Dave's Discourse: new camera, more hammers, and general updates

Hi folks!
Here recently I purchased a nice new camera for photographing my blacksmith work. Many of the shows that I do are "juried" shows. This means that a jury panel reviews my work, via pictures, to determine if they want to allow me in the show.
Basically I get about 30 seconds of photo slides to impress the jurors enough so that they know they want me in their show.

You can probably guess that photo quality is pretty important, for my shows.

So, I sought the counsel of a number of photographers, hobbyist photographers, and blacksmiths who photograph their work, and settled on a Cannon Rebel T3i. I purchased a few additional gadgets that were recommended as well.

So now I at least have the potential to take some really nice photos. I just need to practice up.....oh yeah, and finish reading the 319 page owners manual.

Anyway, here are some miscellaneous photos from my new camera.

Here is ME!

And ME again!

Here is my next younger brother!

My youngest brother!

Banjo time!

My mandolin!

I play an Eastman!

My dog Cookie! She ain't nothin but a hound dog!

I have a long commute....it's like 300 feet! That's the shop, as seen from the front porch of the house!

Muddy boots! Just a fact of life back in the country.

Detail photo of a fireplace set I made.

A 4-pound hammer, cooling off after forging.

I have a warm heart.

A 2-pound hammer.

When I do shows and people find out that I am a full-time, self-employed blacksmith, at 21 years of age, one of the most common questions I get is, how did you get into blacksmithing.

My response is, I saw a blacksmith demonstrate at a Civil War reenactment. While this is what directed me to the vocation I now hold, the answer runs much more deeply than that.

It runs back to when my parents decided to homeschool their kids, instead of sending them to public school. It runs back to my parents making that decision based on biblically-based Christian values. It runs back to them teaching me to work hard, be responsible, do good work, be teachable, etc.

Everything they've taught me, and thus the way my character and personality have been shaped, revolve directly around a home of bible-based Christianity.

While many of my readers may think it strange or even foolish, my life has been built and it now stands firmly grounded on a book: The Authorized King James Bible of 1611.