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Cindi Penrod - Portraits and Events

idnic

Joined DPC: Dec 21, 2003
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Interview Details
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Interview Listing
A DPChallenge Interview with Cindi Penrod

by John Rummel (strangeghost)
Apr 13 2007

Background

There's not much biographical info on your profile page at DPC (but LOTS of photos). Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Well, I'm an artist, daughter of an artist and granddaughter of a very stubborn woman. I have two lovely daughters; Savanah who is a totally left-brained honor student on her way to a great college and Taylor who is right-brained, free-thinking and just starting to explore the world (and she likes photography). Divorced for almost 13 years, my determined spirit has carried me along. I want the best for my children and so I work hard to do all I can for them.

I'm a happy person, really. It's not just a facade. I consider myself lucky since I seem to be in the right place at the right time too often to dismiss. Overall, as they say, life is good! :)

Tell us about your family/friends.

My older sister and I were raised by our single father since before my first birthday. My dad is the coolest man I've ever known, and artist, an intelligent man, an honest and hard-working man. I owe my love for life to my dad as his natural and constant sense of curiosity was so contagious. Three years ago I moved 400 miles away from my sister and father and though I love my new home, I miss them dearly.

My closest friends are a group of 7 families that live on my street. My neighbors are the greatest group of people... they keep me entertained and are my social network since I don't have office buddies any more (I work from home).

What is your occupation?

I attended Art School a zillion years ago, after trying "normal" college for a while and realizing it wasn't for me. I majored in Visual Communications with a specialty in graphics design. Since then I have worked as a graphics artist in various forms. I worked for Coca-Cola in Atlanta in the early 90s when I fell into a niche market: high-level financial presentations for corporate management. It's such a niche position that I have been able to choose my jobs since as there is little or no competition. For the last 4 years I've worked with a Vice President at ING Financial Services. It allows me to work from my home (thousands of miles from coworkers), thus spend more time with my daughters and my photography, so I love it.

My second occupation - Photographer - started about 5 years ago. I've always had a love for the camera and after meeting a very successful professional photographer I decided I could learn to do that too, and so started the journey. I had a professional mentor for the first 2 years, it was like 4 years of college and he was the most horrible professor you could imagine, but he taught me so much and I am forever grateful. My mentor is in London, so our college was online, which is how I also found DPC! :D

Everybody who "knows" you on DPC has seen what you like to shoot there. What do you shoot professionally?

Professionally I shoot primarily portrait sessions. Kids, families, athletes (thanks to some great word of mouth referrals from my athlete neighbor), some make it to DPC, some don't. I've shot weddings and though I ADORE the shooting, I find the weeks of admin work monotonous - so I don't prefer them but will do one for a good referral or previous client. I've also shot for the local high school's yearbook several times. Savanah is the editor so every time they get stuck for a photographer they call me. That networking landed me a nice job just this week shooting a beauty pageant. I hope to continue to nurse that relationship and eventually land the Senior Portraits contract that is currently held by another photographer. :)

Have you won any photographic competitions outside of DPC?

Well I goofed with some really non-serious photography sites before I came to DPC and yeah won once in a while, but the competition was more about luck than skill... so I'll answer no to that question. I desperately want to compete with PPA (Professional Photographers of America), but I'm really intimidated by their skill right now and can't muster the courage to fail. Enough successes at PPA and I could earn "Master of Photography" which is something I really want to work toward.

What's your favorite movie?

Hands down, Ferris Bueller's Day Off! :D

What kind of music do you listen to?

I'm all about New Rock for the last 10 years or so, but have gone through phases of Classic, Hard Rock, and *cringes* Country. That was a long time ago. I never wanted to be one of those people who get stuck with the music of their youth, so even though I love 80s music, I listen to new stuff! http://99x.com! :D

What is your favorite food?

