Me, briefly: Texan. American. Christian. Daughter. Sister. Dog lover. Owned by a feline. Wordy. Bookworm. Photographer. Blogger. Overachieving. Loyal. Travel lover. Wallflower.
Some random tidbits about me … that have nothing to do with photography:
… I was an only child for eight years. Its rough when you have no one to blame for your exploits (not to mention lonely)!
… Was bitten by the traveling bug at an early age … and for the last eight years, my passport nags me to use it more than I have.
… One of these years I plan to live abroad for awhile … before I retire, that is.
… I’m a card carrying nerd (or would be if nerd cards were issued).
… Been a bookworm since the age of 5 … speed reader status achieved shortly afterward. According to the owner of the local book exchange, I have ‘eclectic’ reading tastes.
… I’m a weather junkie … I seriously considered becoming a meteorologist once upon a time.
… If I’d have picked my undergrad major based on my preferred work wardrobe, I’d be an elementary school PE teacher right now. Instead I earned two degrees with majors that involved business attire.
… I have a tech gadget affliction. Its not as a bad as it once was … instead of computer related gadgets, my money goes towards camera related gadgets!
… I have a massive postcard collection. So much so I’ve had to switch to collecting ornaments from destinations instead …
… I love to write letters by hand and have been penpalling for nearly 11 years now. Not as quick at replying now but I’m slowly making a dent in the to-write letter stack. They’re also responsible for a chunk of that postcard collection!
… I’ve had a blog/online journal of some format since early 2001 … and a website (mostly designed & coded by myself) since 1999. I own way too many domain names, both personal usage & for business activities!
… I use *’s a lot, especially to emphasize stuff of importance. I also alternate the usage of … and — quite a bit too.
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On the photography front …
… I’ve been fascinated with cameras since childhood … I’m sure my grandfather appreciated all the film he developed to find my *pretend* images mixed in!
… My only formal photography education was a basics course in high school where I learned the basics of using an SLR, developing my own film, and producing my own prints. One of these days I’d like to get back in a dark room for fun, but will stick to the *digital darkroom* (aka Photoshop and Lightroom) for now.
… I didn’t become serious about photography until 2005 … nearly everything I’ve learned since then about the art of photography was self taught through trial and error, books, online forums, Flickr, seminars, and workshops. The learning/self-growth never stops …
My Portraiture Photography Philosophy …
In short, I love photography. I get giddy when I find the perfect location to use for sessions and when I nail ‘the shot’ as I have it envisioned. I’m also an analytical perfectionist. I don’t do anything half way, its all or nothing. I give you what I expect out of any photographer I would hire. I value photography. I value capturing visual memories and family heirlooms for generations to come. When I look back at the images captured of my dad’s father back in the 1920s when he was younger than me, I see a side of a man I never would have known existed, where I get my quirky sense of humor and wacky comedic posing for the camera.
Without photography, the only memories we have to pass on are verbal/written memories. As the adage goes, “An image is worth a thousand words.” I believe that wholeheartedly. I adore clients who share this philosophy — sometimes I even get giddy when they have an awesome creative idea they want me to capture for them. My mission and goal as both a photographer and small business owner is not to shoot a quick generic session in front of a cheesy backdrop, pop unedited images into a proof gallery, and order cheap discount lab prints for the client. That kills my love for photography in less than an instant …
Places around the web where Christina & CMP have been mentioned!
PhotoLoveCat: Blog Love – Get Yours
Paperie Boutique: Show ‘n’ Tell
LaPomme Design: Featured Photographer: Christina McCall
Paperie Boutique: Button Up
Awards/Recognition …
Henderson County Art Show 2007 – Portrait Category (1st Place)
Athens Review’s Best Photographer for 2009
WFAA’s A-List Top 5 Pet Photographers in DFW – 2010 (2nd Place – Top 5 list here)