When I was around 11 or 12, my father won a camera in a photo contest. Every year, after the air show in Oklahoma City (the now-defunct Aerospace America), photographers entered their air show photos into a contest, and the winners had their images hung at the International Photography Hall of Fame (the IPHoF, housed in the former Omniplex, moved to St. Louis in 2013).

As it happened, the camera he won – a Canon EOS Elan – wasn’t as nice as the EOS 630 he already owned, and so he gave the camera to me. An exciting moment, to be sure. But I had no way of knowing then that he’d set in motion a lifelong love of photography that would come to dominate my professional goals and personal hobbies.

For more than 2/3 of my life, I have found my identity, at least in part, in being a photographer. I understand myself and the world around me best when I have a camera in my hand. My friends must tire of my insistence that they “look over there – great light” or that they sit tight, because when you’re IN the good light, you get your picture made.

Most of us walk around with incredible cameras in our pockets and purses. Sharp, fast, and easy to use, the advances in cell phone cameras have all but eliminated the barriers between you and making great images. The generalist user can skip over the technical hurdles and focus on making meaning photos of the world they see around them.

Some photography purists will scoff at that last sentence. But the reality is that photographs are a way to make our memories alive again, and if minimizing the more daunting parts of the practice gets more people involved, then I’m all for it.

So, how do casual photographers make better images? By remembering that you are not a security camera. You don’t happen on a scene, pointed in whatever direction you find yourself, and just start clicking. You’re a human being, with your view of the world, your experiences, your own priorities, and your own concerns. Your photos should reflect the things you care about.

I am always working to be a better photographer. More than any other skill set, this is the one I want to master. Looking forward to bringing you along on the journey.