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Submitted by mimi 03/30/08 4:53 AM GMT
I present the next artist to be spotlighted for April (no Fooling:)
She has taken a short break from her travels and shooting images to write a bio which is below.
So, grab yourself a cuppa coffee, tea or a cold drink, kick back and take a minute to leave a few congratulatory words below for jeenie11 and browse her gallery of canyons, oceans and magnolias amongst other very interesting items.
I am beyond thrilled at being nominated as a featured artist. It’s such a huge honor. I don’t know who my angel (s?) is/are but know that you have presented me with a wonderful gift! Thanks so much! You know me as Jeenie11. It’s a nickname my husband gave me a million years ago. It’s short for Jeenie the Weenie. My real identity is Jennifer Hanhila. I live in Phoenix, Arizona. I have 4 children and 9 grandchildren. They and my husband of almost 45 years, Matt, are by far the most important things in my life.
BUT ……
I am addicted to photography. One can always find some kind of camera on me. In 1963, my mother (a widow) married a man who owned a big photo lab here in Arizona. The key words here are FREE PROCESSING. My first camera as an adult was a Kodak Instamatic 400. We took millions of pictures with it. After all if you’re not sure a picture is good enough take a few more to be certain. My husband served in Viet Nam in 1966. He went to Hong Kong and purchased a Minolta SRT 101. We still have it and a slew of lenses. We graduated to a Canon élan 7. When digital first happened my kids bought me a Sony mavica…you know, the one that used floppy disks. My brother, a fantastic professional photographer, decided that I needed to get a Canon digital. So I got a canon D60 which had a really nice 28-105 lens……just a regular one. I was thrilled with the camera and thought my photography was approaching genius! I took myself on a little trip to Edisto Island, SC…. where the camera and I fell in the ocean! The camera was history but surprisingly the lens works. (I keep the camera because I’m pretty sure that one of these days it will come back to life!). My husband who was meeting me the next day showed up with a box my brother had stocked with a Canon 10D and a 28-135 IS lens. He broke the bad news to my husband. I was too afraid to do it. It was a great combo and many of my uploads are taken with it. My next BIG indulgence was the 16-35mm lens. Being that my other name is gadget girl I used some inheritance to buy the 5D. It’s wonderful but so intimidating. I really need lessons. I have a 70-300mm lens(I use it with the 10D) and one of the 24-105mm L lenses. Other toys in my camera closet are a Canon SD800is and a newly purchased Canon G9. Don’t say it….I know I’m spoiled!
I am a 2 time survivor of the big “C”. I think photography was a huge factor in helping me NOT think about myself. Finding new locations and adventures became far more interesting. Photoshop is perfect for a control freak like me. Add caedes into the picture and ……………total immersion. Note, I’m 100% fine, now.
My other passion is being near the water. It can’t be just any water. It has to have waves. Along with taking pictures of ocean scenes I am obsessive shell collector.
I love to photograph scenery and flowers (you don’t have to make them pose). Magnolias are my favorite flower because of their sculptural quality. Wildlife is another favorite. I’m amazed at how much patience birders have. (I’m not patient). Arizona has some beautiful spots for photography. I’m not a fan of the desert but our red rock areas north of here and up near Sedona and Lake Powell and of course the Grand Canyon are spectacular. Again, ocean scenery is my favorite. My sister lives on Kauai so that’s mainly where I go. Actually, I’ll happily take a picture of almost anything.
One day while reading my Kim Komando PC newsletter she spotlighted caedes as an excellent photo site. I jumped right on it. I know its mission is to be a wallpaper site. To me it’s much more. It’s a vehicle for exploring nature, flora and fauna, space and seeing the world. I’ve made friends with photographers who live all over the world and love it, them and the idea. The site is an excellent one. It's very easy to access and use. There are days I love it and days I hate it (sound familiar). It’s hard to believe that not everyone loves my photography! (just joking) Sometimes my frustration is huge. Three friends who have listened patiently while I’ve vented and then calmed me down…… PJ, Cindy, and Keith.(Thanks, guys!)
I have a bit of a problem with the c-index but it’s not a huge one. Critiques are great. I feel very strongly that critiques (at least the harsh ones) should be delivered as personal messages so as not to influence other viewers who are perfectly able to make their own assessment. Critiquing someones work is sometimes hard for me because I lack the good writing creativity with which some of you have been graced (Cindy and PJ).
I really appreciate help from some of you who have been very specific about telling me how to do something when I’ve asked…..Phil, Nathan, Keith and Paul to name a few. True teachers are very special.
I’ve railed at some comments in the discussion groups which have become mean, ugly and insulting. To those “contributors” I say GET A LIFE!!!
Shortcomings: (mine) I only know how to do basic photography. I only know how to do basic photoshop. I rarely use a tripod. I only know how to do basic computer stuff (still can’t make a link).
What is my favorite posted photo ……hmmm. It’s like asking me which of my children I like best. Can’t do it. Thank you to a group of loyal supporters who always have encouraging comments about each upload. You’ll never know how much those words mean. However, do you find the time??? I’ll not list names because I don’t want to leave anyone out. But, you know who you are. I’m not so good at the making comments and thank you things. Hopefully, the “thanks in advance for comments” suffices. Again, thanks for selecting me, I’ve had a major smile on my face all day. Thanks to caedes for creating his site which is so beautifully run. Being part of it is terrific! Any questions...............just ask!
Jen
