1) Best In Show (1)- State Fair Rosette & Special Trophy
2) Juror’s Award (6) – $500 plus Golden Bear and State Fair Rosette
3) Award of Excellence (30) – $180.00 plus State Fair Crystal Award
4) Award of Merit (154) – $40.00 plus State Fair Rosette

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