Spicy! Spicy! Spicy! Spicy! Spicy! Spicy! Spicy! Gimme hot!Spicy! Spicy! Spicy! Spicy! Spicy! Spicy! Spicy! Gimme hot! I'm rather well known for my bazillion food hang-ups. I eat little and less variety because most food is yucky!... but put something spicy in front of me & watch out! :)

Do you have a main source of caffeine? If so, is it Tea, Coffee. Chocolate or Other?

Caffeine? How did you guess?? :D White tea every morning in a "cup" about the size of a soup bowl, followed by 3 or 4 Diet Mountain Dew Code Red!! That stuff is red crack!

Do you have your own web site, if so can I list it here?

My web site has been a perpetual thorn in my side. I have never been satisfied with the combination of "Cindi's brag spot" and "Professional Photographers Site" so I recently decided to keep my bragging to DPC and my friends and make my web site for the customer only. It still needs a bit of work, but I love the progress so far.

Indulge us in a bit of "polarizing" personality typing:
Coke or pepsi?

Duh, Atlanta, COKE! I worked for Coca-Cola years ago and my dedication to them hasn't wavered one bit!

Mac or Windows?

I rebelled in art school and refused to be a Mac owner. I learned on Macs, but had a PC at home. Have ever since..... but..... I'm really thinking of giving Mac another chance. I think my next purchase will be Mac.

Early bird or night owl?

Early? WTF is that? If you want my attention on DPC, try me somewhere around midnight! :)

Big crowds or small groups?

Small groups. Big crowds are too much for social interaction. However, that said, when I'm behind the camera, large crowds are best because I can blend in better.

Perfectionist or slob?

Perfectionist. I'm ADD so I've learned to be hyper-organized in order to keep myself together. Oh, and I've been called obsessive.... imagine that?!?!!

Cash or credit?

Cash. Credit has its place, a house or a car, but otherwise I think life should be cash based, it keeps us realistic.

Creamy or chunky?

Peanut Butter - yuck!

Hardware

Take us through a history of your camera purchases, both film and digital.

Gosh, I don't remember the year, but remember where we lived... I was about 3rd grade when I found a Polaroid at a yard sale for 50 cents and actually cried for it. I was told no and left pouting. My dad went back later and bought me the camera and the film to use with it... when he gave it to me he told me I would have to buy the film from then on and that it was $1 per shot. I was soooooooooooo careful about using that camera. I saved my money and bought more film packs, but always hated that it was so "dear". In the 80s I always had a camera, I had a couple of 110s, but the pride of my high school years was my Disc camera! ;)

I inherited a 2.5mpx Kodak digital cam from my company in the late 90s. They had purchased it for ONE function and then had no use for it and I was the only one interested. Still have some great shots from that one, but GOD was it a battery hog!!

In 2002 my mentor suggested the Sony 717 for me. I loved that camera. After well over 200,000 actuations in just 3 years I was or thought I was ready to step to SLR. My mentor insisted that the Sony was all I needed at that point, but I bought my 20D anyway. Weeks later, the Sony died. I still miss it!

The 20D is a lovely camera and encouraged me to start my lens collection. My freaky fear of loosing a camera during an important event caused me to purchase a 30D body just 11 months later.

How happy are you with the 30D?

I can't complain about my 30D. I don't covet the 5D or the Mark-whatevers. My camera does everything I want it to do and feels like part of my hands when I'm using it. My camera is the one object in my house that NEVER gets dusty. :D

Tell us a little about your lens collection: favorites, most and least often used, etc.

The official list:
Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro
Canon EF 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6
Lensbaby 2.0

By far the 17-55 is my favorite. It has hardly left my camera since I bought it. I seriously can't say enough about how good this lens is. The width allows most any composition even in close quarters, its minimal focusing distance is like 18 inches (at which you can still shoot almost full body), the quality is amazing, IS works great, wonderful lens and totally my fav! Before the 17-55 I was addicted to my 50mms, now I'm reformed! :) The 15mm Fisheye is the most fun lens I have. It is great to get a truly original perspective AND not sacrifice quality for it. And for an original that is like art, ever changing, always a surprise - the Lensbaby rocks! :D

What size memory cards do you have?

