Audio Portion

I've really like this class...this has definitely been one of my favorite journalism classes since being at Maryland. I don't know what to expect for the audio...but I do have a lot ideas floating in my mind about the final project. This portion is going to be the final piece of the puzzle I need to prepare for the project. I plan on going to Maya Angelou Public Charter School in Washington, DC and film there for a day. I think they're going on a community service trip later this month, so that will be interesting to see.

Mall Madness and the Night Vision Setting

This has been an interesting week. My organization hosted Alpha Nu Omega Week, which is a series of different events each day. We introduced our newest members to the campus, had gender-specific sessions (i.e. the sorority talked about self-esteem and the frat talked about something else), and one of the best programs we had was playing on McKeldin Mall last night at 10pm.

Mall Madness really was a throw-back to my childhood. We played red light/green light, sharks and minnows, and "capture the flag." There's just something about running up and down a field in nearly-complete darkness that makes you fall over with laughter. Everything was funny last night. Somehow, I became the photographer...and it was HARD! Although, I have a nighttime setting on my mom's digital camera...it's not the best. The truth is it doesn't really work that well. I tried to catch action and capture the sense of enjoyment everyone was having, but I don't feel that I was successful. :-( Because I could'n't see anything on the viewfinder/screen, I just pointed in one direction and hoped for the best...sometimes I got a decent shot...others, not so much. I wonder how real photographers take pictures at night?

New York Trip and Playing around With the Camera

I went to New York last weekend with a friend to see Cat on a Hot Tin Roof with Terrence Howard and James Earl Jones. It was an awesome play and I had a great time...until my camera batteries died...so, there wasn't too much picture taking in New York...this was the first time I had been there since January 2001.

I thought photography would be easier than video and in some cases it is. I can take multiple shots of the same thing or have the subjects do something again so I can try to reshoot. Yet, it's been difficult to get the types of shots I want. (Even when I'm shooting multiple shots.) I think part of the problem is that I'm using an older digital camera with less settings. Despite the limitations, somehow I've been able to get some pretty good shots. With Tim's advice, I've been trying new angles and actually stopped using the flash (gasp!). All in all, I'm learning a lot.