HEEYYYYYY.

Yeah. So.

I'm done.

:D ! I actually got my book in a week or two ago I've just been too lazy about this last journal...

But it looks fantastic! I'm so excited! But I'm also nervous about looking through it in depth in fear of any mistakes I missed that are lingering there forever. Oh well, though, right? But I guess I should re-cap.

So, it took me WAY longer than I expected to finish putting the book itself together. I had to pick out all the colors and details and do it all my self. It was a bit of a pain, but well worth it. I for several long hours, two nights in a row, contemplating what it was I wanted exactly. I had an idea in my mind, but it kept changing as I realized all the possibilities I had. I figured this would be the easiest and funnest part of the project. Well, it certainly wasn't easy but it was a lot of fun. To be in charge of final decisions like that...I didn't know what to do. I kept feeling like "No this is wrong." But then I'd realize that it wasn't wrong because this book was all about what I wanted it to be. It's kinda nice to have something like that, where it's all up to you and nothing could really ever be 'wrong.'

I also had a difficult time as it was picking out exactly what photographs I wanted in there. But I'm delighted with the ones I picked. Especially the two-pager of my boyfriend...even though he isn't so excited about that. xD But I do appreciate all the help I got from everyone, especially Shay!

Right now, I'm working on the pamphlets to hand out in TWO DAYS. Yikes! The year went by faster than it was allowed! I'm nervous but excited, though I have a lot to do. :)

Wish me luck!

And I will miss you, Journal. T.T

Last Week~

Last weekend was grand. It made me quite angry that the Blurb program wasn't working with my book so Shay couldn't see my progress. I have all my photographs chosen and most of them he hasn't seen yet and I want some feedback. I guess I'll put them on here later so he can look at them. Most of the ones he hasn't seen are of my friends and I was worried there wasn't enough varriation in them for that section. I know that it's my book and if I want I can have more than five photographs per section, but at the same time I want to keep it uniform. It's a difficult thing, really. I want it to be mine, but at the same time I don't want it to be unprofessional. It's not something I thought I'd struggle with but I am. I think I'll just end up doing what I want and not necessarily what the 'norms' of society want. This is my book and I will express my view on the world the way I see it. That is deffinatly something I learned with photography; every one has a different way of seeing one picture and there is not 'wrong' or 'right' way of doing things. There is only your way of doing it. I used to have this big comparing my work to others problem, mainly with my photography, but now it's not so bad. It's normal for people to want to be 'better' and liked more in their talents. But I'm not sure if photography is a talent for me or not. I picked it up out of the blue and always thought my camera was the reason my photos looked decent. It's still difficult to say that it isn't just my camera from my view, so that's why other's opinions really help. But I guess I'm almost ignoring that because with my book I want to show people how I've improved and I don't care too much about what other's think because I am making a book!
Anyway, last weekend because Blurb wasn't working so I couldn't show Shay my progress, he let me borrow his view camera. It was so much fun! I just love film cameras and he gave me the fill to get processed. Half the fun for film camera's is waiting to see what you're going to get. I wish I had access to a dark room and knew how to use one because I know it would make photography something much more magical for me. Either earlier that week or the week before I put new film into my fisheye camera I have. I have one roll that needs to be processed,but I'm going to wait until I get the roll I'm working on done so I can turn them all in together. That, and I'm postponing it because I don't have enough money right now for it...My next paycheck is going towards the book becaue I know if I pay for it, I will feel so much more accomplished! I will be very proud of myself when this is all done. I'm so excited to see the finished product and show it off a bit. C:< I think that's all for last week other than me about 70% done with my book. All I need to do is finish the decorations of the book, fill in the Acknowlagments, Table of contents, About the Author, etc. That and the cover is the hardest thing to decide on! But I'm pretty sure I know what I want. C:<

Two weeks ago!

