Do you ever have those back-in-school dreams? Like the one where you realize you're late for the final exam in a class you've somehow forgotten to attend for the whole semester? Or the one where you have to make a presentation that you haven't prepared for? And you're inappropriately dressed. Or not dressed at all. Distressing, aren't they? Fortunately, I don't have those dreams so often any more, but I've had them often enough over the years. Between those nightmarish episodes and all the waking-life years I spent in actual classrooms, I have no interest furthering my formal education. So it's kind of funny that one of the things I most looked forward to when I retired was having time to take classes. Not the kind that involve brain-busting study and deadlines, but the fun and enriching kind. Recently I took just such a class, and it turned out to be so enjoyable, I may never have another school-days nightmare. The class was a six-week Intermediate Photography course at Artworks in Big Rapids, taught by local photographer Dave Johnson. Dave has been a shutterbug since high school, but got serious about honing his skills over the past ten years. Now he focuses mainly on event, lifestyle, and landscape photography. A proponent of life-long learning, he not only strives to keep improving his skills, but also shares his passion and knowledge with others through classes, photo walks and individual lessons. I was a little nervous about taking the class. For one thing, I wasn't sure how "intermediate" it would be. Though not an absolute beginner, I consider myself a novice. Would I be out of my depth? For another thing, I'd been looking for a hands-on class, where we'd spend at least part of the class period actually shooting and getting feedback on our work. But once I found this class, I was anxious about that very aspect of it. I know how I can feel suddenly brainless and blocked in writing workshops where we have to write on the spot. Would I turn photo-blind when it came time to shoot in class? I needn't have worried. Dave's an easygoing instructor who makes the course relaxed and fun, encouraging experimentation and allowing plenty of time for questions. He also shares his approach to photography: trying to look at the world in unique ways, focusing on both the details and the larger scenes they come together to create. When he photographs people, he looks for ways to capture something of their life stories and sources of inspiration. A few more examples of Dave's work: For our first out-of-class assignments, Dave encouraged us to photograph everyday objects we could find around the house. I found eggs . . . and the candle I light every night at dinner time . . . and a still life of kitchen utensils. In class, Dave showed lots of photos to illustrate points he was making. But rather than simply showcasing his best work (and possibly intimidating us in the process), he also showed us some of his less successful photos and engaged us in discussions of what would've made them better. It was a good reminder that learning any skill takes lots and lots of practice and that even accomplished artists have to work at getting everything right. Each class session mixed lecture and discussion on the finer points of exposure, composition, lighting, and specific types of photography—such as landscape, macro photography, and night photography—with breaks to try out techniques we'd just discussed. When the weather cooperated, we took our breaks outdoors. When the weather didn't cooperate, we found things to photograph indoors—either the Artworks exhibits or items Dave brought in: tiny toys for close-up practice, prisms for special effects, and a variety of dollar store light-up doo-dads for a session on playing with light. That one, with the light-up gadgets, was probably my favorite in-class exercise. We experimented with shooting long exposures of ourselves and Dave moving around with glow sticks and strings of lights. It felt like pure play, but we ended up with some pretty cool abstract images. In spite of my early fears, I didn't freeze up when it came time to practice our skills together. I did find group shooting a different experience from roaming around on my own, but it was fun to see what other people were shooting. To promote even more of that kind of exchange, Dave maintains a Facebook group where current and former class members can post photos and comment on photos that other group members post. Busy schedules kept some class members from taking full advantage of this resource, but I appreciated having a place to share work and get feedback. At the end of each class period, Dave issued a challenge for the coming week, such as photographing a fast-moving subject at different shutter speeds, or taking photos at different distances from a given subject. For once, I loved having homework! When I spent an afternoon wandering around with my camera, I wasn't just goofing off, I was working on an assignment. I came away from the class with a fresh set of tips and techniques, but perhaps more important, the inspiration to keep stretching my skills, trying new things, and seeing the world in different ways. Have you taken an enjoyable or challenging class recently? What have you learned? Enjoy a few more of Dave Johnson's photos:
14 Comments
Laura Bailey
6/20/2018 09:49:18 am
I think that sometimes, people over the age of 50 or 60 feel like they're too old for school, but that's just not true! I hope this blog post inspires someone who's feeling those doubts. I recently went to the Bear River writer's workshop (I feared I'd be the oldest student, but I wasn't and it wouldn't have mattered anyway), and I learned SO much, returned with so much new work, and one attendee was 86 years old! Someone told me once that older learners get more out of school because we're not worried about impressing the instructor, we're truly there to learn. I really like the shed photo, and the peeling paint photo!
