school update

So I still haven't gotten my grades back on my last project.  I think I got an A, but you never know.

I recognize that most of the pictures aren't totally amazing,

and generally speaking I don't exactly have an artistic eye for things,  and I know so many more people who can take ordinary things and make them extraordinary,

and well, when I look at most of my pictures, I see ordinary pictures of ordinary things.  I just think I got an A because for the most part my pictures fit the technical criteria. 

And that's fine.  My goal is to learn to use my camera and take some good pictures.

So we're working on a new project now, and it's called "Time".  And I am supposed to be showing stuff that represents time.  For instance the first part of the project, I am supposed to stop motion.  I am supposed to show something that is clearly moving, but is frozen in time.  This one is pretty good I think.

I took a bunch of pictures of Christopher riding his bike, but while these pictures technically fit the bill, I'm not in love with them, and will probably only use one of them if I can't come up with something better.

I am having a harder with the second part of the project.  We are supposed to blur motion. 

I guess my problem is that after 16 years of taking pictures of active kids, (especially a couple of my boys) I have grown a disdain for blurred pictures.  Blurring equals BAD.

Now I am supposed to blur stuff on purpose?

We spent some time in class trying to take blurred pictures.  I guess I can see where someone with more of an artistic mind can appreciate it,

but for me photography is more about documentation.  I want to capture moments.  Birthdays, holidays, vacations, or even just the ordinary day to day stuff. 

I do enjoy pretty or funny pictures, but I am having a hard time trying to figure out what to take a picture of where the blurring would add to the picture and not detract from. 

I had a thought where I could take a picture of kids coming out of school, or crossing at the crosswalk with the crossing guard standing still, and the kids would be all blurred, so that you could tell there were kids in motion going to school or coming from, but not much else. But unfortunately I figured I'd probably encounter a few problems like badly overexposed pictures and angry parents who think I'm some sort of creeper taking pics of their kids.

A third part of the project sounds a little fun in theory, but I am having issues with it already.  It's the more creative part of the project, and there's a list of cool stuff we can do with our cameras, so we'll see how those turn out.  In class we did these outlines of people, but I can't turn in stuff we did in class. I could recreate it on my own, and maybe I will, I think my kids will like helping me with that. 

The one thing I tried at home, and I was just messing around to see if I could figure it out, was that I tried to take a picture where my kids seemed to be in two places at once.  I'm disappointed in the lack of solidity in the picture.  Twin ghosts is cool enough, I guess, but I was hoping for something a little more substantial.  I haven't given up on that idea yet, but we'll see.  The teacher told me I will never get true solidity, but gave me tips on lighting and setting.

 

 

At any rate I am always open to suggestions on subjects that would work well with the subject of time or cool ideas of stuff to blur, etc.

Ye olde Rennaisance festival

Because there was exactly one day during a time span of like 12 weeks where the kids (mostly) had nothing going on, AND the Renaissance festival just happened to be in town and open that day, I decided to take the kids.

I know the three older kids had fun, (at least they told me so) and think Christopher had fun, although after every single attraction or ride he asked if we could go home. 

He's obsessed with a computer game called Minecraft and doesn't even ask to ride his bike any more. It's ridiculous.  As far as games go, it's not so bad, near as I can tell it's like digital Legos, but  I needed to get this kid out of the house. 

And I had a tiny ulterior motive in that I was hoping I could get some pictures for my next upcoming project for school. (The juggler might make the cut, we'll see what else I come up with in the next couple of weeks)

So, if you had to guess which two of my kids wanted to do the trampoline bungee things, which two would you guess? 

Maddie would be a shoe-in. 

Nick and Zach would be a toss up.  I would probably have guessed Zach, (the last time Nick got a horrible wedgie and didn't think it was worth it.) 

But if you picked either of them, you'd be wrong. 

Christopher wanted to do it.

He didn't attempt any tricks or anything, but he said he had fun.  Unfortunately they way they strap these kids in you can't see their faces, so I have no idea if he was smiling or not.

We rounded out the rest of our day with some archery,

A couple of rides,

We ate some treats, and did some window shopping.  I kinda want one of these chairs. But I'd have to buy four of them or listen to more arguing and fighting than I already get to.