Most I've slacked on my journals so far. But I remember that week. It was star testing, a glorious week. I felt very at ease with my project, but not with my community service. I was putting my project on the back burner because I had to get my community service finished and ready to turn it! In the end, it was all for nothing. Freeman hasn't offically even 'collected' it yet and hasn't mentioned it. (All those nights staying up until 2AM were wasted...) Now it's hard to recall if I took photographs that week, but I don't think I did. I belive I did for my DVC class, but nothing I found fondly enough for the book. Now that I think about it, there is one photograph that I had taken for the community service project that I concidered. It was one of a brightly colored bird and it was acutally the only picture that wasn't completely blurry of the bunch. Yet, I love so many of the ones I have of my friends I'm not sure if I'm going to have animals be part of the section anymore, might just be people again. I think I'm getting behind on my journals because things are rapping up and there is less and less to say. Now I know that this week I didn't get to see Shay because his son has a surprise visit in the area. I was fine with that because that meant I got to sleep in Sunday. B-] Kay. Not much happened this week. Oh! But I finished my report before Friday. I got to skip school because I finished to visit SF with my boy friend. It was half a date and half a photography experience. I don't recall if there are any 'winners' of the bunch at first sight, but I'll take another look.
I forgot to mention that I worked a lot, lot lot! on my book outline. I got most of it done, but not photograhs wise, just decorations wise and such.

Ok. Forgot about last week.

Last week was quite successful! Well at least last Friday was. I put up a group on Facebook for my need in 'models.' A good handful of my friends offered their time and beautiful faces to be photographed. I wish I had them with me to edit right now (in DVC photo class with nothing to do except work on research report). I'm really excited on how a few turned out. It felt weird, though, telling all of them what to do and where to go. Is that kinda what it feels to be a professioinal for a magazine where you tell the models to move there pose likes this...It was enjoyable. C; I took about well I can't remember...at least a hundred photographs I'd say. And time flew by, before we knew it it had been two hours and people had to start leaving.
Becca was so cute bringing different outfits that she changed into a couple times. xD And as awkward as it probably was, Sarah and Chris were very nice to do a couples pose for me. Hehe...I feel very dorkish now thinking back. But I think one of them is promising so we'll see!
I also made GREAT progress on the layout for my book. I've had the program for Blurb downloaded for awhile but last week I really experimented with it. And it was much MUCH! easier because I know what pictures I want in it. I'm so excited to see the final layout! GAHHH! Time has slipped from my hands and is leaking out onto the floor of the futurrree. @.@
I'm so thankful for Shay, though. He's kept me on track so I'm not behind like crazy! I'm not scrambling or anything. The research report doesn't count because I have so many ideas for that I'm not worried. Speaking of which, I have three paragraphs done of that. You may think "Oh Great!" but actually...not even 1/3 done! I outlined it and I kept adding paragraphs of subjects and so far it's going to be 13 paragrahs including the intro and conclution. I know, right?! At the beginning of the year Mrs. Stanton told us that one girl turned in a 22 page (I believe it was) report and I thought "Yeah Right! I'll be lucky to get 4 pages!" Well...I haven't seen it double spaced yet but I'd say I'm at about 2-3 pages. xD Ridiculous! It makes me happy though. C: I'm glad it hasn't caused me trouble yet...*knocks on wood*
So last week was a very good week. I'm incredibly excited for the month of May. Between Ball, Fanime (a convention) and seeing the final, printed beauty of my project...IT'S ALL HAPPENING! Senior year has gone by SOOOOOOOOOOOO fast I'm scared. :C I hope life doesn't go by this fast...

So, Last Week...

