Photography By Joshua D. Spurgeon

Intro

Hi there and thanks for checking out my photography site!  I'm a hobby photographer with over 25-years of photography experience.  I'm not currently for hire, but I have photographed several large events (for my day job), a wedding (for a relative), and multiple car shows (unofficially).

Beginnings

I guess it all started when my grandmother gave me a Kodak 110 Film Pocket Camera for my tenth birthday.  Film was expensive, and being just a kid, I didn’t use it much. Fast forward eight years and my dad gifts me his Minolta SR-T 35mm Film camera produced in 1977.  That camera was awesome and I used it until the day it didn’t wind film anymore.

Growth

My wife gifted me a new Canon Rebel K2 film camera in 2004.  Wanting to get better at photography, I took a photography class at night for several weeks.  I learned how to use filters, improve lighting, and customize camera settings. As I’ve grown in my skills (and allowable budget), I’ve upgraded my cameras and equipment.

Failure = Success

For me, photography is a great hobby and I love honing my skills. Digital allows me to take thousands of photos and no longer worry about the costs of film and processing.  Reading great books about photography and lighting were key to my growth. Reading the owner’s manual, trying all the camera settings, and expanding my subject matter also helps to improve my skills and learn from my mistakes.

Tools

I’ve been using a Pentax K-70 which I love because of its water resistance, highly customizable menus, and built-in image stabilization.  My lens is a Sigma 18-300mm super-zoom for Pentax. I have a variety of gear including flash and filters, but my best purchase ever has been a sling style strap for worry free camera carrying.  For workflow, I use my custom built Ryzen 5 PC running the latest version of Ubuntu Linux with digiKam for photo management.

~Joshua Spurgeon