Don't Take a Photograph

Life is back to... well, the speed limit. No speeding tickets, at least for a while. So let’s see how much better I do with this blog.

First, I want to give a shout out to Donella for giving everyone my blog site. I know it’s just to view some of her wedding pictures, but still. I actually have people coming to my site now! Yay! haha I am going to try and post a few more pictures as I get them finished :)

Next, through this whole month of craziness, I've been teaching a photography class at the YMCA. Since teaching the "Intro to Digital Photography" over a year ago at the Y, I've had people suggest a field trip class. I whole heartedly agreed and finally put one together. So every Thursday in July, from 6-9, we met at the Y, then left on the bus to different locations. The field trip class was meant really for people who went through my intro class and knew how to use their camera, and just wanted to go out and take pictures of our beautiful peninsula. Of course would learn more along the way, but not a beginner beginner class. Then as I was putting it together, I figured that I would allow anyone to participate and would just help them a little more throughout the course. I didnt want to exclude anyone.

Well, my intentions on the class kind of went out the window. Which isn't a bad thing, just; I wasn't expecting it to be as different as it turned out to be. I ended up with 18 people signed up, and only one had gone through my intro class. I added WAY more intro beginner info then I originally started with, and even threw in an extra bonus info class. I put a lot of hours into this class, trying to make it the best that I could, and help everyone to the best of my non-pro ability! I really hope I have conveyed that through my love of photography. I do truly love it and I love sharing and teaching it.

I am by no means a professional photographer (yet), and I definitely don't know EVERYthing. With everything though, I don’t think one person can know EVERYthing there is to know about any given topic. You can always learn something from someone or just from experimenting on your own. BUT. I do know that I know what I am talking about when it comes to the basics of how a camera works, how a photograph should look, and how to create an image the way you want it to look. And I am very proud of that fact! I have spent a lot of time learning and studying. Photography is my passion, and I want to be among the best. To do that, you HAVE to know what you're talking about... so that’s what I am doing. Getting to where I know what I am talking about and helping others along the way.

I am having a blast in my class and seeing people start to get it and love it as much as I do. While teaching, I am also learning. Ingraining it more and more into my head, and researching a question someone has, if I don't know. That’s the best part! They help me as well.

The one class was out at Salt Creek, and the other was just right downtown. It was so incredibly fun watching them, getting on the ground, laying, crawling, sitting all over the place on one of the busiest corners in town!

Tomorrow (Thursday, July 30^th) is out last class. So I want to thank them for helping me grow, and hope that I took them that one step farther to being a wonderful photographer, no matter how far they want to go with it.

I'll leave you with this thought. One of my favorite quotes from Ansel Adams:

"You don't take a photograph, you make it."

Happy Shooting

~Kristina

*Breath*

I can finally sit, relax, and not HAVE to do anything all day! That is a grand feeling after spending the last 2 weeks running around non-stop. More to come on that, but on to more important things, and the reason for this post is...

Donella and Jeff GOT MARRIED!!!!!!!!!!

I am so very excited and thrilled for them. They fit so well together and I had the honor of being apart of the aMAzing weekend on the lake.

Drivers literally drive me crazy. In the car, for over 9 hours behind people who don't know how to go the speed limit, can do that to you. But Karyn and I finally crossed the Idaho border and made it to the lake. Just for the record, I am so not a camping/tent/sleeping on the ground/bug type of girl, but that's exactly what the weekend entailed. Slept on the ground, in tents, with bugs everywhere! On top of that, there was no running drinking water, 90+ degree weather, going up and down a long, steep, dirt road to a bathroom, being out of my comfort zone in a bathing suite, swimming with a lot of people I don't know, plus other bumps along the way, it could have ended up being such a miserable weekend. But then you spend it all with Donella, one of the most amazing people I know and one of my best friends, then throw in being on the lake, meeting and hanging out with all the most important people in her life, Jeff, and his friends and family, all coming together completely over powers all the negatives and gives you the best weekend of the year!

Congratulations Jeff and Donella Clark! Love you guys!

Here are some sneak-peeks of the wedding...

Jeff, Donella and I

Happy 4th!

Summers here and life is hitting the gas instead of the brake. In a nutshell, here is what my calendar looks like for July...

• VBS - I'm responsible for the music and openings and closings for my church's VBS July 6-10. Been getting ready for it since July 1st. It's an African theme, so we have tons of percussion along with it. So much fun teaching little kids about Jesus while praising and working for Him! Awesome stuff!
• Photography Class at the Y? Yep, that's me! I am teaching a photography field trip class at the Y every Thursday in July from 6-9pm. It started July 2nd. There are 19 people in the class and I had a great time the first session. Can't wait til next Thursday!
• While working my normal 3-8pm shift at the Y, Tonja and I are training a new employee at the front desk.
• The YMCA is doing a program in Sept. called Step Across the States, and I am heading up all the decorations and turning the whole Y into one giant game board/map. A HUGE project that if pulled off and turns out like how I see it in my head, its going to be truly amazing! Come check it out Spet. 1st!
• House-sitting for 3 different people/families.
• I am doing my first Portrait Party this month! Have never done one, so we shall see how it goes. I'm excited about it!
• Two incredible friends, Donella Pratt and Jeff Clark are getting married July 18th over in Idaho. (Also both their birthdays!) I have the honor of being invited as one on a small guest list, plus take their pictures on their wedding day on the lake. Going over the Friday before, and come home the Sunday after to make a weekend out of it.
• Camp Pahata - Out at Camp David Jr. on lake Crescent, the Y puts on Camp Pahata that's happening July 19-24th. I will be going out there during the day to take pictures, then coming into town to work the closing shift at the Y.
• Including Donella and Jeff who are getting married on their birthday, there is also two more birthdays this month. My pastor and good friend Roger Stites, and my best friend since H.S. Jamie Burton. Happy Birthday you guys!!!

I bought a new camera and lens!!! I got the Nikon D700 (which hasn't come in the mail yet) and an 85mm f1.4 Nikkor Prime lens! I'm Stoked!

So, besides all that I have to find time to eat and sleep in there as well...

Yesterday, the 4th of July, was my first time in YEARS I have just stayed home for the holiday. I had a good day though being lazy and playing with my new lens!

I will try and be better at adding posts, so when I do, its not a novel.

Here are some pictures I took yesterday...

Flowers from my moms garden. I use her yard a lot to 'practice'

My bird, Kiwi, enjoying the outside

My first Yahtzee of the night!

Mmmm... Brauts on the Grill

My neighbors fireworks

Until next time...

~Kika