Say Cheese!

I have always loved taking pictures. When the kids were little, I loved recording milestones and every day joys to share. I was that geeky mom with the huge camera bag , constantly changing lens on my film SLR. With no real training, I was still able to get some great shots.

But digital cameras and instant images were all the rage. My hubby got me a nice Canon Power Shot, which has a lot of great features and is easy to use, without lugging all the lenses, etc. I had just finally begun making the switch over to the simplicity of it, when it happened: my camera was stolen.

Or, I should say claimed. My hubbys little digital work camera was stolen. He borrowed Girlie's small digital. She, however, was taking a digital photography class, and had to take and submit weekly photos. She "borrowed" mine, and I haven't seen it since.

PHotography was a great addition to our curriculum. It got both of us out, looking at the world through different eyes. Each week, the focus changed, as did our own lens, as she sought color, line, frame, shape, etc. Moreoever, we both realized how much fun it was to have a hobby we could pursue together.

Still, I am feeling more than a little bit put out to be the chauffeur on all her shoots and stand around with my twiddling my thumbs. This year, she has chosen to continue learning more advanced techniques in photography, and I'll be darned if I am going to miss out.

The nice part about a designing a photography course are the many resources available. In most areas, we are lucky enough to have a local camera store that offers a great variety of classes are reasonable prices, and many are free. Most community colleges and art centers also offer non-credit courses to take.

We also found two texts to start in the "From Snapshots to Great Shots" series: Composition by Laurie Excell and Exposure by Jeff Revell.

Last night, Girlie and I took a photo class for summer sun/ beach photos and fireworks. Again, she had the camera, and I got to take notes. My hubby didn't let me get far into the story (whine) about my 'stolen' camera, before he shared a secret: the family is getting me a new camera for my birthday. As we are taking all these courses and trips for shoots, I even get it early!

So a fair warning to my friends and family, if you see me coming, prepare to "Say Cheese!" This blog will be much more interesting with great photos attached!