Read this blog

This is an important read for you. We haven't covered any photo finishing techniques during class, but I really think they are critical to your continued growth in Photography. you've gotten a pretty hold on what your camera can do, now you need to find out what the computer can do so that you can make them work together as a system.

Here's the link again.

Class Tonight

Come to BATC, the room we had class the first time.

Bring five of your pictures with you--choose ones that you like best, and some that you would like to improve. We will review them together.

Oh, and bring some snacks to share if you like.

Class Tonight!

Class at the studio tonight.

Do you have a big candle? Any Candle? A Lantern? Bring it.

Also, dress for the weather.

Yep, there's class, tonight

Come to the Studio, and we'll see where the wind takes us.

Oh, and have a look at my soap box post on my other blog, if you like.

And, have a look at this photog's work; somehow I got on his mailing list, but I like both his landscapes and portraits.

Charge your Batteries, and empty your cards! We've got pictures to make.

Like these, that we made during class last week--as a class; more on this tonight.

Class Tonight!

Update: thats the student center at USU.

5:00 class will meet at the Studio.

7:00 class, meet at the west end of the Student center (in that big stairwell with floor to ceiling windows where we have made pictures before). Call me if you can't find us.

We'll be doing some flashy photos, tonight. If you have any AA's, they might be handy, but we should be okay with what I bring. Also, bring a tripod if you have one--even a shaky one will work well tonight.

Charge your batteries and empty your cards!

Gear!

This is a great deal on that Nikon lens that will work on everybody's camera really well. Buy it now! This deal will not last long.

Gear deals!

These are some great deals on Nikon gear. Call me if you have any questions.
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=13185171&cat=&lpid=3&search=nikon

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=13194726&cat=&lpid=2&search=nikon I just sold mine for $200 more!

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=13208003&cat=&lpid=&search=nikon

At the Studio tonight

I'll see you at the Studio for class tonight.

Class Tonight

Nikon D700, 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 VR lens @180mm, f/5.0, 1/40s, ISO 3200. This is one we did last week during class. 3200 is a very high ISO; I used noise reduction in Lightroom to smooth the grain out a bit.

This is a bit more like what we'll making tomorrow night. Bring a tripod if you have one. Anyone have colored hair spray?

Exposure Compensation and Class

Class will be at the Studio tonight, but I'd bring a coat, just in case we get crazy. Is anyone allergic to dogs?

Nikon D700, 300mm f/4 lens, f/8.0, 1/5000s, ISO 400.

This picture has some interesting things about the camera settings in it. First of all, I've been telling you that your sharpest pictures come about when you use your lens' sharpest aperture (two full stops smaller than the widest aperture). This is most important on stuff that's far away; I often shoot portraits at the widest aperture, but I stop down (close the aperture) when I want to shoot something farther away.

This was shot with a 300mm prime lens (that means it doesn't zoom--it's always at 300mm) wit ha maximum (widest) aperture of f/4.0. That's pretty big for a 300mm lens! But since I was shooting at a pretty good distance, and I wanted a sharp picture, I dialed it down two full stops. Remember these numbers, they are the regular stop intervals: f/1, f/1.4, f/2, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, f/22. Even though my camera is capable of increments of one third of a stop, two full stops is required--that's six ticks of my adjustment wheel in 1/3 stop increments. So, from f/4.0, two full stops would be....

Next, The sky is usually a very bright thing in pictures, even if it was kind of dark in life because the camera wants to make dark things bright, so we should use the exposure compensation button (+/-) to under expose (-) the scene to the make the sky nice and rich. However, we should over expose (+) the scene to brighten the white spires because the camera wants to make bright things dark. However, since this scens is about half and half dark and bright, the camera's average was just right! I didn't have to use compensation at all. The best thing for this picture was using the camera's built in Landscape mode, which adds contrast and saturation to colors.

Any questions? I hope so. See you in Class.

Class Tonight

5:00 class: meet at the studio, and be ready to be outside.

7:00 class: meet at USU, and be ready to be outside. We will meet at the parking lot on 700 east, on the south side of 400 north.

To get there, go east on 400 north, throughout the light at 600 east, and turn right on 700 east, turn immediately left into the parking lot. There's a tunnel under the road there, and thats where we will start shooting.

Empty your cards, and charge your batteries!

