I got into photography with a point and shoot digital camera sometime around 2000. I had no idea about the fundamentals, rules of composition, etc., but I was having a great deal of fun snapping shots. Nature was (and still is) my favorite subject - the more colorful the better! It's said that there are more sunrise/sunset photos than there are people, and maybe it's true, but that didn't lessen the enjoyment of sitting on a hillside trying to capture those amazing colors.

In 2005 I got my first dSLR, the Nikon D70. This camera opened up a new world to explore and pushed me into learning the fundamentals. Since then I've upgraded through the Nikon system to a D80 and then on to the D700 with each jump opening up new techniques to learn. Now I have super-close macro systems, complex lighting systems, sound triggers for high speed stuff, and a slew of other toys and tricks, but I still get a lot of pleasure from sitting on that hillside waiting for the sun to do its thing.

I'm currently the organizer of Exposure Roanoke, a regional photo club that focuses on getting photographers together to shoot (instead of just talking about it.) I give private lessons, teach workshops, and speak to groups by request.

Other Places to See My Shots Online

• Flickr - A great place for sharing images with friends and getting feedback from great photographers.
  


• Kids in the Valley, Adventuring! - I volunteer to shoot the monthly events whether it be hiking, a river cleanup, or a rainy day in the garden.
  


• 500px - 500px is an interesting photo sharing website. It's similar to Flickr, but the average photo quality seems to be much higher there.
  


• Panaramio - Using GPS information to 'geotag' the photos you take, you can upload them to Panaramio and see them on the map. Many online services do this these days, but the ones on Panaramio eventually wind up being included in Google Maps.
  


• Stock Photography - Selling pictures to designers to use in magazines, ads, websites, and anywhere else they may need an image but don't want to go through the trouble of having it taken.
  

Want to shoot in the Roanoke, VA region with someone to help you find the best shooting locations? Need help planning an event for your photo club? Give me a shout! jon@jonbeard.com or 540-384-0566