So it was break last week. Oh so glorious spring break. Defiantly something I needed. I think I was starting to go crazy on how calm I was. It kicked in on where I was and what I needed to do. I was proud to say how far I was currently, but sometimes I don't feel like I've gone far enough. So far I am where I need to be, though. Shay has done an excellent job keeping me on track. Except for the report, which I have a lot of confidence in. Over the break I got just a few photos (excluding the ones I took at Shay's). My friend asked me to bring over my camera to get a few pictures for our community service project. Our project is taking care of birds so I took the opportunity to take a few extras for myself. Well, I believe I got one picture that wasn't blurry (couldn't use the flash because I didn't want to startle the birds). But the one I got of her, Emmy, is just so cute. C: I don't know if I can use it, to me it's mainly just a picture of a very cute and colorful bird, but I'm gonna work with it in photoshop. Another subject I got photos of is myself, actually. I have pictures for my photo class @ AHS that are due soon (working on self portraits). It was raining the last day of break so I decided to take advantage. I set up my camera under the dry sun room we have and brought out and umbrella. I laid the umbrella, discarded, on the ground while I held my arms out in the rain. For one of them I had m body half facing the camera, holding the umbrella open at my side. I'm REALLY happy how they turned out. But the best part is that it gave me a lot of ideas for what to do for my book. I'm trying to get a bunch of my friends together to take shots of. I successfully got a couple of people to model for me an I'm excited! Becca offered to be one of my models and I have an idea for her..OOOUUUH I'm so excited. xD So, at the end of the week, I went to Shay's. He set up his room so I could take pictures using his lighting set up and backdrop (including some color swatches to put in front to the lights that kept burning me). I kinda wasn't sure all the last two weeks before on what to bring. I was stumped. I brought up a few perfume bottles, ribbons my film fisheye camera, a large bell, two pairs of heals and a few glasses and a pair of goggles. The perfume bottles came out the best, I think. A couple of the glasses pictures are quite decent too. Shay also handed me a frog sculpture to photograph. I tried but just couldn't figure how to do it. I also think a couple of the shoe pictures came out quite nicely but I'm still complacent about them. This week is going to be all about my report. Gah!

OK. I KNOW. I'm Behind!

SO. FOREVER AGO. That being the week before last.
I am honestly going to say I didn't do much that week. If I recall, I took some pictures but not really all that much. It was the week before spring break so I think that is all I had on my mind. I can say, though, that my ideas are growing. I'm starting to realize the deadline. I guess one thing I really started to think about last week was my report. I got in touch with one source and sent her emails. I got a response and then sent her my questions. Picture wise, right now I'm starting to TRUELY understand the "one in one-hundred" phrase. I thought I had more photographs but as it turns out, I don't! Not that I'm falling behind. I have quite a few pictures right now as it is and it works. So, I'm worried about running this into this week's blog so I'm just going to finish it later on with this last weeks happenings. I'll try to make it 2k words instead. PHEW!

Last Week Cap:

So last week I met with Mrs. Disher and Shay.

Mrs. Disher gave me the idea for when posting my blogs. She asked if on my blogs I mentioned about what and/or how I photoshoped my photos. I wish I thought of this sooner, it's a good idea. It's also a good idea for the book, but I'm still debating about that.

I also met with Shay last weekend, and it was a great Saturday. Shay let me borrow a few of his lenses; telephoto, macro and ultra wide angle. I'm a macro girl, I love close up shots and mineute details. But that wide angle lens...I love it. It makes it easier for me to understand the glory of landscape shots. I think I like it so much because if the lens was rounder, it would be a fisheye, and I love fisheye. I have a film fisheye that I'm taking around with me to see what I can get, but if I had a lens for a digital I would go nuts.
Anyway, the lenses were great. I got a load a photographs I am considering for the book, especially the macro ones. I got a handful of close up flower shots and there is particularly one lily photo that I just love.
I also go the chance to partially interview Shay's neighbor's son who is a professional fashion photographer. He told me SO MUCH about the business. He told me how he got to where he is and how he keeps in the mind of different magazines. I didn't get a chance to ask him too many questions, but he gave me his card and I can give him a ring later on for the paper.
I feel really good where I am, even though the paper isn't looking so good, I'm gonna get on that.
Successful week last week. Now spring break is almost here, I'm gonna take advantage of that.

Ok...So I know I'm behind with My Journals...