A 4g microprocessor for the studio and a handful of 2g cards for on-the-go use.

Do you shoot in JPG or RAW mode?

JPG 90% of the time. Most of my images are shot in studio where I can easily meter the light so RAW isn't necessary. An important event outdoors or in unfamiliar situations might make me switch to RAW, if I don't feel like I can visually meter the light. This gets easier with practice, eventually you get it right most times.

Have you ever lost any images on memory cards?

Yeah, actually. Just recently my favorite memory card, the one I use every single day, upload to puter, back in camera, rarely format, use and abuse card locked up right after a studio shoot and 50% of the images were gone forever. Luckily I had been the subject that day so I headed right back in and did the reshoot. That was the first card I ever had die of old age. Besides that, no. I have had cards to corrupt before, but recovery software has found my files each time.

Software

Do you use any software for organizing your digital pictures?

Organizing? Huh? Nah, years of graphics design has taught me to be fairly well organized with my electronic files. I use a file naming system that keeps everything organized by date and description. I'm terrible backing anything up, but I try....

Do you use Photoshop or an alternative? If so what version?

PhotoShop CS2, and Nik filters are the two most important in my life right now. I like Nik's filters because they really simplify some rather major processes for me.... the more I shoot, the more I need shortcuts to conserve time.

What Photoshop skills do you consider to be essential to digital photography?

Essential: Sharpening & Curves/Levels. Really important: The use of layers and adjustment layers and knowing when to use which.

Out of your own entries on DPC, what photo had the most digital editing?


"The Midas Touch"

"Evolution Revolution"

Well I got a lot of flack over Evolution Revolution because I added black background to a corner of the image where there was only wall. But The Midas Touch actually required the most editing. It was tedious detail work that took hours. Every spot where glitter didn't cover got cloned in, places where the glue started cracking got cloned over, her swimsuit lines got cloned out, etc. To make things worse, I did a first version fast and sloppy to see if it would be a workable shot, once I saw it would work fine I had to begin again to edit a DPC version.

Do you use any other software in relation to digital photos? If so, what?

I love Lumapix's PhotoFusion for collages and album design, Digital PhotoPro for sorting and RAW processing. I tried Adobe Lightroom, but really wasn't satisfied with it. Now I'm saving my pennies for Capture One.

On the whole, do you prefer a minimalist approach to post editing, a no rules approach, or somewhere in between?

I actually prefer a no rules approach, not because I want to throw every PS trick in the book at an image, but because I want to be able to do what I need to do to make the most of a given image without regards to legality.

Photography

Any perusal of your portfolio shows that, by far, most of your shots are of human subjects. Is this because you do so much portraiture professionally?

Quite the opposite actually. I strongly prefer photographing people and have put a great deal of time into studying and practicing portraiture. I shoot mostly people for DPC and have chosen to make portraiture my professional specialty because it is they type of photography that calls to me. I like the challenges presented by shooting people, specifically the way lighting can affect the mood and intention of a portrait and how to take advantage of that. I know I still have much to learn. I see shots done by the real masters of portraiture and feel awkward and stupid and insecure about my own work. That, however, keeps me shooting and trying to improve.

You use yourself as a model a lot. What's your absolute favorite self-portrait?


"Poker Party"

"Jazz"

Ugh. I use myself often due to an obsession for shooting and a lack of available models at the times I want to shoot (1:00am, etc). That said, however, I am proud of several of my self-portraits. I like the playfulness in Poker Party and the time and thought that went into producing it. But I guess my favorite would have to be Jazz because it has such a nice flow and lighting. This is the only self-portrait of which I have ever ordered an enlarged print. It hangs among my favorite portraits in my office.

