Behind The Lens: Jennifer Ferrara

Last year I realized my goal, my passion, my need was to help people capture their lives in a meaningful way. I now know, I need to help others learn their way around their cameras so they can capture their moments. Not everyone has the means to hire a professional photographer for their life events, and quite simply, our best life events happen when there is no pro around! So why not help boost the skills of others so they can do what I so love to do!

Teaching Your Life: Captured Through The Lens at Debbie Hodge's website GetItScrapped helps me make that connection.

Jennifer Ferrara was a participant in Your Life: Captured Through The Lens. She begins my new series,  Behind The Lens, a look at regular people with great lives and the beautiful family they call their own. Please meet my dear friend, Jennifer!

What sparked your interest in photography?

I began taking pictures in high school. My dad was taking a photography class at a local college and I would tag along with him when he would go on his "shoots". After watching him in action, I learned a few things and decided to join the Yearbook staff as a writer and photographer. Between high school and having kids (a long stretch), I dabbled a bit but never really had a nice camera. Just before my son was born, I got a Canon Rebel (film camera) and just after my daughter was born, I made the leap to the Canon DSLR and the rest is history

What makes you happiest about your photography?

I consider myself a bit of a family "historian" ... so I love to document our family life and to capture those special family events. I think a lot, when I take a good picture, about someone lifting it out of a shoebox 15 or 45 or 100 years down the road and telling the story of who, what, when, where ... So any photos that creatively capture the events and personalities of our family make me happy.

What have you learned that helped your photography most?

Just shoot. And shoot. And shoot. Then analyze, fix, and shoot more. Then analyze, fix, and shoot some more. If you want to be a photographer, you have to take photographs. Writers write. Sewers sew. Photographers shoot.

What did you enjoy most about Your Life: Captured Through The Lens?

This class brought together the technical aspects of better photography in a very cohesive way. I find myself thinking about the unity of shutter speed, aperture, lighting, etc. much more now than I did before taking the class.

How has your photography changed since Your Life: Captured Through the Lens?

My photos are much clearer, crisper, and more thoughtful. Also, I am less afraid to experiment and to try new angles and to figure my way into and out of different photography settings and situations.

What are your photography goals for 2010?

I am toying with participation in a photo a day type project. I want to learn more about photo editing. Also, I want to shoot in M all or most of the time. To conquer my fear of shooting indoors. (Is this all possible in one year?)

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Jennifer also writes the fun and helpful Cheap And Cheerful Blog.

To help Jennifer with her 2010 goals, I'm giving her two hours of one-on-one coaching in LightRoom! Congratulations Jennifer! Here's to a great year of photography!

Have I helped you with a class, ebook, or tutorial? Would you like to be featured in Behind The Lens? Send me an email at katrina at katrinakennedy dot com!

The next Your Life: Captured Through The Lens starts January 19th!