(Nick McCarvel)
(Benton Whitley)
(Darren Biggart)
It's underway. My first-ever photography class began last Friday, deep underground in the pristine white hallways of the International Center of Photography, a world-renowned school that offers classes in everything from the broad "Digital Photography" series to the detailed "Lighting Animal Toys in the Middle of the Forest During An Eclipse" seminar. It's detailed, folks. And it's exactly what I need.
After a year of shooting on my own, picking up tidbits from photographer friends whenever they had the patience and time to tell me which knob alters which part of the image, I have entered a class where I will be able to solidify my existing knowledge. And, if the first class was any indication, open up my eyes and mind to a world of techniques that, until now, seemed as mysterious as a subway rat's life goals. I wasn't sure what to expect when I walked down the stairs, descending from 43rd street and 6th Avenue into a maze of digital labs, darkrooms, and gallery spaces. Would there be thirty people in my class? Would I be the worst in the class? Or, perhaps, the best?
Much remains to be seen, but it is clear I will be able to absorb plenty from the eclectic group that makes up my nine-person class. Due to the small size, the teacher has promised to gear each lesson directly to our needs, while simultaneously instilling photography basics into our ever-expanding vocabulary.
If I'm not mistaken, I'm the only person who doesn't have a child (if not three or four), but I'm not above forcing one of my friends to act like one so I can fit in when we share photos. All of the ladies, and one other gentleman, have promised pictures of their children to fulfill the first assignment in which we are supposed to experiment with motion blur, a technique of which I have never truly been a fan. So I bring you my friend Darren, who was kind enough to sit on the sidewalk and play with toys for a solid hour while I crept around and took pictures of him.
As a photographer who has spent a hefty portion of my shooting time with dancers, I find motion blur to usually be a distracting device that is far easier to butcher than to do well. Regardless, I set to work to fulfill this portion of the assignment (some of these photos fall into other categories) to the best of my ability. Enjoy!