I'd like to ask you about a few of your DPC images, both challenge and non-challenge shots.


"Tornado Tea"

Tornado Tea is almost surreal in feel. Critique it for us.

Funny thing about that image. The week I shot it I had been chatting with Shannon (Scalvert) and he said something that stuck in my head. He said "You have to show the viewer what they expect to see, but do it in an unexpected way". So all week I thought about the Furniture challenge and how I could show the viewer furniture in a way they wouldn't expect. The pieces came together in my head slowly, I tried several ideas that just weren't working, but eventually this idea struck me and I set about trying to capture it. The end result reminds me of Alice in Wonderland. :)


"Sophisticated"

I thought this was a self-portrait for awhile. Lots of intensity, bold crop, high-key. What were you going for here?

That was my very first attempt at high key and high contrast. I was still working with my mentor then and I think this shot surprised both of us. I got lucky. Though I have never been afraid of a bold crop, this image actually got the crop it did because I'd thoroughly blown the opposite side of the face and had no time left for a reshoot. I wish I'd given it a border; I've grown to dislike "naked" images. :P


"Watching From The Shadows"

I think this one really shows off your post-processing skill.

That one sure did require a lot of post-processing. I shot through a chain-link fence and though I was able to focus beyond the fence it still crossed the image in several places.... but not the eyes, so I knew I could save it. I required some very delicate cloning, some of which I can still see every time I look at the image. His eye color is actually a honey yellow sort of color, but I liked the teal green for emphasis.


"Siblings"

Your daughters; incredibly sweet and emotional - I'm sure filled with meaning for you.

Probably my favorite of all the shots I've ever taken. This one is 20X30 on my office wall and the first thing I see every morning when I start work. I attended a seminar the night before I shot this image, the speaker had a very distinct style that I wasn't very fond of, but his habit of having someone in the shot with their eyes closed really captured me. Somehow it made the portraits seem much more personal and I was dying to try my version of that idea. My girls are so sweet to model for me as often as they do, and often at the drop of a hat and are truly the brightest lights in my life.


"Molte Generazioni"

This one seems rather uncharacteristic for you. It still has a person, but it's a quiet and reflective feel rather than energy filled.

This image is an example of me trying to step out of my usual box and not taking mediocre for an answer. I feel most comfortable in my studio where I can control things, but the Street Photography challenge really intrigued me and I wanted to try it. I shot for days in different locations before I found a warm and quiet corner in a local tourist site and just waited for a shot to present itself to me. I had certain "rules" in my head from reading all of the forum threads about street photography and it seemed like everything I shot was against those rules... until I saw this boy. :)


"A Rising Market?"

A humorous shot, and your photographer's comment probably says it all, but talk a little about your approach to nudity. You use yourself as a subject a lot, and you've come close to the line several times, but never done full frontal nudity. Are you still feeling out your own comfort level, or do you have a firmly established line-in-the-sand?

There is definitely a line I don't plan to cross, ever. I think nudity can be subtle, suggested, hidden or obscured and still be alluring and sexy. I like the challenge of implied nudity and that's how this shot evolved.

Who among DPCers have you found inspiring and worthy of copying -- or at least drawing inspiration?

Almost all of them. Really. I see beautiful work coming from people of every photographic level on DPC and am regularly impressed by new shooters. To name the ones that initially inspired me would sound so cliché because they would all make the list of who's who among DPC portrait shooters. These days I watch and am awed by the works of Anastasia, Kiwiness, Librodo, Larus, and the other great people shooters, but also the works of newer portraitists like escapetooz, Louis, Jaded_Youth, CalliopeKel, timfythetoo, Brielle, Scalvert (well he's not new at it, but his portrait work has improved incredibly in the last year), and so many others. I dig through the forums and galleries a few times a week just to see who has new shots and watching their progress.

I like your selection of some of the new kids on the DPC block. Pick a photo or three that really speak to you from among these newer artists and give them a quick critique for us.

