NPN Staff Profile - Carolyn Derstine

Moderator - Weekly Challenge Gallery

Photography was always something I thought I would like to try sometime but raising a family and making a living seemed to keep that interest in the background for many years. In 2008, several years after I retired from teaching kindergarten, my husband and I had a chance to travel to Europe. We had also recently bought our first digital camera. The ease of digital along with the astounding scenery all around got me hooked! From that point on I wanted to learn everything I could about photography. I was basically starting from scratch since I knew nothing about camera settings, focal length, etc. So I read everything I could find about photography and then purchased a DSLR camera. My photography passion had begun!

Nature has always been a very important part of my life. On walks with my dad when I was a child I was taught to notice the world around me and appreciate the wonder of nature and all of God’s creation. To this day being out in nature is balm for my soul and necessary for my well-being. When I took up photography it suddenly gave me a way to express my joy in nature and be able to preserve and share some of that wonder with others. It wasn’t possible to do lots of traveling for the sake of my photography so my interests fairly quickly focused in on close-up photography which allowed me to explore the often unnoticed beauty all around me. My backyard and local environs became and still are my main shooting location.

Joining NPN has been a real boost to my photography education. The critiques and comments by fellow photographers provide opportunity to keep learning and refining my skills. Their affirmations keep me encouraged to continue on this learning journey. I have gradually been achieving some recognition for my photos: I had a picture published in the June 2011 issue of “Outdoor Photographer”; I recently won a macro photo exhibit contest sponsored by Tamron lens; I have also won a flora macro contest on another forum website. And the journey continues on. Not sure where my photography interests will take me in the future but it sure is a wonderfully fulfilling and creative ride to be on!

e-mail Carolyn Derstine