We didn't make it to the jousting.   By the time it was about to start, Christopher was done. Plus, you have to arrive early to get good seats, and it's really not that exciting anyway.  I'd rather watch Heath Ledger in a Knight's Tale any day.

Had to share

Madison wrote a poem today for fun, I believe it is called an "acrostic poem".  It made me laugh and I had to share. (spelling errors are left intentionally)  And I don't know about the Big Foot part, but I do know one very silly girl.

The Berrett's

Traveling family
Helping hands
Eventully stops fighting

Beyond nerds
Established in 1996
Really, we are as awesome as we seem!
Really Hallarious
Even Big Foot took a picture of us!
Talk, we love to talk
The Doctor is in all hearts
Silly

I might be just a teensy bit biased...

I am sure over the next few months, I will be inundating this blog with pictures for various projects I am working on for my class. 

Today is no exception.

After quite the rocky start, the teacher still asks me how I'm doing, I've stayed after a couple times because she's personally stopped me to ask me how I'm doing, and whether I'm "getting any of this".

Except the other day after class where we had a "work in progress" presentation, where we sorta critique each other's work to discuss areas that might be improved, and give helpful suggestions, she told me my pictures were "really good"  and I must have figured out some of my earlier problems.

Kinda.  Sorta.  Sometimes.

And I am slowly grasping concepts, but I have to admit, I thought my pictures that day were the best in the whole class.  Which surprised me, because some people have had way more experience than me.  Some took photography in high school.  Some worked at a "studio" for a while.  One girl who happened to sit in front of me one day, spent half the day editing pictures of models in photoshop.  Cleaning up stray hairs, and zits and the like.

So why were people presenting pictures of what looked to me like a weed?  Or their street? Which wasn't a particularly charming street, just a street, with average tract homes and cars parked out front and like half of the picture was just asphalt.

There were only a handful of pictures that were even interesting to look at.

 I realize that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, which is probably another reason why I kinda think my pictures were the best.  I had the best subject matter.  

How can mardi gras beads, or a super close up of someone's cat even compare?

This is the first time that I have decided that maybe age might be on my side in this class. 

Only a couple of other students have any kids, and I did see a couple really cute pictures of a two year old, and one where the two year old was a total blur, which totally reminded me of so many of my pictures of my two year olds.

But seriously, how can they even hope to compete with this? (The teacher gushed over this picture of Christopher. True story.)

A shot of bravery

A curious phenomenon that I've noticed is that I am braver with my new camera.  It's a real camera, so now I can take pictures of random stuff, and I don't feel like everybody is judging me for the poser that I am.  For all they know, I am a professional, or an artist, or something important like that.

Before, if I would see something cool I would want to take a picture of, like this door,

I would look around and carefully snap a quick picture with my little point and shoot, and then hurry on my way hoping that nobody noticed me.  Because no real photographer would use a little point and shoot, I mean they have their place like when you are on vacation and you don't want to lug a big giant thing around and you are taking touristy pictures, and stuff like that.

But now, I can take pictures of all the random crap that I want, and in my head, people aren't judging me any more. 

I am legit.

Well, kinda.  Sorta.  I am still just a poser taking pictures of whatever strikes my fancy, but they don't know that.

And should anyone ask why, I can tell them I am a student, and I have a project I'm working on, which totally makes me legit.

For the most part anyway.

Like for instance, the other day I was at Nick's Les Mis rehearsal at Chateau de Vie, and the grounds are amazing, and the gates are usually locked, so I took the opportunity to wander around with my camera.

I probably should have asked permission first, but I figured it was easier to ask forgiveness than permission, and nobody said anything.  The house is for sale, and I don't think anyone lives there any more.

Anyway, the project we are working on now is about space, and we are supposed to submit 5 pictures with fuzzy backgrounds, and 5 not fuzzy. (something to do with aperture and depth of field)

So I thought this bench was cool,

and I was trying to get a good angle on it, but I was right next to the driveway, (a VERY long and winding driveway) and I kinda felt stupid sitting there on the ground taking a picture of the side of the bench, while other moms drove by dropping off their kids. I know I might be thinking, "What is that woman doing???"

Baby steps.