I'm basically a semi-retired Web designer with a camera.

Okay, here's a little more detail. As a designer, I often had trouble finding suitable pictures for some of my sites, so I started taking them myself. Then I started taking pictures  for other designers. Then I submitted a few to stock companies. And then I sold a few (both privately and through microstock). Then one day it dawned on me that I was a photographer.

It's still a very part-time thing for me, though. It's  basically a hobby that helps pay for itself. But I've decided to start working  seriously on developing my skills. I don't know that my income from it will ever be more than lunch money, but because this is not my primary source of income, I do have the luxury of being able to have a bit more fun with it than if it were.

I'm going to try to attach small versions of a few of my recent shots. That does seem the thing to do on a photography forum, don't you think?

I'm eagerly looking forward to learning from all of you veterans, more about photography itself than the business end. I have nothing but respect for anyone who can make a living in what I've learned is an extraordinarily challenging business, but at this point I would just like to take better pictures.

Thank you very much for having me.

-Richard

Hello Richard.
Your images look good.
Maybe little lighter shadows will help. You lose a lot of interesting details in insects I think.

Thanks for all the kind words and advice.

I do agree that I have to work on lighting and backgrounds (among other technical and compositional issues) to make the pictures better and more commercially viable, especially if I want to dwell in the niches. I don't mind being there, but I do understand that if I want to live in a niche, my work has to really stand out from the rest.

Just as an aside, I don't only photograph nature and wildlife. That's just what I've been doing recently because of various time- and weather-related reasons. It's either been pouring rain or horrendously hot and hazy for the past few weeks, and I also was busy with a big project for a Web design client; so I haven't gotten out much. All of the pictures above were taken right outside my own home.

Thanks again.

-Richard