Maria Small

Hello, everyone!
<br />I've been taking photographs, mostly snapshots of family gatherings and trips, in my adulthood. In early 2021, however, I decided to take this hobby seriously. For starters I enrolled in an on-line Introduction to Digital Photography through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at CalState Fullerton here in southern California. Among other things, for the first time in my life, I studied my camera and acquired a basic understanding of how it worked. Towards
<br />the end of the program, a woman casually mentioned that she had recently joined the Photographic Society of America, and I quickly took note of that information. As soon as I had
<br />the chance, I signed up for a membership and enrolled in 2022 in the Introduction to Adobe Photoshop class, then followed this with Digital Photography. I found both classes very
<br />enlightening and I was able to determine what I knew and what I didn't know. It didn't come as a surprise that what I didn't know was huge, and there were times when this discovery
<br />overwhelmed and discouraged me. Having retired, however, from a career in adult development, I snapped out of this state of disenchantment and reminded myself that it is never too late to learn, and that there are endless resources out there that I can tap into. All I have to do is to reach out with a willingness and a commitment to learn. I also challenged
<br />myself by asking, "IF NOT NOW, WHEN?"
<br />These last few years, I have narrowed my subjects to nature and wildlife, particularly birds. I am an avid traveler to local and international destinations for many years now, so as much as I am getting too old to be carrying my camera and lens around, I do carry them.
<br />As an enthusiastic beginner, I am looking forward to learning with and from each and all of you.