Last June I was celebrating my brand new appendage- the Nikon D40. It was something I had been coveting for quite some time. And since it was a gift, it was even more special. I remember sitting around, thumbing through the manual and just wishing I could have a magic digital photography Genie pop up every time I wanted to ask a question about how to get the outcome I wanted. I think I would call her Pixie. Yes, a Genie named Pixie. It works, right?

I digress.

I remember sitting in my kitchen and taking these pictures:

It was press the button, turn a dial, press another button, look at the LCD screen, press the button, look again, turn the page… over and over again. And it was fun!

While having an artistic eye for lining up a shot is important, understanding your artist’s tool is important too. Taking pictures over and over, being ok with having lots of crappy shots, and even just going back to shooting in Auto for a while is part of the learning process. And it isn’t always an instant process. I just figured out white balance a few days ago! And there is still so much more to learn.

The point of all of this is while I am still wishing for my Genie named Pixie, there are opportunities out there for people to learn from experts and maybe learn a bit more quickly. One of those opportunities comes from the folks at Digital Days, a traveling photo workshop. The prices are totally reasonable and they cover the country, so you might find one near you.

I found out about Digital Days through my friend Drew because he is hosting a photo contest where the winners get passes to attend one of the Digital Days two-day workshops. And while you would think I would be entering, I’m not. (Nursing a baby is more my priority these days.) Instead, I’m one of the judges!

So, if you think you would like to wow me with your best shot, head over to Drew’s blog and get the details. (You have to join the Ben Spark’s Digital Days Photo Contest group on Flickr to upload your best picture.)

The contest ends on March 31st. When posting your picture, make sure you include the city where you would like to attend the workshop. One entry per person.

I’m so looking forward to this!

Technorati Tags: digital days, digital photography, BenSpark, photography contest