Say Cheese!

I started a photography class last week at Auburn University. It's one of their community courses and I couldn't be more excited to learn to understand my camera and what it can do a little better.

Night One

I've been saying for the past year and half that I wanted to take a photography class and yet never took the time to look up when one was being offered, how much it might cost or what it would entail. Apparently I was ALL TALK.

Until now, that it is! Night one of the six week course was awesome. I kept having moments of OMG I did not know it would do that!, which was the resounding opinion of the entire class.

I went ahead and told the teacher (who happens to have a slick-back ponytail) that I needed one-on-one assistance. For instance, he shows the class something and then I like him to come to my desk and show me personally on my camera.  I like a very hands on approach. I suppose I'm more kinesthetic learner. I'm the kid in class taking pictures of the person across from me so I can see what changing a particular setting actually does.

This week was introductory. We met the teacher, checked out some of his work and discussed the various settings on our camera. After learning what each setting does we were told that we should NEVER use any of the settings such as Macro, Portrait, or AUTO (which I'm very guilty of). By the end of the course I should be able to shoot in Manual, S Priority, Program or A Priority for all occasions. Or at least that's the goal.

Our assignment this week was to photograph something in motion focusing only on adjustment of shutter speed.  This is so that we can understand exactly what the adjustment of that particular setting would do.

Ryan and I ventured out yesterday afternoon and found different water sources that were in motion.

Here are two some examples of  what changing the shutter speed does with water in motion:



Photos are Straight Out of the Camera (SOOC) per our instructors directions.

I'm so excited to learn as much as possible over the next few weeks!!! I will be posting all about what I learn. Hopefully some serious improvements in my photography skills will be made.

Who knows, I might be charging for my services by the time its all said and done.