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Nan
6/21/2018 11:09:33 am
I'm so glad you had such a positive experience at Bear River. The two times I attended it, I also found it to be a very welcoming and supportive atmosphere for writers of all ages and experience levels.
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Sandra Bernard
6/20/2018 10:55:42 am
Inspiring.....I love your zest for life
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Nan
6/21/2018 11:10:39 am
You inspire me, too!
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MIchelle Celarier
6/20/2018 11:22:49 am
I love this! Your photos are such an inspiration to me, and so is this class. Photography is one thing I yearn to do better. I find it more intimidating than writing, but hoping the new camera helps. (I haven't bought it yet, still deciding)
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Nan
6/21/2018 11:12:29 am
I remember being very impressed with your work when you were doing more photography, and I'm glad to hear that you want to do more. What kind of camera are you considering? There are so many amazing ones out there these days!
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6/20/2018 12:59:19 pm
I get lots of pleasure from your photography, just as I did from your memoir. What camera do you use?
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Nan
6/21/2018 11:35:21 am
Thanks, Deb. I have two cameras. My big-girl camera is a Nikon D7200, with which I mainly use an 18-300 lens or a 150-600 lens (when I can lift the thing -- sometimes I think it weighs as much as I do). But for walking around the neighborhood, hiking, etc., I use a Nikon Coolpix p610, which has some limitations (in my hands, at least), but is great for photographing flowers, bugs, and other critters.
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Sally Pobojewski
6/21/2018 06:23:48 am
I used to take more photos than I do now. My family found it annoying, but I treasure some of the photos I took of them. You have inspired me to give it another try. Your photos are so beautiful, Nancy!
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Nan
6/22/2018 06:51:03 am
I'm sure I have annoyed a number of people with my photo-taking, too. But like you, I treasure all the photos from over the years. Lately I've been so fixated on taking nature and event photos, I've gotten out of the habit of taking pictures of friends and family. I need to do more of that.
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Sue Schneider
6/21/2018 06:25:45 pm
What a terrific post! I bought a camera from my daughter, a photographer, a few years ago and was determined to learn to shoot without auto mode. I did it for about 2 years and the camera has sat in the closet for 5 years. You’ve inspired me to charge the battery and give it a go once again. I found it too intimidating and confusing. Maybe a fresh start will go smoother this time. I took a class at GRCC and was very disappointed with the instructor and the lack of instruction. Giving up really hasn’t served me at all! Thanks for sharing the insights you learned from the class.
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Nan
6/22/2018 06:59:00 am
I'm so glad you're going to give it another try. One other thing that helped me a lot, in addition to Dave's class, was the "Fundamentals of Photography" DVD series by National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore. I got that DVD set, as well as Sartore's "Fundamentals of Photography II" set from The Great Courses (when they were on sale for 70% off the usual price). Those DVDs really helped demystify the various settings, which, like you, I had always found very confusing. Joel Sartore's down-to-earth style is similar to Dave's, encouraging a playful approach and finding simple and inexpensive ways to get interesting creative effects.
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Katherine Myers
7/19/2018 04:52:50 pm
I enjoyed this post. The teacher in me loves how he showed some of his less than successful photos and let the class critique them. Unlike you....I always dreaded writing assignments since I thought the first draft had to be perfect. But then, too late for me, a successful children's author told us to assign 'write a bad sentence' to our students. Then go from there. Everyone can write a bad sentence!!
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Nan
7/20/2018 01:16:33 pm
Good thoughts, Kay. I have to remind myself all the time that first drafts are just that. All that matters is getting words on the page. Then comes the fun of revising to see if something better emerges.
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Written from the heart,
from the heart of the woods Read the introduction to HeartWood here.
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Nan Sanders Pokerwinski, a former journalist, writes memoir and personal essays, makes collages and likes to play outside. She lives in West Michigan with her husband, Ray. Archives
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