As BlogHer’s new Photography Editor, I’d like to make a confession upfront: Last summer, I kicked my Photo Muse to the curb.

That’s when I moved from San Francisco to Denver to meet up with my yummy new beau. Along the way, I visited my fellow BlogHer pal, Leslie, and joked to her: “He’ll probably take a look at how much stuff I have and dump me on the spot!” Har-har-har! Yuk-yuk-yuk! Oh yes, that was a good one.

Not nearly as funny, however, when the joke became a reality. “You have too many things,” he opined two days after my arrival, “A sure sign of inner chaos.” Since we were sitting on beach chairs in my living room, I assumed he was talking about the endless boxes of print photos and good ol’ fashioned film negatives.

Despite his obvious idiocy (‘MonkMan’ slept on plywood fer chrissakes) he had a point. In addition to my broken heart, there was a side casualty; unpacking all my photo gear alone while sobbing my heart out actually snuffed out my beloved shutterbug. Warped, I know.

Finally, nearly a year later, that familiar twitch has returned, just in time for my new role at BlogHer. Thankfully, I could not have been dumped in a more beautiful locale. For the first time ever, I live with seasons! Four of ‘em! (Growing up in LA, we only knew about autumn when the new TV line-up was announced.) I’ve got a whole new state to explore – rugged cowboys, unfamiliar flowers, disruptive snowstorms and let us not forget the majestic Rocky Mountains. Oh my, yes.

However, this photo-free time has not gone to waste for I have spent the last year just seeing. A camera, after all, is only an extension of the original lenses we came with. For me, this awareness is a crucial part of the craft. I once lost touch with this reality – seeing only through the lens, convincing myself that if I did not photograph something I did not really see it - and the resulting images clearly suffered.

Meanwhile, digital photography has gone mainstream. As an old-school purist, I have dutifully resisted but just on the space-saving aspect alone, I am ready to embrace. Of course, I possess some small digital cameras but they leave me so cold, my muse doesn’t stir. It’s akin to having sex with a full body condom - I’m pretty sure something happened but certainly not anything worth mentioning.

Darkness, no more, my friends! The time has come to resume this journey, albeit with a fancy new horse. I recently bit the bullet and plunked down a solid chunk o’ change for a digital SLR, a Canon Digital Rebel XTi. I am in love with it and when no one is looking, I kiss it. It is money well-spent just for the tingle factor alone.

In this space, I will share this passion with ya’ll while seeking clarity and insight in return. I’m no pro but I am mad about it. I’m so honored to be trusted with the flashlight on this adventure, to finally let my pent-up shutterbug loose and see what in tarnation is going on out there.

I implore you to let me know how best I can serve this community. If you have specific requests, something you’d like me to investigate – new photo software or photo-sharing site, I’m open. Same goes for any photo-related issues – use me, baby. My lens cap is off, the battery is charged and the lighting is perfect. Let’s get snapping.