At the Studio tonight

I'll see you at the Studio tonight! Remember, it's right behind Zion's Bank, just north of the Tabernacle.

Charge your batteries, and empty your memory cards.

Welcome to class!

This is going to be a great quarter, and we're going to have a very good time making some terrific images together. I love this stuff.

Be sure to check this blog each week before you come to class so you know where to meet and any special things you might need to bring along. We will usually meet at The Studio, 106 North Church Street, right behind Zion's Bank, and just next to Cafe Ibis downtown.

Also, find me on Facebook, or send an email anytime.

I strongly recommend joining the Cache Valley Photographers (link) so that you have other people here in the valley to communicate with, and join in other activities when ever you have time.

Be sure to charge your batteries and empty your memory cards. This'll be great.

Class Tonight!

Hey Gang,
Thanks to visa troubles, I'm still in Town! so, come to class tonight if you see this. We'll be at the Studio for both Classes.

Labor Day, No Class

Not to say you don't have class because it's labor day--I think you're all very classy. Howver, we still won't hold class tonight. Enjoy the day shooting.

I'll see you Thursday for our critique session, which will be our last class. 6:00 at the studio, bring your favorite two pictures and we'll discusss them and talk about what might have been better. We'll have a full house, so please just bring two.

You might also need to bring your own folding chair...and feel free to stick around for the club meeting afterward when the critiques will continue!

Sign up for the lib by clicking on that link to the right at the top that says Cache Valley Photogrpahers. It's free, and you'll get notices when we have more classes or get togethers to go shooting. Starting next month we'll be having much more regular activities, so don't miss out!

Whoo Hoo! Class tonight!

I've missed you all these last two weeks, and I look forward to seeing you tonight.

Thte first class will meet at the studio, and then we'll head up to the university together. The second class should meet me at the university. We'll meet in the student center, in that big room with all the flags hanging up. Call me for directions, see you tonight. 754-5672.

No Class

Friends,
I'm terribly sorry, but I will not be in class again this week. I'm sitting in the airport right now, heading for Atlanta. This was a last minute trip, with tickets purchased last night! Actually, I'm on standby, so I hope I get on the plane.

So, for monday's class, you should do some shooting. My plan was to go up to the campus again and work with the buildings and particularly with reflections. Remember to pay close attention to the entire frame as you compose your photographs. Make sure that there are not funny intersections of lines, or cigarette butts sitting on the ground. Take care and do a little pre production work to save yourself trouble in post production (Photoshop).

Remember, too, that you are welcome to come to both classes next week to make up for missing this week. We do different things in each class and emphasize different techniques depending on the group, so don't feel like you will be repeating anything.

And for those of you more daring, here's a tougher assignment

Keep shooting, and I'll see you soon.

On second thought...

Actaully, we're gonna have to not officially have class, tonight--I'm still sick. But, I welcome you to come downtown and do the assignment anyway! We were going to be practicing a little motion photography.

This is an instance when you might use shutter speed priority mode. Set your shutter speed to about 1/60 of a second and go to the corner on main street and shoot cars roving by. Also, set you focus to continuous--AFC on Nikons, and servo on canons. This will allow the cameras to continue focussing as cars draw nearer. So, focus on a car in motion, and pan your body with jit as it goes, keeping the car in the same position in the view finder, and fire away. Your goal is to get the car sharp and the background blurry. Don't stop at one, and don't stop at 1/60: try going slower, too.

Have fun!

We'll be at the Studio tonight. I've been a little sick, so class will be a bit easy tonight...

Monday's Class

Man, what a good time we had last week with our models! And thanks to everyone who brought pictures back to Emily--she's been thrilled.

For Monday evening we will be working at the University. So, if you're in the 5:00 class, please be on time so that we can get up to the school quickly.

If you're in the 7:00 class, please meet us on the east side of Old Main at 7:00.

We have some models again, and we will explore natural light in more modern looking locations, as well as more natural looking. Hmmm...quixotic, no?

Nikon D700, 70-200mm f/2.8 VR lens @98mm, f/3.5, 1/80s, ISO 320.

Nikon d700, 70-200mm f/2.8 VR lens @ 200mm, f/2.8, 1/160s, ISO 800.

Nikon D700, 70-200mm f/2.8 lens @ 180mm, f/2.8, 1/640s, ISO 400.

