Last night was my first photography class at the college in town. I’m beyond excited about this next step in this daily adventure that has turned into way more than I ever expected. Its got me dreaming bigger than ever before.
The class was exactly what my high expectations were looking for. The teacher is funny, knowledgeable and most importantly obviously deeply passionate about photography. I know that a teacher can make or break an educational experience, so I was so relieved to walk into the class and see some hip dude in jeans smiling from the front of the room.
My fellow classmates were also exactly what I was hoping for. Just about everyone in the room had a funky edge to them. The girl in the back corner with with the tattoos, the guy in the black hoodie with the punk patch on the back who was obviously all about photographing bands, the girl with the knitted fingerless gloves who seemed to know a lot and who I bet has amazing ideas, a couple of normal looking dudes who seemed really inspired, and of course…what is a class without a know it all….we have one of those too. I was surprised to see how I didn’t play out my usual role of lessening my light, shrinking down, staying quiet. Classroom settings are quite tough for me and often triggering, but this felt different. I think the fact that this class is not the classic academia, but is creatively based, makes all the difference. They don’t want you to regurgitate the same bullshit (can you sense some academic hostility here!) but want you to understand the information and show that in the work you do. I’m so excited!
The course is 'Intro to Photography' (with film cameras). I had planned to take the intro to digital photography course, but waited to long and it was full! I think it’s a lovely twist of fate, as I really want to be prolific in both film and digital…and this way I don’t have to wait till next semester to get into the darkroom. I can only imagine how my love for this art form will grow once I get in the darkroom!
This college has a 2 year part time Photography Certification, which is my 'master plan'. The courses look amazing and they are all night courses, so highly compatible with the rest of my life. So often in the past I would talk about what my newest idea for what to do with my life was (counsellor, ASL interpreter, nurse, teacher, etc) but i couldn't take a step forward with these ideas, as none of them really sang to my spirit. There is singing going on now. Although a few sentences ago i called this my 'master plan' it doesn't really feel like a plan.
It feels like what is and what will be. This is it.
i have a line from a song in my head right now by Penny Lang
"ain't life sweet when we know what we're doing
ain't life sweet when we're not afraid to care'
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