Thursday, December 3, 2009

Sanity in a World Full of Chaos

My life tends to be surrounded by chaos -- with working at the Centre of Addiction and Mental Health and the Children's Health Research Institute doing research, working at King's University College as a Teaching Assistant, and taking 3 graduate level courses in Sociology and Epidemiology, I am left with little time to do (non-academic) things that I enjoy.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE being a student, and love the steep learning curve I've experienced over the past few years. There are days, however, that I realize I need something to take my mind off of academics and that will enable me to have fun and be creative.

Thus begins a new era in my life, as a photographer-in-training. I have always been a fairly creative person and have always enjoyed all types of art. Photography is a fantastic way to express creativity while capturing moments and experiences.

And so it begins.

For my birthday, my (fantastic) husband purchased this for me:



I'm not going to lie, I still have no idea what 99% of the options and buttons actually do yet, but am working on it. My subjects so far: my two dogs (Bailey and Keeley), and, when he's not looking, Adam. (In my defense, I did prewarn him that he would become the focus of the majority of my pictures, but I guess he didn't realize I was being quite literal).

I have my first photography assignment already lined up: To take post-renovation pictures of my bathroom for my in-laws (okay, not really a full-out job per-say, but I still take pride in making sure Adam's hard work is well represented). Photographs to come.

Also, I have decided to participate in some sort of 365 Project, whereby I will post at least one picture every day for a year (I am going to start Jan. 1st, as that will give me a few more weeks to learn the in's and out's of my camera).

That's it for now.

- JR