My first week of camp is complete!

I have a dozen students, ranging from grades 2 to 5. Most of them are around 8 years old. All of them are very enthusiastic, as you can see from this class picture.

On our first day, we ran around with our film cameras; the assignment was for the kids take pictures of each other on the playground outside. It was a nice way to get-to-know-you and get some film ready for developing throughout the week.

While we were out and about, I took this picture of Kyle, my faculty-in-training. He's a high school graduate attending MICA in the fall.

Kyle has been a huge help, mixing chemicals, managing the kids, and helping them learn the involved steps that it takes to go from film to finished print.

Teaching has taught me a lot about planning. I felt very prepared in the weeks leading up to the class, and having my supplies ordered ahead of time gave me a sense of security. Nothing can prepare you for the hiccups along the way, though! I've had a few technical hurdles (the printer not working in the digital lab, and water pressure issues in the darkroom), that I couldn't have foreseen.

Most of all, though, teaching is revealing a lot of things about myself. I have to think on my toes, remain flexible, and think of ways to creatively explain things to kids who need something a little extra or something a little different. Each child has a different learning style, and that can be tough to accommodate when there are so many different activities going on; shooting, darkroom work, and computer editing are all very different processes.

But the kids seem to be taking to it well, and I'm a happy camper. Uh, no pun intended... really.

Anecdote: Both of these shots were taken with my beautiful Nikon FM10 on Ilford Delta 400 film.