I shot myself a WebBlog

Hello one and all step right up and say a few words.

My name is James DiMeo and I currently live on the outskirts of Philadelphia. I’ve left my 20’s and have crossed over into the evil 30’s, with a smile more or less. Photography has bounced in and out of my life, yet it has stuck to me over the years and has become a huge part of my life.

It all started with a 110 film camera my mother gave my brother and I at the age of 6. We both would snap pictures, yet if the camera was loaded was always a mystery. We had a blast anyway composing shots and pretending that we were famous. In my teens I received my fathers old 35mm Mamya, a Pentax from back in the day; it was in Vietnam if I recall correctly – well actually his first camera was stolen right out of his car- so he had to buy this one….wow was that heavy! – I used it through college while collecting other camera such as the Canon AE-1 I got at a garage sale- I used it for a year then I ended up selling to a kid on EBay so that he could start taking pictures. it was pretty cool. Next I acquired a Minolta 35mm, with a 50mm macro lens, I have the bellows and all, the zoom lens – it is one of my favorite cameras to date.

My freshman year at WCU I became a staff photographer for the QUAD college paper and I got into as much trouble as a college kids could with a camera. During my 2nd year at West Chester University I became the photography editor, apparently my freshman days showed promise. I was now shooting with 35mm Canon Rebel… the latest tech of 1998 – lol Black and white film and working in the darkroom. I quite enjoyed the darkroom, yet it took long hours to get the pictures just right. Even though photography drove me as an art major, computers always held a special part in my life too, so the combination of two ignited a whole new world for me. Junior year we bought new computers a digital negative scanner and a zip drive. Our paper had jumped to the next level of technology. It was excited, yet at the same time I missed the darkroom and the personal satisfaction of get a picture just right. Time went on into my senior year; I got a job at the camera shop in King of Prussia. My education continued, I stepped down as the photography editor to focus on my studies. They bought their first digital camera that year. A Nikon- mega pixel or something….lol – Wow how times have changed.

I sold my Canon Rebel and left my job at the Camera shop to jump into corporate America. I had my trusty Minolta handy if I ever wanted to shoot in my free time. I moved away, and got lost in computers for a time, I didn’t make the time for photography and I regret that some much now, especially during those years during my twenties. I moved around a lot then, times got rough and they didn’t get any better each year that went by, I emotionally didn’t want to capture anything. My mother died from cancer and I sort of fell apart. I started taking long trips, random to Florida, up to the mountains to go skiing, and then I got on a plane and flew to CA. I went to buy a car – that is one hell of a story – one for another time – As for now, I live in a comfy house with my bride to be and my faithful doggie Arizona, I’ve converted part of our house into a studio and am slowly rebuilding my life in pictures. I’ve been shooting steady since 2003 and have my life documented in pictures – going strong and getting stronger.

I shoot a Canon 20D, and have a multitude of lens to compliment my shooting style. Always looking to upgrade yet, technology isn’t as slow as my college years…. I’ll get to a full frame soon enough… – If you have read this much – thanks its nice to have a ear. Please share your stories with me I’d love to hear them. Whether you are a model or a photographer I welcome your input and critique. If you have enjoyed the pictures in my portfolio please let me know. If you are in the PA, DE, or NJ area and would like to have pictures taken, drop me a line in the Schedule an Appointment section. I also work with websites for other photographers and models, if you are curious as to what my services are and the costs involved; please go to my Need a website section.

Take care.
Jimmy D.