"You are another me."

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www.carolinedixey.com
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That's how the Mayans would introduce themselves.

I just noticed this thread section yesterday but I didn't really have time to post a hello. I've been a member of this forum since November 2006 I think? But I only just recently started using it regularly.

I would call myself a new professional. My website was just launched in January, but I have been taking photos seriously for about 3 years. My first digital camera was a point and shoot, of course, but after that broke, I decided to get a Canon 350D. In November, I upgraded to a Canon 40D, and I have been quite happy with it, and myself using it.

I graduated high school in 2004, and attended college until April of 2006, when I realized everything that was happening in the world. War, famine, unhappiness, and I saw that most of those negative things were brought on by people like me who take more than they need. I began looking at things differently, and saw that my going to school wasn't helping anyone except for the people receiving my checks. The school I was going to did not allow Photography majors to take a digital class until their Senior year. While I think learning film is important, I also think that it is important to give art students a way to pay for art school. Three years of printing in a darkroom would have killed any money I would have had at the end of school for starting my photography...plus hardly anyone uses film commercially anymore, so not only would it harm the environment, it would be for no reason, because it would all have to be re-learned when the switch to digital is made.

My photography took an unexpected turn. I began going to anti-war protests and photographing them, going to political forums, researching all things political and ethical. I really got into politics.
In July 06, my boyfriend (and my designer now, too) kliint and I started out on an adventure around the country to share with everyone what we had acquired, and more importantly to see what the country was really thinking, because God knows the TV wasn't telling us the truth. Before we left, we bought a fuel-efficient car that worked (sorta) and gave away everything we didn't need. What we did need, we put in the trunk of our '94 Jetta, and set out. I photographed all of it, and you can view the images on my pbase: www.pbase.com/dixeychik7 ---I haven't gotten a chance to put those on my website yet. It got pretty crazy at times.
We ended up in Washington DC and Baltimore for over 3 dreadful months, but during that time, I was brought to a new understanding of the world: the cosmic aspect of it. We were introduced to The Ancient Secret of the Flower of Life, and it totally changed our perspective. We went to the Green Festival in DC and I tried organic milk for the first time. Since then, natural, healthy, organic living has been my main focus along with spiritualism. (note: spiritualism is NOT religion.)
After the DC leg of our adventure, we were ready to come somewhere where there were people we had known for a while, so we came back to Chicago in January 07. Having received so many compliments on my images while out on the road, and not wanting to get a job at a cafe or something, I decided to take my photography a little more seriously. I got a job shooting in nightclubs, and received many compliments from the owner. I was hired to take pictures at a couple weddings and parties. When my grandmother died last March, she left each of her grandkids some money. My Uncle suggested I put it in a CD or savings account (which I did not believe was smart considering the economy then and now). I thought that it would be better off invested in another CD: ME! I knew a new camera and accessories would be necessary for me to be able to take professional-looking photos, (I still only had my 350D and 18-55mm with an attachable fish-eye) but until then lacked the fundage to get it done.

My check arrived in October, and that's when things started happening. I now have a 40D with a number of lenses, an attachable flash, and everything I need to make decent images. I have a website and business cards, and right now I'm focusing on getting my name out there. As publicity increases, I know my jobs will increase as well, but mostly I just want people to know who I am. It's important to me that everyone who goes to my site is motivated to go back and look again because soon, my website will have images of never-before-seen Mayan ruins near where I will be living in Belize.

Our adventuring has brought us to another adventure: the start of a non-profit: For All Humankind. Started out as just a website idea: compiling all the useful knowledge we have acquired and organizing it on a website with all sources linked. Then someone suggested making it into a non-profit, so we could open a consciousness center with people's donations, so that's what's happening now. Since the purchase of the domain three weeks ago, we have $170,000 in pledges towards a bed and breakfast for sale in Belize, that we will turn into a consciousness retreat. The house sits on 9 acres of land and has 5 acres of fruit and nut trees/plants, so we won't ever have to work for money again. Surrounding the land are mountains, and undiscovered Mayan ruins. I'm very excited to take pictures down there, and hopefully, at that point share them with the world.

So, that's a little more than a little bit about me, but I'm no simple person! I feel like everything included in this post defines me in some way, and has definitely affected my photography in one way or another.

If you're interested in checking out my website, it's www.carolinedixey.com

Peace!
:heart:Caroline
 
Hello Caroline, and thanks for the intro. "Better late than never". You've got some interesting times/experiences ahead of you in Belize, and I hope you can document them and share them with us.
 
Hi Caroline and welcome aboard. Nice Portfolio!
 

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