Phenomenal deal

Here's a great deal on the new version of the Nikon 18-200mm VR lens. This is the all in one lens. At this price, if you hate it you can resell it for a couple of hundred dollars more!

This is the lens I recommend if you want a fast lens that autofocuses on your D5000, D3000, D60, D40...

Great Deal on Nikon Lens

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=11662643&cat=&lpid=&search=nikon

This is an awesome lens. It'll fit any Nikon Camera, but it is not an auto focus lens. It will make some pretty incredible pictures, and help you learn to focus well. Great for landscapes, macro, and portraiture. These things go quickly, so act swiftly!

Flower Fun

Here's E. having a blast during class the other day.

Don't forget, we're shooting with a model on Monday, so please be on time for class. Also, we'll be doing very different shooting in the early class compared to the later class, so you're welcome to attend both. Dress for the weather!

Nikon D700, 85mm f/1.8 lens, f5.6, 1/100s, ISO 400.

Class at the Studio tonight!

Don't forget to come to the Studio for class, tonight. We'll be shooting lots of pictures, so make sure your cards are empty and your batteries are charged. See you at the Studio!

106 N. Church Street

Good Deal!

This is a great deal. I'd offer $600...these deals go quickly, so don't dally.

What the DUck

Check this blog post out--I think you'll like it.

Last Classes Next Week! (June 14th and 16th)

Don't miss out next Monday. And, sign up for the Summerfest photo contest! There are only 12 entrants, so your odds are awesome.

See you soon. Oh, and sign up for the club, too: Cache Valley Photographers

Canon 1Ds MkII, 50mm lens, f/1.4, 1/320s, ISO 200.

Come to Class, Tonight!

We'll have a good time tonight, so be sure to be on time to class. This is the shoot you missed last week...

Great Deal on Canon Flash!

This is a really low price for a speelite.
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=11028108&cat=&lpid=1&search=canon

Flower Friday

Nikon D90, 55mm micro lens, f/16 (best recollection), 1/100s, ISO 200. 

Have I mentioned that this is an old lens? It's more than 30 years old. It doesn't auto focus (no matter the camera) and the light meter in my camera also won't work with it. That means that I have to make a guess when taking my first picture. After that first guess, I can then look at the picture on the back of my camera and refine the settings to make the correct exposure. However, the Sunny f/16 rule helps me get very close on my first shot.

Why would I do this, you ask? Why would I want a lens that doesn't even utilize all the fancy-pants capabilities of my expensive camera? Because it's a macro lens, I say. That means that I can get very close to something and still have it in focus. This particular lens happens to project an image into my camera that is the same size as the object being projected. That means that an M&M shot close up with this lens would be recorded at life size--which is great when I get it on the computer because now I can print it far larger than life size with perfect resolution. I could print this image as a 24"x36" poster and have it looking very good. With a non-macro lens, I would have to crop to bring my flowers up so close, and that means that I would lose resolution and enlargement size. 

I got this manual lens because it's a few hundred dollar less expensive than the alternatives. Plus, it's a great exercise in understanding what happens to make a good exposure...

Group Photos tonight!

We have a good opportunity to practice taking group pictures tonight. We will shoot a team of runners for the upcoming Ragnar Relay. We need to leave the Studio by about 5:20, so please be on time to class. If you're running  a little late, just give me a call and I'll tell you where we are. this'll be fun!

New Season of D-Town!

Hey Gang! I'll see you tonight at the Studio. Don't forget to bring your pictures on a thumbdrive, or SD card, or CD, or whatever so that we can review them together. you'll find that you really learn a load from this sort of process.

also, have a look at this link--DTOWN TV is a short webisode each week about digital photography. I think it's a great resource, and it's handy when you have a few minutes to kill.

See you tonight!

NO class!!

Remember, No classes on the 17 th or 19th.

Also remember that for classes on the 24th and 26th we are reviewing and critiquing images. SO, bring a few pictures on an memory card, or a USB drive, or a print, or a stone tablet and share them with the group. This is the number one way to improve your pictures!

A little opinionated, but important, I think.

Read this article by Gary Fong. It's about creating pictures that are important, not trendy. Rated PG-13.

Studio for Class, tonight

Come to the Studio for class tonight. Hopefully, we will get some good weather, so dress for it, please.

