Learning Takes Time

When I first started photography, all I wanted to be was a landscape photographer who took all these amazing shots that know one has ever seen before. I used to spend all my free time taking pictures in the summer, and to my surprise I actually took some great shots. Some of my most favorite photos are the ones I took without knowing what shutter speeds were, or what the word aperture even meant. My camera was always in a preset mode like sunset or night time. Never did I manually set anything. My interest in photography became even bigger when I got positive feedback from my family. I knew I needed to take his hobby to a new level. So I got a job and the firs big ticket I bought was a Canon Rebel XSI. I bought not even knowing what all the buttons and options were about.

My high school career was coming to an end, so I wondered what I was going to do with my life. Never could I see myself going to university or college. I didn't have the brains or ambitions. So before I graduated high school, I found out about a photography school in Winnipeg that offered a 10 month diploma course in professional photography. I knew it was for me, but I didn't want to rush anything. So I took a year off after high school and worked. It gave me time to decide if this choice was right for me.

I worked hard on putting together a portfolio of my finest work for my interview. I got accepted into the diploma program, so I guess they saw something that they liked. This career choice has been one of the best since.

My photography has improved greatly, and I'm making use of all the buttons that my camera has, and I even know what they all mean. I have had so many moments were I go " Oh....that's what that means". What you learn here is everything you need to know. To make it even better, it's a relaxed environment, were you don't have to worry about essay's and book reports, but rather focus everything you got on your own personnel creativity.

At this school I have been pushed to my creative limits and I know what I'm good at and what I'm not so good at. All of this though makes me a better photographer.
As I'm learning so much, I see my future as a photographer shifting from landscape/nature and heading more into the direction of people photography and weddings. If you would have asked me this 3 years ago, I would have said that I would have never become interested into people photography.

After assisting a photographer at a wedding this past fall, I knew I had hot another "Ah-ha" moment, and I'm really starting to like taking people portraits. Capturing both candid and staged pictures are my favorite. Putting all my creativity into shots is something that comes really easy to me.

I enjoy everything I learn here and will continue to until I have learned the business and am ready to graduate in June 2012. As for my future, I hope to become a wedding photographer and own my own photo studio. I girl can dream can't she not......

Taken in 2008, No photo editing


















My first time assisting wedding.

A picture taken at a recent field trip to a boat museum.

A picture that I took using my oh-so-cool film camera.

A photo taken back in 2009 with my new Canon Rebel. The camera is at the top of the list of best camera, but I think it does swell.


















A self-portrait of myself. The theme for this assignment was called " Beyond the Obvious". I thought it was a pretty nifty idea.

Kristen Klassen
PV Diploma Student
2011-12