IA picture is a poem without words."-Horace

Photography for me began when I was 14 years old after joining my high school's Yearbook class in Southern California. In college, I took 2 photography courses: Basic Photography and Photojournalism. Last year in 2010, I won the Ecovelo’s “Why I Ride” Photo Contest,” (www.ecovelo.info/2010/11/07/mary-bernsens-photo-contest-e...), which ignited my long love affair and passion for photography, leading me to take 2 photo courses after more than 15 years. My instructor was Sharon Lavier O’Keefe, founder of Northwest Center for Photography (www.pnwcp.com).

I love photography and I think it's great to have a site like Flickr where everyone can share and learn from each other. I enjoy taking pictures of landscapes, bridges, country and city roads, as well as documenting my frequent travels. I love the abandoned, the forgotten, and the decrepit. I like taking the unknown paths that lead me to new and wonderful places. For me, the power of photography is to be able to capture an image and invoke an appreciation from others. A simple gasp, a sense of wonderment, a longing to be at that special place . . . this is my challenge.

I would like to hear your thoughts on my photos and any suggestion you might have, since I am still a novice photographer and Flickr user.

Thank you for taking the time to read about me. -Mary