Part of the reason I put off DSLR photography for so long, was all the gorgeous photos in all the magazines, especially NATGEO. I thought, first of all, I will never travel to those exotic destinations, and my photos will never be anywhere near as close to the quality. Then I aged... and slowly learned several things. First I wanted to capture things I see in daily life that I don't want to forget as years go by. Alzheimers runs in my family and someday I want someone to share these photos if it befalls me. Second I wanted to learn a new craft, to develop my eye and be proud of what I can produce. So I took the plunge. While looking though old Kodak 110 film photos taken out west when my children were young, I realized Bryce Canyon, Yellowstone, Black Canyon of the Gunnison and other places we astonishing to me when seen for the first time. I would not trade those photos for anything. Are they attempts at recapturing something I've seen in the past, not at all. They might be photos of places other people have been photographing for years, but mine are different. They evoke the memories of the moment spent there and that brings an element to MY photos that cannot be duplicated. I wouldn't hesitate to take a photo of something someone else has done a hundred times over, unless you are just trying to copy their work. Work from inside your soul, regardless of the subject matter and you will be able to find yourself in the finished product. I would not have these beautiful photos taken on a trip through the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina if I had been concerned that someone else had already done it. When I look at them, I feel a warmth in my heart and the memories of a day spent with my husband, the awe at Nature's beauty and knowing I was standing there, in person, recording this amazing view.