I’m beginning to think of Photoshop as being like Godzilla – the word alone brings fear to my heart. Where, I wonder, will it appear next? And who will it take out? I’m most likely on the hit list.

I know that there is a logic to it, but this logic eludes me. On Wednesday nights I sit in front of a computer, and I begin tapping in commands, just to see what will happen next. I’ve figured out a few things, like how to make a photo black and white, and how to change the contrast. But I do not yet have a sense of the big picture.

My class notes are reflective of this. They read like the rantings of a madman. Would make for good poetry, if I understood it.

Loose Ends
JPEG is a compressed file
Image folded into a smaller file.
Folding paper analogy
Open, guesses at distribution
Open once, save as
File management problem
Need more space/more files/larger files.
Need: card reader.

If I was a student, and dependent upon doing well in this class grade wise, I’d be terrified. It very well would be the stuff bad dreams are made of. But I guess I’m beyond that. I’ve paid my tuition and dues, and am taking this class because I have a love of learning. I’m to be envied. I reached the top rung of the academic ladder, and could go no higher. If there had been another rung, I probably would have gone for it. Instead, I’m moving sideways, onto another ladder.

I don’t see what I’m doing as the activity of a hobbyist, but rather, as more of an artistic endeavor. I want to further explore the relationship between words and images. What people name photos interests me, as does what photographers have to say about these images exclusive of the captions. And there are the words in some of the images themselves.

I’m far more excited about how I’m progressing with the camera. I’m taking Baby steps, but nevertheless, baby steps. I know I’m right to think that the better the image, the less time one has to spend Photoshopping it. There are probably some people out there who take crappy photos knowing full well they’ll have to later work on them when at the computer. And they enjoy doing it this way. I am definitely not one of these people.

Next: 72. 2/17/12: Moose