The days that went...

As the year started we were pretty much thrown into this course. I can still remember the assignment from our first class. Go outside and take pictures of an umbrella. After a while the pictures started getting really creative and exiting. This was just the start.

Photography has been the constantly in focus this year. The "five categories"  have been giving us ideas and pushing us to take pictures all the time. Despite the amount of work in school generally,  if you get an idea, you pick up a camera, before you loose it and you somehow always find the time to take photos. Bringing your camera everywhere you go, is also a habit I have gotten over the past year. Photography has become an art form that I really enjoy. I can also see a learning curve in the photos I have taken. I started out this year with pretty safe and standard photos, but the categories really  push you further and make you take it to the next level every time,

Printing has been more experimental on my part. I have never worked with graphic techniques before and just getting to know how print differently was very exiting. I have to say I have become a big fan of stenciling. Printing also made me see that you can be creative and use your photos in different ways.

The blog... well its a love/hate relationship, sorta. On the bright side, you can post ideas, photos, inspiration and you can hand in every single piece of homework. Its really practical, not to mention accessible, because you can blog wherever you like you just need internet. On the other side, the blog always makes you feel like there is more you can do, and there is sort of an internal struggle of "who has the longest/best post this time" going around the class. But maybe thats a good thing? Anyway, Im just glad I get to share my work with other people. Its more social and inspiring than just a hand in.

Working in this class is often hectic and we really get a lot done in just a few hour. I think most people in my class appreciate that we have all those hours on tuesday, because you can often finish your project before the end of the day. Wonderful! You don´t have to worry about it later.

I have learned a lot this year. This class does not have a textbook and I think it should stay this way. Not only does it make the course depend more on the skills of the teacher, but also the effort of the students. Of course we have a curriculum but the lacking of a textbook makes the classes more free. In addition to just evolving and taking more interesting and challenging photos I´ve learned a lot about the technical aspects of photography. We have also learned about the usage of aperture and time value, which has been really great. There has also been a lot of challenges and you usually don´t you feel like you learn anything in school, but in this class you can really see and feel a curve.

This year has been very inspiring and I feel like photography is something I always can use, wether its just for fun or maybe professionally. Its such a wide work method and artistic outlet and you really can create wonderful things with a camera.

One of my favorite shots, taken in Florida at New Years Eve 09/10. This was after I learned how to use aperture value, a shot like this could never look the same with a blitz.