Shoot

Much to my dismay, our field trip by bus to the Morton Arboretum was canceled because five students weren't enough to justify the gas. And while I realize it didn't make the greatest environmental sense, I was really looking forward to my first field trip since Mrs. Burrell's first grade went to a New York dairy to watch milk swirl around in stainless steel vats.

Saw my first cow that day, too.

In any event, our fearless instructor, Aaron (who is volunteering his time to teach this Lifelong Learning class) discussed brightness, contrast, saturation, temperature, clutter, the grid, hotspots and Ansel Adams.

Take out Ansel Adams and it sounds a bit like menopause, doesn't it?

After class, we took a "photowalk" around the campus, although I confess to getting sidetracked.

This is Sharon, author of the blog My Life with Labs and Jillian. She has a bodacious camera -- and she knows how to use it.

This is Kaki, a covert blogger with a special relationship with ospreys (in the photographic sense of the word). Also an excellent photographer.

We roamed Benedictine's campus trying to keep Aaron's lessons in mind. 

A lesson in lines.

A lesson in clutter.

A lesson in staying dry.

A lesson in how to get an A.

Next Saturday is our last class, when we will learn how to use Photoshop, a handy utility for coping with double chins and bad hair.

I'll share some of the results down the road.

Benedictine University gets high marks for its Lifelong Learning program. The content is excellent and the price is right.

And seeing Kaki go after a ladybug on a weed? Priceless.