Also, here's a little something to read in the meantime.

NO class, two articles

No class, tonight, because I'm still in Delaware (see my blog for updates).

Check out these two articles, though: One from a dad who shoots his kid's soccer games, and this one with terrific landscape tips.

No Class!!

Remember: No class this week because I'm in Delaware. However, you should still be taking pictures!

Keep an eye here for some articles or something...

Studio, tonight!

I'll see you at the Studio at 5:00. Charge your batteries, and empty your cards!

White Balance

Do you remember your film pictures that you took at your cousin Grace's wedding reception about 22 years ago? You know, the ones that you used your camera's flash to light up faces with. They're the ones with white faces, but everything in the background is orange.

This is a white balance problem. White Balance has to do with the color of light coming into your camera. Daylight is very white, and florescent lights are green, and lightbulbs are orange, while outdoor shade is blue. Each of these colors of light must be dealt with or the pictures won't look quite right.

With Film, we either have to buy film specifically made for the color of light (daylight is the default), or we can counter it with filters on the front of the lens--blue filter counters orange light, pink counters green. Fortunately, in the digital world our cameras can adjust to the light without physical filters.

Unfortunately, your camera's default setting is "Automatic". This usually renders skin tones cooler than I prefer. Look for the White Balance setting on your camera, sometimes just WB. This adjustment alone will make your pictures look better immediately.

For this image, I had some trouble. There were regular old G.E. incandescent (tungsten) lightbulbs lighting the back of the shop to camera left, and large windows to camera right. The sun was not shining directly in the windows, so the light coming in is coming from the blue sky, which means it's very blue light.

So, this would be a very mixed up set up for white balance. I solved the problem by "gelling" my flash. This means I put a gel, a colored piece of transparent plastic, on my flash to match the color of the lightbulbs. This still doesn't solve the blue light from the window problem, though.

When using a flash, shutter speed controls how much ambient light is allowed to affect the exposure. Faster speed, less ambient light. The flash is fast, so it keeps up with a fast shutter speed without trouble.

The result is that the light making the exposure is almost all from the flash. there's a little bit coming from the lamp above the bench, but only because we're looking almost right at the bulb itself.

Besides the gel, I also put a diffusion dome on the flash, and shot it through my Zumbrella (though you can get the same one at a better value here). The flash is to camera right, triggered with the Nikon CLS system (that's the real reason I use Nikon).

At the Studio tonight

See you at the Studio tonight! We have some models coming, so you're off the hook once more for pictures of yourselves, but don't hink I'm not keeping track...

Tonight's class

Bring your camera to the Studio, and be ready to shoot. Also, feel free to stick around for a class on travel photography and the CVP's monthly meeting. It'll be a great lesson from Mel Torrie and me covering our favorite tips for travel photography. Mel is a fabulous photographer.

Also, I recommend reading Photofocus today--it justifies what I told you about my four tips for becoming a better photographer, and I need all the credibility I can get!

My Tips:
   1. Shoot lots of pictures
   2. Look at lots of pictures
   3. Be in lots of pictures
   4. Read your manual

See you tonight.

Monday's Class

Don't forget that class will be at The Studio

106 N. Church Street, just north of the Tabernacle, right behind Zion's Bank (big red sign).

See you there!

Photographers' License II

You'll hear me talk about your photographer's license. It's what happens when people see a camera around your neck and allow you to talk to them without feeling affronted by a stranger. It's what allows to spend several minutes with complete strangers making a decent portrait where they stand.

It's allowed me to spend one hour filming Turbo, and then have him spend another hour or two helping create some other pictures. It's given me courage to coax smiles from people rumored to be the roughest in the world. Most of all, it makes me another person, one who is expected to be outgoing and personable. I guess since that's what the camera projects, it's simple to project it in fact.

I was reading and found this quote from a noteworthy photographer who specialized in photographing "freaks". I found I liked/related to her statement.

    "My favorite thing is to go where I've never been....The camera is a kind of license [in getting people to      open up].... There are always two things that happen. One is recognition and the other is that it's totally peculiar. But there's some sense in which I always identify with them.... [Yet] it's impossible to get out of our skin into somebody else's...somebody else's tragedy is not the same as your own."


