I am sleeping in the other bedroom in my little house tonight. The room has better light and a firmer bed. I slept until 10:30 this morning, in believe in part because of the darkness of the bigger bedroom. I woke up with a start this morning and it feels discombobulating to sleep so long. Don't like that feeling. So, I will try another bed, like goldilocks, & hope that this bed is just right.

The first week of AI went quickly but was overwhelming.  Of 4 days of classes, I had 3 night classes in addition to the 2 classes during the day.  We are learning advanced photoshop, which is hilarious because we barely touched the surface of photoshop in the summer.  Our teacher talks too fast and gets impatient with us when someone asks him to slow down.  I am feeling frustrated already, and after talking to some of the other students, I am not alone.  PS is something that I am going to have to practice on my own when I return home and I am confident that I will remember some of the materials that we are currently learning.  The problem with this teacher is that he is not a good teacher. Period.  Just because he know the material (after all, he did write the book), does not mean that he can teach it well.

I love my business & marketing, image illustration, & printing classes, and I am sure that I will also like the emerging technology classes when they start.  We have Dave Marx and Eileen Rafferty once again!  Joy!

Since I felt sluggish in SI, I am determined to exercise as much as possible these next 5 weeks.  A group of us are starting to swim 3 days/week in the mornings at the UM pool & I intend to get up to at least 1/2 mile (36 laps) before I leave Montana.

Today the weather was extraordinary. The sun was out and the temperature was high.  I hiked the M at the U photo of the "M"      The "M". 

It is a good workout, not very interesting, but a great way to exercise in a short period of time!

behind again-what else is new?

where did I leave off from my story?  was it at graduation? i can't remember.  so much has been happening to me and the days are just a big blur of activity.

judy, donna and ann were here for my graduation and that warmed my heart and filled my spirit.  i have missed true and loving friends.  my soul needs them.  i was sorry that pb couldn't make it up here, but i understand.  his life has been one big crazy whirl of work, dogs, singing, hayfork and performances.  joanie left and gave me her house.  i can never thank her enough. she saved my sanity and helped me find a nest in which to live out the next few weeks.  the place has her warmth and good energy in it and i feel her here with me.

kelly left me her bike and i ride it as often as i can. thank you kelly-you are a true friend.

i spent the week after my last pro studies class sleeping, riding around missoula on my bike and enjoying life.  i organized all of my class notes and my clothes and my mind.  it was good.

my trip to half moon bay was so quick it was like a dream.  i flew down on friday and back monday AM.  pb, the dogs and i got reacquainted -which luckily didn't take but an instant.  i almost couldn't control myself when i saw molly and riley. i could have eaten them up-it was that delicious.  the visit was too quick, but knowing that he will be flying up to missoula in 6 weeks , make it easier.   yep. pb  is coming back to missoula.  i am so happy that pb will get to meet everyone and attend graduation and escort me home.

AI started yesterday and i joined a new group. i am happy. very happy.

here are images from missoula and bannack ghost town that i took over the past week.

My week in Documentary Photography with Billy Howard

It has been a productive week.  We had 3 shoots: One in the studio with tattooed people, one at an assisted living facility and we ended the week at a truck stop.  Billy was right there, all the way, helping us out with our lighting , making suggestions and offering valuable critiques.  


Here are my favorites of the week:

21 days since my last blog posting

I graduated from Summer Intensive on August 12th-which seems like a month ago.  Graduation was good closure for SI-which was intensive beyond words.  I know that I learned more than I could possibly ever process in 11 weeks, and I feel confident that it will come begin getting absorbed into my photographic dna over the next few months.

 photo collage by Ann Schroeder

Nancy & Friends by Ann Schroeder

The summer was full of the ebb and flow of emotions for me, and it seems, everyone else.  Often I didn't even feel like I was here-my days became dreamlike and I floated through on little but willpower, being depleted by lack of sleep, proper diet/exercise and the added stress of living in a mad woman's house.

I finished my final project-3 20X20 images of Bailey the Boxer and cried when I presented the project to my classmates.  I cried because I missed my dogs and was emotionally exhausted.  Here is my statement:

DOGS have been a central part of my life for as long as I can remember.  They have been protector, confidant, best friend & someone to tell my secrets to when there was no one else I could trust to hold them.  They have comforted me when I was inconsolable and have offered me solace in times of darkness and confusion.

I asked a few of my friends to tell me why they share their lives with dogs, and here are some of their responses:

“Unconditional love”

“Dedication! Loyalty. No matter what kind of a day I have had my 4 legged friend will always make me smile”

“Bailey reminds me daily what is means to give unconditional love and that a lick to the face can cure all that ails.”

“Her ability for forgiveness & Loyalty. She never asks any questions. She is Non Judgmental & Always happy to see me. She makes me feel better when I’ve had a bad day.” When she looks at me with those big eyes and her tail wags she melts my heart.”

“A species that has been so domesticated that they will join our families, will communicate with us in languages we haven't learned, and will happily do what we don't even expect of ourselves: DOG. Dog is Love.”

“I love puppy kisses…. I love the unconditional love a dog gives you…. I love the way her whole body wages when she is excited to see me…. I love her!”

“Dog is God spelled backward”

“They see things in us that we can not see”

“Dogs are proof that God does exist”

“It's either because their unwavering devotion and unconditional love inspires me to do the same, or because I am insane...”

Me too

Judy and Donna came to my graduation, as did Ann (who was here finishing up a RMSP class).  It was comforting to have them all here, particularly when I had been feeling quite lonely.  The weekend of graduation I moved off Kellie's couch at the Wilma and into my new house for the remainder of my time in Missoula.  I love my new house and I know that I will be very happy here!  Kellie left me her bike, and I have been riding at least 4 times a week. 

Last week I took a one week class from Allison Leach in Editorial Photography.  It was a challenging week for me.  We only had 3 shoots and 2 critiques, and I wished for more.  The setups/lighting and models were not inspiring to me and I felt creatively depleted.  In the end, I think that I got some decent images, but nothing that I loved. 

I am now in my second Pro Studies class this week-Documentary Photography-taught by Billy Howard.  After only one day in class, I know that I am going to get a fantastic education in doc photography.  Billy is a deeply sensitive man who brings his passion to his photography.  It is evident by looking at his images and hearing him speak.  It is going to be a great week.