Tell us a little about yourself Christine
I grew up in Michigan, but we currently live just north of Orlando in Florida. My husband and I just celebrated our 45th wedding anniversary last month. We have two children and three grandchildren. I love to have my camera in hand or in my backseat, but recently I'm challenging my artistic side to learn Zentangle.
![Community Spotlight - Christine Schmitz](/sites/365picturetoday.com/files/2023-11/Christine%20Schmitz-01-24.jpg)
What type of camera do you use and what's in your kit?
I am a Sony girl and always have been from day one. I just recently purchased the RX10 IV and it is absolutely fabulous. My favourite lens is my macro 90mm and my Velvet 85 lensbaby. These two are very similar, but I love the blur I get with the Lensbaby.
![Butterfly](/sites/365picturetoday.com/files/blog-images/photo-Christine%20Schmitz-01-24-No.1_0.jpg)
Do you use Lightroom, Photoshop or do you have any favourite apps?
I use Camera Raw to edit my images and occasionally photoshop to do some creative things with masks. I use the LR Mobile, Snapseed, Topaz, Distressed FX, Becasso and PicTapGo apps.
![Black eyed Susans](/sites/365picturetoday.com/files/blog-images/photo-Christine%20Schmitz-01-24-No.2.jpg)
When did you first pick up a camera?
When I was a teenager my Dad gave my sister and I each a yellow Kodak Instamatic 110 camera. I really liked it but could barely afford the film and lost interest. We also had a dark room in our basement for B & W processing only. I can still remember that chemical smell! I really got the photography bug when I bought my first DSLR and our son gave me a Christmas gift that was for a beginner's workshop.
![photo-Christine Schmitz-01-24-No.3.jpg-bird with red and water ring](/sites/365picturetoday.com/files/blog-images/photo-Christine%20Schmitz-01-24-No.3.jpg)
How did you discover 365 Picture Today and how long have you been a member?
I posted my first picture January 1, 2020 and I have not missed a day, yet! A good friend and I decided to take a picture a day several years ago, but after a while I was looking for some way to 'track' or 'group' it so that I could look back and recall the memory instead of looking through thousands of images. I googled and found this group and have never looked back. I love the word challenge and all the beautiful interpretations from the community.
How do you stay motivated to post a picture a day? What advice do you have to give others to keep posting daily?
Personally, I do not look ahead at the prompts until I get the email each morning. I look at this 365 project I am doing as a way to remember each and every day in my life. I go about my day and try and remember the prompt and grab my shot when it arises! If for some reason I just cannot make the prompt fit, I post an image that is 'my day' and sometimes pull a recent image that I have taken. I love how everyone has a different interpretation of the prompt. It really widens my photography perspective and over the years it has opened my eyes!
![photo-Christine Schmitz-01-24-No.4.jpg-pink flower](/sites/365picturetoday.com/files/blog-images/photo-Christine%20Schmitz-01-24-No.4.jpg)
What is your favourite type of photography?
I absolutely love to photograph nature, but my true love is birds. Yes, I am a birder...there, I said it! I am in love with the shorebirds along the beach. I love to watch their behaviour and try to capture it in my photographs. I also use my macro for close up shots of bugs, flowers or anything that shows the smaller details inside the larger picture. I use my 600mm to capture the endless ways to interpret birds along the ocean shores. I tend to photograph more flowers during the warmer months and migrating birds in the cooler months here in Floridia.
![photo-Christine Schmitz-01-24-No.5.jpg-white flower](/sites/365picturetoday.com/files/blog-images/photo-Christine%20Schmitz-01-24-No.5_0.jpg)
![photo-Christine Schmitz-01-24-No.6.jpg-orange flower](/sites/365picturetoday.com/files/blog-images/photo-Christine%20Schmitz-01-24-No.6.jpg)
Where is your "go to" place to take pictures?
Easy! The ocean is where I most often go! You don't have to even ask me twice either! It's different everytime I go and there are so many things to see. Nature is always there!
![photo-Christine Schmitz-01-24-No.7.jpg orange beaked bird with black head](/sites/365picturetoday.com/files/blog-images/photo-Christine%20Schmitz-01-24-No.7.jpg)
Where would be a dream location to go on a photography walk/holiday?
Oh goodness! My dream loction would have to have barns, old rusty vehicles, or anything historic. I really like to photograph old things that are being replaced with new. I like to preserve history with a photograph!
![photo-Christine Schmitz-01-24-No.8.jpg pink headed bird in water](/sites/365picturetoday.com/files/blog-images/photo-Christine%20Schmitz-01-24-No.8.jpg)
![photo-Christine Schmitz-01-24-No.9.jpg-barn and car](/sites/365picturetoday.com/files/blog-images/photo-Christine%20Schmitz-01-24-No.9.jpg)