Last Photography Class

Well, tonight was my last photography class for this semester. It was a half-semester class. I learned a lot, but still have a lot more to learn about my camera and the settings. As long as I leave it on "automatic" most pictures come out pretty well, but the really good stuff happens when you know how to set the appropriate settings. I never dreamed there was so much stuff to being a great photographer. Hopefully I will get there some day. It was kind of bittersweet. I really enjoyed the class and it was definitely a challenge. I have to admit that some weeks it was very difficult to get my homework done and ready to turn in. I don't know how the ladies that have small children and work ever got their homework done. One of our assignments for our last class was to tell a story with photos. Mr. L. said we could either just turn in our photos in the order of our story or do a PowerPoint. Of course my favorite thing to do is make a video so that is what I did. I think it turned out really well and mine was the only one that had music. No one else knew how to add music. Not that it's that hard to do, especially if you are using Photo Story, but even in PowerPoint you have to know where the setting is. I tried to help one of my classmates before class, but her music still didn't work. Some of them asked me if I would give them lessons for "Free?" Of course I politely declined. Maybe if they offered to pay me something, but I really am not up for free. I hope that wasn't too rude. Anyway, I used Blake and Ethan for my story. Please comment and let me know what you think about it and if you can follow the story line as there is not dialogue or text, just photos. I was pleased with it and my story went over very well with my classmates and instructor. Here it is, don't forget to comment. Be sure and pause the music at the bottom of the blog or you will hear double music during the video.

Photography Class

First of all, I am feeling better. I still don't have my voice back fully, but at least I can talk in spurts before it starts cracking up. Some of you know that I am taking a photography class this semester at Amarillo College. It has proved to be very interesting. For the first week assignment we were to take two photos of three different subjects that are of interest to us. I used shots of Lexie, John, Leeba, Simon and the ice on the branches, berries and leaves. They all turned out pretty good, but there was a snafu when I tried to burn them onto a CD and when the instructor tried to view them the disk was blank. It was so embarrassing! So I was determined to make sure I had my homework this week. Our assignment was to take two photos of a sunrise/sunset, two photos with silhouettes and two photos focused on the silhouette object with the colored sky in the background. First of all I want to say I found it to be very hard. I was surprised at how fast the sun rises and sets over the horizon. Then to make matters worse, you really need some clouds to get the variation of colors and finally I was so sick this week. ( check previous post) Kevin was not real happy with me getting up early for the sunrise but he did comply. Of course we didn't agree on where to drive out to for the best pictures and by the time we decided the sun was up over the horizon. I finally decided to just do some shots and put them on a CD as any photos would be better than none. So here are three of the six I turned in.

I thought this was interesting with the tree and sun in the background. I have no

idea who's ranch it was or even where it is located. I was just driving west on a

Farm to Market Road out past Bushland, Texas.

Of course this is the famed Cadillac Ranch. It was really my first thought for sunset

but I figured everyone else would think of it too. I finally decided to go ahead and

shoot there. Surprisingly enough only one other person had photos of the Cadillac Ranch.

If you are ever driving on I-40 West by Amarillo you should stop and check it out.

It's the Stonehenge of Texas.

And finally just a beautiful Texas sunset. No wonder lots of movie production companies come here just to shoot the sunset scenes. We do have some beautiful ones and since it is wide open space and nothing blocking it from view, they are spectacular almost every evening.

Our homework assignment for this week is to do three photos each of cityscape's, stairways and reflections. We also started getting more into the technical parts of photography talking about metering, f stops, apertures and ISO. The instructor said at one point, "Deer in the headlights." His best advice to all of us "newbies" was to read, read, read our computer manual and play around with our camera. I'll post next week some of my photos for this assignment. I already am thinking of places to go. Oh, by the way, my homework CD worked this week! Yea!