Intermediate Class

So I took the intermediate photography class at Gallery Photography last Wednesday.  I was hoping for a little more direction on indoor lighting than what was given (I guess I need to learn how to ask more questions) and felt so nervous shooting in the crowd that I didn't learn much from the outdoor practice.   I felt crestfallen that when I came home I didn't feel like I learned anything I couldn't have read online for free.  (At least I used a Groupon and didn't pay full price!)  I felt a little uncertain after the beginner's class as well, so I'm hoping to rid myself of the discouragement that I feel and get back into my groove.

There are two reasons I think I came away from the class feeling anxious and frustrated. 
1 - While hands-on learning is important, I need more one-on-one instruction and observation time.  When all 10 of us went outside with two "models", I kinda waited for the teacher to step up and show me his techniques more than he did.  So I hung in the back playing with camera settings and feeling nervous.  When he did ask to look at my pictures, I was embarrassed because I wasn't shooting the quality that I know I can do.  I guess it didn't hit me that I was supposed to treat them as my client and try to get good shots of them.  I guess I could have taken more photos and asked for criticism.  But it would help me learn more to be an assistant or shadow a pro on a shoot and see where they put their reflectors and lighting, which lenses and things they choose, and how the pics turn out. 
2 - I felt inferior with my equipment.  I have a Canon Rebel T2i with its kit lens 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 and a 50mm f/1.8 lens.  And everyone else had telephotos, macros, and other crazy expensive things.  So they were getting better pics because they had more options.  I had to get in the models' faces--and put myself in everyone else's pics--to get anything decent.  I just felt uncomfortable.  Even Kelley had borrowed her father's telephoto lens for the class.  I hated feeling that my $1000+ spent on camera equipment didn't seem good enough.  The equipment isn't what matters but the pro teaching the class did have a bit of an elitist air.  I'm not a professional!  I just bought this camera and it happens to be pretty spankin' nice! 

But I did take three pages of notes during the inside instruction and met a fellow Canon photog named Jennifer that is willing to learn along with me.  She lives in SLC, and we've been emailing a little since the class.  Her camera is a much nicer model than mine and she has fancy lenses (she let me borrow her mondo telephoto lens during the class; it was awesome) but we're both still learning the art of photography.  She is the photographer for all the sports events at her local high school and she's going to let me know when she does more shoots so I can go along as well if I'd like.  I think she's the reason I needed to go to the class.

I heard Kelly David (the class teacher) say that all they do in the advanced class is shoot.  That makes me nervous and now I'm not sure that's the best platform for me.  There are so many other resources and ways of learning the advanced techniques that I might just try to sell the Groupon I purchased for the advanced class.  We'll see.  I think I have a year before it expires.

The main thing I got out of the class is a wish list: LightScoop, reflectors, Photoshop, off-camera flash, umbrella and stand, telephoto lens, vertical grip, and macro lens--in that order.  :)