There are so many newer users who have passion and drive, they are the ones that catch my eye. I hate to single anyone out, but to name a few:

The Looking Glass comes to mind first - by Jaded_Youth. I absolutely love this shot. I love the textures, the details, the processing.... it tells a story without a single distraction, everything in the image supports the story. And it was only 3 months after posting...
"The looking glass"
...odyssey-b. Now that's progress! I think Crystal has a passion and her art will take her far. I will be keeping my eye on her progress and help when and where I can.
"odyssey-b"
timfythetoo has that eye also, but we haven't seen him push it yet, I think. We get glimpses of brilliance, like this one, which tells us his time is near. I'm guessing Tim will be a ribbon hog in the next six months. I like that shot best because of the simplicity. Again, nothing in the image that takes away from the story the image tells. It slaps the challenge in the face with a shot that's creative and technically sound in every way. Watch out for Tim, guys.
"Mother, do you think they'll drop the bomb?"
One other photographer that I believe is just getting her feet under her is CalliopeKel. Kelly doesn't enter often, but when she does it's a home run. Like this one. I see raw talent and a real obsession behind her work and I know Kelly could accomplish anything she put her mind to just by browsing her portfolio. I can't wait to see more from her and see her become one of the "Big Hitters" on DPC. Go, Kelly, Go.
"Offspring"

Are there any type of photographic styles/techniques that you don't like?

That I don't like to view or that I don't like to create?

Either.

I like to view all types of photography, but sure some styles better than others. I don't love a grunge look, but have seen some do it so very well that I couldn't help but love it. As far as shooting, the only type of photography I just can't seem to get a handle on or a desire for is abstract. I just wasn't born with an abstract gene. While developing their style, I think its important for photographers to try every new style and technique they come across and learn as much as they can.

I'd like to ask you to choose your top 5 favorite DPC images (shot by others, that is) and tell us why they speak to you.

Well this list changes constantly as I see new work presented, but my current favorites list would look something like this:


"Mystical"

elsapo's Mystical. This one has been a favorite since the moment I saw it. To me it speaks to what photography is all about; capturing the magic that is in everything around us. It’s a simple image of an insect and a plant - but it is so much more than that. It makes me think of warmth and softness, the colors and composition keep my attention and make me linger. In short, this image makes me very happy and that is quite a compliment to any photographer.


"Backwater Commuter"

Falc's Backwater Commuter. This image also speaks to me on a primal level. I feel a part of the scene, enveloped in it when I look at this beautiful image. The light is so warm and inviting that it makes me want be there in my canoe, floating along. Falc saw an ordinary moment and captured it in a magical way, which makes this shot really special.


"Sea Shells"

Goodman's Sea Shells. I admire Lesley's way of looking at the world. Her shots so often feature ordinary people captured in a way that makes them come alive within the frame. I love all of her images, but this one makes me smile every time I see it. There is richness in this image, rich in color and in symbolism. I especially like the look of awe on the man's face as he watches the look of awe on the child's face. He watches over her protectively, but lets her explore the world. It's very touching. This is the kind of portraiture I hope to achieve one day, images that tell a story and touch your heart.


"No One to Play With"

Kiwiness' No One To Play With. Like Lesley, Gary is a photographic story teller. I love his creativity and attention to detail. This image is definitely my favorite of Gary's. I adore the textures and colors, but of course it's his processing style combined with imagination that makes this image more than the sum of its parts.


"Freedom of Mind"

Judi's Freedom of Mind. This might have been the first fav I ever chose on DPC; close to it anyway and remains a favorite for many reasons. I love the fiery color, movement and silence. It reminds me of childhood summer days, of playing outside until dark and the wonder of the world around me. Judi presents us with a very simple image that says so much.

 

What are your 5 favorite shots from your own DPC portfolio, either challenge or non-challenge?

Another tough question. We already mentioned my all-time favorite shot above, so besides that this would be my current favs list.