SOOOOOOO. C: Last week: UHHH Memory is lacking a bit right now...Oh yeah! Ok, so went to the beach last weekend. It was such a great get away! And I got at LEAST a handful of photographs that I am very happy with! I really need some models because I can't just have pictures all of my boyfriend in my "people/animal" section. There is something about the beach that really inspires me. I love the sound of the waves and the cold chill, the wind blowing everyone's hair with a romantic feel. My friends might not be a 'romantic' bunch, but the funny-stupid things they do really does help. I have one [18yr old] friend who smokes, and I always think of old movies/photographs when taking a picture of him because of the way he hold his cigarettes. But it's really difficult to get a good one of him b/c I want it to have that romantic feel and the lighting and timing is never just quite right. I've told him a couple times that I'm gonna have to have a special 'photo shoot' just for him. xD Anyway, three of my friends some how managed to stay in the freezing ocean for around an hour and a half total so I got a TON of them just jumping in the waves. There is one that I particularly love and not currently have it as my desktop background. It's the image I know think of when I think of my friends and going to the beach. At one point they were burring each other, but that was too difficult to get a good shot of. Especially because I didn't want any sand near my camera. Which, might I add, is quite difficult when one is at the beach...hmmm... I'd say last week was very successful. At first I didn't like where I was going with my photos, but I kept taking them just in case. And I'm glad I did because I now have a lot of options to pick from! I've been procrastinating calling for the interviews....I need to do that @.@;; But I hate phone calls D: I have the lack of interaction with a phone, sure it's better than an email because one can hear the emotion but I just don't like it. Though it's better than meeting a person because I am bad at small talk and get very awkward very quickly. @.@;; Ok! I think that about raps up all I remember from last week....C:

Sooo Last Week. C:

I'm a little behind, for once. I've been really proud of myself for staying on top of all my journals. But just this once!
Last weekend I saw Shay and went to the beach afterward. I'm gonna call L, Jerry and Linda this weekend and get my outline done for the Saturday after this. I'm dreading the paper at the same time I'm excited. Not to say last weekend was an uneventful meeting, but it was like it usually is. C;
The beach trip right after produced a few possibilities but gave me more ideas for tomorrow. I plan on going to the beach again with my friends tomorrow and have ideas from last weekend. I never got the chance to take pictures of my friends at last weekends party. I'm glad I didn't because if I bothered them, they might have been mad at me for flashing a bright light in their tired eyes and moving around the cramped warm, room. It would have been a funny picture, now that I think of it. Most people think of a party as when people all get together and dance or whatnot, but for us it's bringing our computers and playing video games together. xD Most of our computers have lights on the side so if I had did selective color on them or something spiffy then that could have been cool. Hmm. More ideas. C:

Mid Week

Not much has happened this week, I will admit. I think Spring Fever is getting to me because I don't want to do anything relating to work, not even photography. I also think I got tuckered out from the 50 pages of notes Freeman had us take...
One thing I did do this week was self portraits. Porter is opening that rotation to us and I started early. It was so much fun to just run around in front of the camera. I have a bunch of ideas I'm really excited about. I like a couple of them and how they came out, but after I thought about it, I would rather not have self portraits in my book...Hmm...Maybe a separate section?..I don't know. Seems egotistical a bit so I'll have to think.

I'm gonna try to get my one big idea for my 'people' done this section because my friend is having a party which means the will all be in one area. FINALLY.

&&Meeting with Shay this weekend so I know it's just a couple days until I get all revved up and inspired again.

I Think It's the End of Week Seven, Now..?

I had a relatively uneventful week. Other than having a homework assignment due in my DVC class, which I feel I did well on, there wasn't much going on. I tried to take pictures, got a few successful ones and also started the layout with my book. I think I'm gonna use Blurb instead of VioVio because Blurb is more user friendly. As I started loading pictures onto the program, I suddenly realized how difficult this will be. I had a relative idea on what I wanted the book to look like, but since I have decided with a square instead of a landscape, I have no idea. I can't seem to remember much on what I wanted to do, other than the order. I never thought this to be so difficult. I figured I'd have trouble picking and taking the photographs, but never so much indecisiveness with the final project. I had something in my mind on what I wanted and now that it's happening, all my thoughts are changing.

Something that is starting to worry me is what was on blackboard; "If someone said 'So what' about my project, I don't know what I would say. It's not that I feel I'm not learning or that my project doesn't have a purpose, but I don't completely understand the question. But, because Mrs. Stanton keeps telling us to think about an answer, I know that someone will probably ask it when I show my project at the end.

