The first week is over...

..and man what a week it was. I learned so much this week and had a lot of fun trying to implement what I learned into the pictures I was taking, but it was also a long tiring week. Lots and lots of brain activity plus some early days and late nights. I can not tell you all though how great the instructors were. This is where they get a shout out, Susanna Gaunt and Doug Johnson. I will hear them in my head while I am taking pictures for the rest of my life. They were amazing! If I had left after the basic class ended I would be so far ahead of where I was when I got here a week ago. Hopefully that trend continues through next week as well. I am taking today off- slept in and going to do some laundry here shortly but that is it. Need to recharge bit. I had been thinking about going up to Glacier National Park today but I decided that I will do that when I can spend some time there and concentrate on it. Doug told me to call him when I decide when I will be going and he will meet me there and we can shoot together for a few days. I was blown away by that offer because he is good!! He has been shooting Glacier for years and in his words "knows the spots" and for him to offer to basically take me one on one is amazing. Definitely will be taking him up on that offer. I am excited to be going on into another class back to back with the first. I think it will really reinforce this weeks lessons and force me to really start being aware of my composition. Plus we will be learning a bunch of new (to me anyway) stuff and from what I have gathered will be doing some sunrise and sunset shoots which is right up my alley. This week challenged me because we were not just shooting nature/ landscape which is what I love to shoot. I was forced to start looking at objects and things and buildings with an eye toward light and color and composition. Tough for me but it was fun as well. I understand shapes and lines and light better because of it which will only help me when I am shooting in nature. Still don't like nor am I good at taking pictures of people though. Definitely not my thing. I look back to a week ago and how nervous and even scared I was going into this class and I laugh now. There were 16 0f us in the class and two instructors. There were old and young, male and female, fairly experienced to total amateurs but within a day or two we were really tight. The class bonded so well and everyone was supporting each other that it made it a great environment. After the first critique it was actually fun picking the images you wanted the class to see. Even if you knew something was wrong with it. I definitely enjoyed my classmates a bunch and I now have a broader contact list as I travel. Always a good thing! Well that's it for now I think. Going to get some laundry going and maybe go in the rec room here at the campground and watch some football. Maybe even have a beer. Like I said, today is chill day. Take care all, Jim