photography explored...

...so one of the items on my 101 in 1001 list is to take a photography class. and while i've had my upgraded camera, Nikon D80, for almost a year now, and browsed through the manual, i still don't feel like i have much of a grasp of all there is to know - ISO, shutter speed, apeture, f/stop, different lenses, speedlights, etc...

so i signed up for a class through the city Parks & Rec Department, and this past weekend took my first of 4 classes. and i'm so glad i did - while the class made me realize just how much i still need to learn about, it also made me feel like at least i have a basic knowledge of composition and photography just from using my camera so frequently, and being interested & exploring.

so along with my goal this year of getting our photo albums organized, and stories told, i'm adding photography to my list. they seem to go together well - the capturing of images, and the display/organization of them.

on my to-do list for photography:
- research online resources - so far, i've found shutter sisters, and clickin moms to be great sites
- participate in the One Word and It's the Moments projects to expand my creativity in photography
- learn more about the above mentioned technical terms (ISO, etc...), as well as different pieces of equipment, like speedlights, and different lenses
- be able to apply what i've learned to different photography situations (indoors, bright light, etc)
- download & become familiar with Adobe Lightroom
- read Understanding Exposure
- read "Dorothea Lange: A Life Beyond Limits"... she's probably one of my favorite photographers (other than my great-grandfather, of course). i love this photograph, taken of a migrant mother and her children during the Great Depression












i really like the quote that ended class today: "Photography is 1% talent, and 99% moving furniture"... as our instructor said - it's a hobby (like most others) that the more work you put into it, the better you get.