When we moved back to Scotland last summer, I decided to pursue the idea of taking my photography a little further.  To this end I decided to take a few part time course at college.  I have now completed both An Introduction to Photography and Camera Techniques (and passed!!!) I met my lecturer for lunch last week and he is trying very hard to persuade me to take a full time course this autumn.  Considering Len is out of the country half of the time, it would be an hour commute to and from college and I am still in charge of the kids… I don’t know if it will be do-able.  But I really, really, really want to.  I guess time will tell.

Over the last few month, I have started doing a few commissioned portrait-shoots.  I have had about 6 paying clients and as many non-paying (a girl’s gotta practice!!).  My confidence is growing, but so is my knowledge that the more I learn the more I realise I still don’t know!

Tonight I am gathering up my gear, some props and all my courage for my first ‘major’ photo shoot tomorrow.  I will be taking the ‘school’ photos for a private nursery.  I am slightly nervous (as I always am) that the pictures won’t turn out, my lighting won’t be right, I will get the white balance wrong, the kids will not respond to me etc… but tonight I am more daunted by the sheer volume of children I need to photograph tomorrow.  I spoke to the manager of the nursery today and she said there are over 40 children (aged 0-5) on the list!!  Now, I am use to spending around an hour on each child so I am confident that I have the shot.  I normally end up with anywhere from 20 - 70 usable shots, but last time I checked there are not 40 hours in a day!!  I will be looking at spending only about 10 minutes on each child… but, because of the nature of the shoot, I only have to have one good shot of each child, right?

Hopefully, if I market this one right (and obviously do a good job) this shoot will get my name out there a little (that’s 40 more parents that know who I am!!) and it will help earn a little money to put towards the 2 things I feel I still really need (besides more education and talent) for my new business… Photoshop and a good website design!  Keep your fingers crossed for me!