Constantly learning...

  I have always been a big advocate of continuing education, but now I feel as if I am a product of that idea. I  spend most of my days learning through seminars and books, and when I am not doing that, I am trying to practice the techniques and skills I am learning. The best thing is taking on challenges that other professionals in my field have issued. After all, they have been there and learned most things the hard way, and when the work is just not flowing like I wish it would, I take these challenges to heart. Challenges drive me, and push me to learn and master new techniques and ideas. And I find myself in the unusual position of working for myself rather than for a client, which means I have no limits, no boundaries on my creativity.
  I started this post nearly a year ago, and since have learned quite a bit. My posing has improved, as well as my composition, technique, camera knowledge, and most importantly, my confidence. I now possess a greater ability to roll with the punches at most of my shoots. When challenges come up, I often find myself being able to say "Hey, I've done this before, just breathe and make it beautiful." and it helps me maintain the focus I need in order to rely on my training. Whereas, less than a year ago, I was freaking out when all the conditions weren't ideal. Now I am learning to master the art of controlling the situations, and quick alternate routes for the times when I can't control everything.
   I plan to continue updating this post as I learn new things, hope to be revisiting this post often, in fact. And to those of you readers who are now or plan to be engaged in some kind of training or education, never settle for knowing enough. Always push your boundaries, and don't be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. Constantly surprise yourself by meeting new challenges, and master your craft, whatever it may be. There is no greater feeling than being able to execute a task with expected results over and over again, and to have people view you as a trusted advisor in your field. While I have only had the pleasure of experiencing this on a very small scale, I still hope to someday call some of my favorite photographers my peers.
   If you have been motivated to keep learning, or already appreciate the value in expanding your knowledge base, please comment below and let me know what you desire to learn next, or what it is that you are studying for. Thanks for reading, now to crack another book...

Hi, my name is...

  I am Leona Davis, and I am a photographer. I am trying to go pro. Today is my first official day as a blogger. I have decided to start a blog as a way to document and reference my beginnings as an artist. I am located in central West Virginia, so I hope to expand my destination shoots to include places like Pittsburgh and Washington, DC. I am trying to get my photography business off the ground, and it has already been such an experience! A long, hard road, for sure.
  I am very technically challenged in my craft, so I have also decided to go to school so I can learn the technical garble much faster. I have been self-teaching for a while, but let's face it...if I want to start making money, and I do, I have to be faster. And smarter. So, I am now college bound. It should prove to be interesting, anyway.
  Along the technical lines, my gear list is growing at about half the rate of my wish list. For every item that I can finally afford, I find two more things I HAVE to have. How does that happen? The biggest, or most important thing anyway, on my wish list right now is off-camera lighting. I would like to get some speed lights. At least two would be perfect. Until that happens, I am using reflectors most of the time.
  On the business end, I have met several goals recently that I am proud of, and such a load off my mind now! First, I have finally decided on a name. Very big deal. This has been holding me back for weeks, and after studying vocabulary, fonts, and sounds, I finally found one that works. I will be announcing this name as soon as it becomes official. Second, I have learned how to build a business model, and not a moment too soon! The hardest thing about this business has been figuring how how to sell it. Now, I know. Third, I have discovered branding. This one will be an ongoing part of my venture for some time, until I figure out who I want to serve, and how. I'm on it, but I have some things I need to put into practice. Fourth, I am looking for a mentor. You can't buy experience, wisdom, and generosity. And finally, again with constantly learning. There are many aspects outside my craft that I didn't realize I needed to hone some skills.
  To wrap things up, thanks for following my progress as I grow, and I will keep posting updates as I change things, add things, and learn new things.