Summer is already half over.

I can’t believe it. Spring came and went. I haven’t picked up the camera for months and I’m going to tell you why. I was conducting a personal experiment. In my continuing quest to become a better photographer I took a couple of classes at the local college with my wife. I took a black and white drawing class and a color and composition class. I made the decision to not pick up the camera during the classes so I would have a definitive before and after set of images.

The black and white drawing class primarily focused on graphite, but did use pen and ink and even some color towards the end of the class. I found the class very interesting and I learned a lot.  I walked into the class without having touched a pencil to paper for drawing in years.  I now feel confident in my ability to render with pencil my thoughts. Now, this isn’t a drawing blog so I won’t other you with my drawings, I will just share my new photos with you as they are completed.

I was honestly hoping to get more out of the color and composition than I did. The bulk of the compositional aspects of the class were completed using cut pieces of paper on different backgrounds. I did learn more about how colors act together in a composition but was hoping for more. I will point out specific things I learned in the coming weeks as I post new photos.

I did learn from both classes that no matter what I am doing I tend to focus on the rule of thirds which is a basic photographic concept. The coming weeks will be interesting from a photographic standpoint. Its summer gloom time here in Santa Cruz so shooting outside at the moments is tough.

Before I go, I want to mention something about my instructors. I am fully aware of how difficult a visually impaired person is to teach, the teacher needs to often change not only their methodology for teaching that specific student, but also alter their expectations for what that student has delivered or is capable of delivering.  Both my teachers were exceptionally willing to work within my abilities and make the atmosphere positive and fulfilling for me.