Here goes nothing

I signed up for a photography class yesterday. I had been waiting and waiting to join a class, I'm not sure why. I finally joined on the day the class started. I would love it if anyone is interested, that you join with me!! There are still 11 days to complete the first assignment, just four pictures!

I have been thinking about since we bought a Canon SLR at the end of last year. I suppose I waited because I wasn't sure if I wanted to spend the money. Especially until I knew I was ready to commit to following through with homework assignments again. (I just finished school in December for Accounting, and I wasn't sure if I was ready to be held accountable for homework.)

But learning on my own hasn't been going so well lately. I have been starting to feel overwhelmed with all of the aspects involved in taking great photos. I've been thinking lately,"Why are my pictures coming out blurry?" and "Why are hers so much better than mine?" "I'm dying to know what she knows." Photography can be so hard and so frustrating.

After reviewing different class options, I decided to sign up for Better Photo's online "Fundamentals of Photography" class. I heard from two different people to try the Showcase School of Photography off Cheshire Bridge in Atlanta. But trucking 45 minutes into town in no traffic was a little too much driving for me. I don't do well in traffic at all. I also heard from a professional photographer that Better Photo has a good name in the industry...just her opinion. So off to Better Photo I went.

I feel like I should say that I have no desire to make money off photography. I think that would put undue pressure on the whole process and stunt creativity. I only want to learn to take better photos to document our life and update our little blog.

I started the online class yesterday. The class starts with assignment #1, and by uploading our portfolios by this Sunday.

• Problem #1. I don't have a portfolio. It think it's supposed to be an easy, "What level are you at?" experiment for the instructor. Seriously, it's only like 5 or 6 photos. But still, portfolio sounds intimidating. I spent some time yesterday throwing together some recent photos in Smugmug. Then I had Jay glance through them to tell me which few he liked as a second opinion.

• Problem #2. The first, and currently only person to upload photos has a professional camera. (We are to note the camera, lens and specifics about the shot underneath each photo). I'm talking the $5,000 professional Canon. And her photos are copy-righted already.

Huh? I thought I signed up for a beginning photography class. I literally started clicking through the student "rooms" to ensure that signed up for the right class. I finally confirmed that "Yes indeed, I'm in the right place."

Maybe the other beginners in the class are thinking what I'm thinking. So march on, I must.

Here goes nothing. I'll let you know how it goes. Please join me if you can.


Sunset in Cabo, Mexico.
Taken with a Canon xsi, tamron 17-50 aspherical lens.
f/6.3, Exposure time-1/160 sec., ISO-100, Focal length-17mm, no flash
;)

*to get your photo info, simply right click on your picture icon and look at properties*

Read more...

This is a real sign

I took this on the way back from the outlets in Dawsonville, GA a few weeks ago.

Read more...

Cats and Dogs

Jay sent this to me a few minutes ago, after sitting in the car for an hour on the way to work. It's raining pretty hard today so it goes without saying there will be a few accidents on the highways. We try to remember on days like this, as Jay is late to work and I'm worried about him....that someone is having a much worse day than us.

Read more...

Easy Breezy

If you are home during the day and need a super easy dinner, this is it. It takes 10 minutes tops to put together and then cooks all day. It's my mom's pot roast dinner.

This is Jay's favorite dish that I make. And it's the easiest. The last time I made it he said, "You've really outdone yourself with this one." I hope he's not reading this. Actually, he probably is. (Jay, close your eyes.)

So this is all it takes to make a delicious pot roast in the oven:

1. Turn the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Put a chuck roast in a large roasting pan. I usually buy one that is about 2.75 or 3 pounds. Fill water just to the to the top of the roast, and add Pot Roast Seasoning from McCormick's. You should be able to find the seasoning at any grocery store. I like to put the seasoning on the meat and the water level just barely over the top, so the seasoning seeps in. Cook for 1 hour.
3. Pull out the roast and lower the heat to 250 degrees. Add full potatoes (4-ish), a bag of carrots (I use baby carrots when I don't feel like peeling), and four onions quartered. Just set everything in the pan around the roast.
4. Continue cooking for about 6 hours. Check the water level every hour or so to make sure there is at least a 1/4 inch in the pan. If there is still too much water, take off the top toward the end and it will boil down.

Your whole house will smell amazing while it's cooking.

This meal lasts days for us. I made it last week. We couldn't eat it all and Haley, our lab, ended up having some for dinner too. It would surely feed a family of four.

the roast is in there, i promise. it's at the bottom soaking in the flavors.

Read more...

I want to take you home

I saw this Accordion lamp a week and a half ago at the Potterybarn outlet in Dawsonville, GA for $130 and have been thinking about it ever since.

click the picture to go to the PB page

Read more...