Holga Class

How I am spending my summer vacation....

Taking pictures with a cheap plastic camera with a plastic lens and spending hours upon end in the darkroom developing the images.

Class ends on July 7th and then perhaps I can have a real vacation!

My son Eric

Student Pinhole Exhibit on Wednesday

This is a picture of my son Eric that I took with a pinhole camera on Pat Mayse Lake. This is one of the pictures that I am framing for the student exhibit on Wednesday. It will be at 12 First Street NE, Paris, Texas from 5 pm to 7 pm. Everyone has worked so hard, I hope you will stop by and take a look!

Pinhole Photography Class

Vaughn Wascovich is teaching a pinhole photography class during the May 2010 mini-semester at Texas A&M Commerce. It is fast, furious and fun. Included are a few of the photographs I have taken so far in this class.

A pinhole camera is basically a box with a small pinhole poked through a piece of an a thin aluminum can. Light goes through the small pinhole and focuses on a piece of coated paper or film to produce an image. This is why these images presented here are very soft focused. I must say this is much harder than I expected. This class is making me very much appreciate the pictures from the 1800's.

Rocking it with Russ

I am so appreciateive to Russ for helping me out with my class assignment using flash on the camera. It was the first time I've ever even tried to use the 580 EX flash speedlite on my Canon camera. I had all kinds of technical problems learning how to use that flash. Urgh.......... But Russ was a trooper and patient with me in the throws of learning. Here are some photos from my day with the flash light!

Kevin at their ranch

Kevin allowed me to come to their ranch and take pictures for class this week. Thanks very much Kevin for being such a great model!

Our assignment in Photography 112 is to use the flash on our camera. Up until this point in time we have only been allowed to use available light.

Now, I have to take 5 pictures using flash.

We can turn in:

1. One picture as flash as the only light source.

2. One picture with the flash as the main light source with ambient light.

3. One picture with flash as a fill light source with available light.

4. One picture using flash to balance indoor light with door light. (This is the assignment I attempted with Kevin)

5. One picture with slow shutter spead and camera movement.

I have a Canon 580EX Speedlight that I have never even taken out of the box that I bought about 4 years ago.I have never done anything like this before. This is one assignment I don't think I'm going to make a A on.

Checking out Chicago

Chicago is a wonderful place to visit. This past weekend was the first time I had ever seen the Great Lakes. It was an emotional moment for me.

We stayed in the Drake Hotel and experienced High Tea! Having drinks on the 96th floor of Hancock Tower and watching the sun go down was a new high. The tour of the 26 homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright was inspiring. Each morning we got up at 5:00 am to catch the sun rising over Lake Michigan. I can count the number of sunrises I've seen in my lifetime on my fingers and toes! One day we did the Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum of Contemporary Photography. My feet were complaining the entire time but my eyes were wide open in amazement. Navy Pier was cold in April but you could still feel the excitement building for the new summer season approaching.

Last but not least, we shopped the Magnificient Mile. I didn't buy anything but I went into the stores in the true fashion of the country mouse going to the city mouse's city. I was overwhelmed.

From the pictures you will be able to tell that our assignment this week was show/stop motion. We got home at 11 pm on Sunday and I had to have 4 pictures perfectly printed for class on Tuesday morning. I made it. My pictures are turned in and me and my feet are now resting.

Beautiful and Fun Brittney!

This child truly could be America's Next Top Model. We had so much fun chasing the setting sun on Saturday. The wind was blowing so hard that it felt as if a hurricane was coming up from the Gulf. Brittney braved the wind and the sun in her eyes to get just the right shot.

Can you tell that we are from Texas?