My photographic journey began in July in 2007 where I assumed I would purchase the expensive camera, and all my photos would be breathtaking, and I’d make a kajillion dollars. People would throw their wallets at me….I’d be famous and stuff….

I learned very quickly the error in my thinking.

It meant late late nights studying all I could. Reading a manual I still swear is written in Latin. Becoming a stalker (of sorts) of photographers I love and admire. And practice practice PRACTICE! Because I am later in life discovering this God-given talent, I am now a wife of 17+ years, mother of 3 (14, 11, and 3), and a full-time job-holder who could not go to school to learn photography. I called several photographers in my area and begged to be their slave, and got the same answers, “Go to school like everyone else.” Yes, definitely rude. Very rude. Shame, shame on them.

So, I am mainly self-taught with a photography group online that has been amazing to me! They’ve helped my journey tremendously and pushed me, kicking and screaming, into things I’d never try on my own, one being manual. They’re still working on RAW though….

I’ve learned a lot and I’ve experienced a lot and my photography is still evolving.

From “award-winning” portraits:

(iHeartfaces….it wasn’t like I won money or anything. LOL)

….to inspirational and helps to share my faith…

….to Worship photography with churches:

But my heart is Missions photography. No, you’re right, you’ve probably never heard of it. It’s what God has put in my heart to do, and I’m still waiting for Him to send me. I want to take the pictures of the orphan faces, mud-caked and riddled by starvation, the faces of the adults who have lost hope, and the missionaries that help. We are a visual people, and if we SEE what is going on in places other than our comfortable suburbias, we are more apt to help and make a difference. That is what God has put in my heart.

I have only recently gone professional, and I’m still no where near as good as my idols or mentors, but I’ll get there. Or God will send me to Africa or China, or Myanmar…or Cambodia…and then I won’t care about perfect portraits of perfect people….

www.danasuggs.com

I have a Nikon D90 and a Nikon D80 for my backup. I have a 50mm 1.8, 35mm, 55-200 zoom, and 28-75mm wide angle lens. And I edit on a PC with Photoshop CS2. I do the best I can with what God has provided for me. I hope to upgrade to a D700 sometime next year! Gosh, or even a D300…I’d be happy with that….and hopefully soon I can save enough to upgrade the computer soon, this one’s a dinosaur! LOL