I'm weird...

...or is it just me?

 Me

Once upon a time, yours truly took a correspondence photography course. I still haven't finished it. It cost a lot of money. I need to finish by the end of August or I won't be certified. I have 4 lessons to go. I need to get out of my lazy cage and get this done.  *stomping feet* I don't wanna.

 Old Decrepit Camera

Newer, Better but I Already Want a Newer Better Camera.

Almost 3 years ago, I decided to take this course because I wanted to brush up on my...ahem...skills and become a certified photographer...plus I had a newer, better, more bells and whistles digital SLR camera I had replaced my old and decrepit (2 years old) digital SLR camera with... and I needed a push to learn this new and improved digital camera.

I had been shooting film. All. My. Life. What speed film do I need? Kodak or Fuji? Ilford. Buy film. Put film in camera. Find out you need a different film speed for the job. Waste film. Forget to rewind the film, open back of camera and expose it all to the bright sun. Put more film in. Take pictures again. Then more. Then more. Take film to lab. Let lab do their magic. Wait for 3 days. Pick up pictures...pay out more money. Open envelope and ooh and ahh over pictures. Buy more film. Take more pictures. How ever did I live through all of that? I'm exhausted just writing it down.

One of the lessons is about 35mm film. I don't like film anymore. I got rid of my film cameras on purpose. I am not a purist...film used to be considered new super dooper technology, did it not? I don't need film cameras for the photography course. I can use my digital SLR for my assignments... but my adviser is MAKING me do the film portion of the course or I won't be certified. At this point, I need the certification to justify paying so much money out for the course. I'm not sure what certifying will do for my upcoming business...but I will have a certificate to hang on my wall!

Great. Fun. I need to know the history of 35 mm film, how film works, what film's made of, how to use and develop film in black and white and color, chemicals, water bath, enlargers, blah, blah, blah... yada, yada, yada. FILM AND YOU, YOU AND FILM. FILM FILM FILM...

...but I can use my digital camera for my film photo assignment and turn in prints from my digital image I upload from my computer. Gotcha. I also have to answer each question correctly on the written test about film and developing and all the other useless info. ...Then I will know all about film...which, I will never, ever use again. Fine.

I use digital cameras. I really, really don't want to know about film anymore. Only a handful of unenlightened people are out there using film. It won't make a big comeback...no...it won't. If you are a photographer still using film...I may be able to answer some questions...as long as I can look them up in my text book...but I suggest you cave and buy a super dooper digital camera. They're way better.

I'm not having writers block...or photographers block...I'm having- I can't get past the film section block. For 2 and a half years.

Then... if you can believe this... I signed up and paid a lot more $$ for another photography course. I am still working on it too. Help!

Photography hasn't come easy for me. I work hard at it because I am a perfectionist when it comes to what ever I do. But I am not a natural. I have to work at it. Yes...yes I do. I love it. I love photography and I will do this.

Chanting my mantra for today- I will do this. I will finish. I will do this. I will finish. I have to. I have to. I...

Today I am pulling out the remainder of the course and laying it all out on the floor...and I will be reading about film for 27 and 1/2 hours. Then I will take the stupid test immediately afterward. Then I will take the photo and print it out...and turn it in. Then I will be past this horrid film nightmare and be able to finish the rest of the course. Right? Right.



I'll keep you posted...bring food...lots of food...and chocolate. I'll need my strength.