One thing I think I learned is that everyone has some kind of "traumatic experience" as she says elsewhere, and that her "freaks" are merely those who show everyone their trauma, while the rest of us politely hide it. Part of a portraitist's quest is to photograph the real person, but that person is often hiding deep behind a mask. The freaks just don't wear a mask.


What do you think about your license?


Leave a comment and let us know how you feel about Diane Arbus' statement about how she goes about shooting people she feels are strange. You'll know first hand how it feels after you've had me in front of your lens!

Canon Deal!

Here's a great deal on a modern Canon 50mm 1.8 lens--only $65! If I had to choose one lens under $800, this would be the one I'd buy.

This price will go fast.

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=10261006&cat=&lpid=

Most Powerful Light in your Bag

Here's a great little article on Tripods. Strobist.com is a great place to keep up on lighting techniques using flashes of all sizes.

On the Spot Portraits

Little E. gives his pops a hug when he gets home from work. It's cute, ya know? Plus, I'm still vetting one of my lenses, deciding whether I want to keep it. It's fast (f/1.8 maximum aperture), which makes for sharper images at wider apertures, but sometimes I feel like it's not as sharp as I'd like. I'm beginning to see, however, that it looks great for portraits, but perhaps not as good for landscape distances. This one was made at f/3.5, and E. has nice crisp eyes, but pops is out of focus. This brings the viewers' eye right to E.'s eyes and smile, right where the focus should be. This shallow depth of field sets this sort of snapshot appart from the kind that has everything in focus--this type feels more composed even though pops just walked in the house. But hey, with kids this cute you can't make a bad exposure.

The trick with kids is just being ready. I shoot in Aperture Priority modes ("A" on Nikons, "Av" on Canons). This mode allows me to control the depth of field and not worry about the other settings. This is optimal for me because nothing looks more professional than portraits with a controlled depth of field. 

Also, start coaching your spouse, kids, or whomever might be holding the little guys to turn toward the light automatically when you point the camera their way--that makes it much easier to get nice images. Remind your...mature mother-in-law that she is not the subject, and that she will look flatteringly out of focus; she'll begin to trust you, and she'll appear more relaxed and natural in pictures. Finally, show her the pictures on the computer or in print after you have finished them off with processing when she looks good--don't just show her raw on your tiny camera screen!

Nikon D90, 85mm lens, f/3.5, 1/160s, ISO 800, east facing window light in the afternoon (see the square catchlights in the eyes?).

Sweetness!

Not only did Adobe Labs reelease a much improved Beta version of Lightroom 3, today, but it also extends the trial period to the end of June! Here's the link.

It's been fun!

Thanks for a terrific block, everyone. You have been some of the best students I've ever had. Don't think that this is the end, though! Click right here to sign up for the Cache Valley Photographers Club so that you know when we are getting together and having more classes, shoots, and service projects! I look forward to seeing you before too long.

Also, let's all be friends on Facebook, too. Another way to get updates and share pics...

Levi
435.754.5672

Man, I love airplanes

Let me know if you ever hear of an airliner for sale--it'd make a great studio. The bright light from the near window with the opposite windows for fill light...it's excellent. Throw in a willing seat mate, and you've got the start to a great trip.

See you at the Studio--if they get their homework done, we may have some great models to work with.

Nikon D90, 50mm lens, f/4.0, 1/50s, ISO 200

Studio Tonight

See you tonight at the Studio! With luck, we'll be able to shoot outdoors a bit...

Deal

Rats! I missed that 50mm f/1.4 lens I've been wanting. So, here's a link to the 35mm f/1.8 that is excellent for any nikon, including the D40, D5000, etc...
Buy this lens

50mm f/1.8 Great Deal!

Somebody please buy this.
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=9784818&cat=&lpid=

Great deal, I think, on the best lens out there.

Wednesday's Class

Don't forget, we're at The Studio this week...and we got a new sign!

Also, remember that we're getting crazy with lights this week. We may need some makeup, and mohawks and anything funky you can think of. We'll spend much more time composing a single setup as a class. We'll come away with fewer images that are hopefully of a higher quality. We'll see...

Oh, and I'll do my best to be there by 4:30; so if you're available, come on by a little early.