"ClarkHeathWedding"

My most successful wedding image to date. Not only did the bride & groom love this one, but they were kind enough to sign model releases for me so I have been able to list this one as a stock image. I was so very pleased with the location of this wedding. It was such a beautiful place that it made it hard to get a bad shot.


"Abandoned"

I love this one because it was a concept that I had which required a trip almost 2 hours away at midnight with a lot of faith to see if it would work. It actually looks almost exactly the way I had imagined it, only better. I love the dreamy surreal look it has.


"Teach Me"

My favorite baby photo. This was done for a client I had never met before the day of the shoot. She now considers me her family photographer. :) This was Elijah when he was just a few months old. I have since done a family holiday session with him and his 1 year old photos, in a few months we will do his 2 year shoot.


"Your Last Breath"

My favorite non-person image. This is the same leopard as the shot mentioned above. Please read the photographer's notes for the how'd-that-happen.


"D.N.A."

My favorite concept image. I thought this was a brilliant idea, but the execution turned out to be more than I'd counted on. Still once it all came together I was and still am very proud of this shot.

What is your most under-rated entry?

As a rule I don't believe in "under-rated." You enter an image in a challenge, and it gets rated. Do I wish some of my images had rated higher than they did? Sure I do. I think if we truly love what we're doing, we're bound to fall in love with our images and will often think more of them than the average viewer does. I'm disappointed when an image I love does poorly, but I try to use it as a learning experience and move on to create my next masterpiece!

What do you consider to be important aspects of photography?

Creativity first and foremost. I think its one thing to create a technically sound image, but something else entirely, and something wonderful, when you create that technically sound image in a way that hasn't been done before. That's the magic moment. DPC really helps us to hone that skill and one of my favorite reasons to participate. Besides creativity, I can't stress enough how important it is to keep learning. None of us will ever know everything there is to know about photography. The internet is an amazing resource for learning, so are photography groups and associations and seminars. Attend everything, read everything, keep learning, keep experimenting. That's how we will eventually become great.

Some critics still don't think photography is a form of art. What is your response to this?

I was an art school kid. I learned that art was created when one's concepts becomes material reality. I learned that art comes in many forms; music, sculpture, the written word, color, painting, drawing, architecture, textiles and so much more... and yes, photography. If one conceives a vision in their mind and produces that vision for the world to share, in my opinion, that person has created art.

Are you planning any photo trips in the future? If so, where?

I travel as much as I can on the weekends to shoot. Mostly short trips. In the near future I plan to travel to Miami and Key West for my second photo adventure there. I am also looking at a 3-day seminar in the Bahamas in June - Chicks Who Click annual meeting and Shooting Safari. No other definite plans right now, but this fall my oldest child will start college on full academic scholarship, so maybe that will help my travel funds a bit. :D

Do you have any photographic projects outside of DPC?

Well I have my studio. :)

I shoot professionally both in and out of my home studio. I take portrait clients regularly and if forced to, will do a wedding here & there as well (I don't prefer weddings). I also spend a fair amount of my time shooting for and prepping shots for stock sales. I am represented by Alamy; MyLoupe and Photographer's Direct at the moment and have a couple of other applications in with Macro agencies that are pending. I participate in several photography forums, but no other competitions, there just isn't time. :)

DPC

If you could change one thing about DPChallenge, what would it be?

I would be something like "can't post comments until you've voted through 5 challenges, or can't vote until you've entered 5 challenges" something like that to deter the 'drop in and wreak havoc troll' who shows up, votes horribly, comments uselessly and leaves never to return.

What is your earliest recollection of perusing the site as a visitor? What made you decide to join?

My mentor finally liked one of my images, liked it enough to suggest that I compete with it! So I googled and found DPC among many other websites. At first glace I saw the weekly challenges and thought that wasn't for me, but I registered and thought I would come back to it "later". I moved on to another site where I could show anything I wanted, no themes, no deadlines, no pressure.... no fun.

