chimerically

My first exposure to photography that I recall was at the age of five, when I discovered my grandfather's Ansel Adams books. I thought the prints were beautiful: his aspens and driftwood seemed to glow with color even though they were greyscale. Not long after, I was given my first camera, which used 110 film (as I proudly proclaimed to peers with boring 35mm cameras). I learned the importance of contrast early when, for my first photo session, I spent a long winter afternoon taking a whole roll of pictures of a beautiful ice sculpture caused by a drip in the rain gutter, only to find that the pictures turned out as amorphous white masses when developed.

Over the years I upgraded to various other automatic cameras, until my first year of college when I bought a single-lens reflex with the help of my artist aunt. I spent the next year hauling it everywhere I went, snapping artistic shots whenever the inspiration hit. I experimented with abstract photography and even astrophotography, recording the star trails of Orion and Canis Minor. A year ago I was given a high-quality digital camera, and have since come to appreciate the ability to snap as many shots as I want without having to worry about the cost of developing them all. I shy away from extensive photoshopping, though, as I endeavor to take good photographs rather than salvage mediocre ones.

Though my fascination and involvement with photography has spanned many years, I have never had the opportunity to take a class in photography. When I saw your class listing, I jumped at the chance to change this, and learn more formally about the artistic medium with which I've long been enamored.