Finish the Sentence...with Laurie Excell

[sing along with your favorite game show music]
"It's time once again to ask a well-known photographer, instructor or otherwise interesting person the same 10 questions and ask them to Finish the Sentence! This week the sentences are finished by.... Laurie Excell.

Laurie, please Finish the Sentence..."

My favorite photography accessory (lights, modifier, bag, tripod) is
Lightning Trigger www.lightningtrigger.com I love photographing stormy weather!

I’ve learned the most from..
Moose Peterson, my mentor, my good friend and my "big brother."

If I could go anywhere in the world it would be_____ because….
If I could go anywhere in the world it would be Africa because there is no other place that I have been where it feels more like a true wilderness with wild creatures at every turn. You get to experience the entire circle of life from birth, to survival, to death; family interaction, confrontation, play and so much more. The landscape is so foreign to anything we have here and the people are so beautiful and colorful.

My most-used Photoshop add-on, plugin, action set (etc) is
NIK ColoreEfex Pro 3.0 & OnOne Software Photo Frame 4.0

I love the fact that Photoshop
allows me to bring my vision of the world to life in my images. Creativity doesn't end with the click of the shutter.

I hate the fact that Photoshop
is so intimidating to newcomers. It is a huge, powerful and yet wonderful beast that literally scares people when they first encounter it.

If I could turn back the clock 10 years
I would quit my day job sooner and followed my dream... But, hey, I'm doing it now so, no regrets!

In 10 years
I hope to be doing the same thing I am now...photographing wildlife and nature, sharing my knowledge of photography and Photoshop with others, leading safaris to photograph the wonders and wildlife of North America (and maybe the world), working with my friends at NAPP & Kelby Training. Of course, I will be a little old lady by then and will need a sherpa to carry my equipment. :)

If I could give one piece of advice it would be
follow your dream...pursue your passion...give it your best shot! Continue to be curious about the world, passionate about what you do and share the beauty you capture through your photography with others.

Your readers can find out more about me
my blog
www.laurieexcell.com
www.equipmentlady.com

Ladies, Gentlemen, let's hear it for Laurie Excell!
[much applause and whistling as the music never seems to stop]

Laurie spent the first 25 years of her career in photographic sales helping pros and hobbyists alike decide which photographic equipment best suited their needs. All the while, she was an avid photographer. In 2000 she left sales to become a full-time professional wildlife and nature photographer. She has been published in Outdoor Photographer, Outdoor Photography (UK), Photoshop User, and Layers magazines. You will also find her photography on Audubon calendars, as well as postcards, calendars, and posters for the National Park Service.

As if that's not enough, Laurie also leads wildlife photography safaris in North America and is an instructor with the Digital Landscape Workshop Series and Photoshop World . She also runs a business called EQuipmentLady, where she sells photographic equipment on consignment for other photographers when they upgrade their equipment. Oh, and in all of her spare time, she's the Photo Equipment Advice Desk Guru for the National Association of Photoshop Professionals.