Tonight was my third photography class. A continuing ed photography course taught at the local University in Arlington. This is the same University my husband Jason works at. He is an IT Systems Manager, but their department does not include the continuing ed classes. Still….. I get excited being there. It is where he has worked or gone to classes for over thirteen years (or longer).
I have never gone to college and this is about the closest thing for me. Here I am, a student in Trimble Hall at age 39. Awh! Now if only I could figure out directions, and which way is which, to and from class to the parking lot. I get turned around – every time. Pitiful, I know!

Our lesson was using the camera’s built-in meter. I won’t go much into the light metering lesson (or you’ll be as lost as me-ha!). It’s probably one of the more difficult things to catch on to (or it could be me?), because it relates to exposure and tones. Those things can be interpreted differently by different eyes. You can be mathematically correct, but yet prefer a different tone, and guess what? That’s not wrong. Wrong can be right, and right can be wrong. That sums up light metering. The good news is – after a while – your eye recognizes the exposure and remembers the right meter.
Memorization I can do.
Grey is always mid-tone, a non-reflective grey. We metered the camera on the grey disc (pretty sure it’s not called that-sorry for the non-technical term). Then, shot around the room. It should be the right exposures, but again, based on your preference and as long as it’s not something mainly black or white.
Not a lot of interesting things in a classroom. But here are a few of my practices.
My last photo, because of the white, required an altering from the grey metering, otherwise it looked crappy (too bright). I changed it to get some kind of photo to represent my day. It was a normal busy day. I had a doctor’s appointment, work, and class until 930pm (then cleaning the kitchen, eating, studying my chapters, and feeding the dogs). As you can tell by this schedule, these were the only pictures I had time to do for my 365 Project.
I am as dedicated to that as I am to my Post a Day with fellow WordPress bloggers.
It is a full, full day. I can’t believe there have 25 of them! Time just flies by. Thank-you for sticking with me through this crazy journey of mine.
Wahoo! Twenty five. I am amazed. I will be here cheering you on! (Oh and on FB too!)
I am fascinated by the picture of the chair. It is so clear and crisp.
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You take such beautiful photographs and your enthusiasm for photographing is wonderful to see/hear!
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Your photographs were great, even before you started that class. And the pictures totally qualify for the 365 project! They perfectly represent what you did… 🙂 Keep going!
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You have really grown as a photographer and a writer. Keep it up
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I love your photos, they always capture comething interesting. I went to University when I was 30 (never went to college as a teenager). I too found it a little disorientating at first. But I loved it!
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy
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Love the pen one…that could be a picture for your blog someday! Love how everything around it is fuzzy and vague, but the point of the pen is sharp and determined…kind of like your writing with Post-A-Day!
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How long is you class? I took a three class series and it did wonders!! I would love to take a more advanced class, preferably in flash some day 🙂
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your pictures are looking great already! cannot wait to see even more as you hone your skills : )
http://www.cailenascher.blogspot.com
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Way to go! 25 days down! And I love that you are loving this. I enjoy seeing this process as you go through it. 🙂
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I think it’s absolutely awesome. Congrats on going back to study something you love.
Lots of yummy love,
Alex aka Ma What’s For Dinner
http://www.mawhats4dinner.com
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Great photos! I’m just getting started trying to learn a few things about photography. I need to take a class, but that means I need to find TIME to take a class.
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Hi Angelia:
Just wanted to drop you a line to say that I really dig your photos. Very good stuff. I’m about your age, but back in the day I learned how to develop B & W film and then develop prints from that. Nothing like the smell of chemicals. In any case, I’m still pretty late getting into the digital thing…right before digital hit big, I purchased a really nice Minolta film SLR camera. So for now, I’ve got a really cheap point and shoot digital camera. Anyhow, thanks again and I’ll be back to see how you progress on your photography journey.
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I love the shiny metal. My fav is the fire alarm.
XD
Thanks for the comment.
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SO cool that you are taking a photography class at a university – I think I would like to do that sometime, it must be so much fun to get out of the house and do something creative! LOVE your shots from around the room – too bad they didn’t provide some props. You did an amazing job with what you had!
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Trimble Hall? Very appropriately named I’d say!
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Holy information batman…I never knew that taking a picture was so involved. I really want to take a class but I need a good camera first!
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