Every once in awhile I like to take a class that will take me totally out of my comfort zone. (i.e. not a quilt class!) I find that the more nervous I am about looking like an idiot in the class, the more likely I will learn something really big, and crack open a new fertile egg of creativity.
This last week I took a technical photography class, that was 90 minutes of lecture, and 90 minutes of walking on Pearl Street with the class, to photograph the summer street scene.
I have taken this class before, and felt that I had failed miserably. I am an artistic photographer, and I love to play around with Photoshop after I get home and put the SD card in my computer. This class challenged me to get the same Photoshop-like effects with the settings for ISO, aperture and shutter speed.
Well I decided to eat crow and take this class again. I am preparing for a very big trip later this year, and I really wanted to challenge myself and learn some new skills before this trip.
I used to think my painting and illustrating were superior to photography. What could be so hard about taking a picture? As the years rolled by and I slowly began to use better cameras, I saw that my artist's eye combined with a good camera that could capture a fleeting moment, made for some beautiful images.
Here is a photo I took while playing around with all my camera's settings. Because I was experimenting, every photo was a toss of the dice. I kept changing the settings and playing around with different combinations as the sun set and the light changed. When I got home this was the magical image that captured my heart. I am still not a technical genius on the camera, but I love when I capture a moment that is full of emotion or mystery.
You can see my other photos on my Flickr photo page. (quilts, travel, and more)
Have you challenged yourself with a new class lately?
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Oklahoma Tornado Quilt Relief – Deadline Extended
Mission of Love and eQuilter are partnering to bring a truckload of disaster relief and comfort quilts to Oklahoma.
You can help by sending your donated comfort quilts to Mission of Love, or dropping them off IN PERSON at eQuilter's warehouse in Boulder Colorado, by July 1st. (Do NOT ship to eQuilter, only ship directly to Mission of Love.)
You can also help us purchase disaster relief supplies by donating funds via PayPal directly to Mission of Love.
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