Today I got my first few hours of community service done, too. That makes me feel so much better, especially because of the open hours and I go and work. I set orders for myself on how I want to get things done, and I didn't want to get the research paper started until I got my community service going. Now, I feel like a huge weight was lifted because I plan on starting my paper (at least research) this week. That also means I can start calling people for interviews! YAY. Things are starting to pick up and be stressful! I can't believe I'm excited for that, but one thing I've found out about myself is if something is not going wrong or causing me to worry/stress, then I will stress more. I feel if something is not going wrong, then something else is that I don't know about and it will bite me later. Anyway, I'm actually excited about writing this paper but I don't know why.

I think that pretty much wraps it up for this week. C:

Meeting with Shay Yesterday~

Another good meeting. We went over the outline for the book and it got me really excited. Shay is really organized so he always has a list of what it is we're going over and papers to help me, but not force me to do it. I decided I am going to dedicate a wall in my office to this project and all the papers to keep myself organized. And I can always look up from my computer and see it; no procrastination! 

I got a few pictures I am really happy with from Saturday near Shay's house. It was a nice day there, with very dramatic clouds in the distance over the shoreline and cliffs. I'm still stalling a little bit on taking pictures of landscape scenes. I want spring to come already! I love the rain but for the project I need flowers.

Speaking of projects, I still have community service to be done. Damn it, Freeman! I already vented about this on blackboard, but it just really makes me mad. @.@; It's due in a month and all I want to worry about is my W.I.S.E project. I tell myself that I am going to DVC so if I fudge on the community service and get a bad grade it won't matter...but I don't want to. I actually want to do the community service, I want to work for ARF. But not with this project on my plate as well. I'm sorta behind in the DVC class right now, but I'm not worried about that. Later on, though, things will get crazy between community service, DVC and regular work. I only have two main subjects this year, but Freeman makes me feel like I have at least four. Sometimes that man drives me nuts with the craziest assignments, and then not much gets done or it drags on so long we're behind and have to hurry up with other things. I don't even feel we're doing economics right now...I think I'm just a little more agitated about it because my weekend was kinda bogus (not meeting with Shay, just after that). Can't let that slow me down!

ONTO ANOTHER WEEK!

Wish me luck.

The Start of Week Five

Soooo, this project is going by fast. Just like I expected. But not as fast as I anticipated, actually. Though I have fears that it will when I get behind and the end is near. I guess that' what I fear most, not getting this finished. But it also relieves stress that I don't for sure have to finish this. But I really want to, and knowing the project I am doing, I need to finish it. Not saying that it is too easy of a project, but I know my limits and this is well in my limits. I think seeing the end product will make me immensely proud and happy. I'm such a big procrastinator, I don't get much done. But getting this done will be a new beginning for me when I start college.

RECAP! Week four [?!]

So, I realized something, I take my best pictures when I don't try and go set things up. The other night I was with my friends again and got a few good pictures. They're orange, but nothing photoshop can't fix. We were around the elementary school the other night on the swings when one of my friend found a forgotten four-square ball. Well, we took the opportunity to relive our long ago childhoods and played. I took pictures of them playing the game, mainly so the flash would mess them up, but I got a good picture in return for my lack of skills. I also got a couple of good pictures of them on the swings. I used flash so, Jake for instance, has a solid image of himself, but there is also a ghost of him trailing where he was swinging from. A long shutter time has become my best friend.

I'm coming to notice that night time shots are the best. I always have the most fun with them and get the best pictures. Every since I've been learning manual mode and about slow shutter speed, still/frozen pictures just seem bland to me. I love action shots that have that tad bit of blur in them, specifically when there is something still around them. I feel very artsy when I do these.

But I get two kinds of enjoyment out of them; the pictures themselves and my friends who do their normal, crazy things. They are for sure the most enjoyable group to photograph. And I think Shay would be pleased to hear this, because he is always reminding me that fun is the key to this project.

