I will begin at this point to take sign ups for November's Point & Shoot Journaling class. If you are like me, languishing on your hard drive or your camera's memory card are ten galleries' worth of photographs you love. We post our images to our blogs and perhaps to FB or Flickr, and then there they sit, until we back them up onto an external drive or store them on disk, and then they sit some more.
I think we can do something MORE with them- something we can touch and interact with. I think working with the actual physical photograph can create something high-touch versus high tech. When we work with an image with our hands we interact with it differently, and we connect with the image.
I love to use my photographs on my journal pages- the images are mine and mine alone, and they are meaningful and personal- perfect for authentic visual journaling. Because I've taken the photos the content is rich- the day it was shot, the circumstances, the weather, the location, the subject- are just bursting with content we can explore in the pages of our journals. We'll shoot new photos and pull out ones we've already shot, and then we'll mine them for visual journal pages. Writing prompts will be included for the photo assignments. I'll add in tips and tricks and techniques- the ones I use myself on the pages I will show you.
I think for far too long the notion has been expressed that pages have to be complicated and the techniques difficult to master for a visual journal to be good. Poppycock, I say!!! Messy is fine if that is your style, but it might not be everyone's. You will be able to adapt the class to your personal style and explore the ways I approach composition of journal pages, if you choose.
This class, Point & Shoot Journaling is designed to prompt you to print your images and use them on your journal pages. By using digital photography, we have an unlimited and extremely inexpensive source of original imagery at our fingertips. (you know, the ones that press the shutter button and the keyboard keys...)
We'll use our point & shoot digital cameras (although dslr folks are welcome!), our existing photo archives, and simple supplies (paper, paint, crayons, pencils, pens), to create visual journal pages. By journaling with your own photographs you will begin to develop a personal visual journal practice.
Each class will consist of a private, password-protected blog, where you will find:
- weekly photo shoot assignments - topics that will make you thnk and stretch
- weekly search assignments within your photo archive - to make you delve with purpose into your files
- visual journaling prompts each week to help you pull pages together
- journal writing prompts per week to get your writer's soul stirring
- tips, tricks, and techniques for working with your images that will be shown in photograph (or video when needed) format - my tried and true ways of working
- I will be available to answer your questions via email throughout the class
- a class flickr pool will exist to share your work with the class
Each session will be one month long, beginning on the first of the month, and ending on the last day of the mont. A one month session will cost $25. Our class will begin November 1. A button in my sidebar on the right will take you to a payment screen. You don't need to have a paypal account to sign up. The screen will prompt you with instructions.
Refunds are available up until seven days prior to the start of class. You may begin a class after it has begun, but since the information will still be available for you to use, the cost is not pro-rated. Class ends on the last day of the month regardless of when you joined us during that month. The class blog will remain up for seven days after the last day of the month, but no new posts or comments will be possible.
This is not a camera or photo editing software instruction class. This class assume you can readily use email, your camera, download images, and resize them as needed using your computer's software. You will need to sign up for a free Flickr account, if you wish to share images or photos with our group.
Supplies:
- a journal you like to work in
- computer w/ internet access and photo editing software (the stuff that is pre-installed is fine.)
- printer
- digital camera
- your favorite pencils, crayons, pens, paint ... journaling tools
- scissors/cutter, ruler
- your favorite glue or adhesive
- matte photo paper, regular paper, glossy photo paper (I like Staples brand photo papers- particularly their matte as it is double sided for less waste)
- clear spray paint
You may find you like the tools or materials I use personally, and I am happy to share that info as we go along, but I would guess that most of the class have art supplies on hand, so why not use what you already own?!
