Just a brief introduction: Hi! My name is Alison and I am beyond thrilled to be a new contributor here at Viewfinders. I run a small wedding and portrait photography business in Minnesota where I live with my family. I’m an office supply junkie, a coffee drinker, lasagna devour-er, eternal student, lover of literature, counter of stars, and follower of dreams.

I don’t think I’m anywhere close to alone when I tell you that my photography journey has happened in large part on and because of the internet. I learned countless tricks, made gear upgrades, and started to find my photographic voice. Once I felt like I was starting to find a little bit of footing with the knobs and buttons, I started searching for kindred spirits on Flickr. From there I headed into Tracey Clark’s “Picture” classes and started to make the connections that led me to the rabbit hole of self-portraiture that is NOW YOU. As my connections with other (predominantly women) photographers grew deeper, I started to talk about them to my in-person friends and family. It started out haltingly, but has become second-nature, to refer to my “photo friends,” people who I knew mostly through screennames and user icons. But I couldn’t not talk about these people – they are some of my close friends.

By and large, I haven’t really met many of the folks in person who have been instrumental in crafting the artist, the mother, and the woman that I am today. They are scattered across the United States and the world – just a few small meetings here and there when this midwestern gal has happened to be somewhere closer to the edges of the country. Aside from the hugs and gushing over all of the little and huge things that actually being together sparks, there are small things especially about photography that push me a little more with every meeting.

A few years ago I was lucky enough to meet up with Holly, Debra and Tara in Las Vegas for a far too brief meal. Holly pulled out her camera with flash attached in the middle of a Las Vegas restaurant and I was blown away. There I was trying not to feel too sheepish, quietly snapping a photo of my drink, and these ladies come in and act like using gigantic cameras at the dinner table, waiting before taking a bite to get the perfect shot of a salad was a given. Seriously, blown away. The best part about that little lesson was that no one else in the restaurant cared at all, and it gave me the go-ahead that I had been waiting for. What may not have required courage for her gave courage to me, and for that I am grateful.

I’ll admit here that I’m writing this post a bit earlier than it’s going to hit the stands because I am going to be doing another one of these little meetups. By the time this goes to press, I’ll have a whole new crop of tricks squeezed into me with the hugs of those I’ve longed to meet for so ages and ages.

All the best,
Alison