To see the world through the

The camera lens and the human eye are two amazing entities. For me to be able to see the world through the "eye" of a camera has unimaginable significance.

Five years ago I was diagnosed with a rare degenerative eye disease; macular telangiectasia. It was devastating news but I refused to let it stop me from living my life to its fullest. I joined a research group from the most prestigious eye institute in the USA, I volunteered to receive the latest and greatest investigational treatments and I set out to "see" the world before it was too late.

One of the most recent and best things I did was to purchase a Canon 5D Mark III digital camera. The eye and the camera lens are very similar, especially when they work together and create beauty. My Canon and I soon became inseparable. It didn't take me long to realize that I could once again see perfect through the lens of my DSLR. The leaves had veins, the bugs crawled in and out of flowers silently and the sunsets created rainbows of color often undetected by my naked eye. Babies had dimples, fences were covered with cobwebs and food displayed amazing textures. It was a whole new world!

I set out on a mission to duplicate the world to the best of my ability, for everyone to admire (which I had done years earlier as an artist when I possessed good eye hand coordination). I created a website, occasionalnotecards.com, designed e-cards from my photos and sold subscriptions to make donations to eye disease research. I began taking photos of my friends and family for my own memories as well as theirs and I started selling stock photos on Dreamstime. Although it's only been two years since I first learned how to use my camera, edit my photos and create and run a web business, it's proven to be the most rewarding time of my life.

When I first started uploading photos to Dreamstime, I would feel slighted and demeaned when an image was rejected, but in retrospect I realize how valuable that was, how it made me even better at this "fun" job. I've learned about lighting, and composition and contrast. And, I'm able to interact with people who have the same interests and most rewardingly I sell my photos to people who actually want them.

I would like to thank Dreamstime for giving me the opportunity to showcase and sell my photos. This experience has boosted my morale and allowed me to feel productive and able again.

I still get rejections, and I can't exactly "live" on my earnings, but I'm learning and experiencing every day, and that's a good thing.

I love to see how everyone else interprets the world. I love to experiment with the suggestions DT offers us as assignments and I love that this forum was created and has accepted me like any other "photographer".

Thanks again Dreamstime.