Some of my earliest childhood memories are of me out 'shooting' with my father, an amateur photographer, using whatever camera he put in my hands. I continued with hand me down cameras until as a young adult, I started buying my own. I learned to develop my film and print my own work in the darkroom. My love of photography continued even though it eventually took a back seat to my full time job for many years. Finally I made the decision to leave the corporate world and in preparation for my next act, I began to take classes and workshops to refresh and build my photography skills. I studied at Maine Media College, Santa Fe Workshops and numerous other online and in person classes. Once I left my job, I became very involved in the local arts community, serving as Board President for a nonprofit arts organization for 7 years, serving on the Mayor of Portsmouth, NH Arts and Nonprofit Cultural Committee for 2 years, and President of a local Camera Club for 1 year. If you ask what type of subjects I prefer to photograph the answer would be ‘all of them!’ I thrive on challenging myself to learn new things and frequently assign myself new projects, which is why you see a variety of subjects in my portfolio. For me it is the thrill of creating a compelling image that excites me, no matter the subject. Why I photograph can be summed up with one word - FUN! When I’m making images any worries of the day dissolve. Most of my images are made outdoors and appreciating the beauty around me is at the same time calming and revitalizing. My hope is that the viewer enjoys my images as much as I enjoyed creating them. Visit my website at: reneegiffroy.com