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Portraiture has always been the focus of my photography and my sisters bore the brunt of that at first. In high school in Chesterfield County, I took photography courses and had endless photo shoots with my sisters. I got my Pentax K1000 then, a nice hefty metal 35mm camera. I also was editor and photographer for my senior yearbook, so I started taking more documentary photographs.
In college at Old Dominion University, I continued taking photos of friends and for the school yearbook. I worked more with graphic design and was the editor of the Academic Honors Program newsletter for three years. I ended up with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, a Bachelor of Science in Art Education, and a minor in English.
After college, more pictures while working at a portrait studio for a couple years until I was hired to start an high school art program. I taught high school art for three years and became the school photographer and learned a bit about sports photography, attending nearly every home game of every sport! Of course, I started doing the school yearbook and held several photo shoots throughout the school year for the students. During this time, my Pentax was stolen on a family rafting trip, so I purchased a Nikon N50, not my heavy metal camera, but I still enjoyed it.
I continued to teach, but at the elementary level, and continued to take photographs. I had some friends ask me to take photos of their wedding and did a couple with my 35mm. I enjoyed the documentary aspect of a wedding as well as the portraits.
Digital technology started moving in and I also decided to start a family. We had a son in 2005 and I started my long line of Canon Powershots. I certainly have had more cameras than children! My son became my main focus for portraiture, would it scare you to know I have well over 20,000 photos of him and he’s only 4.5?
With my son, my interest in genealogy increased and I began work with collages of my ancestors. I had fun blending military photos, couple photos when wedding portraits weren’t done, family photos when there wasn’t one to be had. From this, I started fixing group photos in PhotoShop so that EVERYONE was looking nice in the photo.
And now my son is getting older and more independent and I’m career-minded once again. A DSLR (digital single lens reflex) camera is now my primary camera, a Canon Rebel XS. Portraits, events, and collages are my focus and I invite you to contact me if you are interested! I’m happy to shoot on location, at your home or at a picturesque spot at Lewis Ginter, Maymont, Point of Rocks Park, or wherever you have an interest.
Steph_Carson AT yahoo.com
