Friday, April 28, 2006

"And whatever you do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus..." Col. 3:17

At the beginning of the week we were all a bit uneasy, but we were challenged to do our best for the Lord and work to show His glory and majesty through our images. Our instructors patiently taught us the rules and principles needed to impact others with each and every picture that we took. They provided clear feedback and critiques, allowing us to sharpen our skills and learn to see with the eyes of a photographer. Because of their clear lessons, we were able to see dramatic changes in our images from the first day to the last.

The rules we learned helped us to not only take better pictures, but also to understand what makes a good picture. Before coming to IPS, I did not understand why some pictures could flow and catch my attention and others had no interest at all. If you think of your favorite book, and what captures your attention in that book, it's a story line that draws you in and makes you feel like a part of what is happening. An image can do the same, and this past week at Prizewinning Photography, we learned how to capture the attention of a viewer with our pictures by applying practical guidelines such as the rule of thirds. We also learned to add interest to our pictures through the use of lighting and small and large depths of field.

The time that our instructors spent getting to know us, investing their time and abilities in us made it very unique and special to me. They treated each of us as friends, and spent time one on one with the students, helping us to learn to truly use our images to impact the world the for Christ.

—Prizewinning Photography Student Yvonne Beaty