Photographers' License

We've talked about it before. That camera around your neck is a badge, an emblem, a symbol that people recognize. They see it coming, and they know that there's something particular about the person carrying it; mostly they suspect that there's something not quite right about him. Maybe it's because they know that you've spent an inordinate amount of money on a piece of equipment and then you spend most of your time cussing at it because it doesn't do what you want. Computer owners are the same way, but they have the decency to stay in doors. Photographers brave the world with their frustrating tools, and because of that, people pity us. They never turn you down for a picture (maybe they're just scared you'll have a breakdown in front of them!). Go out and try it!

Also, here're Joe McNally's thoughts on the issue. The images are fine, but a couple of lines of text are not for young readers.

Flashes

Whoa! After our class last night using flashes, there are suddenly four terrific flashes on KSL for around $60 each. This is a pretty good deal. The great thing is that each of these is able to function as an optical slave. go to KSL classifieds, enter Nikon in the search, and look for the SB-26, SB-28, SB-50, and also an F5 camera--the guy has an SB-28 for sale in there, too. Enjoy!

Studio, tonight!

Really quickly, we're at the Studio for Photo Class tonight. Dress for the weather, and I'll see you there!

Class for Wednesday @ BATC

Don't forget, we'll be in the lab at BATC on Wednesday. Bring one or two of your favorite photos that you'd like some tips for processing on. I will use Lightroom3 Beta to demonstrate my workflow for finishing my pictures (pressing the shutter is only the first step!). See you in Class!

Oh, yeah, and it's open lab time at the Studio tonight from 6-8 if anyone wants to swing by and print a picture, or practice using your camera, or try other lenses, etc.

Watch this Show

Scott Kelby and Matt Kloskowski are two fantastic photographers and excellent educators, to boot. Each week they host a show teaching tips about photography. this week's includes a terrific interview with Chase Jarvis, another of my favorite photogs. Check it out and keep an eye on D-Town TV for continuing education. I also recommend viewing previous episodes--especially anyone shooting Nikon.

Great Interview

Joe McNally is one of my favoritest photographers. He was recently hosted on Photoshop User TV where Dave Cross interviewed him. Dave Cross is the fellow coming to instruct us at the Maximum Photoshop Seminar in Salt Lake on February 26th. Join the club to join the carpool down.

Anyway, I think this interview is really quite good. Have a look.

An interesting read

I follow Scott Bourne's blog most days. He gives succinct tips for business, shooting, and creativity. His podcasts are also highly instructional three times a month. Occasionally, he delves a little deeper, as he did yesterday. I recommend that anyone considering photography as a business read this post.

Portraits, tonight!

Last week you got off easy, and no one had their own portrait made. Well, be ready tonight--but don't be scared! No one has to see the images we make tonight, you don't have to blow them up to 30x40, and you don't even have to tell your mother that you made them ('cause, you know, then she'll want a copy and you'll protest that it doesn't look nice, and she'll say, 'I'm sure it's fine,' and then she'll get it and comment that you could have at least combed your hair...). Anyway, we're students, and we have to practice our craft. If we get comfortable in front of the lens ourselves, then maybe I'll invite some models to come and work for us!

So, photography class is at the Studio again tonight, and then I'll be back at campus for the Photoshop session. See you soon.

Wednesday's Class

Remember, for Photography Class on Wednesday the 20th, we will be meetings directly at the Studio.

The Studio in 106 Church Street, immediately north of the Tabernacle. So, from Main street turn east on 100 North, then Left on Church street. We are right behind Zion's Bank. Park on the street.

Bring your cameras and be ready to shoot and learn. Be sure to charge your batteries and empty your memory cards.

Also, read this post.

And, if you're available tonight, feel free to drop by the Studio tonight (or any Tuesday) for open Lab time. See ya soon.

Welcome New Photogs!

I'm really excited about this new year and this new session of classes. It's the perfect time to be a photographer. We have some really incredible tools available to us now, both for capturing images and processing them to become just what we had in mind when we clicked the shutter. I'm sure excited about it, and I'm stoked to be sharing this time with you.

Keep an eye on this blog before class each week for important updates and information, and always bring your camera and be ready to shoot outdoors.

Remember your four steps to becoming better photographers:
1. Take pictures--every day
2. Look at Others' pictures--every day
3. Read your camera's manual--every day
4. Let others' take you picture, and view them--often (you thought I was going to say "every day," huh?)

This is your homework for the duration of our classes, and for life if you really want to become better photogs. I look forward to improving with you all.