May 24, 2005. Your first challenge shot. You had first registered nearly a year and a-half before. Why so long and what were you thinking as you submitted?


"To the beach"

The website I mentioned in the earlier question turned out to be a horrible bore and before I knew it I was googling again. DPC popped up again and this time I took a longer look and within a couple of days I had submitted my first challenge entry. I was confident, overly so as it turns out, but felt pretty good about the scores on that first one so the addiction began...

If you could offer some advice to somebody who is new to DPC and submitting to DPC challenges, what would it be?

I would tell them that NOBODY wins every challenge, and everyone gets a terrible score sometimes. The word "challenge" is why we come to DPC, to challenge ourselves and each other. It's not all about winning, it's about accepting the challenge and making the best image you can with it.

Since challenge entries are pretty much a part of your "permanent record", in retrospect, are there any pictures you wish you hadn't submitted to a challenge?


"Admiring Her Treasures"

OMG yes! I guess you want me to name which ones, eh? Grrr... Some that I dislike are because they scored badly and I didn't feel like anyone else understood my "vision." Spirits in the Smoke and The Making of Beauty are good examples. Others I just disliked from the moment I shot them, either the vision I intended to capture turned out differently, or I was overestimating my skill and just couldn't pull it off. A few got entered anyway if I thought they would score well, but shots I wish I could delete now, like this one:

How do you decide which challenges you are going to enter and which ones you'll skip?

I shoot for every challenge I can manage to try. I rarely skip one. I like to think of challenges as assignments and I would never tell the boss I don't care to do that assignment. Forcing myself to shoot causes me to push my skill and comfort level. I have learned so much by attempting challenges that call for subjects I normally wouldn't shoot. I think it's the best thing about DPC.

Do you ever seek assistance outside of the DPC community in trying to determine which of your photos you should submit?

Sometimes I ask my kids or friends, if they happen to be around the house while I'm selecting or editing. But normally, no. Maybe I should. I like to think I'm pretty good at choosing which shot will work best, but sometimes I still throw in a clunker!

As we were working on this interview, the flow was interrupted by a Flordia GTG that you organized. What other DPCers have you met and how often do you get together with people you've met on the site?

First, the St. Augustine GTG was fantastic! We had 2 1/2 days of shooting some of the best sights around this area and the company couldn't have been better. What a great group of guys! We're already planning the next one! Everyone come to Key West in the fall! :D About a year ago I met Clubjuggle and Blemt as they passed through Florida on the way to Miami and the year before that I met Skip while he was here visiting family. In all I've met: DMMonty, Skip, ClubJuggle, Blemt, Nobody, EBJones, Yakatme, wmprkg so far, but I'm always happy to meet with and shoot with DPCers. If anyone is passing through North Florida and wants to GTG, please PM me!

If you could personally ask Drew & Langdon for one new site feature or enhancement, what would it be?

I need things to click on - did I mention my ADD? How about a permanent "Featured Photographs" section (like the April Fool's one) so we get to view random photos on a regular basis. The site has so many images I'm sure there are tons that I've never seen.

Final Question

OK Cindi, why photography?

I guess I mentioned ADD. I used to spend hours obsessing over drawings and paintings and I loved it. I loved the peace in my mind and the concentration it took to do a good job. Then I had kids and a career and didn't touch ink or paint to paper for about 10 years. I didn't realize how much I missed my creative outlet until I got serious behind a digital camera. That was it for me. I feel driven to improve my skills every day. I've never felt so passionate about any other venture in my life. I want to share what I learn and then I want to learn some more. As they say, its not what I do, its what I have become.

Cindi, thanks so much for doing this. It was fun to see your personality and spirit emerge in this Q&A!

Thank you, John; for choosing me to interview and for making me think hard about what I am doing and where I am in my photography. This has been an eye-opening experience.



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