My name is really Suzanne, but a guy at work decided I was really Zann, and the nickname kind of stuck.  Besides, so many people call me Susan by mistake, I decided that maybe if I just provided them with the appropriate syllable, they could at least call me by some name that I had some control over.

I’m a typical middle-aged woman, happily married to Andy, and we’re child-free by choice.  We have two cats (or they have us) named  Maggie and Molly, who love us both dearly.  We live in Tupelo, Mississippi now, having moved here from Glendale, Arizona in September 2011, and we’re still adjusting to small-town life, at least as far as photography subjects go.

I love being in nature, which is truly ironic since I spend so little time in it.  Back in Arizona, nature came in small doses, in between the job, freeways, high-rises, electrical lines, cell towers, cars, trucks, buses..but it was there. Here in Mississippi, it’s much closer, but it’s still a challenge to get away from the computer and out of the house (I work from home). It’s my goal to find it, and find the beauty and artistry in it.  And as often as I can, I’ll leave the city to find the wider landscapes, the undeveloped mountains, the rocky seashores, the woodland trails and the clear, flowing water.

In the past, I’ve used 35mm SLR film cameras (an Olympus OM-10 was my first, followed by a Nikon 6006), and I’ve had several digital point-and-shoot cameras.  I bought my first digital SLR camera, a Nikon D5000, in December 2009, and re-discovered my love of creating art with the camera.  I love taking pictures, and decided it was time to step up my efforts and delve into the world of the digital darkroom.  I use Corel’s PaintShop Photo Pro X9, but I learned to use Photomatix V4 and the Topaz suite of filters (especially Adjust and DeNoise) to start creating HDR images, and I’m now finding my way around Adobe Lightroom CC and Photoshop CC.

In January 2011, I decided that I want to start taking this thing seriously, so I invested in a Nikon D700 camera and two new lenses.  The D700 is a full-frame body that provides the capability to take shots at higher ISO’s without getting so much noise.  I added an SB-700 Nikon Speedlight flash unit, and in 2014 I used it for my first and only wedding shoot…for my niece after her photographer backed out on the day before the wedding (long story!).  That year I also invested in another new lens, the Nikkor 24-85 mm f2.8-4.0, which has some awesome macro capabilities.

Due to some job changes that involved some significant travel, I haven’t been very involved in photography for the past few years, but in 2018 I’ve resolved to get my mojo back. In the meantime I’ve started getting into videography, using a GoPro Hero 5 Black with the Karma Grip gimbal. I also just recently purchased the Zhiyun Smooth 3 gimbal for my iPhone. I have a condition known as Essential Tremor which causes my hands, especially my right hand, to shake quite a bit, and I’m finding that I need the gimbal for my videos, just like I need the tripod (or at least lots of light and a fast shutter speed) for my photos.

I have so much to learn, but fortunately, in this day of the Internet, YouTube, and blogging, I’m sure I can find lots of help and information on any topic that I need.  My biggest challenge will be to translate what I read into a finished photograph that makes me happy and satisfied….because it’s all about happiness, after all.  That’s the Zen of photography, my Zen, the Zen of Zann!!

My Flickr Stream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/suzannehight/

My Facebook Page: ZannWalker Photography

My Twitter Stream: @suzanne_hight