Jet Lag?

Perhaps the term photo lag would be more appropriate, but it sort of feels like jet lag. I got over the real jet lag of flying here within a day or so and have now discovered you get a pretty good simulation of a long haul flight by getting up before dawn after a very busy week.

Sunday morning a group of us from the photo school got up while it was still dark and headed south to the Lee Metcalf wildlife reserve to take pictures in the morning light. The technical name for it is civil twilight though you need to wake at a very uncivilised hour to catch it. You could barely see a thing when we arrive but as the morning wore on the sky lightened and the wildlife started to make its various sounds.

Early morning at Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge

When we'd taken the pictures we wanted it was time to head for breakfast somewhere and the party navigator led us to a very small town diner where we ate and laughed and teased and took photos. Later that day I was fortunate enough to get a ride to the National Bison Range to shoot pictures in the late evening.  A long day for sure but well worth it. Here are a few pictures of the Bison Range... more to follow once I've sifted through them.

Yes it really was as bright as this.

Photography seems to be a regular feature of the meals we share in the local eateries. It's a safe bet that at some point we'll take pictures, or talk about some aspect of photography or the classes or the assignments. We had a very creative evening last week which included, amongst other things, photographing beer being poured out of a pitcher into a glass...  with several volunteers to empty the glass ready for the next shot.

Each week has a schedule, with classes and practical work which can extend into the weekend or evenings.  Free time consists of more photography, optional extra classes, meals together, and planning when those little essentials like doing some laundry are going to happen. In short life in this first week of photo school has been good and challenging and very intensive. I have some very talented instructors and some wonderful class mates.

Perhaps the hardest part is keeping up with the photographs I take. I've taken lots, though many will not make the cut let alone this blog, but I need to keep up with them and so that takes up a chunk of time. Not that I mind one bit and as the instructors have said, it is all about practice. I'm finding two apparently opposing trends.  On the one hand I'm becoming much more critical in selecting the photos I want to keep and on the other hand I'm becoming much more playful, freer if you like, in the type of photos I attempt. We'll see where it leads. Obviously I can't put all the photos I take on this blog so I've set up a separate gallery where I'll post small versions of many of the keepers.

If you'd like to see the complete collection then follow this link:  Five Months-complete collection   It will ask you to sign in: use the name mt59802 and password zootown.  Photos from this weekend are coming soon.