Earlier in the week, I had my first, official, assignment due in my DVC on the 15th. I was so nervous because the teacher showed them to the class. I don't even understand fully why. Maybe it's because one could intemperate the assignment to be different things, and I was worried I did it "wrong." I had taken pictures of my stuffed animal Honey-Kat, Bodega-Bay and Jake; favorite person, place and thing. I am actually very happy with most of the pictures and it seems that my classmates like them as well. I had to kind of fudge it and put a couple old pictures in there from before the class, but I wasn't the only one. A few people had pictures they had clearly taken previously (there is no way one kid when to China for the weekend).

A lot of the shots I turned in of Jake were from last weekend, I believe. I really like them. He is so enjoyable to take pictures of because of his personality. His features have their own emotion in themselves. I just wish he would let me take more pictures of him. C: His smile is so sincere, and his stern face perfect for photographs. Isn't it ironic that those who look the best in photographs never let their pictures be taken? Very disappointing.

Tonight we plan on going back out to play capture the flag, and I will bring my camera for possible pictures!

I'm learning that photography is something I really do love and greatly enjoy because of how happy and excited I get just from thinking about it. Now that I think about it, I think I love photography because its' a way I can explain things. I can convey how I feel or what I want to say though my photographs. This is a big thing for me because I have a hard time with words sometime, so if photography can help, I think it can be much more than a hobby. The idea of my photographs being posted in a gallery and bought makes me smile. People appreciating my art is something that every artist dreams of. But it's an implied dream. Everyone wants to be recognized, by family or the public. Because the artist themselves might love the certain 'masterpiece,' but that doesn't mean the majority will. But that makes it special if only certain people find good taste in your art. Of course, it's and unwritten rule that an artist is not allowed to become largely famous and have expensive art until they have been dead for awhile...Maybe fake my death?

Well, I can't believe it is already week four. I'm loosing track of time, but still on top of it (that I know).  I need more landscape/architecture and macro (surprisingly). My people category is actually not doing so bad. 

I'm getting there!

Second Meeting with Shayyy

Met with Shay again today. It was a good meeting, too. We went over a handful of my photographs and he said he liked them and I was doing a good job. CCC: I met with a local photographer, Mr. Jerry Dodrill. I liked his work and I now have a second, for sure, person to interview for my paper. I'm not really sure what my topic will be for me researcher paper. I wanted to do something along the lines of the start/beginning of photography. But if I have to interview people, what would I ask? I guess I need to think about it some more.

Ok, well this week was mildly eventful. And I can tell things are going to pick up this next week and get me really busy.

GAHHH

.+..:Errr:..+.

Slow week. I kinda wanted it to be, though. I feel too ahead in with the project. I feel I should be stressing more about my project. I have free time, and I take that as a bad sign.
Maybe I'm just not noticing it yet, but it all seems too easy.
The class for intro. to photography is so easy right now...I'm worried the teacher doesn't actually know his stuff. It is intro and I know all of what we're going over at the moment. Maybe that is why it is so dull. I WANT A CHALLENGE. And I know I'll get one, but probably the challenge of this getting this project finished.

The current assignment for the class is for me to take pictures of my favorite thing, place and person. I like that this gives me an excuse to go to San Francisco and take pictures of that certain someone who doesn't really let me take picture so of them so much. >:]

I hope all this I'm doing really helps me improve...

Week Three ?

Talked with Mrs. Disher yesterday. I don't have much to say, today. It's hard trying to keep up with something you don't really know how fast it is. As easy as it is to take a "boat load of pictures," what else should I be doing? It's difficult for me to take all the photographs I need/want because of my surroundings. Things are all the same; winter, people, nature, etc. I can't wait for spring and all the beautiful new flowers and nature's no-photoshop-needed photographs. Spring Break is going to be my biggest asset. All the 'free' time I can manage.

Slow Going.

