Kat Yarbrough — Colorado
Course: Ft. Collins Photo Weekend
I came to the Rocky Mountain School of Photography with an unfulfilled hunger that started at age 15
(in a cheerleader skirt, a pinhole camera in hand, and dreams of becoming the next Annie Leibovitz).
My life and responsibilities, which never took me to prestigious photography schools, would not allow
for a three-month hiatus for the Summer Intensive in Missoula. I lucked out when, of all the cities
in the country, RMSP came to my hometown of Fort Collins, Colorado. (A little advice: when the Universe
throws you a bone, take it and run.)
Changing times and technological advancement forced me to evolve. Years back, I ditched my trusty SLR for
a shiny new DSLR. It had features and options, beeps and lights, and this intimidating War-and-Peace-esque
instruction manual (which I never cracked). The camera took beautiful pictures, but I never understood how
it worked. I operated it in "Auto" and was frustrated with the complexity of a machine that was both smarter
and better looking than me. (I hate it when things are smarter and better looking than me.) I spent a lot
of time missing my film camera and wondering why I was once a photographer and now a moron.
I had high hopes that someone, anyone, at the RMSP Weekend could clear the fog on the workings of my DSLR,
but I never imagined I would walk away from a two-day course with what I did. What I learned from Tony and
Doug ended five years of frustration brought on by my transition from film to digital. I received a world
in focus, a deep understanding of the workings of my camera and a renewed confidence as a photographer.
This class exceeded my expectations. The instructors are entertaining and informative. They answered my
"dumb" questions and hands-on showed me how to work my DSLR (Literally: "What button do I push?").
I now feel the same way about my DSLR I once felt about my film camera. Before I simply shot this digital
camera to discover what it would record. I’m now using it to capture my world, to show you what I see.