Packing

Maybe I'm weird, but I have always found packing cathartic. I get an opportunity to purge things I don't need, and go through things I've gathered over the course of my time in a place. I finished packing up my room today. I don't exactly know what my dad plans to do with these boxes, but this is my life in a box(es). It feels good to be done. 

On another note: I took my LAST test at Augusta State University today! It felt really good to hand it in!

And one final ending, after nearly 7 years (would have been 7 years on July 25 this year), I clocked out at Ritz/Wolf Camera for the very last time. It was really bittersweet. There have been a lot of ups and downs over the years. I have been given so many amazing opportunities, learned valuable skills, and met some amazing people. Over the years I have worked in a dozen or so different stores, been a Key Lab Tech (which meant my head was in the machine most days!), managed a store, helped liquidate a store, taught classes, lead photo excursions, and most importantly, helped many people preserve their family memories. I truly felt like my job was important and that I was able to help people in some way - which has always meant something to me. Overall, it was a wonderful company to work for, and a wonderful company to get through school with.

These two bags will house my belongings for the next year!

So, now that everything is beginning to wrap up, the question is - is it time to go yet?!

Columbia Zoo Field Trip

One of the things I love to do, with regards to my job for Ritz/Wolf Camera, is teach the Ritz Camera University Classes. On Sunday, Keith and myself, in a combined effort with the store in Columbia, SC, arranged a photo excursion to the River Banks Zoo. We were there to provide some hands on opportunities for our customers to utilize the things we talk about in class.

The River Banks Zoo is a wonderful zoo photographically. The exhibits are very well done; small enough that you actually can photograph most of the animals, yet they are also designed to mimic the natural environments of the animals, so that you aren't just photographing a wall or a fence behind them. There is also an incredible English garden that is just absolutely gorgeous photographically (though we didn't get there until around 1 or so, so the light kind of bit).

We had attempted a "field trip" once before, last August, with a much smaller group of people. This time we had about 30 people that signed up for the trip. Keith and I arranged for Casey to come along as well. As I mentioned in yesterday's post, he brought with him his 500mm f/4 lens and was gracious enough to allow the Canon shooters to give it a shot. Even the Nikon shooters were impressed (lens envy). We had a great mix of cameras too. Obviously the majority of the people there were Nikon owners, but there were a number of Canon and Sony photographers as well. There was even an Olympus shooter!

There were five of us present as instructors: Keith, Myself, Keta (manager of Columbia), Ken(photo school instructor for Columbia) and Jenn. We all brought our own equipment with for people to try out and use. I even got my first opportunity to use Casey's lens as well as his 10-stop ND filter. I just have to find my 50mm again. I know it got into Keith's car after the zoo, but it's not in my bag right now.

The extra equipment, especially the lenses, was a big hit. We even sold a $1000 lens after the trip! So, I consider it a success. Next time, we are going to try to get our Nikon rep. to bring down some lenses and accessories for the Nikon shooters. I am also going to try to get the information about contacting the Sony and Olympus reps about the same thing.


All in all there seemed to be positive reception to the event. There are a few things that we need to improve to stream line the event for next time. But as this is relatively new for us, it's not surprising we ran into a few hitches.

Some more photos I took. As I said though, I was really there in a teaching capacity and didn't get to do much of my own photography because of that.

This is that flamingo that tried to eat my lens

My perspective on his attack on my lens

The Botanical Gardens. Without ND Filter

The Botantical Gardens. With ND Filter. Poorly composed I know.

There is a beautiful nature trail that you can walk between the zoo and the gardens. I suggest taking the tram on the way up and walking the trail on the way back. It's all down hill the way back.

You go by the old mill when you take the trail. It isn't so much that is photographically interesting, rather more that it is just a nice, peaceful walk.

A 500mm mini case study of my favorite animal.
For strange some reason I couldn't get the whole elephant in the lens*

I am going to go a head and say it for the record.
Elephants are the greatest animals on the planet.
Period.
End of story.

*sarcasm

Don't Shoot With Glass You Can't Afford

Never shoot with glass you can't afford. This has been my rule since I started buying camera equipment. The reason I came up with it is this; if you do, you'll go back to your "cheap" lenses and never again be happy with the quality (ignorance is bliss). Yet every time I turn around I find myself breaking this rule. Casey owns a Canon 500mm f/4 lens. He brought it with on a zoo excursion that I helped to lead for Ritz Camera University. I have been wanting to get my camera on this lens for three years now (my camera with MY EYE at the viewfinder, as Jenn did use my camera on it when I loaned it to her once).

I have to say, sometimes breaking the rules is so worth it. I am still coming down from the high I got using this lens!

What was great was as I was walking through the zoo with this lens, parents grabbed their children out of my way and crowds just parted. Moses didn't part the Red Sea with a stick, he had this lens.

One picture for now, more later. Though I didn't get much of note as I was there in a teaching capacity.