2015... Aaaaaaand we're off!

Back when I first got into photography maybe seven years ago or so, the only thing I had was a tiny little point and shoot digital camera and I loved that sucker. It went everywhere with me. If it wasn't in my hand it was in my purse ready to be whipped out at a moment's notice. I had so much fun shooting and sharing everything I came across -  animals, leaves, sunsets, puddles on the sidewalk... to this day, a photo I took years ago of my Christmas Starbucks cup is one of my most-purchased photos on RedBubble.com (apparently it makes a popular holiday card)! I was constantly looking for new subjects and trying out new things and having a blast doing it.

Then, somewhere along the way things changed. As I got more and more into photography and eventually bought my first DSLR, all of a sudden instead of just composing a picture and showing it off, I was worried about my camera body, switching back and forth between a bunch of different lenses, lugging around a ginormous camera bag, did I have the right accessories, learning post-processing, and on and on.  

And don't get me wrong, I have had a lot of fun with it. I still love my big camera, and post-processing is one of my very very favorite activities. But this past year I really started noticing every photo that I missed because I never had my camera with me unless I was specifically out on a photo excursion of some sort. Every time I'd see a gorgeous sunrise on my morning walk from the office to the coffee shop, I'd get horribly nostalgic for the days when I could just pull my camera out of my back pocket and capture the moment.

So, I decided to do something about it! I've been needing a new phone anyway, so late last year I specifically purchased one with a great camera, with the intention of actually using it for photos on a regular basis. For a long time I was hung up on taking photos with my camera, lest someone mistake the horrible grainy out of focus snapshots for real attempts at good art. 

But no more! My new phone has a lot of customizable camera options and the photo quality is actually good enough to make me happy. 

Last night, I got my first chance to really use it and I was so happy with the experience. I was scheduled to meet up with my friend Ryan and some other folks to take photos at Pike Place Market. Since this was meant to be a real photo shoot I loaded up my camera bag my tripod and all of my gear into my car and headed out. And once I got there, I promptly realized the only item I had left at home was the battery I needed to make my camera work. 

A hearty forehead slap ensued.

But then Brilliant Ryan, as he is now known in my head, reminded me that I had a brand new phone for this purpose and turned my epic fail into a perfect opportunity to try out my new gear.

I had an absolute blast taking photos with my phone, and loved not lugging around a tripod. I fully intend to make this a new habit! 

2015, here I come!