Guest Blogger: Mary Slone Photography

We are so thrilled to welcome Mary Slone of Mary Slone Photography as our guest blogger for 30 Minutes in the Life this month. She is truly an inspiration. Her work is emotive, crisp and simply amazing.

Here is a little bit about her in her own words along with stellar self portrait.

“Hi! My name is Mary, and I love to make pictures.

I have three beautiful kids, ages 8, 7, and almost 2. I am married to my best friend and the best man I’ve ever been lucky enough to cross paths with. I love Jesus with my whole heart. We are Ohio folk originally, but transplanted to the South three years ago for my husband’s work. We really love it down here. It just feels like home. Living here, in small-town Mississippi, just affirms what I’ve always suspected: I’m a southern gal at heart.

My cell phone has always been guilty of housing thousands of snapshots, but I picked up a camera seriously for the first time when my youngest was born. I have a dear friend who also happens to be a phenomenal photographer, and seeing her beautiful lifestyle images grace my Facebook feed prompted me to invest in my first camera – a little bridge-style Fujifilm point & shoot. It had full manual mode, so I switched it over to the M, researched myself into a stupor for like a week straight, then started practicing. The photography spark was ignited then, almost two years ago, and continues to burn brighter and hotter with every passing day. It’s still a torrid love affair – I just can’t get enough.

Up until very recently, I’ve had little to no desire to build a business around my passion. Lately, however, the winds of change have been a-blowing around here. After spending much time in prayer and discussion with my husband about it, I have begun taking steps towards the launch of Mary Slone Photography (The Business), this summer. My goal is to be a useful tool for God, and lately I’m feeling that maybe my photography is one way to accomplish that. I’m just trying to follow His lead the best I can, and I have no interest in squandering this passion He has given me. So I suppose we’ll see what comes of that…it’s anyone’s guess, right now. I’m just along for the ride. 😉

One of my larger steps towards The Business has been the addition of my newest baby to our little family: my first full-frame camera body. We have recently purchased a Nikon D610 for me, and let me tell you – I think I’ve died and gone to camera heaven. I would ABSOLUTELY recommend to anyone interested in photography to learn FIRST on a crop-sensor body. I say this for two reasons: 1. It forces you to learn photography at it’s core – the very basics – and to push yourself further than you’ll ever have to with a full-frame body. I honestly believe I never would’ve been able to achieve the level of growth and development I’ve seen in my work over the last 18 months if I hadn’t been forced to stretttttttch myself to the limits of my little crop-sensor body (I made the switch from the little p&s to a Nikon D5100 dslr about a year ago). 2. Making the switch from dx to fx is nothing short of live-wire EXHILARATING. It’s like seeing with a new set of eyes. It’s truly a remarkable experience, and one that every photographer should get the opportunity to enjoy. So if you’re just starting out, be patient. Start with the crop-sensor first. Trust me, it’s worth it.

I love coffee, reading, pizza (which is now limited to the gluten-free variety), and rainy days. I have an incorrigible sweet tooth. My favorite subjects are my kids, and I have a deep-seeded passion for the everyday shots. The ones that, twenty years from now, will remind me of all the little every-day details that are so familiar to me now.

I suppose that’s about it. That’s me. Thanks for including me, 30 Minutes in the Life! I adore this blog and the idea behind it. Y’all rock my socks.

Mary