I'm kind of relaxing this week. I finally got in the DVC class for sure, but I'm starting to fell I will be over-powered by a multitude of things soon. I'm also worried that the DVC teacher doesn't know as much as he claims to...For the last three classes, he's just had us sit there, for at least an hour, and help those who need it. Well, one class whats about the basics of a camera. But, for people like me who already know how to use their camera's basic functions, it's a bore. And I have to sit there and wait for the sign in sheet otherwise I might get dropped. None the less, I figure the class will pick up soon after everyone can work their cameras and photoshop well enough.
So far, I have a ton of photographs for my book, but need lots and lots more. I have a lot that I like, and a couple that I love. But my goal is to get to the point where I can't decide on which photographs. That way, I know that I have a great selection of photographs.
~~~~~~~~
Jake has done the biggest favor for me. He's been reading my blogs and found a website that published books for cheap! I'm really excited that it's $20 each, and 60 cents per page ! I OWE YOU BIG TIME, JAKE. <3 It's not what I had in mind (the type of book) but it fits my budget better than $200 dollars a pop! Now I can for sure buy more than one. C: !!

I just got an idea...maybe a multimedia section? Or add it to the misc. section? Hmm...

Another Week

Well, it's week two, day two. I've taken a lot of photographs. I've got a small list of photographs I can use in my miscellaneous category, but my landscape category is a little empty...At least that makes it easier; I now have a priority.
The DVC class is going easy so far, first homework assignment is due Thursday, and I have 90% of it done by just enjoying myself. W00t! I'm going to do my best not to mix homework for Porter's class with homework for this class. No slacking! :]
One tough thing is finding someone, a small Indie company, to publish my book. It's difficult to know exactly what to Google...I also need to call Lisa Evens. I'm excited about talking with her because I can also use her as someone to interview for my paper.

Met Mr. Pickton

So, saw Mr. Pickton today. He lives in such a beautiful area, I'm jealous. :)

We went over a list of things; what my goals are, planning out the time, discussing possibilities for my photographs and etc. I feel better about getting up to full speed. I know this will be more difficult than my mind is letting me understand. Maybe it's because I enjoy taking photographs more than I realize ? I'm sure I'll find that out by the end of the project. Mr. Pickton gave me a little binder, with blank scratch paper and an exposer sheet inside. I'm supose to document my photographs when I'm out in the field. I think that will come in handy when I make captions for my book.

Mr. Pickton drove me around Bodega Bay a little bit to show me some areas that he has taken pictures of himself. I did take a few photographs, with Mr. Pickton's suggestions, of the church from 'The Birds.' It's also the same church Ansel Adams took a famous photograph of. I also got a couple pictures of the bay with it's boats along with the beach area where a big group of people were whale watching. I didn't see any, sadly, but there were apparently a few sightings.

I'm actually really happy about a couple of the pictures I took of the church. I have two choices for what to put in the book (the picture posted is probably the one I'm going to use). The sky is that blue on it's own, and it's my favorite part. I didn't really have anything in mind when I was taking it, I just put the camera on the ground and shot, not really paying attention. I hope Ansel would be proud!

And I have a great idea for the 'people' section. I'm really excited about that one. Every so often ideas just flow through my head that I get excited about. I can't wait for it all to be over, just so I can see how my book turns out. Mr. Pickton is right when he says I'm going to be very proud of myself when it's finished, and I can't wait.

Not Quite There...

Well, first post.

I guess you can say I have gotten started on my project. I am taking pictures when I get the chances. So far I mainly have flowers, but I know after I meet with my outside mentor this weekend, I'll have a better grasp on what I should be doing. Not really excited for waking up at 6:30 and leaving at 7:00 to see him...but it will be well worth it. The only three things I am worried about for this project, at the moment, are how well my photos will turn out, and if I can stay on track. Procrastination is in my blood, attached to my DNA, really. But I think I can at least battle it for a few months.

The third thing is my outside 'third space.' I had my head in the clouds for too long and didn't act soon enough to get into a class at DVC. I'm attempting to add this week, and there's a good possibility I can get into the class I want; Beginning Digital Photography. I sat in a class Tuesday, and the teacher seems great. He went over stuff that Porter did that day, so it was a great refresher. But I think the greatest part is that Mr. Mulholand (sp?) is attempting to add that class as well. What are the chances ?

Anyway, Acalanes' Adult Classes are my back up, but they don't start for a little while.